Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Win metawin

Dammit.

I slammed the folder shut, the sound reverberating through the quiet surveillance room. The fluorescent light above flickered faintly, adding to the relentless buzz that seemed to mock my fraying patience.

Three days. Three days since the attack, and we still had nothing.

Hong had vanished, leaving behind a trail of chaos and shadows. Every lead ended in a dead end. Every plan to corner him fell apart before it began. He wasn’t just elusive—he was precise, deliberate. Every move he made had a purpose, every loose thread designed to lead us nowhere.

It wasn’t just frustrating—it was terrifying.

He knows.

He knows we’re watching him. He knows how we think, how we operate. It’s like he’s playing a game of chess, and every time we think we’ve moved into position, he’s already three steps ahead.

The attack on the doctor wasn’t just a warning—it was a message. A demonstration of how close he could get. And the worst part? He wasn’t done. He never was.

We managed to get Nani's brother out of harm’s way, sending him off with Phuwin, Nani's colleague to some remote paradise far from Hong’s reach. But I knew better than to relax. He wasn’t going to waste time chasing a secondary target. His real focus and target was Nani and Sky.

“Dammit!” The word tore from my throat as I slammed my fist against the desk, sending a stack of papers fluttering to the floor. Frustration boiled over, threatening to crack the control I prided myself on.

The door creaked open, and Dew stepped in, his expression as steady as ever. He didn’t flinch at the sound—he never did.

“Still nothing?” His voice was calm, unshaken.

I gestured to the mess of files and maps spread out before me. “Nothing,” I snapped. “It’s like he’s mocking us. Every time we get close, he’s already gone. He’s playing with us.”

Dew crossed his arms, leaning casually against the wall. The quiet in his posture only made my own tension worse.

“He’s always been good at this,” he said after a moment, his tone low. “Hong knows how to get under our skin, how to make us react instead of plan.”

“He almost killed Mark,” I said sharply, my voice rising despite myself. “Before that, he went after you. Now he’s lying low, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike again. How the hell am I supposed to stop someone who sees every move before we even make it?”

Dew’s gaze flicked to the desk, then back to me. For a moment, he didn’t respond, the silence stretching between us. Finally, he stepped forward, his hand landing firmly on my shoulder.

“We’ll figure it out,” he said simply.

His words were meant to reassure me, but they didn’t. Not this time.

Because deep down, I couldn’t shake the gnawing feeling that we were already too late.

---

Nani hirunkit

The sterile scent of antiseptic greeted me as I stepped into Mark’s room. He was propped up against the pillows, his bandaged chest rising and falling slowly, though his grin was as bright as ever when he saw me.

“Hi, Mark,” I said softly, setting my bag down beside him. “How are you feeling?”

“Never better, Doc,” he said, his grin widening. “I mean, aside from the fact that I can’t move much and I’m pretty sure Win confiscated my phone and i cannot play a game. But yeah, top shape.”

I rolled my eyes, moving closer to check his wound. “Don’t joke about that. You should be resting.”

“I am resting,” Mark said innocently, though the mischievous glint in his eyes said otherwise. “But hey, better me getting shot than you. Because if it had been you...” His grin turned sly. “The boss would’ve killed me and i just need to choose the weapon.” He laughing at his own joke.

I tried to laugh, but it came out strained. The guilt I’d been carrying since the attack twisted sharply in my chest. “Don’t say that,” I muttered, my voice quieter now. “It shouldn’t have been anyone. I put you in that position. This is my fault.”

His grin softened, and he shook his head. “No, Doc. It’s my job. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

I didn’t respond. Instead, I focused on the bandages, carefully peeling them back to examine the wound. The edges were clean, the stitches holding well.

“You’re healing,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “It could’ve been worse.”

Mark chuckled, his voice light. “Guess I have you to thank for that.”

“You need to rest,” I said, forcing myself to sound more authoritative as I rewrapped the bandages. “No moving around rest properly. Got it?”

“Got it,” he said, though his grin returned. “But if you really want to help, you could sneak me a beer. Pretty sure that’d speed up the healing process.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress the small smile tugging at my lips. “No beer, Mark. Just rest and behave.”

As I stood to leave, his voice stopped me.

“Hey, Doc,” he said, his tone softer now. “Don’t beat yourself up over this. You’ve done more for us than you realize.”

His words settled heavily in my chest. I nodded faintly, unable to find the right response, before stepping out of the room.

---

The walk to Sky’s office felt heavier than usual, each step dragging like I was wading through quicksand.

Mark’s words replayed in my mind, but instead of easing the guilt, they only seemed to deepen it. He trusted me. They all did. And yet, because of me, he’d almost died.

But guilt wasn’t enough anymore. I needed answers and i need to do something.

I pushed the door open without knocking, my pulse quickening when I saw Sky standing behind his desk. Win and Dew were with him, the three of them bent over maps and files.

Sky’s head snapped up, his sharp brown eyes locking onto mine.

“Nani,” he said, his voice cool, unreadable. “You should be resting.”

I shook my head, stepping further into the room. “No. I need to know what’s going on.”

“Nani—”

“Don’t shut me out,” I interrupted, my voice firm. This guys isn’t just a threat to you anymore. He’s a threat to everyone I care about—to Pond, to you, to me. I deserve to know what his plan is.”

Sky’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. I could see the conflict in his expression, the war between keeping me safe and keeping me in the dark.

“He’s right,” Dew said quietly, his calm voice cutting through the tension.

Win frowned but gave a reluctant nod. “He’s part of this now, Boss. Keeping him in the dark won’t help.”

Sky’s shoulders sagged slightly, but his piercing gaze stayed locked on mine. Finally, after a long moment, he nodded.

“Alright,” he said, his voice low. “You want to know the truth? Fine.

---