CHAPTER 62: The Washington Incident - Part XII

CHAPTER 62: The Washington Incident - Part XII

The hallways of the Enid Corp headquarters in Berlin were quiet, almost deserted. Dim lights illuminated the walls, while a panoramic window offered a spectacular view of the city. Phoenix stood there, watching as the full moon began to peek over the horizon, its silver glow bathing the rooftops and streets. There was an unusual calm in the air, but his mind was far from finding peace.

Suddenly, a familiar presence interrupted his solitude. Without needing to turn, Phoenix knew who was there.

"Well, well, if it isn't the man of the hour," commented Alucard in his characteristic tone, somewhere between mocking and solemn, as he leaned against the wall next to Phoenix. "What are you doing here, contemplating the moon like a tragic poet?"

Phoenix smiled slightly, not taking his eyes off the view.

"Sometimes, even monsters need a moment to enjoy something beautiful."

Alucard watched him silently for a moment, then broke the calm with a short laugh.

"You're right, though 'beautiful' isn't the first thing I think of when I see you. However, this time I must acknowledge something. You managed to defeat Adam. He was no ordinary enemy, Phoenix. He was the first werewolf. That's no small feat."

Phoenix tilted his head slightly, accepting the implicit compliment, but still gazing at the moon.

"Really? You, the great Alucard, acknowledging someone? Is this a dream?"

Alucard clicked his tongue, amused.

"Don't play humble. What you did was impressive. Though I must say, you now have my attention. You're no longer just a pawn on this board; you're something more."

Phoenix turned to him slowly, pulling something from his inner pocket. A small box. He opened it, revealing the Medal of Honor he had received from the President. Without a word, he tossed it casually in Alucard's direction.

Alucard, with perfect precision, caught it mid-air between his fingers, examining it with a raised eyebrow.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" he asked, amused.

Phoenix gave him a serious look, though with a glint of sarcasm in his eyes.

"Keep it. And the day I die, if that ever happens, place it on my grave."

Alucard stared at him, as if weighing the gravity of those words. Then, he nodded slowly, a faint smile on his lips.

"Done. But don't worry, mon cher. You and I both know death is but a pause in our existence."

Phoenix offered a weary smile, turning his gaze back to the full moon.

"Perhaps you're right. But in the meantime, we have many more moons to watch, don't you think?"

Alucard nodded, tucking the medal into the inner pocket of his coat with a theatrical gesture. Then he pushed off the wall and began to walk away down the hall, his silhouette disappearing into the gloom.

"Enjoy the view, Phoenix. The next time we meet, perhaps we'll have to worry less about the moon and more about the shadows hiding in its light."

And with that, Alucard faded into the darkness, leaving Phoenix alone before the majesty of the night.

Phoenix remained at the window for a few more moments, enjoying the silver glow of the full moon and the brief calm after so many days of chaos. However, that tranquility was soon broken when he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out with one hand and saw a text message.

It was from Enid.

"Midnight. On the building's rooftop. Don't be late."

Phoenix gave a slight smile. It was so typical of Enid, always direct and cryptic at the same time. He closed the phone and put it away again, leaning against the window frame.

"A moonlit date, huh? How romantic, boss."

Though the comment was sarcastic, he couldn't help but wonder what Enid really wanted. She wasn't the type to bother sending messages for something trivial.

He let out a sigh and, speaking to himself in a low voice, as he often did in moments of introspection.

"Adam is off the board. That's a relief, I guess. But this isn't over." His tone was serious, almost cold. "Viktor is still out there, moving pieces from the shadows, and Darem... that lunatic isn't going to stay still."

Phoenix closed his eyes for a moment, tilting his head back as his thoughts swirled.

"Antigen isn't going to stop. What happened in Washington won't scare them; on the contrary. Now they know I'm a real threat."

His eyes opened slowly, and a flash of determination crossed his gaze.

"This is only the beginning."

He pushed off from the window and began walking down the hallway. If he had learned anything in the past few days, it was that pauses were a luxury he couldn't afford. There were many enemies, too many loose ends, but he also knew he would face each one of them, as he always did: with strength, with strategy, and, when necessary, with pure stubbornness.

With one last glance at the full moon, he headed for the elevator. There were still a few hours until midnight, but he already knew that conversation on the rooftop would be important. With Enid, it always was.

In an underground Antigen laboratory, the atmosphere was sterile and tense. Bright white lights shone intensely, reflecting off the metallic surfaces and the glass of the containment chambers. Viktor stood before one of the tempered glass walls, observing the bustle of scientists on the other side. His face was stoic, but his eyes held a mix of impatience and ambition.

A man dressed in an impeccable white lab coat approached him. It was Doctor Heinrich Volkov, the head of the genetic development department. He carried a tablet in his hand and stopped a meter away from Viktor, inclining his head slightly in a sign of respect before speaking.

"Mr. Viktor, as you requested, here is the latest report on Project Alex."

Viktor didn't turn his gaze from the glass, but his words resonated with authority.