She froze in front of the car whose door had been opened wide.
"…Dad!"
All the confidence that had been radiating from her vanished in an instant. She shrank under the predator-like gaze directed at her.
"Sara Miles. Get in the car."
"Dad, I—"
"I won't repeat myself."
In a single moment, she became as obedient as a scolded cat.
When she sat beside him, the atmosphere inside the car became unbearably tense.
Even the faint sound coming from the seat beside her seemed loud in the suffocating silence.
"Drive to the Journalists' Syndicate," he ordered the driver coldly.
"Y–Yes, sir."
Even the driver felt uneasy under the unnatural, icy tone of his boss. He knew the man was in a terrible mood this morning, so he quickly started the car.
Despite the tension in the air caused by the predator sitting in the back seat, someone's hot blood finally boiled over.
"Dad! Why there?"
"Lower your voice, you spoiled girl!"
He shot her that sharp look again.
"How could you make such an arbitrary decision on your own? What about my opinion? Why don't you try listening to me for once?!"
The man rubbed his temple.
"I said lower your voice. This job is over. I warned you many times—but the one who refused to listen was you."
Sara bared her teeth and clenched them in frustration.
"You never listen… no matter what I say…" she muttered, not lowering her voice enough for him not to hear.
"Hah… why can't you just be like your brother?"
Her burning expression froze instantly.
Shock spread across her face—then quickly turned into anger again.
"My brother this, my brother that! Everything you say is about him! Don't you see—"
But his furious glare forced her to swallow the rest of her words.
It wasn't hard to see where the journalist had inherited her fiery temperament from.
The rest of the ride passed in heavy silence.
Even the sound of the car moving across the road was muted by the luxury surrounding them.
When the car finally stopped, they were standing before the Journalists' Syndicate building.
"Mahmoud. Take her inside. Make sure she submits her resignation, then bring her back home."
"Yes, sir."
The man sitting in the front passenger seat stepped out quickly and opened Sara's door.
"Please, miss…"
She knew that no matter how much she tried, she would never change his mind.
If she didn't do it willingly, he would force her one way or another.
She had lost the will to argue.
Without even glancing back at the man beside her, she stepped out of the car.
The vehicle disappeared down the road almost immediately.
"Sir… may I say something?" the driver asked nervously. Being in the presence of this man still made him uneasy.
Without turning around, the man already knew from the driver's reflection in the mirror that he was hesitant.
"Go ahead."
"Just consider it a passing piece of advice, sir… why not listen to Miss Sara at least a little? She—"
"I spoiled her too much. That's why she became rebellious. Sometimes a little firmness is necessary. I don't know where she inherited that stubborn nature from."
"…."
The driver wisely chose not to say another word.
"Miss Sara… please don't misunderstand. He's just worried about you. He—"
"Misunderstand? Who? Me?"
She laughed bitterly.
"No. This is exactly the right understanding."
"He doesn't want to listen. He only wants to order and command. Everything must go exactly as he wants, regardless of what I think."
Her voice faltered slightly near the end.
Her eyes grew moist.
Sara quickly wiped the corner of her eye before Mahmoud could notice.
Then she lifted her head proudly again.
Clutching the small notebook in her hand, she said only one word while staring at the Syndicate building.
"Let's go."
******
I thought I could find another source of information to guide me in this new world.
I thought I could live normally like everyone else if I simply closed my eyes and ears to the filth around me.
But what is this…?
I escaped twice… and foolishly believed I would survive every time.
I was arrogant.
A cold shiver ran through my body.
Every time I blinked, the terrifying burning creature appeared before my eyes again.
Sleep had finally begun to claim me…
But I couldn't fall asleep.
How will I survive next time?
My pride had been shattered by those horrors.
I wrapped myself tighter inside the blanket.
My eyes fell on the black fuzzy ball partially sticking out of the bag I had thrown on the floor the night before.
Even this stupid ball didn't do anything…
I relied on it to protect me, but I…
I was almost burned alive.
Koo…
Kooo…
The small bird fluttered down and landed on my head.
Then it gently placed its wing over my eyes.
I felt warmth.
But it was different from the flames that had nearly roasted me.
This warmth was gentle… comforting.
It felt like my mind had desperately needed that small touch.
And finally—
I surrendered to sleep.
******
The man standing beside the black jeep looked at the watch on his left wrist.
It showed one o'clock.
Not at night—but midday.
The sun stood high in the sky, blazing intensely.
The heat was strangely oppressive for the middle of winter.
He glanced at the detector device in his hand and waited.
The needle didn't even tremble above zero.
"Ugh… what's with this heat in the middle of winter?"
Beside him, Lina licked a melting ice cream as drops fell onto her hand.
"Mm… still no signal?" she asked while savoring another bite.
"Nothing."
"Maybe it only becomes active at midnight?"
"…Maybe."
Suleiman never took his eyes off the device, as if staring at it long enough would force the needle to move.
But something inside him wasn't convinced by that explanation.
Still, there was no other reason for the detector to remain completely still.
"What do you say we sit in a nearby café and wait until it comes out?" Lina suggested.
"It has to leave its hiding place eventually."
"…Alright."
He nodded and placed the device inside his suit jacket.
They had barely taken two steps when both of them suddenly stopped.
Someone suspicious was approaching them.
The person wore a cap and a mask that hid his face entirely.
As if that wasn't enough, a hood covered his head as well.
"Mr. Suleiman…"
When the muffled voice emerged from behind the mask, Suleiman and Lina exchanged a knowing glance.
"I need help."
"And?" Lina said sarcastically.
"Who are you?"
The person glanced at Lina but ignored her question, turning his gaze back toward the man with the gray eyes.
Unlike the mocking woman beside him…
The masked stranger had no idea what was going on in the mind of the man in the suit.
"It's me…"
After a moment of hesitation—
The masked figure finally removed his mask.