章 26: The Lady in Black, Part Eleven

{Emi}

Emi's heart raced as she approached the entrance of the mall, her nerves on edge at the thought of what awaited her inside.

[Alright, Emi. You're about to walk within arm's reach of a den of bloodthirsty slavers. No biggie.] 

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but her anxiety only seemed to intensify with each step.

Just as she was about to reach the threshold, she felt a light tap on her back.

Emi tensed, expecting the worst, but when she turned to look, she found Zenith standing behind her, her expression unreadable.

"Go get 'em, tiger," Zenith said with a thumbs-up, her face completely emotionless. 

"..."

The gesture caught Emi off guard, the slight touch strangely friendly coming from someone like Zenith.

Before she could react, Zenith's voice cut through the tension.

"Oh, and, remember, find out everything you can about a girl named Asuka," she instructed, her tone firm and commanding.