Dalia and Murder Attempt

(Somewhere nearby)

A man in a black robe and glasses stood in a dark alley, holding a walkie-talkie in his hand. He was in his 50s, and he walked with a cane. He switched the frequency and spoke in a low voice. "The target has escaped, but we have a backup plan. She won't get away this time." He heard a raspy voice reply, "She must die, no matter what. If you fail again, you know the consequences." The voice cut off abruptly, leaving the man in silence. He felt a chill run down his spine and hurried to carry out his next move.

**************************************************************************************(A few moments ago)

Dalia was panting, her chest heaving from the run. She looked at Cain and asked him, "How did you know the car was going to crash into us?" Cain shrugged and said, "I didn't. I just saw it coming at us fast, and I reacted. It could have been a disaster if we didn't move." Dalia nodded, but she still felt a nagging doubt. She wondered if there was more to it than that.

Dalia was a brilliant student, with top marks and a bright future. She had jet-black hair, creamy white skin, and a mole under her lower lip. She was admired and envied by her classmates, both boys and girls. Some wanted to befriend her, others wanted to date her. She earned her seat in the school through her academic excellence, while Cain got in through his athletic prowess. Her parents had died in a car accident when she was young, and she was raised by her grandfather, who was the owner of a huge corporation called ExCorp.

Dalia felt a rush of adrenaline, as she had never run so fast in her life. Her heart was beating wildly, and she felt a strange sensation in her chest. She remembered the times when she used to play with her father, and how he would make her laugh and hug her. She missed him terribly, and she pushed the memories away. Cain looked at her face and saw a mix of sadness and beauty. He was captivated by her, and he snapped out of his trance. He called her name, and she snapped back to reality. They heard the holiday announcement, and they decided to go home.

Cain walked to his home, which was a 15-minute walk from the school. He threw himself on his bed and started to think about everything that had happened after Dalia died in the real world. He remembered how ExCorp, which was once a reputable and successful company, had turned into a shady and corrupt organization. It all started after the death of the owner, Felix Beckermann, Dalia's grandfather. His death was mysterious, and no one knew the cause. The company survived for three more years, but it was involved in many scandals and crimes. It caused fear and chaos in the country. Some of its branches were still operating in secret, but they were not as powerful as before.

Cain also learned that the accident that killed Dalia was not an accident at all, but a planned murder. Someone wanted her dead, and they were still after her. He looked for the old keypad phone that he had in his house, but he couldn't find it. Instead, he found a touchscreen phone that was the latest technology in the real world. He realized that he was dreaming and that this was not his reality. He called Dalia's number and waited for her to answer.