"I really can't stay with these people."
The Troopers' base.
As usual, the air was heavy with the scent of metal, sweat, and old grease. Harry stood at the edge of the training grounds, his arms crossed.
In front of him, a bunch of troopers sparred aggressively. Their movements were chaotic and totally uncoordinated.
To Harry, it was nothing more than a brawl disguised as training.
"Barbarians," he muttered.
He watched one trooper hurl another to the ground with an unpleasant yell. "They'll get themselves killed before they do any good."
"They're not all that bad," came a voice from behind. Harry turned to see Kamala leaning casually against a support beam, her sharp eyes observing him with mild amusement.
He shifted awkwardly. "Oh you are back from patrol?"
Kamala nodded. "Yeah... and I see you're not a fan of us troopers. Is everyone from the capital like you?"
He snorted. "Fan? Yeah. Never. Just look at them. They're a disaster waiting to happen."
Kamala stepped closer,"I know, right? They're messy, loud, and completely unpredictable."
Harry raised an eyebrow, "Oh I didn't expect you to agree with me."
She smiled faintly, "But... you know... those 'goons' saved my life."
Harry : "Really? How?"
Kamala's expression grew distant, her expression softened. All of a sudden, the birds outside began chirping in an almost synchronized rhythm, as if punctuating the weight of her words.
"I am sure you know, But few years back, our sector was in shambles.... divided by community lines. And, I lost everyone in that chaos. Then a light came along, asking me to join a group. At first, I thought that light was crazy. But he wasn't just looking for fighters; he was looking for something bigger. A revolution. And for me... he became my savior."
Her words hung in the air, laced with a sincerity that made Harry falter.
"He didn't just save me," she continued, "He gave me a reason to believe in something greater than myself. Peace, Harry. That's all I've no... not just me... we trooper had ever wanted. And Kostas, our light, with all his flaws, gave us the chance to fight for it."
Harry chuckled, "You've got a way with words, Kamala. Almost makes this place seem... tolerable."
Kamala laughed and said, "Almost? I'll take that as progress."
Before Harry could respond, the sound of clinking bottles cut through the air, drawing their attention. He turned toward the source, his eyes widened as Kostas stepped into view, effortlessly carrying a crate of soft drink bottles in his left hand. In his right hand, he held a folded piece of paper.
Harry blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected sight. "What-?"
Kostas stopped in front of them, setting the crate down with a heavy thud. Then he reached into the crate, grabbed a bottle, and held it out to Harry.
"Drink?" Kostas asked.
Harry shook his head quickly, still trying to process what he was seeing. "Uh, no thanks," he stammered.
Kostas shrugged, twisting off the cap of the bottle in his hand and taking a swig, "Sorry to interrupt your little moment, but we've got a situation."
Kamala straightened immediately, "What is it?"
Kostas held up a sketch, the rough lines forming the face of a man with sharp, haunting features. "We got some news from my spies. They've got someone under their radar. He's a suspect for now, maybe even the rogue we've been hunting."
He handed over the sketch to Kamala, "He's the one who slipped into Sector 1, showed up later in Sector 5, and now? He's headed toward Sector 21. Witnesses caught sight of him nearby. His movements don't add up....too deliberate, too suspicious"
Kamala took the sketch delicately. "Do we know who he is? Did they dig into his background?"
"His name is Lobo," Kostas added, "No surname. Used to be a street fighter. His brother was killed during Operation Fivefold. Seems like he's finally out for revenge."
Harry blinked, "You got all that intel on your own?"
Kostas smirked, "That's why I always say we're better than the capital. Our methods? They're... different."
"Are you sure he's working alone?" Kamala asked, her gaze narrowing. "No accomplices?"
Kostas shrugged slightly, "We don't know. But people like him... they don't trust others. He's likely on his own.Get your team prepped. You're heading to Sector 21."
Kamala nodded sharply. "Understood, sir."
She turned to leave, but Harry stepped forward, his usual nervous demeanor replaced by something more resolute.
"Kostas," he called, stopping the larger man. "You're not going with her?"
Kostas shook his head, "Kamala can handle herself."
Harry hesitated, his eyes darting around the room as if ensuring no one else could hear, "Before she goes, you need to know something. The guy you're chasing… Lobo or whatever… he's not just some rogue."
Kostas's brow furrowed, his patience waning. "What are you trying to say?"
Harry stepped closer, "The capital's keeping this secret, but I'm not about to let this department walk into a death trap. Lobo… he's not just a man. He's something else."
Kamala's eyes widened slightly, "What do you mean?"
Harry's voice dropped to a whisper, "The lights went out. Still, hundreds of guards on duty. But somehow, right then, he breached Sector 1's vault. I don't think any of you understand it. He was fast. Too fast for any human. He took the Operation Fivefold files and vanished without a trace."
Kostas : "Get to the point, Harry. Where are you going with this?"
Harry swallowed hard, "After that, we checked the footages. He's not just some rogue—he's not even fully human." He paused, his breath hitching. "He's… a werewolf."
The air seemed to turn heavy. Even the birds outside fell silent, their synchronized chirping abruptly cut off. Kamala and Kostas exchanged a sharp glance, unease flickering in their eyes as they struggled to process what they'd just heard.
Kamala : What the-
"Listen, I know it sounds like bullcrap."
Kostas folded his arms, "Of course, it does. It sounds like the poop i took just a hours ago. But since you came here with your message, I got this insane urge to shit again, And you know what.." then he leaned forward, "I don't even have time for my shits, so i can't make time for yours."
Harry held up a hand, his voice rising. "Just hear me out. We didn't get a clear look at his human face in the footage, but witnesses...our own people....saw him shift. One moment, he was a man. The next, a wolf. And that wolf didn't just kill our men in Sector 1. It breached the vault, grabbed those files, and vanished. What kind of 'normal' animal does that? It's not just a rogue. it's a monster."
He took a step closer, his words tumbling out in a rush. "And you know why Operation Fivefold happened, don't you? All those lives lost. You know the truth behind it, right? Those people. They weren't just random targets. They were part of a cult. A cult hellbent on summoning a god."
Kamala's eyes narrowed. "A god?"
Harry nodded grimly. "Not just any god. Their god. A werewolf."
Kostas's jaw tightened, "Borshtog. Yeah, I've heard the stories. But you're telling me we're supposed to go up against a supernatural being now?"
Harry hesitated, then nodded. "It's possible. So, If you go in thinking he's just another rogue, you'll be walking straight into a death trap."
Kostas's eyes narrowed, his mind racing. "But what are you..." He stopped mid-sentence, "Wait a second. Are you saying… no. No way. Damn it. Alex. That bastard."
His fist clenched. "Are you telling me this whole thing was planned? He wanted troopers on this case because..."
Harry sighed deeply, "Because you're here. The last hunter." His gaze locked on Kostas, pleading. "He's betting on you. And I think we both know he's right. Please, Kostas. Don't let Kamala go in there alone. You have to go. It has to be you."
Meanwhile,
At a Vehicle repair station,
Simon leaned against the bus as he waited for the mechanic to finish his work.
"Is it done yet?" he asked.
The mechanic wiped his hands with a rag, glancing up with a tired sigh. "Yeah, yeah. Just keep this beauty slow on the road, alright? I don't want to see it back here anytime soon."
Simon smirked. "Sure, whatever you say."
With a groan, the bus's engine roared to life, its vibrations running through the metal as it rumbled away from the station, heading toward Sector 5.
Inside the bus, the atmosphere was thick with quiet. Some passengers slept, others murmured softly, while a few at the back passed around cigarettes. At the front, Lys sat with his head resting against the window, a sense of unease settling in his stomach.
At the back of the bus, Kalli slouched in her seat, the embers of her cigarette glowing ominously in the dim light. Her gang circled around her, laughing and talking in low voices.
The bus supervisor, his patience hanging by a loose thread, stormed up to Lys, "Aren't you her brother?" he said in a sharp whisper. "Can you get her to stop smoking?"
Lys turned to glance at his little sister, who responded with a playful wink. He rolled his eyes, but then, something caught his attention.
Something felt off....terribly off.
His gaze shifted again, scanning the entire bus, But.... she's nowhere.
"Where's she?" he muttered.
All of a sudden, the bus seemed to hold its breath. Conversations halted mid-sentence. A heavy silence settled over the passengers.
"Where is she?" Lys repeated, louder this time.
"Where's my Sofia?"