ARGUS’s briefing left the team with a single lead: a crime scene in the Old Dock District, sealed off only hours ago. The police had no idea what they were dealing with — which was exactly why COMA was moving in before anyone could bury the evidence.
The COMA transport swept over the sleeping city, cutting through the cold night air. Inside, the mood was tense but charged.
Pre-Mission Banter
“Alright, let’s get this clear,” Ishaan said, tightening his tactical harness. “We’re hunting a golden-haired heart-eating clone who may or may not be Luce’s long-lost evil twin.”
Veer smirked. “You say that like it’s weird.”
“It is weird.”
Damien, checking his sidearm, shot them a look. “Focus. If we run into him, we don’t fight unless absolutely necessary. This is recon.”
“Recon,” Ishaan repeated, “meaning you want us to stare at him creepily and take notes?”
Avni, sitting opposite, finally spoke. “Recon means staying alive long enough to tell ARGUS what we saw.”
Saira added flatly, “If we do see him, you’ll know. The smell of blood will hit before he does.”
Luce, silent until now, was cleaning the barrel of his rifle. His movements were steady, but his eyes had that same distant focus he’d had since seeing the golden-eyed figure.
Sayaka leaned slightly toward him. “You sure you’re ready?”
“No,” he said honestly. “But I’m going anyway.”
The Scene
The transport touched down on the edge of the dock district — a maze of rusted cranes, abandoned warehouses, and stagnant water.
The police perimeter was minimal, just a pair of bored officers who waved them through after seeing COMA’s clearance.
Inside Warehouse 17, the air was metallic, heavy with the smell of blood. A tarp lay over something on the floor.
Damien pulled it back. A man’s body, mid-thirties, chest cavity open and empty. No signs of struggle — just a clean, precise extraction.
“Heart’s gone,” Dev said quietly, crouching beside the corpse. “Cut with surgical accuracy. This wasn’t rage. It was… procedure.”
Lev knelt next to him, scanning the floor. “No footprints. No tool marks. Like he was never here.”
ARGUS (via comms): “Confirming bioelectric residue on scene. Pattern matches SG-01 encounter at Yashiro plant.”
Avni moved toward the far wall. “He came in from here.” She pointed to a high window — no ladder, no disturbance in the dust.
Saira frowned. “That’s three meters up. He didn’t climb… he jumped.”
Splitting Up
“Warehouse is a dead end,” Damien said. “If we want his trail, we have to move now.”
They split into two teams:
Alpha: Damien, Luce, Sayaka, Avni, Lev
Beta: Isolde, Ishaan, Veer, Dev, Raiden, Erik, Saira
ARGUS monitored both via comms, mapping every heat signature and anomaly.
Alpha’s Path
Alpha moved through the narrow dockside alleys, footsteps silent on the damp concrete.
“Anything?” Sayaka asked quietly.
Luce shook his head — then stopped. He crouched, touching the ground. “Warm. Like someone just stood here.”
Avni glanced around. “Where’s the nearest cover?”
Lev pointed up. “There.” A fire escape, swaying slightly as if something had just leapt from it.
They climbed fast, weapons ready — but the rooftop was empty. Only the faint smell of copper in the air.
Beta’s Path
Beta traced the opposite direction, following ARGUS’s ping toward a cluster of abandoned shipping containers.
Veer was about to crack a joke when Erik froze. “Wait… do you hear that?”
Everyone went silent. There it was — a soft, rhythmic drip.
Raiden stepped forward and eased open the container door. Inside, a man was slumped against the wall, eyes wide open in shock. His skin was pale, lips blue.
“Still alive,” Saira said, rushing forward. She checked his pulse. “Barely.”
ARGUS: “Bioelectric drain detected. Subject attacked by SG-01 within the last ten minutes.”
The man’s trembling hand lifted toward Raiden. “G… gold… eyes…” he whispered, before slipping into unconsciousness.
The Near Miss
Alpha and Beta regrouped near the pier after ARGUS triangulated movement ahead of them. They approached cautiously — weapons up, eyes scanning every shadow.
Then they saw him.
Golden hair catching the faint light. Those burning eyes. SG-01 stood at the end of the pier, hands clasped loosely behind his back, like a man enjoying the night air.
No one moved. No one breathed.
He tilted his head at Luce. “Incomplete.”
Damien took a half-step forward. “Stand down.”
SG-01’s smile was faint, almost polite. “Why would I stand down when the hunt has only begun?”
Before anyone could react, he stepped backward — and simply fell into the black water.
By the time they reached the edge, the waves were calm, as if he’d never been there.
Aftermath
Back on the transport, no one spoke for a long time.
Finally, Ishaan muttered, “Guy’s got a flair for drama.”
Veer nodded. “And swimming.”
Damien ignored them, looking at Luce. “What did you see?”
Luce stared at the floor. “I saw myself. If I’d been born wrong.”
Sayaka’s hand closed over his. She didn’t say anything — she didn’t have to.
ns216.73.216.33da2
and then Add to home screen.