9. Preparation part two

After ensuring she had enough energy, Finn locked Zara back in the earlier room and went back down to where Noah was waiting for him.

Noah leisurely sat on the sofa, waiting for Finn to come down. The moment Finn came, Noah expressed his excitement;

"What's the deal with that girl?" his tone raspy, "What's she doing here?"

"Not your business," Finn answered.

"Do you take me for a fool, eh?" Noah said, his voice dripping with pride as a smug smirk spread across his face. Beneath his skin, his veins pulsed and writhed like sentient tendrils, hinting at the unnatural power coursing through him. "I did some digging you know."

Finn's sharp eyes met Noah's, "And?" Finn asked.

"Don't play the fool with me!" he roared, his voice laced with impatience. "She's a big deal, trust me. She has something extraordinary, something I'm dying to uncover. What could be so important that it's left all of Asco in chaos?"

"I see," Finn said and went near the fridge to bring another Cold coffee.

Suddenly, Noah's temper flared. "What I see, you bitch? You know I consider myself a very patient man, but every time I talk to you, all my patience goes straight out the fucking window!"

"It's not my problem," Finn replied calmly, his voice devoid of emotion. "I need the highest quality energy."

Noah quickly regained his composure, though his excitement was palpable as he spoke with barely contained delight:

"You're going to be in a lot of trouble, and let me assure you—I'm going to enjoy it. Very, very much. Even Asco might attack right now and here!" he kept on laughing menacingly. Then he stopped abruptly.

"You know I always doubted Dax, that fucking psycho nerd! No matter how knowledgeable you are, it's useless against sheer force you know. To think he would dare to betray you! What could they possibly offer to make him do that?" 

"What would it take for you to do that?" Finn asked while gulping the coffee.

"I don't need anything to beat the living shit out of you, Finn. It's just I don't feel like beating you, you know? Your lifestyle is already so miserable, I feel pity for you." 

"Alright, I need to prepare and prepare well. So, clean this mess up and ask someone to fix the wall." Finn changed the subject.

"Who do you take me for eh? Your servant? You bastard!" Noah roared.

**

The large room was dimly lit, the faint glow of overhead lights casting long shadows across the polished surface of the lengthy table that dominated the space. The air felt heavy, thick with tension so palpable it seemed to press down on everyone present. A group of people sat around the table, their expressions taut, eyes darting between one another as if silently gauging alliances or threats.

Some leaned back in their chairs, arms crossed tightly over their chests, while others fidgeted nervously, fingers tapping against the tabletop or drumming restless rhythms on their knees. Beads of sweat glistened on a few foreheads, betraying their unease despite the cool temperature of the room. Whispers flitted through the air like fragile threads, hushed voices exchanging urgent words too low for others to catch, yet loud enough to hint at disagreement or fear.

Occasionally, someone would glance toward the far end of the table where an empty chair loomed, a silent reminder of who they awaited. The weight of unspoken questions hung suspended: What happens next? Who will make the first move? Every creak of the wooden floorboards, every shuffle of papers, seemed amplified in the oppressive silence that lingered between outbursts.

Despite the collective anxiety, there was an undercurrent of determination etched into each face. These were not ordinary people; their sharp gazes and calculated movements hinted at power, secrets, and agendas hidden beneath carefully constructed facades. Whatever brought them here, it was clear this meeting carried stakes high enough to leave even the boldest among them trembling inside.

They all heard the familiar sound of footsteps approaching and instinctively rose to their feet. A man in his thirties entered the room, his face etched with a gloomy expression that seemed to weigh down the already tense atmosphere.

The man took his seat, Adam Tenebris, the enigmatic CEO and founder of Asco, whose name alone carried enough weight to silence any room.

Adam scanned the room, his lips curling into a sneer as he looked at each face with visible disgust, as though they were nothing more than lowly, incompetent creatures unworthy of his time.

"How could all of you be so incompetent as to leak classified information?" Adam spoke with undisguised disdain, his voice sharp enough to cut through steel.

No one spoke. Not a single person dared to utter a word. The air was thick with unspoken tension, each breath shallow as if even the slightest sound might shatter the fragile calm. Eyes darted cautiously around the room, searching for some sign of what would come next, but no one met another's gaze for long. It was as though the very act of speaking had been forbidden or worse, forgotten altogether.

"Pathetic fools," Adam spat, his voice dripping with barely contained contempt. He leaned forward slightly, his piercing gaze sweeping over the room as if daring anyone to challenge him. "Do any of you truly grasp what would happen if this information leaks to the public? Do you understand the consequences? The sheer gravity of the situation?"

Summoning all his courage, Sam, who had been responsible for making every critical decision up until now, leaned forward slightly in his chair, sitting to Adam's right. His hands trembled faintly as they rested on the table, betraying the anxiety simmering beneath his composed exterior. Finally, he spoke, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him.

"Sir… we almost caught her."

Adam's piercing gaze shifted toward Sam, his eyes narrowing slightly. The subtle change was enough to send a chill through the room. "Almost?" he repeated, his tone deceptively calm but laced with quiet menace.

"Yes, sir," Sam replied, swallowing hard as he struggled to maintain eye contact. "We deployed three of our agents to retrieve her, but…" He paused, dread pooling in his stomach as he braced himself for Adam's reaction. "…someone interfered with the mission."

Adam leaned back slightly in his chair, his expression unreadable yet undeniably dangerous. "And then what happened?" he asked, his voice sharper now, cutting through the tense silence like a blade.

Sam hesitated, the weight of failure pressing down on him. When he finally spoke, his voice wavered, each word feeling heavier than the last. "He killed all three of them, sir." He swallowed again, forcing himself to continue. "We managed to identify him and sent another team after him, but… we've had no success so far."

"You're telling me that someone just appeared out of nowhere, interfered with the mission, killed our men and you haven't been able to do anything about him?" Adam's voice cut through the tense air like a blade, cold and sharp. His eyes burned with fury as they locked onto Sam, who visibly shrank under his gaze.

"Sorry…" Sam stammered, raising his hands in a feeble attempt to defend himself. His words died in his throat as Adam moved with frightening speed, gripping Sam's head with both hands. Before anyone could react, Adam slammed Sam's face down onto the unforgiving surface of the metal table.

The sound was deafening a horrifying blend of crunching bone and bending metal that echoed through the silent room. Blood pooled around the point of impact, spreading slowly across the polished surface. Sam's body went limp, slumping forward as Adam released his grip, letting him fall back into his chair.

For a moment, no one dared to breathe. The other agents exchanged uneasy glances, their faces pale and tight with fear. Adam straightened up, wiping his hands casually on his suit jacket as if brushing away dust. His expression remained calm, almost indifferent, as though what had just happened was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

"Next time," he said quietly, his voice slicing through the oppressive silence, "don't come back unless you have results."

Unfortunately, Sam couldn't hear him.

"Lee, you're in charge of this mission," the man said sharply, leaning forward with an intensity that made the room feel smaller. His voice was cold and commanding, leaving no room for argument. "Gather a team of capable individuals, ones who won't screw this up. Your objective is simple: kill that bastard and bring the girl back alive."

He paused, his piercing gaze locking onto Lee. "She might have told someone else about what she knows, and we cannot afford to take that risk. If even a whisper of this gets out…" He let the threat hang in the air, unfinished but unmistakable.

Lee straightened slightly, his jaw tightening as he absorbed the gravity of the task. It wasn't just another mission, it was a matter of survival, both for their operation and potentially for himself.

"Understood, sir," he replied firmly, his voice steady despite the storm brewing beneath the surface. With a curt nod, he turned on his heel and exited the room, already mentally assembling the team he'd need to pull this off.

**

It was Sunday morning, the day Finn had been waiting for. Today, he would finally claim his 1 million credits. Finn opened the door where Zara was locked. In his hand, A hot coffee and a few slices of bread. 

Meanwhile, Zara was looking outside at the fake window, very passionately. When she noticed Finn brought her Coffee again, she spoke in frustration;

"What the hell, man? I'm tired of drinking coffee all the time, don't you have anything else?"

"Don't drink, no one is forcing you," Finn replied

"You don't have to be a jerk all the time, you know that right? she pouted.

Finn ignored her, slammed the door in her face, and left the room.