Chapter 7 - Turn of Events

Samuel walks in the mansion his mind is full of rage but his expression is calm. The white-haired man named Hugo follow him as he marched towards his son.

Damien is sitting on the sofa and polishing his gun.

"Damien..." Samuel says, his voice is cold. Damien stands up to greet his father but before he can say anything, Samuel punch him on the stomach.

"Didn't I tell you not to leave the mansion?" Samuel says, his expression is cold but angry.

Damien doubles over from the impact, gasping for breath. He looks up at his father, pain and defiance battling in his eyes. "I had to, Father. I couldn't just stay here like a caged animal. There are things I need to take care of."

Samuel grips Damien by the collar and pulls him closer, his voice a low growl. "What could be so important that you would defy my direct orders?"

Damien clenches his fists, trying to muster the strength to push his father off, but Samuel's grip is ironclad. "You wouldn't understand. You never do!"

Hugo, sensing the brewing storm, steps in. "Samuel, perhaps we should hear what Damien has to say," He suggests cautiously, trying to diffuse the escalating situation.

Samuel shoots Hugo a withering look but releases Damien nonetheless. "Fine. Speak," He commands, still seething but willing to listen, at least for now.

Damien straightens himself up, wincing from the lingering pain. "I've been tracking someone, someone who poses a threat to our family and everything we've built. I got a lead and had to act on it."

Samuel slaps Damien on the face and grab him by the collar. "Because of your stupidity, the cops are on the run trying to find a red hair boy and guess who is it..." Samuel pulls him. "It's you..."

Damien's eyes widen, a mixture of shock and dawning comprehension crossing his face. "I didn't know it would lead to this," He stammers, trying to regain his composure. "I thought I was being careful."

Samuel shakes him violently. "Thinking is not good enough! Do you have any idea what you've jeopardized? Everything we've worked for could come crashing down because of your reckless actions." He releases Damien with a shove, making him stumble backward onto the sofa.

Hugo steps forward once again, a placating hand raised. "Samuel, anger won't solve this now. We need to strategize our next move."

Damien rubs his jaw, his expression hardening. "I know I messed up, but I'm not helpless. Give me a chance to fix this."

Samuel paces, his fury barely contained. "And how do you intend to fix this, Damien? By leading the entire police force directly to our doorstep?"

Damien stare at his father with fear, unable to speak.

"You're not leaving this mansion without my permission ever... Again!" Samuel growls, signaling Hugo to give him his gun. Hugo pulls a gun out of his back packet and give it to Samuel.

Samuel points the gun directly at Damien, "And if you do... You can forget that I'm your father." He says the tone of his voice is cold. "Do you get that?"

As the tense standoff continues in the mansion, Damien looks at the gun pointed at him, realization dawning upon him. His father's words cut through him like a knife, the weight of his actions heavy on his conscience.

Taking a deep breath, Damien straightens up, meeting his father's gaze with a mix of defiance and resignation. "I understand," He says, his voice steady despite the fear gnawing at him. "I won't leave without your permission. I'll do whatever it takes to make this right."

Samuel's expression softens slightly, a hint of regret flickering in his eyes. Slowly lowering the gun, he exhales heavily, the tension in the room gradually dissipating. "Good... Go wipe that blood out of your face."

ECHOES INITIATIVE MAIN BASE, TECH ROOM...

"Man, I can't believe you got ambush." Dr. Taylor says, leaning on his chair. "Why didn't you fight back?"

"You know that fighting isn't in my vocabulary, Evan." Harper glance at him before dropping a suitcase on his desk.

"What's that?" Evan asks, looking at the suitcase curiously.

"Don't examine the suitcase, you fool." Harper opens it and shows the syringe inside it. "I want you to examine this syringe and what it can do. I have a feeling that this is the murder weapon that has been used to mutate the victim's bodies."

As Evan takes the syringe from the suitcase, he inspects it carefully. "This can't be the murder weapon, Harper. This syringe contains a drugs that can make people lose consciousness within a second."

Harper raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Lose consciousness? That's not the kind of effect we were expecting in the victims. Are you sure about this?"

Evan nods. "I'm positive. This is a sedative, not a mutagen. We need to look elsewhere for the murder weapon."

"Then how did the bodies gets mutated?" Harper asks to herself.

"Can you show the photo of the bodies?" Evan puts the syringe back inside the suitcase.

Harper nods and pulls out a file containing photos of the mutated bodies. Evan flips through the images, studying each one carefully.

"Harper..." Evan looks at the photo carefully. "These are not mutations, someone tortured the victims to the point that their bodies looks mutated."

"Someone tortured them... to this extent?" Harper repeats, horrified. "That means we could be dealing with a sadist, not just a killer."

Evan nods grimly. "This kind of brutality suggests a very disturbed individual, or even a group. We need to refine our profile and consider the psychological aspects of our suspect."

ECHOES INITIATIVE MAIN BASE, TRAINING ROOM...

"Come on, you can do better than that." Clyde says as she rolls behind Jackson and use her leg to headlock Jackson.

Jackson struggles, trying to break free from Clyde's hold. His muscles tense and beads of sweat form on his forehead. He grits his teeth and focuses, shifting his weight slightly to find a better leverage point.

"Alright, I give," Jackson finally says, tapping Clyde's leg as he gasps for breath.

Clyde releases her hold immediately and steps back, offering him a hand to help him up. "You need to anticipate the movement better, Jackson. It's not just about strength, but also about reading your opponent."

Jackson takes her hand and stands up, shaking his head slightly. "You're right, Clyde. I need to be quick."

Clyde smiles. "Exactly. You've got the strength and the determination. Just fine-tune those skills, and you'll be unbeatable."

"I'm tired..." Jackson lies on the mat and breaths heavily.

As Jackson lies on the mat catching his breath, Clyde sits down beside him. She pats his shoulder and chuckles.

"Training isn't supposed to be easy, Jackson. It's where you push yourself beyond your limits so when it's time to face the real challenge, you're ready," Clyde says reassuringly.

"I know, I know," Jackson replies between breaths. "I just need a moment."

Clyde nods understandingly and hands him a water bottle. "Take your time. But remember, you'll need to get back up soon. The world out there won't wait for you to catch your breath."

Jackson nods and takes a long sip of water, feeling the cool liquid rejuvenate him. With a deep breath, he pushes himself up and stands, a determined look on his face.

"Hey, tell me, why did you become an agent?" Jackson asked.

Clyde pauses, her expression softening briefly as she reflects on Jackson's question. She tucks a stray lock of hair behind her ear and leans back on her hands, staring up at the ceiling for a moment.

"It's not an easy question to answer," She begins, her voice taking on a more introspective tone. "I joined because I wanted to make a difference. I saw things happening in this world that I couldn't just stand by and watch. Injustice, suffering, corruption... I needed to do something. And being an agent felt like the best way to fight against those forces."

Jackson listens intently, his curiosity piqued. "But why this specifically? Why the Echoes Initiative?"

Clyde smiles slightly, her eyes revealing a hint of nostalgia. "Echoes Initiative has a reputation for being on the frontlines, dealing with the toughest missions. It's where the stakes are the highest, and where I felt my skills could be put to the best use. Plus, my mentor was part of Echoes. They believed in me, trained me, and I wanted to honor their legacy."

Jackson nods, absorbing her words. "I understand that. There's something about being part of a team with a purpose that just... drives you."

"Exactly," Clyde agrees. "It's not just about being strong or skilled. It's about being part of something bigger than yourself. It's about knowing that your actions have a ripple effect, that they can bring about real change."

She reaches over and gives Jackson's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "And you, Jackson? What made you want to join?"

"Harper force me to help." Jackson jokes.

Clyde chuckles softly, "Yeah, I heard that. But what is the real reason that made you change your mind and join us?"

Jackson takes a deep breath, looking down at his hands. "My family, mostly. They were caught in the crossfire of a conflict, innocents in the wrong place at the wrong time. I couldn't save them. I felt so powerless."

Clyde's eyes soften, filled with empathy. "I'm sorry, Jackson."

"It's alright," Jackson says, though his voice barely hides the pain. "Their memory is what fuels me. And training with you, being part of Echoes, it's giving me a sense of purpose, a way to channel that pain into something good."

Clyde nods in understanding. "Then let's make sure we're ready for whatever comes our way. For your family, for those we aim to protect."

They both rise, ready to continue their training. There's a mutual respect and a shared purpose that binds them, making them not just teammates, but allies united in a common cause.