บท 171: Revenge
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Grace City.
Security Officer Reed's eyes fluttered open, his vision blurred as the sharp light from above pierced his senses. His body ached, stiff from an unnatural position. Groggily, he tried to raise his hand, instinctively reaching for the phone in his pocket to check the time. But his arm wouldn't move.
Panic surged through him as the grogginess faded. His wrists were bound tightly behind him, the coarse rope biting into his skin. He struggled, twisting his hands, but the knots were unyielding. He glanced down—his feet were similarly tied to the legs of the wooden chair beneath him. A cold sweat formed on his brow as he noticed the single, stark white lamp hanging above, casting his shadow long and jagged on the ground.
The oppressive silence hung thick in the air. Reed's heart raced, and for a moment, he let exhaustion take over, his eyelids drooping. But within seconds, he jerked awake, the reality of his situation crashing down. He attempted to scream, to call for help, but the effort was in vain. Something rough and foul was stuffed in his mouth, preventing anything more than a muffled "ummmahah" from escaping his throat.
A low, impatient voice came from the shadows surrounding him. "Stop shouting."
Reed's head snapped toward the voice, his pulse quickening. Out of the darkness, a figure stepped forward, illuminated by the harsh, hanging light. He was tall—towering, even—and unnervingly calm. What drew Reed's attention most was the man's face: cold and impassive, with a glint of dangerous amusement in his single exposed eye. His other eye was concealed beneath a patch, giving him a predatory air. The man casually flipped a bright, serrated knife in his hand, its blade reflecting the light in sharp, deadly arcs.
Fear rippled down Reed's spine like ice water. He instinctively pushed himself back against the chair, which groaned under the sudden movement. The man's presence was suffocating, the sense of impending doom palpable.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Reed's mind raced, desperately trying to make sense of the situation.
The man smiled—a thin, humorless smile that sent another wave of terror coursing through Reed's veins. "Me? I'm here to collect debts."
Reed's stomach twisted. Debts? What debts? I don't owe anyone anything! His mind scrambled for answers, irrational thoughts darting in and out. Could it be... the child next door? No... this can't be about that. He tried to suppress his panic, but his breath came in shallow, rapid gasps.
"No more talking," came a second voice, smoother, but no less terrifying. Reed turned his head toward the sound, and a woman stepped forward, her figure cutting through the gloom like a blade. Her skin was unnaturally pale, almost glowing under the sterile light, and inked across her arms was a snake-like tattoo that seemed to coil with each subtle movement. Her eyes gleamed with an unsettling combination of amusement and cruelty.
Reed's eyes drifted—against his better judgment—down to her exaggerated, voluptuous figure. The woman's chest was so prominent that it took him a moment to register the intricacies of the tattoo winding across her arm, and when he did, a jolt of recognition hit him like a bolt of lightning.
"Green Snake!" Reed gasped, his throat tight with shock. "You're the Green Snake of Black Sun!"
The FBI in Grace City had been in chaos lately. Black Sun, an infamous international syndicate of assassins, had been wreaking havoc in the underworld. One of the city's wealthiest figures, President Gong, had found himself on their hit list. The FBI had scrambled to protect him, mobilizing forces and studying the top Black Sun operatives. Every agent had been drilled on their names and faces.
And Green Snake? She was unforgettable, a legend in the organization.
The man's knife glinted as he flipped it once more, his voice low and dangerous. "Is my wife good-looking?"
Reed swallowed hard, his eyes darting back to the man. "Y-Yeah, she's... she's beautiful." The words stumbled out, but realizing the peril he was in, Reed quickly averted his gaze. "I-I mean, the tattoo is... uh, it's good..."
Reed forced himself to look away. Though he prided himself on being smooth under pressure, this wasn't the time for wandering eyes. His life was on the line, and any wrong move could end it.
Now he remembered—the man's codename was Black Eagle. Unlike his wife, Black Eagle wasn't someone with a striking appearance, but he was deadly all the same.
Reed's mouth went dry as cold sweat trickled down his neck. Black Eagle and Green Snake. They weren't just assassins—they were top-tier killers, ranked among the most dangerous in the world. And now, they were standing in front of him.
Why were they in Grace City? Why him?
"Venomous Bee," Black Eagle's voice broke the silence, his words like a knife cutting through Reed's thoughts. "Ring any bells?"
Reed's mind spun. Venomous Bee? It hit him like a punch to the gut. This wasn't about random debts. This was revenge.
He nodded, trying not to look too panicked. He couldn't afford to lie. Everyone in the FBI had heard of Venomous Bee. He had been captured just a few weeks ago, causing a temporary lull in Black Sun's activities.
"Are you... friends?" Reed asked, his voice trembling.
"That's right," Black Eagle said, his tone sharp. "Who took him down? I want a name."
Reed clenched his jaw. "Do you think I'm going to sell out my colleagues? You underestimate the FBI, you bastard—"
In a flash, Black Eagle drove his knife into the chair between Reed's legs. The blade buried itself into the wood with a sickening thud. Reed gasped, his entire body going rigid as the cold steel barely missed a vital area. The threat was clear.
His courage evaporated. "Wait, wait! It was The Director! The new director of the FBI—Director Linton!" Reed stammered, his voice desperate. He wasn't lying. The new director had taken charge shortly before Venomous Bee's capture, and Reed didn't know much about him. But in that moment, he'd give up anyone if it meant saving his own skin.
Director Linton's reputation had skyrocketed after the capture. The entire city had hailed him as a hero, and there were even rumors that the mayor was planning a public ceremony to honor him. It had been a quick rise to fame for the new director, but in the shadows, it seemed his actions had stirred up something far more dangerous.
Black Eagle's eye narrowed. "Impressive," he muttered, his gaze shifting momentarily to Green Snake. "And he was a soldier, you say?"
"Y-Yes," Reed stuttered. "He was part of some elite unit, trained the best of the best. I don't know the details, but something happened, and he ended up with us in the FBI. He's the youngest director Grace City has ever had."
Reed was sweating profusely now, the chair beneath him creaking under his restless movements. He could sense the tension rising in the air. Black Eagle and Green Snake shared a look—one of understanding.
"Good," Black Eagle said, his voice low and lethal. "Then send him a message from us."
---
Meanwhile, at the FBI headquarters...
Director Linton sat at his desk, staring out the window at the twilight sky. He rubbed his nose, feeling an unexplained chill creep up his spine. For reasons he couldn't quite place, a sense of foreboding settled over him as the city outside grew darker.
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