Chapter 19

The silence of the fortress was a suffocating blanket. It wasn't the usual quiet of a well-maintained base, but a heavy, oppressive stillness, broken only by the frantic rhythm of my own heartbeat. Su Ah was gone. Taken. Again. And I was left with nothing but the echoing question: where?

I paced the command center, the cold metal floor a stark contrast to the burning frustration that consumed me. The holographic map flickered before me, a taunting display of dead ends. Every lead, every scan, every analysis had come up empty. He'd vanished, taking my sister with him, leaving no trace.

"Where are you, Su Ah?" I whispered, the words lost in the vast emptiness of the room. It wasn't a question I expected an answer to, but a desperate plea hurled into the void. I felt like I was drowning, each passing second pulling me further under. I'd failed her. Again.

Sleep was a luxury I couldn't afford. Food was a distant memory. My body screamed for rest, for sustenance, but my mind was a whirlwind of frantic thoughts, a relentless loop of failure and fear. Every tick of the clock was a hammer blow, driving home the reality of my helplessness.

My eyes burned, reflecting the turmoil within. I replayed the scene over and over, the Overseer's mocking smile, the sickening thud of Markus's head, the way he'd just taken her. I could almost feel his mocking laughter echoing in my ears. I'd been so close. So useless.

I snapped at Mochi, my voice a raw, ragged edge. "Did you recheck the sector grids? Every single one?"

"Yes, Commander," she replied, her voice calm, but I could see the worry etched on her face. I immediately regretted my outburst, the guilt a sharp pang in my chest. "I'm sorry," I muttered, my voice strained. "I just… I don't know what to do."

"We'll find her," she said, her voice firm, but the unspoken fear hung heavy in the air. We were all afraid.

The fear was a cold, constricting knot in my gut, tightening with every fruitless search. What if I was too late? What if he'd already broken her? What if he'd turned her into something I wouldn't recognize? The thought was a venomous serpent, coiling around my heart, squeezing the life from me. I balled my fists, my knuckles white, my body trembling with a mix of rage and despair. I wouldn't let him win. I wouldn't let him take her from me. I would find him. I would make him pay. But first, I had to find my sister.

I made my way to the meeting room, the weight of responsibility pressing down on me. The vice commander of the Black Grizzlies, a woman named Anya, stood waiting, her expression a mix of grief and determination. The room was tense, the air thick with unspoken anxieties.

"Anya," I said, my voice low and steady, "thank you for waiting. I understand your people are… distressed."

"Commander," Anya replied, her voice rough with emotion, "we are lost. Markus… he was our strength. Now… we are adrift. We need your guidance."

I nodded, understanding the vulnerability in her words. "I want to address the Overseer's actions, and the disappearance of my sister. I need your suggestions. How can we find him? How can we protect our people?"

I looked around the table, meeting the eyes of the other Black Grizzlies leaders. "We need to pool our resources, our knowledge. Every piece of information, no matter how small, could be vital. What have you learned about the Overseer's movements? Any rumors?"

Anya spoke first, her voice hesitant. "We've heard… whispers of a new operation. Something big. Something that will change everything."

"Change everything how?" I pressed.

"We don't know the details," another leader interjected, "but the fear in the voices… it was real. They spoke of a 'grand design,' a 'final act.'"

"A grand design," I repeated, the phrase sending a chill down my spine. "That could mean anything. We need specifics. We need to find the source of these rumors."

"We've also heard of increased activity in the abandoned sectors," Anya added, "the areas outside the main city grid. Places most people avoid."

"Abandoned sectors," I said, my mind racing. "That could be his new base of operations. Remote, difficult to access. It fits his pattern."

"But it's a vast area, Commander," Anya said, her voice laced with doubt. "Searching it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack."

"Then we'll find a way to make the haystack smaller," I said, my voice firm. "We'll divide the sectors, assign teams, and coordinate a thorough search. We'll use every resource at our disposal – drones, sensors, informants. We'll leave no stone unturned."

"And in the meantime," I continued, "we need to bolster our defenses. We need to reassure our people, to give them hope. We need to show them that we will not be intimidated."

Mochi stepped forward, her expression grim.

"Commander, with all due respect, it's suicide. The abandoned sectors aren't just deserted; they're lawless. Savage gangs roam those areas, preying on anyone foolish enough to venture inside."

She presented a detailed report, the holographic images painting a horrifying picture.

"And it's not just gangs," she continued, her voice tight with disgust. "There are… worse things. Rumors of 'pierce humans' – twisted individuals who kidnap passersby and sell them to meat factories."

The images shifted, revealing grotesque scenes: makeshift butcher shops, blood-soaked floors, and cages filled with terrified captives.

"These factories," Mochi said, her voice barely above a whisper, "they butcher humans and sell them as delicacies to hybrids. It's a savage, brutal world in those sectors, Commander. Sending our people in there… it's a death sentence."

I stared at the images, my stomach churning. The Overseer had chosen his hiding place well. He knew we wouldn't risk our people in such a hellhole.

"I'll scout the area myself," I announced, my voice cutting through the tense silence of the meeting room. A collective gasp echoed around the table.

"Commander, you can't be serious!" Shi Yan Deng exclaimed, his voice rising in disbelief.

"We can't allow you to do that!" Shi Yan Mei echoed, her voice laced with panic. They spoke in unison, their twin bond amplifying their shared fear.

Freidrick stepped forward, his usually calm demeanor replaced with a stern frown. "Commander, that's reckless. We can't risk you."

Han So Chul, ever the pragmatist, added, "It's not a logical decision, Commander. The risks outweigh the potential benefits."

I met their gazes, one by one, my expression unwavering. "I understand your concerns," I said, my voice firm, "but this is my decision. I can't ask any of you to go into that hellhole. I won't risk any of your lives."

"But Commander—" Shi Yan Deng began, but I cut him off.

"There's no time to argue," I said, my voice leaving no room for debate. "I'll go in alone. I'll use stealth, infiltration. I'll gather intel and find a way to minimize the risks for the rest of you."

Their protests continued, a chorus of worried voices, but I remained resolute. I knew they were concerned, but I couldn't afford to waste time. Su Ah was out there, and I wouldn't rest until I found her.