CHAPTER 146: Insurrection-15

CHAPTER 146: Insurrection-15

6:00 A.M — Munich Motel.
The gray light of dawn enters through a broken window. There was no sleep. There was no peace. The clock only confirmed they had survived one more night.

Fénix is sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, head bowed. His fists still have dried blood. He breathes slowly… as if each inhalation burned.

Marcus is against the wall, wiping blood from his lip with a dirty towel. His right eye is already regenerating, but it's still swollen, his gaze completely unhinged.

Agnes is near the window, still, her back tense, watching the empty street. Her hands tremble slightly, but her expression remains firm. No one speaks.

Seconds pass that feel like hours.

"We have to go," Marcus growls without looking up. "Enid Corp is six blocks away."

Fénix slowly lifts his head. He has dark circles, uneven stubble, dried blood at the corner of his lips. His eyes reveal hatred… but also weariness.

"…Yeah," he murmurs barely audibly. "We have no margin left."

Agnes just nods. Nothing more needs to be said.

They walk through the almost deserted streets. The dawn paints everything in a cold tone. They're a wreck. Torn clothes, blood on their necks, cuts, bruises. It's evident they've been at war.

Finally, the black ENID CORP building rises before them. Imposing. Silent. Too perfect to contrast with their state.

They cross the main door. In the huge hall… absolute silence.

And then—an icy voice cuts through them from the top of the stairs.

"I already know everything."

It's Enid.

She's still. Motionless. Arms crossed. Elegant posture. Murderous gaze.

Fénix takes a step towards her, urgently.

"Enid, let me explain—"

"Shut up," Enid spits like a frozen blade. "Elena already told me everything."

Marcus frowns. Agnes closes her eyes.

"You…" Enid clenches her teeth as she slowly descends the steps. "You, Marcus, and Agnes went to try to frame Elena. You entered illegally. On the way, you killed TWELVE people. And Mara, from the Special Division."

Silence.

Fénix clenches his fists.

"It wasn't like that. We—"

"OH, IT WASN'T?" Enid explodes. "THEN WHAT, FÉNIX? WAS IT A PARTY? A NIGHTTIME STROLL BURYING PEOPLE?"

And behind Enid… Elena appears.

Elegant. Impeccable. Smiling softly.

"Everything Enid says is true," Elena says calmly. "I saw it all. I was there."

Fénix SEES RED.

"I'M GOING TO—!"

Marcus holds him back forcefully.

"Fénix, NO! CALM DOWN!"

Enid turns slightly with pure hatred.

"Elena showed me the surveillance cameras," she states with absolute coldness. "I saw them myself. You're finished."

"I HAVE PROOF AGAINST HER!" roars Fénix. "PROOF THAT SHOWS SHE'S LY—"

"Then show it to me," says Enid. Icy. Lethal. A second. Just that.

Fénix looks at Marcus.

Silence.

Marcus slowly… shakes his head.

"…I didn't bring it."

Enid's gaze burns.

A deep, contained, personal rage.

"…You're pathetic," she whispers.

"Ah, and one more thing," Enid says with chilling calm.

Fénix looks at her.

"The supposed 'witness' you captured in a warehouse," Enid continues, "was part of Elena's team... Fénix."

A silence that seems to swallow the entire floor.

Fénix doesn't turn. But his fingers tremble.

Enid takes a step forward.

"And we checked the places you said had 'evidence' and found nothing…" her voice cracks just enough to show it hurts. "This time… you've truly disappointed me."

Fénix closes his eyes. But he says nothing.

AND THEN—SHE SLAPS HIM.

A sharp, violent blow. It echoed through the entire hall.

Fénix's face turns from the impact. The silence becomes SURREAL.

"You and Marcus are suspended indefinitely," Enid declares in a voice firm as a death sentence. "You are not part of Enid Corp until further notice."

She turns to Agnes.

"You… I'm not firing because you cost me too much money to bring here. But you're one mistake away from following their steps."

Fénix, with his jaw clenched until it bleeds… turns around.

And walks towards the exit.

Without looking back.

Enid watches him leave. Without uttering a word.

The tension cuts like steel.

Marcus, who had remained in absolute silence until now, slowly turns his head towards Enid.

He looks at her… with an expression he has never used with her.

Not hatred. Not fear. Disappointment.

"We've been kicked out of better places," he murmurs with lethal calm. "Believe me… this won't keep us up at night."

And without waiting for a response, he turns and follows Fénix.

Elena, as soon as Marcus disappears through the door, takes a step towards Enid, soft, almost feigning empathy.

"You did the right thing," she says with false serenity. "It was necessary to put them in their place."

Enid doesn't respond. Not immediately. But her jaw tenses.

Fénix walks ahead, head down, fists tightly clenched, teeth gritted with contained rage. There are no shouts. No words. Just fury… in absolute silence.

Marcus catches up to him, breathing heavily.

"Fénix."

No response.

Marcus quickens his pace and matches him.

"Hey… I told you it wasn't worth arguing with her in that state."

Fénix stops. Barely. Doesn't look at him.

"Wasn't worth it," he repeats, his voice barely trembling, dry, broken. "Are you telling me what we saw last night… wasn't worth it?"

Marcus clenches his jaw.

Fénix slightly raises his gaze. Red eyes, compressed rage, dangerous.

"She called us murderers. Treated us like trash. SHE HIT ME IN FRONT OF THAT BITCH," he spits between his teeth. "And I couldn't even defend myself."

Marcus lowers his gaze. Silence. But he knows Fénix isn't finished.

Fénix takes a deep breath.