Dawn's Shadow: Part II

The room was unbearable. Crimson light flickered across the dark seals etched into the walls, their faint glow pulsing with the same rhythm as Mike's quickened breathing. Leo sat rigid in his chair, his mind racing as he tried to figure a way out—but there was none.

Ms. Frost had moved her focus to Mike now. Her sharp, unblinking gaze locked onto his trembling form, her approach slow and deliberate. It was cruel, but effective. Leo clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms.

"Such a loyal friend," Ms. Frost said, almost softly, as she circled Mike like a lioness eyeing prey too weak to run. Platinum hair cascaded like a frozen waterfall across her shoulders, catching the faint crimson glow of the room's energy. She reached out a gloved hand and rested it lightly on Mike's trembling shoulder. The touch was oddly gentle, but something in the air shifted—crackled with unspoken malice.

Leo stiffened. "Don't you dare touch him!" he barked, his voice echoing louder than intended.

She didn't look at him directly, though her lips twitched into the faintest smile. "Touch him? Oh, Leo," her voice was quiet yet cutting, like frost creeping beneath skin, "this is just a touch of kindness."

Her hand pressed down firmly, sending out a ripple of pale blue energy. Mike tensed as a sharp gasp escaped his lips, his muscles locking, veins bulging in his neck as his body jerked against the chair.

"STOP!" Leo yelled, his voice cracking. He surged forward instinctively, only for the invisible bindings of the seals to hold him back, digging into his skin like razor wire. 

Ms. Frost finally turned her gaze to Leo, her expression calm and utterly devoid of empathy. "Stop? Leo, you have misunderstood me a little I guess. This," she gestured delicately toward Mike's trembling body, her tone glacial, "is nothing compared to what I *can* do. You'll break long before he does. Though…" she trailed off, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear with nonchalance, "perhaps he'll... cooperate first."

Mike coughed weakly, his body trembling under the unbearable pressure radiating from Ms. Frost's icy grip. The dim crimson glow of the seals on the walls seemed to reflect the torment in his pale, sweat-soaked face. His breaths were shallow and labored, a stark contrast to the predatory calm looming just inches away from him.

But somehow, through sheer will—or perhaps pure fear—he forced his head to lift, just enough to meet Ms. Frost's piercing gaze. His voice came out cracked, hoarse, like it was scraping its way out of his battered throat.

"I-I don't know anything," Mike croaked, his words barely above a whisper. He swallowed hard, trembling hands gripping the edges of the chair as though he could anchor himself against her overwhelming presence. "I swear… I don't…"

The words faltered on his lips, weak and uneven, but just firm enough to sting Ms. Frost's patience. Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, she regarded him as though dissecting him piece by piece, trying to determine whether his resolve was false bravado—or the start of a genuine crack in the armor she sought to break.

"Oh, but you do," Ms. Frost interjected sharply, stepping closer. Her words carried the soft insistence of a blade sliding between ribs. "You may not realize it, but the truth always slips out, given the right… encouragement." The seals on the walls flickered almost imperceptibly, brighter, as though resonating with her malice.

"Take me instead!" Leo shouted, his anger outweighing his fear. "He doesn't know anything! Just… focus on me."

Ms. Frost tilted her head, her predatory blue eyes narrowing at him. "So noble. So predictable." She took a calculated step back, circling behind Mike's chair once again. "But loyalty only gets you so far, Leo. And I find everyone has their limits." 

A sharp, dissonant tone suddenly broke through the room. 

It wasn't the seals—it was the chime of an encrypted communicator. The polished badge-shaped device clipped to Ms. Frost's lapel emitted a crisp, commanding tone that demanded attention. 

Ms. Frost clicked her tongue softly, a flicker of irritation crossing her otherwise calm demeanor. She tapped the communicator and brought it to her ear. "This is Frost."

Her voice dropped, quieter now, each word measured and deliberate. Even from across the room, Leo could tell she was listening intently. Her expression gave little away, though her jaw tightened faintly as she absorbed whatever was coming through the receiver.

"They're both secure—alive, yes," she said, her tone clipped. "But they've refused to cooperate with me—" She paused. Her eyes flicked toward Leo and Mike briefly, sharp and calculating. 

Whatever response came through was inaudible to Leo, but Ms. Frost's lips tightened further, the barest hint of frustration breaking through her icy mask. "That seems premature," she muttered. "They're withholding information, and we both know—" She stopped mid-sentence, the response on the other end clearly cutting her short. 

Her gloved hand flexed subtly at her side, a gesture too controlled to be absentminded. After a long silence, she exhaled softly through her nose. 

"…Understood," she finally said, her tone sharpening. "I'll follow protocol. For now."

She lowered the communicator and stood still for a moment, her back to Leo and Mike. It was impossible to read her thoughts, but something had shifted. Not just her stance, but the very atmosphere in the room. 

Ruddy, standing near the doorway, cleared his throat. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, yet his posture seemed oddly deliberate, almost rehearsed. He was watching Ms. Frost closely—the kind of watchfulness that wasn't born of loyalty but curiosity. His dark eyes darted briefly to Leo, as though weighing something in the back of his mind, before his mask of indifference returned.

Finally, Ms. Frost turned, her expression composed but edged with something else—something colder. 

She reached into her coat and withdrew a small vial, its contents glowing faintly with an indigo light. The sight made the air in the room feel heavier. Leo blinked. Was that what he thought it was?

"A Tier 6 Mortal Enhancement Pill," Ms. Frost announced calmly, holding it up between two gloved fingers. Her gaze locked onto Leo.

"For you," she said, her voice soft yet sharp, "and a Tier 5," she added, producing another faintly glowing vial—a slightly weaker pill—from her coat for Mike.

But she didn't stop there. With a smooth, deliberate motion, Ms. Frost reached into her coat again and retrieved a slim, reinforced case. She set it down on the table between them with a soft, metallic click.

Leo's chest tightened. There was no mistaking it—the Core. The very artifact whose value had dragged them into this mess in the first place. Its faint hum resonated in the air like a heartbeat—a sound that Leo hadn't realized he'd missed until now.

"For your sake," Ms. Frost said smoothly, her gloved hand lingering on the case for just a moment too long, "let's also ensure you leave with everything you came for." Her piercing gaze locked on him, unnervingly calm. "No misunderstandings, no excuses. This belongs to you, does it not?"

Leo's mind was racing. The Core's return, the rare pills… it didn't make sense. These things were invaluable—priceless treasures that Ms. Frost had no reason to part with. Unless, of course, she had ulterior motives.

He stared at her, disbelief etched into his features. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the edges of the chair, his voice sharp with suspicion. "Why? Why give this back, along with the pills? What's the catch?"

Ms. Frost's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. "Consider it a small gesture of goodwill," she said smoothly, offering the vials outward. "An invitation to collaborate with Red Dawn—a preview, shall we say, of what we can offer should you… align yourselves with us." 

Her words were polite, even carefully measured to sound generous, but the unwavering sharpness in her eyes betrayed something deeper. That piercing gaze said more than her words ever could—it wasn't truly a gift. It was bait. A calculated offer meant to draw him closer, to pull him into something he didn't yet fully understand.

And he wasn't in a position to refuse.

Leo hesitated but finally reached out, grabbing both vials. "And if we decide not to… 'align' with you?" he asked carefully, his voice sharper than before. 

Ms. Frost's small smile remained intact, though it no longer flirted with warmth—it was cold, measured, and far more dangerous. "I surely wouldn't recommend that course of action," she said simply, her gaze unyielding, like frost creeping over exposed skin. "But… I trust you're smart enough to make the right decision on your own." 

Mike's body sagged as he leaned against Leo for support, his breath shaky. Ruddy stepped aside, motioning for them to leave. 

As the pair reached the door, Ms. Frost's voice cut through the air like a blade of frozen steel, sharp and deliberate.

"Oh, dear Leo?"

The words were light, almost playful, yet laced with something venomous beneath the surface. He froze mid-step, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. Slowly, reluctantly, he turned, his shoulders stiff as though bracing himself for the strike he knew was coming.

Ms. Frost stood perfectly poised, her sharp grin unwavering and her piercing blue eyes cutting into him with an intensity that felt almost predatory.

"I'll find your secret," she said casually, almost lightheartedly, though her tone carried unshakable purpose. "Whatever it is about you, and that little *Secret of Yours*, that made Headquarters curious…" Her smile widened slightly, eyes narrowing. "But don't worry—you'll *wish* you'd shared before I do." 

---

Later in the interrogation room...

As Leo and Mike disappeared down the hallway, Ms. Frost stood in the now-silent room. Her gloved hands trailed across one of the dim seals on the wall, her eyes unfocused but cold. 

Ruddy stepped forward cautiously, his stance stiff. "Headquarters really wanted them to walk out alive?" His voice carried a faint tone of disbelief. 

Ms. Frost didn't turn toward him. "For now," she said simply, her voice flat. 

"And if they don't hold up their end?" Ruddy asked, leaning against the frame of the doorway. 

Her lips curved into a dark smile, her reflection sharp against the glass tabletop. 

"They won't escape it," she whispered. "No matter where they go. The Core, their secrets… they all will be lead back to me."