Season-1: Echoes From Abyss
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The way the man said the name "Xovier" felt… strange.
For some reason, the man himself felt vaguely familiar to Rex.
Still, out of courtesy, he replied politely,
"Yes, I am Ren Ellion Xovier. It's a great honor to meet you, Dr. Barnes."
Rex extended his hand for a handshake.
Barnes took it.
The moment their hands touched, the sensation felt unsettlingly familiar.
At once, a dark image from the past flashed before Rex's eyes.
His lips trembled slightly.
The neurons in his brain screamed a warning.
Rex pulled his hand back.
No… it's nothing, he reassured himself.
Within seconds, he composed himself.
Commander Jacob spoke up,
"This is the leader of our agency's Rapid Force—Rex. He joined us at just fifteen. In the last five years alone, he has actively participated in twelve missions, all successful. Even in 2007, he has already led one mission. You understand now, don't you—what Rex truly is?"
The doctor replied,
"Hm. I can tell just by looking—brave, intelligent. A formidable contender."
Though the last words were spoken very softly, Rex didn't miss them.
The smile on his face faded.
The commander suggested,
"Come, let's have a drink."
Everyone agreed and moved toward the drinks section.
Gradually, the rest of the guests began arriving.
The men entered through the lower staircase, while the women descended from above through another entrance.
Louis stood beside Rex, holding a glass of wine.
Noticing Rex's distracted expression, he asked,
"Thinking about something? You look troubled. What happened?"
"Nothing…"
Louis had been Rex's friend for ten years.
Rex wondered whether he should share anything with him.
Just then, his thoughts were interrupted.
"Ren?" Louis called.
"Hm?"
Looking toward the staircase, Louis said in surprise,
"Who's the girl beside Naomi?"
Rex frowned and looked ahead—and felt a sudden jolt. His eyes were automatically softened. Those brown eyes…
Perhaps they had just encountered something extraordinarily beautiful.
Rex wasn't familiar with such a feeling.
Whether he managed to control his expression, only he knew.
Everyone was staring in that direction.
Naomi was wearing a beautiful lavender gown, her brown hair loose.
Beside her, holding her hand, walked Sherry,
Sherry wore an exquisitely elegant gown—white like sea foam, adorned with golden patterns.
The skirt rippled like turbulent waves of the ocean.
Short sleeves, intricate golden embroidery woven throughout the fabric.
Her jet-black curly hair was styled in a bun, decorated with white-yellow flowers resembling frangipani.
Her fair, round face bore no heavy makeup—yet she looked stunning.
Naomi was no less captivating either.
Almost every guest present was staring at them.
Louis's voice brought Rex back to his senses.
"Rex, who is she?"
Looking at him, Rex replied,
"Sherry. Met her by coincidence. Emma wanted to see her, so I brought her."
"I see."
Louis walked toward the staircase, Rex following him.
Louis reached out to Naomi first.
Rex had also extended his hand—toward Naomi—but Naomi took Louis's hand instead.
Rex kept his hand extended for a moment.
Was it meant for Naomi… or for Sherry?
As their eyes met, Rex quickly withdrew his hand and turned away.
Louis initiated the conversation,
"So, you're Sherry?"
"Yes—but who are you?"
"He's Louis," Naomi answered instead.
"Brother Ren's friend—and colleague."
Louis glanced at Naomi once, then said to both of them,
"Let's go over there. They've got dessert items."
Though Sherry wasn't eager, she went along.
Despite repeated encouragement, neither Louis nor Naomi could persuade her to eat anything.
The hall was filled with people.
Young men and women danced in pairs, moving in rhythm with the lights.
Sherry stood quietly in one spot.
Many had asked her to dance—she declined them all.
Louis and Naomi stood a short distance away, eating cupcakes.
That's when Sherry noticed Commander Jacob and Dr. Barnes.
She recognized Jacob—Louis had pointed him out earlier.
But she was seeing Barnes clearly now.
The moment she saw him, she froze.
A cold shiver ran down her spine.
Her pink lips trembled.
Barely audible, she whispered,
"Papa…"
The memories returned—the closed room, the prison-like life.
"Where is that girl, Rex?" Emma asked.
Rex looked around and spotted Sherry.
Emma had arrived at the event only moments ago.
"Wait here. I'll bring her," Rex said.
He quickly moved toward Sherry.
Emma watched—her gaze fixed on Sherry.
Barnes had also noticed her.
There was something between them.
Sherry didn't know what to do.
She couldn't run.
Just then, Rex reached her.
"Excuse me, miss—"
Before he could finish, Sherry grabbed his hand.
An idea had struck her.
She almost dragged him straight into the crowd of dancing youths—out of Emma's line of sight.
Her plan was simple: blend in, slip away through the crowd.
Barnes wouldn't be able to reach her there.
But the moment they reached the center of the hall, a spotlight shone directly on them.
The music stopped.
So did the dancing.
Sherry instantly let go of Rex.
She froze completely.
Rex was stunned as well.
Several girls stood beside Sherry.
Several boys stood beside Rex.
Slowly, a circle formed around the sun motif painted on the floor.
The young men held hands on one half of the circle, the women on the other.
At opposite ends of the circle's main diameter stood Rex and Sherry.
Sherry felt like she had stepped into a trap.
All she wanted was to climb a tree and hide.
Her eyes darted to Barnes—he was staring straight at her.
Fear flashed across her face.
Rex noticed.
He glanced at Barnes and understood—Sherry was afraid of him.
Then he looked back at Sherry, expression neutral.
The real dance was about to begin.
Moving to the rhythm, Rex stepped forward from his position.
Someone else took his place.
A girl beside Sherry gently nudged her forward.
There was no escape now.
If she wanted to survive, she had to dance—then slip away at the first chance.
Following tradition, Rex bowed slightly to greet his partner.
Sherry returned the greeting.
She circled around Rex once and brushed her hand against his.
Rex did not hold it—only touched, continuing the dance naturally.
One by one, the others joined in.
Emma narrowed her eyes, watching Rex and Sherry.
Barnes couldn't enter the dance.
At one point, Sherry seized her chance and slipped away unnoticed.
Rex was about to follow when his watch emitted a soft beep.
He stepped aside, pressed a button on the back of the watch.
Something appeared on the screen.
Rex smiled faintly.
Sherry didn't know where she was anymore.
When she had fled the hall, Barnes had followed her all the way to the garage.
To escape him, she climbed into a black car and hid beneath the back seat.
Before she could get out, the car started moving.
Sherry stayed curled up, waiting for the driver to leave.
Then she heard the driver speaking on the phone—
"I might be late getting home. Eat and go to bed, Naomi."
Sherry's heart jumped.
She had gotten into Rex's car.
Rex spoke again on the phone,
"Don't worry about Sherry. She's with me."
Hearing that, Sheri practically burst out from under the seat.
"How did you know?"
"I knew from the start. Thought you'd fallen asleep, so I didn't say anything."
Sherry sat up in the back seat.
"Sorry for getting in without telling you."
"It's fine. Come sit in the front."
"No need. I'm okay here."
"Come to the front," Rex said firmly.
"Okay, okay."
As Sherry moved between the seats, the car suddenly stopped.
She lost balance and bumped into Rex.
Rex immediately stepped out, Sherry following.
"What happened?" she asked.
"Out of fuel. There's a petrol station nearby. I'll call. We'll have to wait an hour."
Sherry sighed softly and sat on a bench by the roadside.
She was hungry—but didn't say it.
After finishing his call, Rex sat on the bench, keeping some distance.
"Are you hungry? You haven't eat anything there."
"No I'm not hungry."
A yellowish cat wandered up and rubbed against Sherry's leg.
She smiled and gently petted it.
Rex looked at her.
"Do you know someone named Dr. Barnes?"
Sherry paused.
"No. Who's that?"
She pretended not to know.
"Never mind."
Rex knew she was lying.
He didn't ask about the dance either.
Instead, he said,
"But I think I know you."
"What do you mean?"
"Have you ever been to California?"
Thinking for a moment, Sherry replied,
"I used to been there with Papa and Mama for a time. Why—where did you see me?"
Rex didn't answer.
A French melody drifted in from somewhere far away.
Rex understood French and listened quietly.
"La nuit fut inattendue mais étoilée et magnifique," Sherry murmured.
Rex looked surprised.
"You know French?"
"A little."
Rex looked toward the road.
Everything seemed normal.
Suddenly, a white car passed by.
The window was open.
Rex saw a familiar face.
Shock surged through him.
Dad…?
There was no mistaking it.
Forgetting everything else, Rex ran after the car.
Only one thought echoed in his mind—
Is that my father?
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He stood alone on the road, gasping for breath.
The car was gone.
His mind was in chaos.
Then he remembered Sherry.
"Shit. Why did I leave her alone? Ren, you idiot."
He turned and ran back.
But she was gone.
The bench was there.
The black car was there.
Sherry wasn't.
For the first time, Rex was truly afraid, for a unknown girl. Like she was much important to him, because Rex knows, the reason.
He shouted her name again and again, searched every alley—
Nothing.
Suddenly, he sensed someone's presence.
He activated the GPS tracker on his watch.
Pulling out his phone, he dialed Louis—
Then felt someone behind him.
He turned sharply—
Dr. Barnes stood there.
A cold smile.
An eerie gaze.
Before Rex could react, a sharp needle-like object was thrust violently into his neck.
Rex collapsed—unconscious.
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"Ren's uncle was once a commander in our force. That's how we knew his father, Philip. But Philip mysteriously disappeared in early 1990. Ren was very young then—only three or four."
"And his mother?"
"Ilara couldn't raise him alone. She went to California to live with her brother. But a year later, she too disappeared."
"Disappeared—as in dead?"
"Most likely. We never found her. Or Philip."
"Philip knew about Reporter Zone 077. Could that be why he disappeared?"
"No proof. Ren was too young to know anything. I still remember—seven years Ren standing in the rain outside our station with his uncle. There was no childish innocence in his eyes. Only the numbness of a broken heart that had lost everything."
Jacob paused, then continued,
"After that, he lived with James and Sienna. After academic training, he joined this organization."
Jacob finished recounting Rex's past to Emma.
They remained after the party ended.
Emma felt heavy hearing it.
Then Jacob said,
"By the way—you mentioned you have a daughter and a son. They're coming to Thailand soon. You said they know a lot about our agency."
"Yes. My daughter is very interested in this agency—and she's quite trained. She wants to work here. My son serves in the Navy."
"That's good."
After a moment's thought, Jacob said,
"On your recommendation, we may give your daughter a chance to prove herself. But first—what are their names?"
Emma placed her wine glass on the table.
Confidently, she said,
"Lia—Coralia Fenwick.
And my son—Alexei Fenwick."
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"Astra-7, this is Houston. Lunar Crew One, do you copy?"
"Houst—Dr. Miuka. Astra-7 reads you loud and clear."
"Copy. Commander Castor, your earlier velocity spike has stabilized. Current speed confirmed at 39,200 kilometers per hour. Please verify via onboard instruments."
"Verified. Velocity matches your readings. No discrepancies."
"Good. Engineer Pollux, transmitting an updated telemetry package. Confirm receipt."
"Receiving… telemetry confirmed, Houston. Cabin pressure and CO₂ scrubbers nominal."
"Copy. Engineer Pollux. Keep environmental controls in auto-mode for the next forty minutes. We'll monitor changes from here."
"Trajectory stable. Next course correction in two hours."
"Understood. Logging this for mission time. You may proceed. We're with you."
Miuka exhaled softly and set down the speaker.
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