Chapter 4

COVER STORY

The city lights blurred past the windshield.

Fast. Restless. Unforgiving.

CAR – NIGHT:-

No sirens this time.

No urgency.

Just silence.

Pond drove.

Focused.

But not entirely.

Phuwin sat beside him, looking out the window.

Calm on the outside.

But his mind was racing.

Dunk’s voice broke through the intercoms.

“You two look very dramatic from the surveillance cam, by the way.”

Phuwin sighed. “We almost got caught.”

Dunk chuckled lightly.

“Yeah… but you also looked convincing.”

Pond cut in.

“Enough.”

Silence again.

Joong’s voice replaced Dunk’s.

“Report.”

Pond: “The club is a confirmed front.”

Phuwin added,

“They’re screening people. Observing behavior, connections… vulnerabilities.”

Joong: “And?”

Phuwin hesitated.

Then—

“They’re interested in us.”

A pause.

Joong understood immediately.

“Good.”

Pond frowned slightly.

“That’s not good.”

Joong’s tone sharpened.

“It is if we use it.”

OPERATIONS ROOM – LATER:-

The team regrouped.

Screens displayed footage from the club.

Freeze frames.

Zoom-ins.

Patterns.

Dunk pointed at one frame.

“This guy. He signaled someone after seeing you.”

Phuwin stepped closer.

“Not just signaling… confirming.”

Pond crossed his arms.

“Meaning?”

Phuwin turned.

“They weren’t just suspicious.”

“They were expecting someone like us.”

The room turned still.

Joong’s expression darkened.

“A leak.”

Dunk whispered,

“You think someone inside is feeding them info?”

Pond didn’t hesitate.

“Yes.”

Phuwin looked at him.

Pond continued—

“They knew how to test us. Where to push.”

Joong nodded slowly.

“Then we assume everything is compromised.”

Tension rose instantly.

Dunk looked uneasy.

“Even us?”

Joong’s reply was cold.

“Especially us.”

HALLWAY – NIGHT:-

Meeting over.

People dispersed.

Phuwin walked alone.

Thoughtful.

“Phuwin.”

He stopped.

Turned.

Pond stood there.

Watching him.

“Walk with me,” Pond said.

Not a request.

Phuwin followed.

BUILDING TERRACE:-

The city stretched below them.

Lights flickering like distant signals.

Pond leaned against the railing.

Silent for a moment.

Then—

“You didn’t hesitate.”

Phuwin looked at him.

“In the club?”

Pond nodded.

“You fought.”

Phuwin’s voice was calm.

“I do what’s necessary.”

Pond stepped closer.

“Even if it puts you in danger?”

Phuwin met his gaze.

“I’m already in danger.”

The wind picked up.

Pond’s voice lowered.

“You’re not invincible.”

Phuwin’s reply was softer—

“Neither are you.”

Something shifted again.

Closer.

More personal.

Pond looked at him—really looked this time.

Not as a teammate.

Not just.

“Tonight,” Pond said quietly,

“when I said ‘mine’…”

Phuwin’s breath slowed.

“…you didn’t react.”

Phuwin held his gaze.

“That was the cover.”

Pond stepped closer.

Closer than before.

“And now?”

Silence. Heavy. Dangerous.

Phuwin didn’t step back.

Didn’t answer immediately.

Then—

“Now… we focus on the mission.”

Pond studied him.

Searching.

Then he nodded once.

Stepping back.

“Right.”

But something remained.

Unresolved.

OPERATIONS ROOM – SAME TIME:-

Dunk sat alone, scanning data.

Something caught his eye.

A hidden transmission.

Encrypted.

Internal.

His expression changed.

“Joong…”

Joong approached.

“What is it?”

Dunk turned the screen.

“This isn’t external.”

Joong’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s coming from inside the system.”

TERRACE – NIGHT:-

Pond and Phuwin stood in silence.

Neither speaking.

Both thinking.

Neither realizing—

They were already being watched.

From a distant rooftop

A sniper scope focused.

First on Pond.

Then slowly—

To Phuwin.

A voice through an earpiece:

“Orders?”

A pause.

Then—

“Not yet.”

Red dot hovering.

Waiting.

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