Location: A quiet warehouse in New York
Time: 3:10 AM
The dark warehouse was wrapped in silence.
Vincent and Gabriel stood on one side, Isaac facing them from across the room.
A moment of stillness.
Gabriel moved his hand toward his waist.
"What, we're not here to argue," he muttered, slightly lowering his stance, ready for a sudden attack.
But then—
Vincent quietly raised a hand to stop him.
"No. Let's try words first."
Gabriel gave him a puzzled look.
"That's not like you."
Isaac folded his arms and smiled calmly.
"You want to debate with an augmented human?"
He tilted his head, intrigued.
"Interesting. Most people either fear me or point a gun at me."
Vincent remained calm.
"Which means you're still human."
Isaac's expression stiffened for a moment.
Gabriel folded his arms behind his back.
"Alright then. First time chatting with a cyborg. Go ahead."
Isaac smirked and took a step forward.
Isaac vs. Vincent – A Philosophical Debate
Isaac: "You still believe in justice?"
Vincent shrugged.
"Not justice. I believe in reality."
Isaac chuckled.
"Reality. A convenient excuse."
Vincent looked at him steadily.
"You used to believe in justice too. But after your defeat, that belief cracked."
Isaac closed his eyes for a moment.
"…Everything collapsed after I lost to Specter."
Gabriel scoffed.
"Justice, reality—whatever. You survive if you're strong. If not, you die."
Isaac turned his gaze to Gabriel.
"So you live for power?"
Gabriel slightly furrowed his brow.
"…Maybe."
Vincent shook his head.
"No. Gabriel doesn't fight for power. He fights to be recognized."
Gabriel narrowed his eyes at Vincent.
"You're still analyzing me, huh?"
Vincent replied with a neutral expression.
"You followed Dominic because you wanted recognition."
Isaac nodded slowly with a faint smile.
"I walked a similar path."
He brushed the scar on his left cheek.
"I believed in the government's justice. I thought stopping Specter was how I could protect that justice."
A brief silence followed.
Isaac spoke again.
"But I lost—and in that moment, I realized justice was nothing more than a tool of power."
Vincent shook his head.
"You didn't lose justice because you lost."
Isaac narrowed his eyes.
"Then what did I lose?"
Vincent stepped forward.
"You lost yourself."
Isaac was momentarily speechless.
Vincent continued calmly.
"Specter didn't defeat you. You gave up."
Gabriel chuckled bitterly with folded arms.
"Damn, you might be right."
Isaac fell silent, eyes lowered. Then slowly raised his head.
"Have you never lost yourself?"
Vincent gave no answer.
But Isaac already knew it. "You're not still standing because of strength alone, are you?"
Vincent replied quietly.
"I've just kept walking my path."
Isaac gazed at him. And finally— He smirked.
Isaac's Choice
Isaac turned around.
"But I can't join you."
Vincent said nothing.
Isaac spoke again.
"You're walking your path. I haven't found mine yet."
He repeated in his mind, "What is justice, really?"
He walked away, one step at a time.
Gabriel muttered in disbelief.
"So he's not going to help us?"
Isaac replied curtly.
"Not yet."
He disappeared into the shadows.
But something about the way he walked was different.
Once he was gone, Gabriel sighed.
"Damn, even cyborgs have philosophical dilemmas."
Vincent spoke quietly.
"He's still human."
Feynman's voice crackled through the comms.
"Hey, you two still there? Dominic is on the move."
Vincent and Gabriel looked at each other.
"Looks like it's our turn again."
And with that, they stepped into the darkness once more.
***
The Tyrant's Vengeance"
Location: Downtown New York – The Beginning of Dominic's CounterattackTime: 3:15 AM
Inside the vehicle, Vincent exhaled quietly.This time, the situation was critical.
They had escaped by a hair's breadth so far. But now—there was nowhere left to run.
Safehouses compromised – no remaining secure locations
Citywide surveillance – Dominic had mobilized police and PMCs
Large-scale deployment – this wasn't a chase anymore; it was a hunt
Feynman typed furiously on his laptop, his voice sharp."Damn it, this isn't just pursuit. The whole city is a trap!"
Angie checked the street outside, gritting her teeth."They've blocked off the roads. The net's tighter than I thought."
Gabriel swore under his breath."We should've made the first move. This time, Dominic beat us to it."
Vincent cursed quietly. He had to admit—this time, strategically, they were on the back foot.
Location: NYPD Headquarters – Dominic's Orders IssuedTime: 2:50 AM
Dominic sat calmly across from the police chief and the PMC commander, wearing a composed smile.
"We're not letting Vincent Kang move freely anymore."
He tapped the desk with his fingers and opened a file.
Issue an official arrest warrant via the police
Deploy PMC operatives unofficially to control streets and checkpoints
Lock down key roads – limit Vincent's escape routes
He lifted a glass of wine and sipped it slowly."Wherever he goes, we'll already be waiting."
This was not a mere manhunt.Dominic had turned the entire city into a battlefield of control.
Location: Downtown – Vincent's Team Begins RetreatTime: 3:30 AM
Vincent turned to Angie in the driver's seat."We can't hold out like this. We need a way out."
Angie swerved hard, muttering."Most roads are blocked. We're out of options."
Feynman shouted, eyes fixed on his laptop."Dominic planned all of this. We've only got one option left."
Vincent looked over."What is it?"
Feynman pointed at the screen."Steal something."
Angie frowned."Steal what?"
Feynman smirked."A car."
New Ally – The Master of Getaways
Location: Junkyard on NYC OutskirtsTime: 3:50 AM
When they arrived at the junkyard, a man was sitting atop a truck, yawning.
Former street racer – skilled in escape and vehicle theft
Calm under pressure – rarely rattled
Moderate combat ability – but his real value was escape
He glanced at them with a lazy smile.
"So you need my help, huh?"
Vincent replied flatly."We don't care who you are. We need a way out."
The man grinned, spinning a car key around his finger."Alright then. Let me show you what I can do."
Escape – Breaking Through Dominic's Net
Location: NYC Streets – Surrounded by Police & PMCsTime: 4:10 AM
As their new ally took the wheel, he called back:"Hold on tight."
Rapid route analysis – identifying open paths
High-speed maneuvers – dodging patrols with ease
Vehicle combat – ramming enemy cars off the road as they raced through
Gabriel looked at him with a mix of surprise and admiration."This guy's no joke."
Angie smirked."I'm starting to like him."
Their new driver rolled down the window, wind rushing in."Now this is getting fun."
Dominic – Always One Step Ahead
Location: Dominic's OfficeTime: 5:00 AM
Dominic sipped his coffee calmly as a subordinate reported in.
"They escaped."
But Dominic only chuckled."As expected."
He tapped his fingers against the desk."If they've escaped… it means I now know where they're headed next."