Chapter 20 : No time to breathe

The metal door clicked shut behind Kaito, sealing the tension inside the chamber where Kurogami had delivered his verdict. The cold hallway before him stretched on endlessly, its dim lights flickering like uncertain thoughts. Each step he took echoed through the stone floor, ringing in his ears like a countdown—toward what, he wasn’t sure yet.

His gloves felt tighter than usual, his coat heavier, as if the weight of secrets had settled in his pockets. He didn’t glance back. He didn’t need to. The conversation with Kurogami had spoken volumes, despite how little was actually said.

As he emerged into the open, the chill of the wind brushing his face felt oddly refreshing. It reminded him that he was still here—still fighting. But for how long? he wondered.

What am I supposed to do now? Mikuya… Sora… How do I reach you without alerting the wrong eyes?

He walked past several guards who saluted him stiffly. Some of them he recognized, others were new. Or maybe just newly assigned to watch him. He couldn't tell anymore. Paranoia wasn’t a feeling he welcomed—but it had become necessary.

I have to act normal. No sudden moves. No strange communications.

But the clock was ticking, and he knew time wasn’t on their side.

---

Inside the command chamber, Kurogami stood unmoving before a large digital map of the city. His fingers were laced behind his back, and his expression was calm—but anyone who had served under him long enough knew that meant something dangerous was coming.

“They’re on the run,” he said, almost to himself. “But I will not allow them to rest. Not even for a moment.”

He turned to his officers, eyes cold.

“I want a second wave of soldiers dispatched immediately. Send them to every possible escape route. Sweep the industrial zones, the outer districts, the underground tunnels. I want Mikuya and Sora cornered like rats.”

The officer hesitated for a moment. “Sir, do you want them captured—”

“Alive, if possible. Dead, if necessary,” Kurogami cut in. “But do not let them vanish.”

The officer saluted and moved to carry out the order.

Kurogami didn’t stop. “Deploy silent operatives among our own ranks. High-ranking agents only—Kaito, Renzo, Captain Shira, and the rest. I want full surveillance. Every step they take, every conversation they have. I don’t trust anyone anymore.”

The room grew still. One of the officers dared to speak. “Even Kaito, sir? He’s been loyal for years—”

“No one is above suspicion now,” Kurogami replied sharply. “Not after this betrayal. The enemy hides within.”

As the officers dispersed, Kurogami stood alone once more, staring at the city map.

“No time to breathe, Mikuya. No time to think. That’s how I’ll break you.”

---

Elsewhere in the Agency HQ, Renzo leaned over his desk, pen in hand, half-filled forms scattered across the wood like snow on a battlefield. He hummed an off-tune melody, making it seem like he was lost in thought, distracted… but his eyes were razor sharp.

A small flicker of movement caught his attention—nothing more than a shadow beyond the glass wall.

There you are, he thought with a smirk. You’re not very subtle, are you?

He didn’t turn his head, didn’t acknowledge the presence. But he knew.

The spy was watching.

And he wasn’t the only one being watched. He could feel it now—an uncomfortable, itchy awareness crawling up his spine. The Agency had turned on itself. The monster was eating its own tail.

But Renzo was no fool. He knew the game, and he knew how to survive it.

He simply kept working, pretending everything was fine. Pretending he hadn’t just noticed a spy breathing down his neck.

Keep watching, he thought. Let’s see who breaks first.

---

In the western wing, Kaito sat behind his desk, staring at a map filled with red pins and classified marks. His fingers tapped against his chin, and his brows were furrowed in thought.

He had sensed it the moment he walked in—an unfamiliar aura in his space. Eyes on him.

Kurogami was moving quickly. He wasn’t giving them time to breathe.

And yet… that meant the enemy was desperate too. Which meant Kaito still had a chance to do something.

But how do I reach them? I can’t send a message. It’ll be traced. I can’t leave either—not without suspicion. Dammit, this is harder than I thought.

He stood up and walked to the window.

The city stretched before him—tall towers, winding streets, shadows slithering through the alleyways. Somewhere out there, Mikuya and Sora were hiding. Waiting.

“I’m still with you,” he whispered under his breath. “Just hold on.”

---

Far from the Agency, deep in an abandoned apartment, Mikuya stood by the dusty window, peering through the broken blinds. His eyes scanned every corner of the alley below, every shifting shadow, every stray movement.

“They’ll be after us harder now,” he said grimly. “We pushed too far.”

Behind him, Sora sat cross-legged on the mattress, arms folded.

“They already were. This just gave them an excuse.”

Mikuya turned, pacing the room. “We have to reach Kaito.”

“And risk exposing him?” Sora asked. “We don’t even know if he’s on our side anymore.”

“He is,” Mikuya said firmly. “I know him.”

Silence fell between them.

“But even if he is,” Sora said quietly, “the Agency knows there’s a traitor. They’ll be watching him too. We try to contact him now, and we might just be handing them everything.”

Mikuya sat down slowly, exhaustion weighing on his bones. He looked at the cracked ceiling.

“They’re watching him. Watching everyone.”

“And we’re watching the clock,” Sora added. “We don’t have time. We need a plan. Something bold.”

They didn’t speak after that. The weight of the silence said everything.

The trap was closing.

No one had time to breathe.

---