Rachel Bennett was sitting at her dining table, finishing a light lunch while reviewing some documents related to Silver Ridge. She had been investigating for months, but since she received the encrypted file sent by the unknown person, something had changed. She knew she had gotten herself into something much bigger than she could handle alone.
Her phone vibrated on the table. It was another encrypted message from the unknown sender:
Unknown: "They've tracked you. There's no time for explanations. Go to Geneva. We'll meet there. Do it quickly."
Rachel frowned, her mind racing. She didn't know who this unknown person was or if she could trust him, but something in his urgent tone told her she shouldn't ignore the message. She packed her laptop and a few essential documents into a small backpack. She took only the essentials: clothes, cash, her satellite phone, and a gun she always carried "just in case."
Before leaving, she decided to say goodbye to her parents. She entered the living room where they were watching TV.
"Mom, Dad," Rachel said, trying to sound casual, "I have to go on a work trip. It'll be a few weeks. I don't know when I'll be back, but I'll be fine."
Her mother looked at her with disapproval, as she always did whenever Rachel mentioned anything related to her professional life.
"Work? What work, Rachel? You've been unemployed for months. You should find something stable instead of chasing ghosts."
Her father, always more pragmatic, nodded slowly.
"Your mother is right. This world is full of dangers, and you keep getting into trouble. But... be careful."
Rachel clenched her teeth, holding back the frustration she always felt when talking to her parents. She knew they couldn't understand her, and now more than ever, she couldn't explain the truth to them.
"It's fine. Just... take care of yourselves," she finally said before leaving.
Once at the train station, she bought a ticket to Geneva. While waiting on the platform, she took out her phone and called an old acquaintance, a former UN officer named Jean-Luc Moreau.
"Jean-Luc, it's Rachel," she said when he answered. "I need a favor."
"Rachel, it's been a while since I heard from you," Jean-Luc replied, his tone kind but curious. "What do you need?"
"My parents... I need you to keep an eye on them for a few weeks. I can't tell you why, but it's not safe for them right now."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.
"Rachel, what's going on? You know you can trust me."
She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
"I can't tell you anything right now, Jean-Luc. It's not safe for either of us. But I'll contact you soon. With another phone. Please, do me this favor."
Jean-Luc sighed but eventually agreed.
"Alright. I'll take care of them. But you'd better explain this to me later."
"I will," Rachel promised before hanging up.
The train arrived shortly after. Rachel boarded and took a seat near the window, watching as the French landscape began to fade as the train moved forward. She knew this decision would change her life forever.
---------------------
In a large, cold room within the facilities of Umbra Division, Niel and Emily stood in front of Harlan and another tall, muscular man dressed in a black military uniform. Harlan, the scientist who had overseen many of the experiments in which Niel and Emily had been involved, was reviewing data on a holographic tablet. Beside him, the man in the military uniform, identified as Commander Voss, leader of special operations for the corporation, observed the two young people with a mix of curiosity and disdain.
"Niel, Emily," Harlan said, looking up from his tablet. "Today you begin your first official mission. You are no longer mere test subjects. Now you are valuable assets to Umbra Division. Your performance will determine whether you survive or not."
Commander Voss stepped forward, his deep voice echoing in the room.
"Listen carefully, kids. This isn't a game. You're here because you have unique abilities. But if you fail, you'll be replaced without a second thought."
Emily crossed her arms, her posture firm but tense. Niel, on the other hand, kept his neutral expression, though his silver eyes glimmered slightly at the mention of "surviving."
Harlan projected a holographic map in the center of the room, showing a region near the border with the mist.
"We recently detected a significant increase in Threshold Energy in this area. This energy, the same possessed by Resonants, is activating anomalies in the environment. It's likely that another incident will occur within the next few hours."
Commander Voss took the floor, pointing at the map.
"When the creatures emerge, they destroy everything in their path. But they always leave one person alive. Usually, a boy or a girl. That person is valuable to us. Their biology has been altered by Threshold Energy, making them potential new Resonants. Your mission is simple: ensure that the survivor is captured and brought here. Anything else is irrelevant."
Emily frowned.
"And the soldiers? What do we do if we encounter them?"
Harlan smiled coldly.
"If they're corrupt, let them live. They're useful allies for delivering the survivor. If they're good... eliminate them. We can't allow them to interfere with our interests."
Niel looked up, his tone flat but firm.
"And if there are no survivors?"
Commander Voss looked directly at him, his dark eyes assessing him.
"Then secure the area and collect any useful data. But remember: we prefer incidents to happen. That's where new Resonants are born."
One of the adult Resonants guarding the entrance, a tall man with a scar on his neck, interjected with a dry laugh.
"I hope you're ready to see things you won't be able to forget. This isn't child's play."
Emily glared at him but said nothing. She knew they couldn't afford to appear weak in front of these veterans.
Harlan stepped back, gesturing toward the door.
"Team Fenrir will be waiting for you at the exit point. Cooperate with them if you want to survive. Now, move."
During the journey to the border with the mist, Team Fenrir discussed the mission details in an armored vehicle. Marcus, Lila, and Kai, the veterans assigned to the team, observed Niel and Emily with a mix of curiosity and disdain. The atmosphere was tense, but there was no trace of fear in any of them. They were used to horror.
Kai broke the silence with a somber tone.
"So you're the replacements, huh? I hope you're better than the last two."
Emily looked at him without flinching, her expression as cold as steel.
"Don't underestimate us."
Kai let out a dry laugh, but before he could respond, Marcus intervened, his tone low but filled with bitterness.
"Two weeks ago, we lost Alex and Sarah. It was in a village near the border. The creatures were already there when we arrived. An ambush. They surrounded us before we could react."
Lila continued, her tone calculated and distant.
"Alex tried to cover us while we evacuated the survivor. He attacked with everything he had, but barely slowed them down. Four of those things grabbed him from behind. They gutted him like an animal, his entrails spilling onto the ground as he screamed. We tried to help him, but it was too fast. They dragged him into the darkness before we could do anything."
Marcus took a deep breath, as if recalling those moments was painful.
"Sarah was next. She stayed behind to buy us time. When we went back for her, we found only her head. They had cleanly separated it from her body, as if it were a trophy. Nothing else was left of her."
Niel listened in silence, but his lips curved into a faint smile, almost imperceptible. It wasn't a smile of joy, but something darker, more disturbing.
"Sounds exciting," he murmured, his voice calm but charged with unsettling intensity.
Emily glanced at him sideways but said nothing. She didn't seem affected by the story either. To her, deaths were simply part of the job. There was no room for fear or empathy.
Kai let out a dry laugh, though there was a hint of admiration in his tone.
"Well, looks like we've got a couple of wolves instead of lambs. Welcome to hell, kids."
Marcus intervened, his tone firmer.
"There's no room for mistakes here. If you see one of those things, shoot first. But remember: firearms only stop them temporarily. If you want to kill them, you need melee weapons."
Lila pulled a dagger from her belt. The blade emitted a faint, ethereal blue glow.
"These weapons are specifically made for them. They emit a frequency that interferes with their structure. Without them, we're doomed."
Kai added with a crooked smile.
"The military has these weapons too, but without Resonants to wield them, it's like giving a rifle to a baby. They don't last five minutes against those things."
Niel, who had been silent until now, spoke coldly.
"Only the objective matters. The rest is irrelevant."
Kai looked at him with a half-smile.
"I like your attitude, kid. But remember: there are no heroes here. Only survivors."
Emily looked directly at him, her blue eyes as cold as ice.
"We're neither heroes nor victims. We're tools. And tools don't feel fear."
Marcus nodded slowly, impressed by their calmness.
"Well said. Keep that mindset, and maybe you'll survive more than one mission."
The rest of the journey passed in silence, each member of the team lost in their own thoughts.