Nexus Stronghold, Singapore – Level 6 Underground Research Wing
The rain lashed mercilessly against the high-tech helipad atop the disguised corporate building in Singapore's financial district. Deep beneath the city's neon glow, Damien and Nora were ghosts—moving through hidden tunnels with Vincent's coded access.
"This compound's security is neuro-responsive," Nora whispered, eyes fixed on her wrist display. "Any emotional spike will alert them."
"Then we keep calm," Damien replied, though his jaw was tight.
The corridor ahead opened into an observation gallery—walls lined with one-way glass. Behind the pane, Eliza sat in a sterile white room, her face unreadable. She was sketching something. A wolf and a falcon… fighting.
Nora's voice trembled. "She remembers something."
Damien nodded. "We go in quiet. No alarms. No damage."
"Understood," said Sophia over comms. "But you've got ten minutes. After that, the firewall resets and you'll be locked inside."
As Nora prepped the EMP injection to disable surveillance for a window, Damien stared at Eliza through the glass. She looked so much like Amelia—his sister. But her eyes... they were colder. Harder.
The door hissed open. Damien stepped inside.
"Eliza?"
The girl looked up slowly. Her gaze focused on him—no confusion, no recognition.
"Uncle Damien," she said flatly. "I was told you'd come."
Damien froze. "By who?"
"Uncle Kael."
Nora stiffened outside the room.
Eliza stood, letting the sketch pad fall. "He said if you entered this room… I was authorized to kill you."
And then she moved.
Faster than any child should. A blurred strike aimed at Damien's neck. He dodged, barely, grabbing her wrist—shocked at her strength. Nexus had trained her like a weapon.
"Eliza! It's me—look at me!" he shouted, trying not to hurt her.
"You're not my family," she hissed. "You're the threat."
But then… something cracked.
Her hand trembled as Damien held her tight. "Remember the music box I gave you on your sixth birthday? The one that played Clair de Lune?"
She blinked.
He pressed on. "It was broken, but you kept it because I told you it had a heart."
Her breath hitched.
Outside, Nora whispered into the comms, "Her conditioning is faltering."
Inside, Eliza's eyes flickered. "Heart… of a song…"
"Yes," Damien whispered. "Come back to me, Eliza. Fight it."
Tears welled in her eyes, and she stumbled into his arms. "Uncle Damien…"
But the moment shattered with a burst of static.
An alarm blared. Surveillance had caught up. Vincent's voice crackled: "Time's up! They're flooding the lower levels—get out now!"
Nora stormed in, covering them. "We need to move!"
As they fled down the corridor with Eliza in Damien's arms, a new face appeared on the security monitor—General Kael, watching them from a control room in Moscow.
He smiled.
"Let the game begin."