Bab 17: Chapter 17: The Summons
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๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ'๐ด ๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ท๐ช๐ฃ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ข๐จ๐ข๐ช๐ฏ๐ด๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ด๐ฉ๐ข๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ช๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ค๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฑ๐ข๐ณ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต, ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ญ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ ๐จ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ง๐ช๐ณ๐ฆ.ย
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He'd been standing by the window, lost in thought, staring out at the empty street below. The early morning light filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows across the roomโa stark contrast to the chaos that was about to be unleashed.
He reached down, grabbing the phone with a swift, almost instinctive motion. The screen blinked with a single line of text from Umbrella: "๐๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต ๐ช๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ช๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ญ๐บ. ๐๐ณ๐ช๐ฐ๐ณ๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ." His grip tightened, the faint crackle of his knuckles breaking the stillness as the message sent a jolt through his system.ย
Ethan's heart thudded once, a heavy, deliberate beat. The calm exterior he had fought so hard to maintain began to crack ever so slightly, but only for a fleeting second. He let out a slow breath, forcing the tension down, burying it under layers of discipline and training.ย
Without hesitation, he moved. The apartment, with its worn furniture and dim light, faded into the background as his focus honed in on the task ahead. He crossed the room with purpose, his mind already shifting gears, instinct and habit driving his actions.
The closet door slid open with a smooth hiss, revealing a meticulously organized array of gear. Everything was in its place, from the Umbrella Custom 1911 .45 ACP Pistol hanging on the wall to the advanced combat suit folded neatly on a shelf. Each item was a reminder of the life he ledโa life defined by violence and survival.
He dressed quickly, pulling on the lightweight Kevlar vest first, feeling the familiar weight settle against his chest. The suit followed, its nanofiber mesh underlayer clinging to his skin like a second, armored hide. Every movement was precise, efficient, honed by years of repetition. As he strapped on his boots, the reinforced plating clicked into place, providing stability and protection.
Ethan reached for his primary weapon, the Umbrella Custom 1911. He weighed it in his hand, checking the magazine before sliding it into the holster at his side. The cool metal felt reassuring against his hip, a constant companion in a world where trust was a luxury he couldn't afford.
His fingers brushed the grip of the HK416 Assault Rifle, but he hesitated for a moment. He'd been on edge since the last mission, the one that had gone south in ways he still couldn't fully grasp. The rifle, outfitted with an advanced suppressor and smart holographic sight, was more than just a toolโit was a lifeline. But today, it felt heavier, as if it carried the weight of the mission before it even began.
Ethan shook the thought away, locking down the errant emotions threatening to surface. This wasn't the time for reflection. The job required precision, not sentiment. He slung the rifle over his shoulder, the strap settling into a familiar groove.
He grabbed the rest of his gearโnight vision and thermal goggles, the Umbrella Nano-Smoke Grenades, and the enhanced multi-toolโpacking them into the compartments of his tactical vest. The first aid kit slid into the side pocket, its regenerative serum nestled within easy reach. Each item had its place, its purpose, and Ethan ensured they were all in order before heading toward the door.
As he reached for the handle, his phone vibrated again. The second message was as cold and impersonal as the first: "๐๐๐ 10 ๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ๐ถ๐ต๐ฆ๐ด. ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ'๐ต ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ."
He stared at the screen, the words a stark reminder of the control they had over him. Umbrella had always been like thisโdistant, demanding, and unyielding. They didn't care about the toll it took on him, or the scars that layered over his psyche. All that mattered was the mission, and his success was their only concern.
Ethan's jaw clenched, his mind flicking back to the moment of vulnerability he'd felt earlier. There was no room for that now. He tightened his grip on the door handle, the cold metal grounding him in the present. He was Umbrella's most dangerous asset, and he had a job to do.
Before he stepped outside, he took one last look around the apartment. It was a simple space, devoid of personal touches, yet it had become his sanctuary between missionsโa place where he could pretend, however briefly, that he was just a man and not a weapon. His eyes lingered on the spot by the window, the place where he had stood moments ago, lost in thought.ย
With a final, deliberate breath, he turned the knob and pushed the door open, stepping into the dimly lit hallway. The apartment door clicked shut behind him, sealing off the world he desperately tried to hold onto.
The morning air hit him as he stepped outside, cool and sharp. The street was empty, a quiet calm settling over the neighborhood. But there was an undercurrent of tension in the air, a subtle shift that set his nerves on edge. Ethan's instincts sharpened, his senses stretching out to detect anything out of the ordinary.
His phone buzzed once moreโa third message flashing on the screen. The text was brief, but the words sent a ripple of unease through him: "๐๐ฏ๐ฆ๐น๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ท๐ข๐ณ๐ช๐ข๐ฃ๐ญ๐ฆ. ๐๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ข๐ฏ๐บ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ."
Ethan's pulse quickened, a familiar rush of adrenaline flooding his system. The cryptic warning was nothing new, but it was enough to heighten the tension that had been building since the first message. Whatever awaited him wouldn't be straightforward, and he had to be ready for anything.
His mind raced, assessing potential scenarios, each more dangerous than the last. He adjusted the grip on his rifle, the weight a comforting reminder of the firepower at his disposal. The thought of what he might faceโa new threat, a trap, or perhaps even a test from Umbrellaโfueled his resolve.ย
As the minutes ticked by, Ethan found himself pacing the sidewalk, the anticipation gnawing at him. He hated this partโthe waiting. It was the only time when doubt could creep in, when the ghosts of past missions whispered in his ear, reminding him of the cost of his loyalty to Umbrella.
A sleek, black SUV rounded the corner, its tinted windows hiding the occupants from view. It slowed as it approached, the hum of the engine barely audible. Ethan straightened, his body shifting into a ready stance, every muscle coiled and prepared for action.
The vehicle came to a stop a few feet away, the passenger side door clicking open. Inside, the interior was dark, the only light coming from the dashboard, casting a blue glow across the face of the driverโa nondescript man in a black suit, his expression unreadable.
Ethan hesitated for a split second, his gaze locking with the driver's. There was something off, a subtle tension that set his nerves on edge. He scanned the street again, looking for anything out of place, but found nothing.
With a silent exhale, he stepped forward, sliding into the backseat of the SUV. The door shut with a soft thud, sealing him inside the cold, sterile interior. The driver didn't speak, didn't acknowledge him in any way. The vehicle pulled away from the curb, merging into the sparse traffic with practiced ease.
As the city blurred past the window, Ethan felt the weight of the impending mission settle over him like a shroud. The warning in the last message replayed in his mind, a constant reminder that this wasn't just another routine assignment. He could feel it in his bonesโsomething was different this time.ย
His gaze flicked to the driver, who remained silent, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. Ethan's hand tightened around the grip of his pistol, the cool metal a reassuring presence. Whatever was coming, he would face it head-on. There was no other choice.
The SUV sped through the city, the streets gradually emptying as they approached the outskirts. The buildings became fewer, the landscape shifting from urban sprawl to desolate industrial zones. The tension in Ethan's chest tightened, his instincts screaming at him to stay alert.
And then, just as they passed the last of the warehouses, the driver finally spoke, his voice a low, even tone that sent a chill down Ethan's spine.ย
"Prepare yourself, Drake. It's going to be a long night."
Ethan didn't respond, his gaze hardening as he stared out into the darkened horizon. He knew what that meantโUmbrella wasn't just sending him on a mission. They were sending him into the unknown, into something far more dangerous than anything he'd faced before.
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๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ช๐ฑ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ธ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐จ๐ถ๐ต, ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ต ๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ถ๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ต ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฑ, ๐ง๐ฐ๐ค๐ถ๐ด๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ญ๐บ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ต ๐ฎ๐ข๐ต๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฅ: ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ท๐ช๐ท๐ข๐ญ. ๐๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐ณ๐ข๐ค๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฏ๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต, ๐๐ต๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ธ ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ค๐ฆ๐ณ๐ต๐ข๐ช๐ฏโ๐ธ๐ฉ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ญ๐ข๐บ ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ, ๐ช๐ต ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ. ๐๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐ฏ๐ฐ ๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฏ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฃ๐ข๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ธ.
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PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Vivid_Horizons
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