first meeting

The rain hit the metal roof of the warehouse, making a loud, drumming sound. Sergeant Kaelen “Kael” Vance knew that sound. It was the sound of waiting for a mission to start.

Inside, the air was thick with the smell of wet concrete. To his left, Jax, a huge man with a grumpy frown, checked the bombs. To his right, Leo, the team's slim tech expert, was looking at a tablet, his fingers moving fast as he studied the building's map. They were his friends and his team.

“Everything is quiet outside,” Leo whispered into their radios. “I only see the target.”

“Command says the target is dangerous and unpredictable,” Kael said, his voice calm. “Her code name is ‘Echo.’ She’s a rogue soldier from a secret research group. Our orders are to stop her.”

Jax grunted. “Stop her. I like that. Means we get to break things.”

“Just stick to the plan, Jax,” Kael said quietly. “In and out. No big explosions.”

Their target was on the third floor. They were told Echo was there to steal or destroy secret files. They moved quietly, their steps making no sound. They worked perfectly together, a skill they learned from hundreds of missions.

They blew the third-floor door open with a small, quiet bang. The hallway was white and clean. The door to the server room at the end of the hall was open just a little.

Kael held up a hand to stop his team. He looked around the corner. The room was a mess. Servers were smashed, and wires hung from the ceiling. In the middle of it all stood a woman. She was thin, dressed in a simple gray suit, with short, wet black hair. She was staring at the monitors, not seeming to notice them.

“Echo, this is Specter-7,” Kael said in a firm voice. “Stand down. Show me your hands.”

The woman turned slowly. Her face was strangely beautiful, but it showed no feeling. Her eyes, a bright purple, were empty. There was no fear, no anger, no surprise. Just a cold stare.

“My name is Echo,” she said. Her voice was flat and robotic. “My mission: Destroy the files. Kill all witnesses. You are witnesses.”

Before Kael could say anything, she moved with inhuman speed. She was a blur. Jax tried to raise his gun, but she was already on him, a sharp blade in her hand. She hit him with a few quick, hard strikes, and his rifle clattered to the floor.

She moved like a ghost. Leo pulled out his pistol, but she kicked off a server, twisted in the air, and knocked the gun out of his hand.

She landed silently in front of Kael. He hadn't even had time to aim. Her purple eyes stared right into his. For just a second, he saw a tiny flicker in them—like a small crack in an empty shell. She held the blade to his throat.

“You are a high-level threat,” she said, as if reading a report. “The best action is to kill you.”

Her arm grew tense, the blade pressing a little deeper. Kael didn't move. He just held her gaze. “Is that what you want?” he asked quietly. “To follow orders?”

The question seemed to make her pause. The flicker in her eyes came back. A small line appeared on her forehead. “Want… is not important for my mission.”

That was his chance. In that tiny moment of doubt, Kael dropped low and kicked her legs out from under her. She was very strong, but he was better trained. She hit the floor, and he pinned her wrists down. It was like wrestling with a statue made of steel. She didn’t fight with anger, just with cold, smart moves.

“Jax! Leo! Use the stunner!” Kael yelled, straining to hold her down.

Leo, getting up quickly, used a sonic device. The air filled with a high, painful sound. The woman’s body went stiff, and her eyes shut tight. A low, hissing sound came from her lips. She shook once, then passed out.

Kael looked down at the unconscious woman, his heart pounding. His mission was to stop her, and the easiest way was with a bullet. But looking at her empty face, he couldn’t do it. He had seen many killers before. This was different. This was a weapon that looked like a person.

“The target is secure,” he said into his radio. He had just made a choice that would change everything. “We’re bringing her in.”

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