A Dangerous Proposition

The next morning, the tension in the air was palpable. Kairo's team had barely gotten any rest, knowing full well that the Eclipse Syndicate wouldn't sit idle after the destruction of their hybrid experiment.

But running wasn't an option.

If they wanted to survive, they needed to strike first.

Lena leaned against the warehouse wall, sharpening her knife. "So, what's the plan, boss?"

Kairo exhaled. "We gather intel. If the Syndicate is experimenting with hybrids, we need to know how far they've gotten and what their next move is."

Arin tapped on her datapad. "I've been analyzing the remains we recovered. The biological traces… they aren't just vampiric." She hesitated before looking up. "There's something alien mixed in."

Silence filled the room.

Ronan cursed. "You're saying the Syndicate isn't just messing with vampires—they're using alien DNA?"

Arin nodded. "And not just that. The cybernetics were designed to suppress natural instincts, meaning whatever they were using… wasn't entirely stable."

Darius crossed his arms. "Great. So we pissed off a crime syndicate that's making monsters."

Lena smirked. "What else is new?"

Kairo wasn't surprised. The world was already chaotic—vampires, humans, and rogue Nightborns fighting for power. Throwing alien genetics into the mix was just another piece of the growing nightmare.

And now, they were right in the middle of it.

Before he could say more, a notification flashed in his vision.

[ Incoming Message – Anonymous Source ]

His system had been receiving strange transmissions ever since the fight with the Revenant. He wasn't sure if this was another warning or something worse.

He hesitated for a moment, then opened it.

A distorted voice spoke:

"If you want to take down the Syndicate, we should talk."

Kairo's eyes narrowed. "Who the hell is this?"

"Your best chance at survival."

Lena, listening in, raised an eyebrow. "Mysterious. I like it."

Kairo ignored her and focused on the message. "And why should I trust you?"

The voice chuckled. "You shouldn't. But the Eclipse Syndicate won't stop until you're dead. I have information that can help. Meet me at the old train station at midnight—alone."

The message ended.

Ronan scoffed. "Yeah, that's not a trap at all."

Sorin leaned forward. "Do we even have a choice? If this guy has intel, it could help us take down the Syndicate."

Kairo weighed the risks. Meeting an unknown informant in enemy territory wasn't exactly his idea of a smart move. But if they didn't take the risk, they'd be fighting blind.

And fighting blind meant losing.

"We're going," Kairo decided. "But not alone."

The abandoned train station was silent, save for the distant hum of the city beyond. Graffiti covered the walls, and broken tracks stretched into the darkness.

Kairo walked forward, his senses on high alert. His team was hidden nearby, ready to strike if things went south.

A figure stepped out of the shadows.

Tall, wrapped in a dark coat, and wearing a metallic mask. A voice-modulator distorted their voice.

"You actually came. Interesting."

Kairo crossed his arms. "Start talking."

The masked figure nodded. "The Syndicate is moving faster than you think. The Revenant you destroyed? Just a prototype. They've already started mass-producing enhanced soldiers."

Kairo's fists clenched. "Where?"

The figure hesitated, then sighed. "The Syndicate has a hidden facility beneath Sector 13. That's where the real horror begins."

Lena, still hidden, whispered into Kairo's earpiece. "Sector 13? That place is locked down tight. Breaking in won't be easy."

Kairo's mind raced. If the Syndicate was producing hybrid-enhanced soldiers, then every second they waited was a second the enemy got stronger.

He needed to act.

But before he could respond, the masked figure took a step back.

"I held up my end of the deal. Now it's up to you."

Then, without warning, they threw down a smoke grenade.

BOOM!

Smoke engulfed the area. By the time it cleared—the informant was gone.

Lena cursed. "Coward."

Kairo ignored her. His system displayed a new mission update.

[ New Objective: Infiltrate Sector 13. ]

[ Warning: Extreme Danger. ]

Darius grinned. "Now that sounds like fun."

Kairo smirked. "Then let's get ready."

The war with the Eclipse Syndicate was just getting started.

And he planned to end it.