Location: Prague, Czech Republic — 11:23 PM
The rain fell in cold sheets, hammering the cobblestones of the old city. Gothic towers loomed against the night sky, their silhouettes sharp like the knives of history itself. The city whispered secrets—secrets buried in shadows, beneath layers of betrayal, blood, and forgotten wars.
Liana adjusted her hood, her eyes darting through the narrow alleyways. Beside her, Daniel walked with a careful gait, scanning every window, every shadow. Behind them, Julian followed, face tense but eyes sharp.
"You sure about this contact?" Daniel murmured.
"As sure as I am about breathing," Liana replied. "The Raven doesn't meet unless the information is catastrophic."
A figure emerged from the mist. Tall, slender, wrapped in a trench coat darker than midnight. A wide-brimmed hat shadowed most of his face, but a glint of metal flashed beneath—the hint of a cybernetic eye.
"You brought guests," The Raven's voice was smooth, accented, and dangerous.
"They're necessary," Liana said firmly. "Let's get to it."
The Raven handed her a metal briefcase. "Inside... the truth you're chasing. But understand, truth has a price. Once you open this, there's no going back."
She opened it. A holographic interface lit up. Files spun into view—classified documents, surveillance footage, and a single folder labeled "Project Lazarus — Omega File".
Daniel squinted. "What the hell is this..."
A video played. A laboratory. Bodies in cryo-tubes. Names flashing: Specter... Revenant... Echo... and one more—Nyx.
Julian leaned in. "Who the hell is Nyx?"
Liana's blood turned to ice. Her voice barely a whisper. "...My mother."
The Raven's lips curled. "The Syndicate never told you, did they? She was the prototype. The first. The one who broke free... and vanished."
Suddenly—
BOOM.
An explosion rocked the alley. Flames licked the sky. Bullets rained from the rooftops.
"AMBUSH!" Daniel shouted, diving for cover.
Liana pulled her pistol. "It's a kill squad! Move!"
Figures in tactical armor swarmed. Red lasers crisscrossed the darkness.
Julian snapped into action—sniper rifle in hand, dropping two before they even touched the ground. The Raven pulled dual pistols, fighting like a devil from folklore.
Daniel slid behind a pillar, fired three rounds—two hits, one headshot.
Liana sprinted toward the burning wreckage, vaulting over debris, gun blazing. A masked operative lunged at her—she spun, drove her elbow into his throat, then shot him twice.
The fight was chaos incarnate. Smoke. Blood. Shouts. Explosions.
"They're not here to capture!" Daniel yelled. "They're wiping us out!"
Suddenly, a shadow dropped from the rooftop. Faster than thought. Stronger than anything human.
Specter.
"Run," The Raven growled. "RUN!"
Liana locked eyes with Specter for a split second. Cold. Empty. Merciless.
Then—gunfire. Grenades. A mad sprint through collapsing alleyways.
But as they escaped into the depths of Prague, one thing became horribly clear...
The past isn't just catching up. It's hunting them.
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End of Chapter 18