After the meeting, silence stretched across the room. Everyone appeared relaxed—everyone except Zhu Yuan. Elias casually packed up his laptop and, with a grin, asked, "Anyone up for dessert from the café?"
Qingyi and Seth exchanged glances, noticing Zhu Yuan still lost in her thoughts. She shook her head slowly. Elias caught her hesitation and nodded, his playful tone softening. "Alright, no dessert then. We'll call it a night." his worried eyes lingered towards Zhu Yuan.
He moved to the door, holding it open. "I'll drop you all at your station—no need to walk."
"No, we've got the PUBSEC mobile, I'll drive back to Quarters." Zhu Yuan replied, her tone neutral. "No need to escort us, Agent."
Elias stood there for a second longer, as if waiting for something, before shrugging. "Okay then. I'll be in touch when it's time for the Hollow dive."
As they stepped outside into the cool night air, the parking lot glowed under the soft, warm light from the streetlamps. The sky was unusually clear like a winter night, and yet Zhu Yuan's thoughts were anything but. She glanced at Elias as they walked, her mind racing with unanswered questions. Before Elias could reach his car, she stopped him with the question that had been gnawing at her.
"Agent Elias, Hyun Li told us everything. Why were you after a black-market device?"
Her words hung in the air, freezing both Qingyi and Seth in their tracks. Elias paused too, turning slowly to face her. His eyes met hers, and for a moment, it seemed like time had stopped.
"It was for this mission, Captain," he said steadily, his tone serious.
Zhu Yuan's jaw tightened. "I don't know if I can trust you right now, Elias. That's why I'm on edge."
"...This is exactly why I didn't want to involve you, but you were too persistent." Elias sighed heavily, leaning back against his car. "This case is too complicated. If you're wondering about the device, it's one of the keys to making sure the mission succeeds."
"What's this device for? What's your real mission?" Zhu pressed, her voice sharp.
Elias hesitated, his eyes scanning her face as if calculating his next move. "The device is critical to the case, but... you don't need to know all the details right now. The less you know, the safer your team will be."
Zhu Yuan narrowed her eyes. "Safer from what exactly? I'm already knee-deep in this, Elias. You can't just keep dodging my questions."
"I'm not dodging anything," Elias said, his voice dropping to a softer, almost pleading tone. "I'm trying to protect you. This case... it's bigger than both of us." He took a step toward her, his expression earnest.
"Trust me, Zhu Yuan. We're on the same side." He placed a hand on her arm with a comfortable grip his touch meant to reassure her. Qingyi and Seth stood off to the side, watching quietly.
Seth leaned over to Qingyi and whispered, "Uhmm, Qingyi... are we shifting into a romance genre?"
"What are you talking about?" Qingyi shot him a glare. "This is a crime drama."
"This is like a broke up scene on one of the movies in Random Play; In Pursuit that was a peak romance." Seth replied biting his lip over-exaggerating his sob.
Qingyi looked back at him exasperated, "What are you talking about?"
Now, Zhu barely registered Elias's words. His hand on her arm was warm, but it only deepened her suspicion. I don't trust you, Elias. But if I stick close, maybe I'll find out what you're really after—and how this ties to the cold case... or the Hollow Syndicate smugglers.
She pulled back slightly, her face calm but her thoughts racing. I'll play along for now, but make no mistake, I'm watching your every move.
Zhu snapped out of her thoughts, flustered calming her. She crossed her arms and turned away from Elias, throwing him a warning glance over her shoulder. "Keep me posted on the Hollow Dive plan." she said, her tone lighter but firm. "You know how hard my kick is. And you definitely don't want to find out what my Suppressor K22 does to double agents."
She tossed the threat with a smirk, trying to break the intensity of the moment—perhaps as much for herself as for him.
Elias let out a low chuckle, raising both hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, Captain. I'm at your mercy. Arrest me right now if you want. I'll gladly turn myself in... if this mission fails."
"I swear, if you pull any stunts, you'll wish you never offered to turn yourself in," she muttered under her breath, striding toward the PUBSEC mobile.
Now, they were headed back to the station. The hum of the engine filled the silence, though Qingyi and Seth sat quietly in the back, gazing out at the flickering city lights. Zhu Yuan navigated the streets with precision, but her mind was already racing ahead, tangled in thoughts of Elias and his cryptic mission.
"Captain, are we allowed to talk?" Seth's voice broke through the hum, soft but cautious.
"Go ahead," Zhu replied, her eyes still on the road, her tone neutral.
"That was a bold move, Captain... bringing up the black market device to Mr.—uh, Agent Elias."
There was a brief pause. Zhu stopped at an intersection, her fingers fidgeting absentmindedly on the steering wheel. "...He probably knew I'd ask him. He must've realized we'd interrogated the suspect."
Her gaze remained forward, but her thoughts shifted. "Besides, we've got another ace up our sleeve—Patient E-112 at the Ether Recovery Institute. He's a Vesta Precinct asset. He might know something."
"Well, the bad thing is... he's in a coma," Qingyi chimed in from the back, breaking her usual silence.
Zhu let out a slow breath, gripping the wheel a little tighter. "I'll interrogate Mr. Hyun Li tomorrow regarding our patient," she replied, briefly glancing back at them. Her eyes flicked between Seth and Qingyi, determination hardening her features.
They arrived at the precinct late into the night, delayed by traffic that seemed to stretch endlessly. The day had taken its toll—physically and mentally—leaving Zhu Yuan with a persistent tension in her shoulders. As she made her way down the well-lit street toward her apartment, the soft hum of distant cars and the occasional flicker of a streetlamp seemed almost soothing.
I need to declutter my mind after today. If I'm lucky, maybe a good night's sleep will help—plus, J.D. better keep those desserts coming!
She reached her apartment. It was as quiet as always. Zhu slipped off her coat and vest, placing them neatly on the chair by the door before sinking into the couch with a long, deep sigh. She took a series of slow breaths, each one meant to push out the weight of the day, but her mind still spun.
Her eyes drifted to the small family portrait on the shelf, the corners of her mouth tugging upward in a tired smile. "Well, Dad... you were right. Should've gone with the artist career, huh?" she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
The words felt half-joking, half-regretful, but mostly an attempt to lighten her own spirits. "That way, my only problem is creating a new idea for my new piece."
She untied her hair, letting it fall loose around her shoulders, and headed to the bathroom. The warm water in the shower did little to completely melt away the day's tension, but it was enough to lull her into a daze.
Afterward, with the towel still wrapped loosely around her, she padded across the room and threw herself onto the bed, hoping the weight of exhaustion would carry her into sleep.
Zhu Yuan finally drifted into sleep, the weariness of the day sinking beneath her, leaving the quiet stillness of the night to take over her room. It seemed peaceful at first, dreamless, but a low, pulsating hum began to vibrate in the air, creeping slowly into her subconscious. Something was wrong, but she was still oblivious to the encroaching darkness winding its way through her mind.
"Captain..!" it's echo boomed bouncing around the bedroom.
The shout jolted her awake. She shot up, her breath shallow, as the room seemed to tremble around her. The walls shook, and a fierce wind howled outside, its sound growing louder and more chaotic by the second. A sickly red light spilled through the window curtains, casting twisted shadows along the walls.
The air felt thick, suffocating. A weight pressed against her chest. Her hand instinctively reached for her firearm on the nightstand, fingers trembling as they wrapped around the grip. "What... what is this?" she whispered, her voice barely a quiver, as if speaking might tear apart the fragile calm she clung to.
Gathering her resolve, Zhu crept toward the window. The streets she once knew had vanished, replaced by an unsettling landscape of broken debris and distorted shapes. Her gaze was drawn to the horizon, where a red-black void loomed, its edges writhing as it swallowed everything in its path.
"This can't be happening again..." The realization hit her like a shockwave, her head shaking as the dread settled in. Another nightmare. She knew it now, the same one that had haunted her before.
The pull of the void grew stronger, and the entire room seemed to bend toward it. Her apartment groaned, the walls warping like fluid, collapsing in on themselves. A flash of crimson lightning split the sky, striking just above her bedroom, tearing a gaping hole in the ceiling. Zhu ran, heart pounding, feet barely touching the ground as everything around her twisted, distorted beyond recognition.
The red-black void pulsed in time with her heartbeat, each thrum pulling her closer to its gaping maw. She glanced back toward the window—the void had grown even larger, devouring the last remnants of the familiar world. Blinding light burst through the cracks, making her squint as the floor beneath her feet began to crumble.
She had to escape. She turned to flee, but as she reached the back door, a voice echoed again—calm this time, unnervingly so.
"Captain, let's go..."
She froze. The voice wasn't shouting anymore—she hesitated, her hand on the door. Something was behind her. She could feel it reaching out, but before she could turn, the floor gave way beneath her. The void surged up, consuming her, dragging her back toward her collapsing bedroom.
Zhu Yuan jolted awake, her chest heaving as beads of sweat clung to her skin. The sharp morning light filtered through the curtains, piercing her eyes. She squinted, throwing an arm over her face.
"What in the Hollows...?" she muttered, pushing herself upright. Her breath still ragged, she rubbed her forehead, feeling the weight of the dream clinging to her like a second skin. "Another nightmare..."
Glancing at the clock, the hands already pointed to 7 AM. Great. She could have used at least another hour of peace—if peace was even possible anymore.
With a sigh, Zhu padded to the kitchen, the steady drip of coffee brewing barely masking the swirling thoughts in her head. A red-black hole... and someone calling me for help? She pressed her temples with both hands, her brow furrowing. "This case is really messing with me."
"Now I'm actually regretting tagging along with Elias. Why do I always choose the hard road?" she mused aloud, half-wishing someone—anyone—could give her a straight answer.
The faint aroma of coffee filled the air, but it did little to soothe her nerves. That nightmare... it followed me all the way from that childhood bed. Or is there something more sinister going on here? Her mind replayed the ominous scenes from her dream—the void, the voice, the collapse—and a shiver ran down her spine. It all felt... too real.
She shook her head, trying to dismiss the lingering unease. "Great! I don't even feel safe in my own apartment anymore." She sighed heavily, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "First Elias, now this... I let them barge into my life and look where it's gotten me."
With her eyes still half-closed, she groaned and pressed her palms into the counter, bracing herself. What's next? Am I supposed to help Elias save the world now? Or is this nightmare just the universe's twisted way of messing with me? she thought, rolling her eyes at her own melodrama. Oh, well. At least there's coffee...