The night was lively at the nightclub. Colored lights flashed in the air, the music thumped through the speakers, and the dance floor was packed. In the middle of the crowd, Niki, Rock, and Leila were having fun, already quite drunk.
While Niki drank distractedly at the bar, a man approached. He analyzed her for a moment before asking:
— Are you alone?
Before Niki could answer, Rock interrupted, flashing a mocking smile:
— No, she's not. But if you want to pretend she is, we can talk.
Leila, laughing and visibly drunk, looked at the man and whispered to Niki:
— He's hot, huh? Go for it!
Michael, the unknown man, insisted:
— Can I at least know your name?
Before Niki could speak, Leila, still drunk, replied incorrectly:
— I'm Niki.
Michael laughed at the situation. The tension between him and Niki grew more intense, and the two almost kissed. However, at the last moment, Niki gently pushed him away and looked aside.
— I need to find my friends — she said, turning and leaving the nightclub.
Outside the club, she found Rock trying to help Leila, who was throwing up near the sidewalk.
— What happened to her? — Niki asked, surprised.
Rock sighed, holding Leila by the shoulders:
— She drank like the world was ending today.
The two helped Leila to her feet and began walking to the car. But halfway there, the sound of gunfire echoed down the street.
Two armed men appeared, but they weren't on the same side. As soon as they saw each other, they drew their guns and shot at the same time, killing one another. Silence fell for a brief moment.
On the ground, one of the men had a tattoo that read "A-12" and dropped a flash drive, which slid until it stopped near Leila's feet. Still dizzy and not understanding what was happening, she bent down, picked up the flash drive, and discreetly put it in her purse, without Rock and Niki noticing.
Rock looked at the scene in confusion, but instead of trying to understand, just decided to leave with her friends.
---
The next day...
The three of them woke up hungover, completely late for work.
While Leila rummaged through her bag, she found the flash drive and, without thinking too much, plugged it into the computer. A message appeared on the screen:
> "NCA Project" – Enter access code.
Curious, Leila tried guessing:
— "Bloodsucker"... No.
— "Head cutter"... Also no.
— "Gut sucker"... Still nothing.
After several failed attempts, the system locked and showed the message:
> "Attempts exceeded. Try again in 5 hours."
At that moment, Rock entered the room. Leila, startled, quickly pulled out the flash drive and hid it behind the monitor.
— What are you hiding? — Rock asked suspiciously.
Leila smiled nervously.
— Nothing... Just a flash drive.
— Since when do you have a flash drive?
— Since today.
Rock didn't insist, changing the subject after receiving a message from Alice, a friend who was about to get married and invited them to the party.
— There's a wedding tonight! — Rock announced.
---
Dinner with Michael
Later, Niki received a call from an unknown number.
— Hello?
A familiar voice replied:
— Hey, Niki.
She frowned.
— Who is this?
— Michael.
— How did you get my number?
— I have my methods.
He apologized for the previous night and invited her to dinner. After hesitating for a moment, Niki accepted.
Hours later, the two were sitting in a sophisticated restaurant. During the conversation, Michael asked an intriguing question:
— Have you ever had to make a decision that completely changed your life?
Niki looked away, thoughtful.
— Everyone's had to make tough choices.
Michael smiled slightly.
— You seem like someone who left something big behind.
She, uncomfortable, changed the subject:
— And you? What do you do?
— I'm a cop.
Niki's heart sped up, but she kept her expression neutral.
— How long?
— Five years.
She chuckled slightly.
— You seem young for that much time in the force.
Michael simply replied:
— Being a cop was the only thing I could do.
---
After the date
12 hours later
Alice's wedding
At the party, the three drank a lot again. Leila was even more drunk than the night before.
While Rock talked with an old school friend, a mysterious man approached Leila.
— Want to have some fun? — he asked with a smile.
Leila didn't notice the danger and agreed. Without thinking, she went with him to one of the rooms in the venue.
Niki, watching from afar, noticed Leila had disappeared.
— Where's Leila? — she asked Rock.
— Relax, she's probably around.
But Niki wasn't calm. A chill ran down her spine, as if she were being watched.
— We need to look for her — she said, determined.
Rock followed her as they walked down the corridor. Niki felt like someone was following them.
Suddenly, a loud noise came from one of the rooms, followed by the sound of something falling to the floor.
---
Massacre in the hallway
Niki quickly drew her weapon. Two men appeared, both pulling out their guns at the same time.
Bang! The first shot, missing.
The second aimed directly at Niki, but she dove to the side, dodging at the last second. With deadly precision, she returned fire with a perfect shot to the enemy's head, who fell lifeless.
Seven other men appeared in the hallway. Without hesitation, Niki advanced.
She slid beneath the first strike, pulled out a hidden blade, and slit one's throat. Blood gushed, splattering the wall.
The second tried to shoot, but Niki grabbed the body of the first man and used it as a shield. The bullet hit the corpse. She jumped and stabbed the attacker in the neck, yanking the knife out in one clean move.
The third tried to strike her from behind. She spun and delivered a kick to his head, breaking his neck with the impact.
Rock stood frozen, trembling.
— What the fuck is going on, Niki?!
But Niki didn't respond. Something caught her attention.
She held her pistol firmly, smoke still rising from the barrel. Her gaze was cold and precise. She didn't hesitate. She launched herself at the other seven men like a hunting beast.
The first had his throat slashed by a quick blade. The second tried to fight back, but Niki dodged, spun her body, and stabbed him below the ribs. The third managed to draw his weapon, but she disarmed him in a smooth motion, twisting his wrist until the bone snapped. Without mercy, she shot him in the chest.
Rock watched everything, paralyzed. His eyes were wide, breath short and fast. He had known Niki for some time… but the person before him was someone he had never seen before.
— What the hell is going on here, Niki?! — he shouted, voice trembling.
She didn't answer. There was no time for that. Her senses picked up something more.
In the room, Leila was sprawled on the bed, eyes heavy and mind clouded by alcohol. The man with her kissed her neck, sliding his fingers along her dress strap.
— Where's the flash drive? — he whispered in her ear, voice soft but full of threat.
Leila laughed, her head tipping to the side.
— Oh, you mean the mafia flash drive? — she slurred. — I can give it to you after we fuck...
The man's expression changed. His eyes, once seductive, became cold and calculating. In one move, he pulled a gun and pressed the barrel against Leila's temple.
— I'm not joking.
Before he could pull the trigger, the door burst open violently.
Niki entered like a storm, pistol already raised. The man tried to react, but had no chance. A shot pierced his forehead, and he collapsed dead on the bed.
Rock entered right behind, still in shock.
— What the fuck is this, Niki?! — he shouted, his voice full of desperation.
Before Niki could answer, a sound echoed in the room.
Click. Click.
A lighter being opened and closed.
She slowly turned toward the sound. A man stood in the shadowed corner of the room, his gaze fixed on her. The glow of the lighter flame illuminated part of his face.
A01.
Her heart clenched in her chest.
— You... — Niki murmured.
A01 simply watched her, like a predator analyzing its prey.
— Long time, A02. — He gave a sly smile.
Niki's mind raced. In an instant, she made a decision.
She spun, fired two shots at the window, and grabbed Rock and Leila by the arms.
— Hold on! — she ordered, and jumped with them.
The impact of the fall was brutal. The cold of the pool water tore at their skin, and the world seemed to spin for a few seconds.
From above, A01 calmly observed them. He raised his communicator to his lips.
— Get them.
Niki surfaced first, pulling Rock and Leila up.
— Get out of the water! Now! — she ordered, swimming quickly to the edge.
Rock gasped, completely disoriented.
— Who the hell are these guys?! — he yelled, pulling Leila out.
— I'll explain later. Now run! — Niki said, pulling them by the hand.
The trio sprinted across the garden, their shoes sinking into the wet grass. Gunfire echoed behind them.
They reached the car. Rock got into the driver's seat, his hands shaking as he turned the key.
— GO! — Niki screamed.
The engine roared, and the car took off at high speed.
Inside the vehicle, Rock trembled.
— Who are you, Niki?
She didn't answer. Her eyes were locked on the rearview mirror, watching the lights of the pursuing cars.
Suddenly, gunshots. The rear window shattered. The car shook violently as the tires were hit.
— Shit! — Rock shouted, struggling to stay in control.
The car skidded and slid across the road until it stopped in the middle of a bridge.
The silence was broken by the sound of engines surrounding them.
The enemy car doors opened. Armed men stepped out in formation, but Niki only focused on one of them.
A01 walked calmly toward the vehicle. His gaze fixed on her.
— Hello, A02.
Niki's heart pounded, but her face remained impassive.
— Why are you looking for me? Did he send you?
A01 smiled.
— All this time, I thought you were dead. We all did. But when your little friend grabbed the flash drive… it became clear you were alive. So no, I'm not after you. Not yet.
He tilted his head slightly.
— By the way… who are you working for now?
Rock swallowed hard.
— I... I don't want to die... — she sighed.
Rock, trembling with fear, whispered in Niki's ear, his voice weak and shaking:
— I don't want to die... I don't want to die...
He clenched his fists, terror etched in his eyes. His body was stiff, heart pounding like it was about to explode.
Niki kept her eyes locked on A01, her expression cold and calculating, but her voice came out firm and full of command:
— Then do exactly what I say.
She didn't give time for hesitation. In one quick move, she grabbed Rock and Leila by the arms and jumped with them directly into the river below the bridge.
The icy water swallowed them, slicing their skin like razors. Rock gasped, the thermal shock overtaking him, while Leila desperately tried to stay afloat. The three surfaced, gasping and fighting against the treacherous current.
At the top of the bridge, A04 drew a gun and aimed at them, eyes narrowed and breath slow, like a predator about to strike.
— I'm ending this right now. — His voice carried a tone of cruel satisfaction, finger firm on the trigger.
But before he could pull it, A01 raised his hand, his gaze still fixed on the three women struggling in the water below. His voice came out calm, but with an undeniable weight of authority:
— No. If we kill them, we'll never get the flash drive.
Silence hung in the air for a moment. A04 hesitated, gritting his teeth, but lowered the weapon, unsatisfied.
A01 never took his eyes off the women disappearing into the river's current. His gaze was intense, analytical, as if he was already predicting their next move.
To be continued...
(Multiverse: Forbidden Legacy – M.L.P.)