Location: Abandoned Observatory – Tavara Outskirts
The sky above was painted with the dusky hue of twilight, casting long shadows across the observatory ruins. The wind curled around the two women, whispering warnings that neither heeded.
Nora stood her ground, her eyes fixed on Vesper. There was no fear in her gaze—only regret, and resolve.
"You could have started a new life," Nora said quietly. "Why return to blood?"
Vesper smirked. "Because I was built for it. You gave me a second chance, but not a new purpose. The ones who raised me, broke me—and I found comfort in the pieces."
"You're not broken," Nora countered. "You're scared."
Vesper's pupils narrowed, her body coiled like a panther about to strike. "Don't psychoanalyze me, Doctor. You think just because you healed my body, you know my soul?"
"No. But I saw the good in you once," Nora said, slowly reaching into her coat and tossing a silver pendant across the ground. "You gave me this after I helped you. It was your mother's."
The pendant stopped at Vesper's feet.
A crack fractured her mask of cold indifference. "That woman is dead."
"She's still in you. You remember love. You remember kindness."
Vesper stepped back. Her blade twitched in her grip. "Then remember this too," she said darkly, "I was sent to kill Damien. Not because I want to. Because if I don't—someone worse will."
---
Location: Damien's Secret Vault – Lancaster Estate
Meanwhile, Damien and Charles had descended into a forgotten sublevel of the estate, guided by an encrypted map left behind by Damien's father.
A biometric scan opened a steel door that groaned from disuse.
Inside: rows of classified documents, serum vials, hard drives—ghosts of secrets buried in silence.
Charles picked up a file marked Project Vesper.
"This isn't just a codename. It's a program," Charles muttered.
Damien's eyes scanned the pages. "Vesper was created. Enhanced. Trained. But there were others—failed experiments. This wasn't just intelligence... it was behavioral reconditioning."
"Your father may have created a monster," Charles whispered.
"No," Damien said gravely. "He created a weapon. And someone else reprogrammed her."
---
Location: Observatory – Rooftop Dome
Vesper launched forward. Blades clashed as Nora parried, barely managing to avoid a slice across her cheek.
"You're still holding back," Vesper hissed.
"I won't kill you," Nora gasped, blocking another strike. "I refuse to lose another soul to darkness."
"You can't save me!"
"You're wrong."
A sudden shot rang out—bang! Vesper dropped her blade, a crimson stain blooming across her shoulder.
Damien stood at the base of the stairwell, pistol raised. "You hurt her again... and I will end you."
Nora turned sharply. "No!"
But Vesper was already gone, vanishing into the collapsing night, leaving only the bloody pendant behind.
---
Location: Lancaster Estate – Infirmary
Later, Nora sat beside Damien, stitching his knuckles from where he'd punched through a wall in frustration.
"She got away," he muttered.
"She always does," Nora replied, her fingers trembling.
Damien touched her hand. "You okay?"
"She's still in there," she whispered. "The part of her that's human. But someone's using her... and they want you dead."