CHAPTER 204: The First Mission

CHAPTER 204: The First Mission

The night train covering the route between Munich and Berlin advanced with a constant rumble, cutting through the darkness of the German landscape. A week had passed since Michael and Selene joined Enid Corp, and this was their first official mission.

Both were seated in different cars, deliberately separated. They wore ordinary clothes, discreet, mingling among passengers who slept or stared out the window suspecting nothing. Beneath that apparent normality, the illegal cargo traveled hidden: containers of blood destined for the black market, the product of trafficking between clans and criminal cells.

Enid's voice resonated soft and controlled through the earpieces.

"The objective is simple. Identify the traffickers, neutralize them without raising alarms, and confiscate all the merchandise. Leave no unnecessary witnesses. I'll be waiting at the Berlin terminal with a cleanup team."

Selene closed her eyes for a second, sharpening her senses. She could perceive the accelerated pulse of several individuals two cars ahead. They weren't ordinary passengers.

"I've located them," she whispered. "Three armed subjects, one more watching the cargo."

Michael stood up calmly, moving down the aisle like just another traveler. Despite the tension, his expression was serene. He knew this mission wasn't just an assignment: it was a test.

"Understood," he replied. "We move in ten seconds."

As the train entered a tunnel, Selene acted first. In the momentary darkness, she appeared behind the lookout and brought him down with a clean blow to the neck, holding him before he hit the floor. At the same time, Michael burst into the cargo compartment. The traffickers barely had time to react. Two fell against the metal walls, unconscious. The third tried to draw a weapon, but Michael disarmed him and subdued him in a single move.

The tunnel was left behind. For the rest of the passengers, nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Minutes later, the containers were secured and the bodies hidden in a locked compartment. Selene checked one of the containers and frowned.

"Pure blood. Much more than I expected."

"That's why Enid wanted this," Michael replied. "None of this could reach its destination."

As the train began to slow down approaching the Berlin terminal, they exchanged a silent glance. They had done their part.

On the platform, white lights and black vehicles waited. Enid Corp was already there, ready to take care of everything.

The first mission was over. And with it, it was clear that there was no turning back.

The train terminal was completely empty. The white lights of the platform illuminated the polished floor, creating a cold, sterile atmosphere. Enid stood by one of the columns, her hands relaxed and her coat perfectly draped over her shoulders. A few meters away, the Enid Corp cleanup team waited in silence, feigning normalcy.

One of them approached cautiously and offered her coffee in a thermal cup.
"Freshly made," he said in a neutral voice.

Enid accepted it without looking at him and took a small sip.
"Perfect," she replied. "Just what I needed."

At that instant, several team members discreetly brought their hands to their communicators. A brief beep ran through the internal frequency. Enid couldn't hear the message, but she didn't need to. She knew it instantly.

One by one, they all drew their weapons and aimed them at her.

The silence grew dense.

Enid let out a soft laugh, genuine, almost amused. She slowly lowered the coffee cup and set it on a nearby metal box.
"Really…" she said, shaking her head. "I expected something more elegant."

No one answered. Their fingers trembled on the triggers.

Enid stepped forward, completely calm.
"I'll be fair," she continued. "I'll give you three seconds to run. Not because you deserve it, but because I'm in a good mood today."

She lifted her chin slightly and began to count.

"One."

Some hesitated. Others exchanged nervous glances.

"Two."

One of them stepped back. Another lowered his weapon, sweating.

"Three."

Enid's smile disappeared.

Hours earlier, in the underground armory level of Enid Corp, the atmosphere was thick with tense silence. White lights illuminated rows of open metal lockers, where the cleanup team put on tactical vests, checked magazines, and secured hidden blades. No one spoke more than necessary; the hum of the fluorescent lights and the dry click of weaponry were the only constant sounds.

The automatic door opened with a soft hiss.

Grunbak walked in calmly, hands in the pockets of his dark coat. His presence alone made several turn instantly. Some pretended to continue adjusting their gear; others looked at him directly, tense.

"Relax," he said with a crooked smile. "I'm not here to inspect anything."

He stopped in front of the group, looking at them one by one, as if he already knew each of their doubts.

"I'm here to make you an offer."

The team leader frowned.

"We're not authorized to receive orders outside the protocol."

Grunbak tilted his head, amused.

"This isn't an order. It's an opportunity."

He walked slowly among them, running his fingers over a table where freshly calibrated weapons rested.

"Enid Drakewood thinks she has everything under control. The company, the power, the future…" he laughed quietly. "But even the strongest empires crumble from within."

Some exchanged glances. Grunbak stopped and looked at them again.

"When I give the signal, I want you to aim your weapons at her. Nothing complicated. If you succeed…" he made a deliberate pause, "you'll get an immediate promotion. Better resources. Better missions. A real place within the company that is about to be born."

The silence grew heavier. Finally, the leader nodded slowly.