Location: Moscow, a collapsed building – Midnight.
Status: Viktor Nova is wounded, his right eye lost, and Nikolai Dragunov is between life and death.
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Blood and Ashes
Warm blood trickled between his fingers as he pressed against the hollow where his right eye once was. His vision blurred, but the adrenaline kept him from succumbing to the pain. His breathing was heavy, but he was still alive, still trapped in the heart of hell.
The shouts of guards filled the room—some panicked, others trying to regain control. But Viktor knew only one thing:
He had to get out. Fast.
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The Impossible Escape
In a blink, he seized the chaos. He grabbed a metal chair and hurled it at the nearest guard, striking him in the head. The man stumbled, dazed. Viktor didn't wait. He lunged forward, snatched the fallen guard's weapon, and pulled the trigger three times:
The first shot shattered the overhead light, plunging the room into darkness.
The second struck another guard in the chest, sending him crashing to the floor.
The third blew the lock off the back door, opening a path to freedom.
Shadows became his ally. Moving like a phantom, he navigated through the confusion. Another guard aimed his weapon, but Viktor was quicker—he elbowed the man in the throat, then slammed him against the ground.
He had one minute before the others recovered.
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Nikolai… Still Alive?
As he dashed toward the exit, he glanced back. Amidst the wreckage, Nikolai still lay on the ground, his face bloodied—but he was laughing.
Laughing?!
Nikolai (weak but mocking):
"Do you really think… you've escaped?"
A cold sensation crept up Viktor's spine. Something was wrong.
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The Final Trap
The moment he crossed the threshold, he heard it—a soft click.
A sound he knew all too well.
A bomb timer.
His eyes widened. "Shit!"
Without hesitation, he sprinted down the corridor and leaped through a shattered window—just as the building behind him erupted in a fiery explosion!
BOOOOOM!
The shockwave hurled him forward, slamming him onto the pavement. His ears rang, his lungs burned, and dust choked the air.
For a moment, he just lay there, staring at the gray sky, his breath ragged. Pain wracked his body, but despite it all… he smirked.
He survived. But he had lost more than he expected.
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Back to the Shadows
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to his feet. His body trembled from exhaustion, but surrender was not an option. Drawing attention to himself was a death sentence, especially after the chaos he had just unleashed.
He staggered into a dark alley, blending into the ruins, pressing a hand to his still-bleeding wound. He needed shelter. But where?
Then it hit him—"The old hideout."
Years ago, back when he worked in the shadows, he had set up several safehouses across Moscow. One of them wasn't far.
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Inside the Safehouse – Fire and Pain
He barely made it inside. Shutting the reinforced metal door behind him, he flicked on a dim red light, casting eerie shadows across the small, bunker-like room.
He caught a glimpse of himself in a cracked mirror… bloodied, his right eye now an empty abyss.
"Not good."
He pried open a metal cabinet and grabbed a bottle of antiseptic alcohol. Taking a deep breath, he poured it over the wound.
The pain was excruciating.
His fists clenched, but he refused to scream. This was another test of his endurance. Taking a needle and surgical thread, he began stitching the wound himself. His hands shook, but he could not afford mistakes.
When he finished, he exhaled deeply, exhaustion weighing on him like a heavy chain. But there was no time to rest.
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The Mysterious Message
As he checked the safehouse, he found an old laptop. He powered it on, but before he could do anything, a message appeared on the screen:
"Nova, if you're reading this, you're still alive. We have unfinished business."
He froze. This wasn't a random hack—this was someone who knew him.
Below the message, a small map appeared… marking a location outside Moscow.
"Who are you?" he typed quickly.
No response. Instead, the screen shut down automatically.
The message was clear: "Follow the coordinates if you want to stay alive."
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What Comes Next?
Viktor stared at the map, then at his own reflection. He was no longer the same man who had started this night.
He had lost an eye, but he hadn't lost the war.
He gathered his weapons, donned a black coat, and stepped out of the safehouse.
The mission wasn't over—it was just beginning.
Survivors, did you feel the heat of the battle in this chapter? 🔥
✨ What do you think of Viktor's transformation?
💀 Is Nikolai truly finished, or is there more to come?
Share your thoughts in the comments! Your support keeps me going! ❤️ The war isn't over yet… Are you ready? 🚀