Chapter 9: The informant

Mayu walked behind Akira, her heart racing. She still struggled to believe that she was hunting those who wanted her dead.

— This informant… she said to break the silence. Do you trust him?

— No.

His abrupt answer took her breath away.

— Then why are we going to see him?

Akira didn't slow down.

— Because he knows things. And right now, we need information more than we need trust.

They crossed a dark alley, avoiding the light of streetlamps. Ahead of them stood an old metal door, rusted by time. Akira knocked three times, then two more, in rhythm.

Silence. Then a hoarse voice came through the intercom:

— Who's there?

— A ghost from the past.

A clatter was heard, and the door creaked open slightly.

Akira took a quick glance at Mayu.

— Don't say anything. Let me talk.

She nodded.

Inside was an old cyber café turned into a clandestine hideout. Wires hung from the ceiling, and several screens displayed footage from surveillance cameras around the city.

At the back of the room sat a man in a worn-out chair. He was in his thirties, with messy black hair and deep circles under his eyes.

— Damn… Akira.

He straightened up slightly, looking wary.

— I thought you were dead.

Akira stepped forward slowly.

— You were mistaken.

The man chuckled.

— What's this about? Another contract? A favor?

Akira stopped in front of him and tossed the Black Lotus dagger onto the table.

— Tell me what you know about them.

The man raised an eyebrow, then picked up the dagger and twirled it between his fingers.

— Where did you find this?

— Answer first.

The informant sighed and glanced at the cameras, as if ensuring they weren't being watched.

— The Black Lotus, huh…

He wet his lips.

— You've gotten yourself into something bigger than you, my friend.

Mayu felt a shiver run down her spine.

— What does that mean? she asked involuntarily.

The man examined her, then turned his attention back to Akira.

— I shouldn't talk about this. If they find out I gave you information, I'm a dead man.

Akira crossed his arms.

— You're already dead.

The informant grimaced.

— Charming.

He hesitated, then leaned toward them and whispered:

— The Black Lotus isn't just a group of assassins. It's an experiment.

Mayu felt her breath catch.

— An experiment?

The man nodded.

— The real assassins of the Black Lotus… are not human.

A chilling silence fell over the room.

Mayu stared at the informant, unable to speak.

— What do you mean by that? Akira asked, his voice colder than ever.

The informant cleared his throat and looked around, as if expecting a shadow to emerge from the darkness.

Then he murmured:

— Project A.O.

Mayu jolted.

— You know that name?!

The informant clenched his jaw.

— It's not just a name. It's their objective.

He leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath.

— Project A.O. is an attempt to create perfect assassins. Enhanced killers, genetically modified, capable of anticipating their enemies before they even move.

Mayu felt a cold wave wash over her stomach.

— But… why me?

The informant looked at her for a long moment, then declared:

— Because you are a prototype.

Total silence.

Breathless, Mayu took a step back.

— That's impossible…

Images flooded her mind. Her childhood. The headaches she always had, the strange nightmares, those moments when she felt like she lived a scene before it happened.

Everything started to make sense.

— No, no, no!

She pressed her hands against her temples, as if trying to prevent those memories from surfacing.

Now she remembered.

She recalled the visits to the hospital, the doctors asking her strange questions. "Have you had that dream again?" "What do you see when you close your eyes?"

She also remembered the worried looks of her adoptive parents… and the fact that they never wanted to talk about her real family.

— They used me…?

Her voice was barely a whisper.

The informant slowly nodded.

— You were an experimental project. A test. If it helps, you weren't the only one… but you are the only one who survived.

She felt a wave of nausea.

— The others… are dead?

The informant looked away, as if he knew but refused to answer.

— What the hell is this?! she suddenly yelled.

She punched the wall. The pain brought her back to reality, but it did nothing to calm her.

Everything she thought she knew about her life, about herself, had just been shattered.

— I am not some damn project!

Akira watched her distress without intervening immediately. He knew that this kind of truth… couldn't be accepted in seconds.

But they didn't have time for an existential crisis.

He approached slowly and placed a hand on her shoulder.

— Mayu.

She froze, her azure gaze filled with anger and pain.

— Listen. No matter where you come from, no matter what they did…

He tightened his grip slightly, capturing her full attention.

— It's you who decides what you are now.

A silence fell.

She remained frozen, tears threatening to spill… then, slowly, her breathing calmed.

She lowered her head, her voice trembling but more determined.

— Then in that case… I decide to make them pay.

A slight smile appeared on Akira's face.

— Good answer.

He turned to the informant.

— And now, tell me everything you know.

The informant hesitated, then sighed.

— Okay… but be prepared. Because once you know this, there's no turning back.