The early morning sun had just begun to seep through the familiarity of Shin's windows when Ayaka stirred beside him. He rose quickly from the bed. He had slept peacefully, but something didn't feel right in his gut.
Ayaka caught his gaze, concern in her eyes. "You look restless," she whispered.
He sat on the edge of the bed. "It's… not over yet." She nodded and kissed his forehead before slipping off to prepare for the day. Silence settled as Shin dressed in dark clothes and looked at himself in the mirror.
He couldn't allow himself to let his guard down.
That would prove to be a good decision.
Shin arrived at the makeshift dining hall to find a new energy in the morning air: girls, bodyguards, and researchers buzzing in hushed tones. Seated at the head table was Reito. Next to him sat Riku, his expression darker than usual. Shin joined them alongside Akane, Yuna, Rei, Misaki, Serena, and several key research members.
As plates were passed—spinach omelets, grilled fish, sweet potatoes—Akane glanced around the table, making sure everybody was present. She spoke in a grave tone. "This isn't great news for the morning, but it's necessary I say something. We have unconfirmed intelligence that World Headquarters has infiltrated satellite communication nodes near our facility. They're not just chasing you Code Numbers, but the cure itself."
"They are getting close."
Shin froze mid-bite. "Our cure?"
Akane nodded sharply. "They believe they can weaponize it, activate or deactivate immunity at will. If they can control the cure without the general public knowing, it spells out a massive win for them. They would have no need for the Code Numbers anymore except to exterminate them. World Headquarters would try to use the cure to make themselves a miracle drug to reproduce without men."
An audible shudder passed through the group.
Riku leaned forward, finger tapping the table. "If that's true, it changes everything. We're not just hiding from them. They're actively hunting us. We don't have much time left then."
Doctor Yuna's voice was steady but urgent. "Our research is weeks from stabilizing. We need contingency plans before we're fully ready to launch our cure. What do we do?"
She turned to look at Shin.
He looked around the room. "Today's the day we strike back."
Post-breakfast, Shin, Riku, and Akane were escorted to the weapons room hours earlier than scheduled. Inside, Akane quietly handed Shin a combat vest loaded with cartridges and a compact SMG. "Pack this. If World Headquarters attacks before we finish the cure…"
Shin slid it on. "Noted."
A sudden commotion filled the corridor. A guard rushed in, whispering fiercely into Akane's ear. She stiffened. "They've activated a lockdown drill. Unknown hostile forces were spotted in the nearby forest. We're mobilizing."
Shin vaulted off his chair. "Show me the app map."
They followed her through a back door, rolling through underground corridors until they emerged into an armory where elite guards were arming up. Akane started speaking to everybody as they got ready in case of an attack.
"I want containment teams at perimeter points. We're not fully staffed, so each Code Number leads one group." She turned to Shin. "Your team's perimeter is on the north side."
Shin nodded. "Let's move."
They raced outside, stepping along the northern wall of the property. The tension was raw as the early sun highlighted the dust swirling on the courtyard. Suddenly, the trees shuddered.
A squad of five masked combatants in tactical gear burst through foliage, SMGs raised.
Shin and Riku raised their weapons. "Duck!" Shin ordered, scanning his team.
One assailant fired their gun. A burst hit the wall inches from Riku's head. Riku yelled, ducking as another round of bullets came flying over his head. Shin and Riku returned fire with their teams in coordinated broad sweeps, the sharp cracks of the bullets echoing through the grounds.
After a tense 30 seconds, the attackers fell.
Three dead, one wounded. Another bolted toward the western wall. Shin wanted to minimize potential casualties. He raced toward the one running away. He tackled the assailant, muffling his cry. He ripped off the mask: a pale, aggressive face, a UW insignia crudely etched on the vest.
Shin stared, slowly backing away as a real villain's grin spread across the assailant's lips. The woman spat: "You're outnumbered. We're always watching. If we found you, the other squads will find you before you know it."
Shin scowled and knocked him out.
Back inside the facility, the wounded woman lay in a makeshift holding cell. Shin loomed over her as she became conscious, his eyes burning. "Who sent you here? We know you are with World Headquarters. We want specifics. Now."
The assailant sneered through clenched teeth. "You'll see soon enough."
A ripple of fear passed through the group.
The others tried interrogating, but nothing worked.
They decided to ultimately keep her as a hostage in case other squads found them and overwhelmed them with firepower. Knowing if World Headquarters cares about their own people was a gamble for everybody to think about.
Shin met Akane's gaze. "My guess is they sent UW squads around the area they spotted our communication signals. This facility is pretty deep in the forest, so it would take them a while to get here. If another squad was nearby, they probably would've already gotten here due to hearing the gunfire. We probably have a few days, my guess at max, to be safe."
Akane stepped forward, anger in her eyes. "If they could breach the perimeter… imagine what they know now." She looked to the researchers. "More than ever, we have to finish the cure and build defenses. Even if we can't guarantee the effects, we need to finish the final prototype fast."
The researchers gulped. They knew the gravity of the situation.
As dusk fell, the facility locked down on high alert. Shin and Reito, Riku by his side, convened in a small war room. Akane stood silently at the back, eyes fierce. Maps, feeds, secure lines lit up the walls.
Akane began, "The UW dogs are getting close to our secret facility. Our best option is to move out of this facility as soon as possible without making it look abandoned. We need to put as much distance as we can between them and the Code Numbers. Here is what we will do."
She told everybody the specifics of their plan. She made sure to mention that they had probably, at best, 24 hours until the next squad might find them—or less. After everybody got the gist of everything, they headed to bed to prepare for the day tomorrow.
Since tomorrow may not just be one squad, but multiple.
Shin was tense because it may be a bloodbath if they aren't careful.
The other Code Numbers and he were no longer celebrities with all the power. They were wanted. World Headquarters is getting desperate. They know if the cure is made and distributed, their ultimate hidden goal of exterminating all males is doomed.
He sighed as he thought about this and massaged his neck. Shin walked into his room and flopped down on his bed. A few minutes later, Doctor Yuna arrived. They looked at each other with unspoken words. She laid down next to him, and he wrapped his arms around her.
No fun for tonight. Just the calm sense of knowing each other is safe.
Since tomorrow, anything could happen.