A/N: Hello, fellow readers. I have returned once again with a new chapter. It's hard to imagine that 2024 is going by so fast; before we all know it, it'll be 2025. Anyway, grab something to eat, find a place to relax, and happy reading.

Disclaimer: Killer Instinct and Carrie belong to their respective owners.

Deep in the night, a mysterious hooded, cloaked figure strolled through the abandoned Ukrainian town. The streets were empty, save for wildlife. Moonlight shone on deserted buildings and shops, adding to the unsettling scene.

As the figure stopped near the plaza, it removed its hood and pulled out a tracking device.

Her dark blonde braided hair remained tied in a ponytail, with two strands hanging to the side. Though covered in her cloak, her stature was imposing. Her broad shoulders and athletic build spoke of years of rigorous training. Her piercing brown eyes revealed resolve and wisdom.

The woman glanced at the screen of her tracking tool. A blinking red dot appeared on a digital map of the town's layout, showing her current location. A small blue circle marked the source of an unknown signal on the display's edge.

According to my informant, this energy source is in this town. I can't say if this is Kan-Ra, but it's worth checking out. The woman adjusted the device to narrow the signal's location. After that, she resumed her journey, continuing her hunt.

The first light of dawn crept over the horizon, casting a soft, golden hue across the landscape. The sun rose higher, its warm rays piercing through the lingering mist and beaming into the ruins.

After finishing her patrol, Orchid yawned as she returned to base. She found Natasha slumped in a chair, her face hidden behind a hat.

Orchid frowned while placing her hands on her hips. What the hell? Once she approached the individual, she grabbed her shoulder and shook. Natasha jerked, removing the hat from her face and massaging her sunglasses-covered eyes. "How was your nap?"

Natasha shook her head. "Ugh. Sorry, Orchid. I must've fallen asleep."

"You were supposed to watch for danger."

"I know, I know! It won't happen again, I swear!"

"It better not." Orchid held her gaze for several seconds, unnerving her subordinate. "Are the others awake?"

"Last I saw, they were getting breakfast."

"Perfect timing. I could use a fresh cup of coffee. I'll send someone to replace you. After that, rest - you resemble the undead."

"That bad, huh? What's your secret then, Miss Fashion Model?"

"I'm a light sleeper." The green-clad woman departed, heading to the cafeteria.

When Orchid arrived at the makeshift cafeteria, the exhausted personnel surprised her. Some had worried expressions; others had dark circles around their eyes.

One agent sat by himself, but his expression differed from the others. His form trembled with haunting eyes.

While pouring coffee into her cup, Orchid elbowed a nearby agent. "Morning, Jordan."

"Good morning to you, too, boss!" The agent yawned.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Couldn't sleep last night."

"What happened?"

"Meh, nightmares. Maybe I watched too many horror movies. Should've stuck with porn instead."

Orchid scoffed. "You need a hobby, Jordan." She peered over her shoulder in the distraught agent's direction. "What's with him?"

"Peters? He claimed to have heard ghosts."

"Ghosts?"

"Yeah. Peters said he patrolled a corridor at Section B when he reported hearing music on his radio."

"Music through his comms?"

Jordan nodded. "He mentioned that the music grew louder until it switched to laughter and screaming. 'Screams of bloody murder,' he described."

"Is that right?" Orchid turned back to Peters again. "The poor guy."

"I think someone is playing a trick on him. Everyone here is on edge. No idea why."

Orchid sipped her coffee. "Thanks for the chat, Jordan. I hope you enjoy your breakfast."

While sitting at an empty table, Orchid couldn't shake the dread in her chest. As a seasoned agent, she had encountered her fair share of bizarre events, but this was different. The sheer terror in Peters' eyes hinted at something beyond a mere prank. She pondered the possibilities, from a technical glitch to psychological stress.

In addition, she noted how everyone had a sleepless night. Was there a connection between the strange incident Peters experienced and the collective unrest among the team?

I need to sort this out. Orchid headed to Peters' table and inquired about last night's events. Though hesitant, Peters explained.

"The music and laughter filled the room," he said. "Then, the screams came. They were so real; I could almost feel their pain. I tried to call for backup, but my comms kept playing that awful music. Just as it started, it stopped, and I got out of there."

Orchid listened, her expression tensing. "That sounds frightening, Peters." She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll figure this out. For now, rest."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Along the way, she asked the agents regarding their exhaustion. To her surprise, they had strange dreams, ranging from blood-drenching to shower bombardment with random items. Although bizarre, the dreams shared a common theme of intense discomfort and fear. Orchid did not dismiss the possibility of a shared phenomenon or external influence affecting the team.

"Sharp Stinger to Black Flower, over," Orchid called on the comms.

"Sharp Stinger, here," Nikita said.

"Do you and your team have energy?"

"We should. How come?"

"I need you to check the radios. Please make sure they're working. Can you assign someone else to relieve Natasha on guard duty?"

"Understood. I'll get my team on it and send Mark to guard duty. Anything else you need?"

"Just keep me updated on any problems you find. Black Flower, out." I'll need spiritual guidance on this.

As Orchid stepped outside, she closed her eyes and breathed in the air. The ruined church stood as a haunting relic of the past, its once grand facade marred by decay and time. Ivy clung to the crumbling stone walls, and shattered stained glass windows cast fractured rainbows in the overgrown courtyard. Agents patrolled the perimeter, scanning the surroundings under the hot midday sun.

Her ears caught some cheering as if someone posed a challenge. The sound led her to the back, where she discovered several agents circling something. Orchid moved closer, curiosity piqued by the commotion. Once she pushed herself into the crowd, Orchid found TJ and Jago facing each other. The former boxer stretched while Jago stared, calm and stoic. Excited and tension-filled, a few operatives bet on the outcome.

"Ms. Orchid!" a voice called. Carrie and Pemba walked toward the older woman.

"Carrie, what's happening here?" Orchid asked.

"Pemba, Jago, and I were meditating when TJ boasted about his strength. Then, an agent named Jeff asked him if he had the power to make Jago flinch. They wanted to test his abilities. Jago, of course, accepted the challenge, and this is the result."

"Hm." Orchid glanced between the two men, her arms crossed.

Pemba spoke in her native tongue while pointing at the situation.

"You won't stop it?" a translator device spoke into Orchid's ear.

"I'm debating whether to intervene or let them settle it," Orchid said.

TJ had almost finished stretching. "You sure you want to do this? Your sister would kill me if she learned of your broken arm."

"I'm not worried. Besides, I can use my ki to heal." Jago positioned himself into a master's stance. He placed his left arm behind his back and outstretched his right arm, exposing his palm.

"Okay, if you insist." TJ took a deep breath and launched his most potent punch, aiming toward Jago's hand.

The crowd held their breaths as TJ's fist flew. The impact sounded like a gunshot once the punch connected to its target. At first, silence lingered until TJ's face contorted in pain. He pulled back, screaming while clutching his hand.

"Oh, my fucking hand! Why the hell did I accept this fucking challenge?!"

While TJ continued his colorful outburst, the crowd laughed, some with sympathetic groans. Orchid sighed, pinching her nose bridge while Carrie and Pemba exchanged amused glances. Jago remained stoic, humor glistening in his eyes.

"Shit! Fuck!" TJ gritted his teeth. "Jago, what is your hand made of? Steel?"

The monk flexed his fingers. "This results from punching boulders at the Tiger Shrine years ago. After some cracked knuckles and hairline fractures, my hands became numb to the pain."

The crowd's laughter increased as some agents applauded while others winced at the thought of such strenuous training.

Jeff, the mastermind behind the challenge, patted TJ on the back. "Come on, man, you gave it your all."

"Oh, shut the hell up!" TJ snapped, still wincing from his hurt hand. "Dammit, this was your idea!"

Jeff chuckled. "Yeah, but I didn't think you would do it!"

"Do you need me to heal your hand?" Jago asked.

"Thanks, but no. I still have that minor healing factor when Ultratech messed with my DNA." TJ bent his digits, wincing as he did so. "I'll be alright in a few minutes."

Orchid shook her head. "Oh, good grief. Alright, everyone, resume your tasks and training.

As the group scattered, light-hearted banter abounded the air, and the occasional slap on the back for TJ, who was still nursing his sore hand.

Orchid approached TJ, sighing. "You shouldn't let Jeff goad you into such things, let alone boasting your strength."

"Yeah, I know. I guess I let my ego get the best of me. Still, what's life without excitement, right?"

"Excitement is one thing, but I'd prefer you keep your bones intact. Next time, try a less painful way to prove your point. Head to the medical site. I'm sure they'll give you some ice for that hand."

TJ nodded and left.

"I suppose this will be a learning experience," Jago said.

"Let's hope TJ remembers," Orchid said. "Anyway, brother, I need your help." She then explained the shared fatigue between the agents and Peters' paranormal experience.

While listening, Carrie's eyes widened, and her face turned pale. They've dreamt fragments of my past, but how? The more she thought about it, the clearer it became. Was my powers doing this? She refrained from telling Orchid or Jago about her suspicions.

"That is troubling," Jago said after Orchid finished her statement.

"It is. I even had Nikita and her team examine the comms to ensure we were not dealing with technical problems," Orchid said. "Whatever is happening, it's affecting everyone on a deeper level than physical fatigue."

"You want me to go to Corridor B if it happens again tonight? Are you asking me because-?"

"I'm not asking because you're spiritual. I trust your instincts and calmness under pressure. Plus, if anyone can decipher the unknown, it's you."

Jago nodded. "Alright." He glanced over at Carrie, sensing her unease. "Carrie, is something wrong?"

The girl forced a smile. "Oh, I'm fine. When do we start physical training again?"

"Oh, that reminds me. Brother, what training schedule did you set for Carrie?" Orchid asked.

"I've planned a rigorous schedule focusing on agility and mental focus. We start with guided meditation at dawn, followed by combat drills to enhance her reflexes. On the weekends, Pemba helps Carrie learn Nepali."

"I see. Would you mind if I led the battle drills? Carrie might benefit from learning different teaching styles."

"I appreciate that, and a different perspective can help Carrie grow stronger."

"Great! Let's get started!" Orchid escorted Carrie to a homemade training ring as Jago and Pemba followed.

The girl's palms turned cold, and her heart raced. She breathed, steadying herself, but the fear of facing Orchid's combat drills weighed on her mind. Since arriving, Carrie witnessed the agents' intense training in hand-to-hand combat. Each session was like a battle for survival, and she couldn't remove the image of bruises and sweat-drenched faces.

"Since you're a novice at fighting, we'll start slow." Orchid took out her batons from her belt.

"What are those?" Carrie asked.

"These are my electrified spring batons. They're my choice of fighting weapons. Don't fret - I put them in the lowest setting for training and safety reasons to minimize injury. The task is simple: I'll introduce you to more techniques tomorrow morning if you can hit me. However, one condition is you can't use your powers."

"Huh? No powers?"

Orchid smiled. "Trust me, it's crucial to your training. It will help you rely on your senses and physical skills."

Carrie breathed, centering herself as she adjusted her stance. She flexed her fingers, feeling the tension melt away as she focused on the task ahead. Determined, she locked eyes with Orchid, ready to prove her worth without her powers. "Okay, I'm ready."

"Alright, then. Oh, one last thing. Hey, Jenny!"

An agent in another training spot jogged over. "Yes, boss?"

"Keep time and call out every thirty seconds. Oh, and find a motivational song for her to listen to. Something that makes her want to get stuff done."

"Sure thing, ma'am." Jenny pulled out her phone to set the timer. Finding an appropriate song, however, proved difficult. "Nope… not that one… man, music in this day and age sucks! What happened to the good ones? Oh, perfect." She hit the play button. Moments later, The Score's "Stronger" started playing, filling the training area with energetic beats.

Although not used to this type of music, Carrie didn't let it distract her. Instead, she became drawn into its upbeat rhythm, her energy soaring.

Orchid grinned, assuming a combat stance. "Now we're ready."

Jenny started the timer. "Time starts now!"

Carrie lunged forward, aiming a swift punch at Orchid, who sidestepped and countered with a gentle tap of her baton. Carrie recovered, her movements growing more fluid as she adapted to Orchid's rhythm. With every thirty seconds, her desire to land a hit grew, pushing her to refine her technique further.

As the sparring match unfolded, other agents in the training area paused their activities. Before long, they gathered around the ring, engrossed by Carrie's efforts. Each dodge, parry, and strike drew gasps and cheers, driving Carrie to push even harder.

Impressive. Jago and Pemba taught her well. I'll have to up my game to test her limits. Orchid shifted her stance, preparing a more challenging sequence for Carrie's next move.

Carrie feinted a left jab, then pivoted on her heel, launching a high roundhouse kick aimed at Orchid's midsection. Almost surprised, the older woman blocked and responded with a swift, strategic strike.

Carrie dodged, using her well-honed reflexes. The two fighters moved in a harmonious dance of attack and defense, each testing the other's limits. As sweat dripped from their faces, the intensity of their sparring match grew, with the crowd's cheers.

Carrie slipped past Orchid's defenses and landed a solid hit on her shoulder. On cue, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Her heart pounded while her breaths came in ragged gasps. Her muscles burned, but the adrenaline sustained her, fueled by the crowd's emotional support.

"Well done, Carrie," Orchid said. Her chest rose and fell while steadying her breathing. She rubbed her shoulder where the girl had struck. Despite her composed demeanor, a faint sheen of sweat glistened on her face.

"Thank you." The girl panted, wiping sweat from her brow.

Orchid's eyes softened. Then she turned to the crowd. "Let's give her a round of applause for her efforts."

Carrie blinked as the crowd's applause washed over her. She waved to the onlookers with a shy, adoring smile.

Outside the ring, Jago and Pemba smiled, each knowing how far Carrie had worked to reach this moment.

A/N: Who never thought Carrie would give Orchid a run for her money in her challenge? Also, about the mysterious fatigue among the Disavowed and the strange occurrences, will they find the root of the problem? Well, it's time for my brain to rest, and I'll see you later.