11:42 A.M

The clock on the wall seemed to tick louder, echoing through the sterile hospital room. Zack Erwin lay in his hospital bed, battered and bruised, his mind racing with the events that had unfolded. The past few days had been a whirlwind of danger, deception, and unexpected twists, and now he found himself at the center of a perplexing mystery.

11:42 A.M.

Karma's nose bled profusely, a crimson river that refused to cease. Panic coursed through her veins as she pressed tissue against her nose, then ice to the bridge, all in vain. The metallic tang of blood overwhelmed her senses, and she retreated to her bedroom, collapsing onto the bed.

11:56 A.M.

A visitor at this hour was unusual, and Karma's heart pounded as she shuffled towards the front door. Her disheveled appearance and the fresh cuts and scrapes on her face and arms only added to the mystery.

The door opened to reveal a shocked Zack, concern etched across his face as he took in Karma's injuries. He couldn't contain his worry.

"I should take you to the hospital," he exclaimed.

Karma, with an air of carelessness, replied, "Don't worry, it's not a big deal."

Zack's concern only deepened. "Look at you! Your face is covered in cuts and scrapes. Why didn't you call me for help? What happened?"

There was a brief, tense silence before Karma finally spoke.

"I'll tell you, but can you help me treat my wounds first?"

Zack pulled her closer, determined to provide assistance. As he cleaned and bandaged her injuries, his mind raced with questions and guilt. How could this have happened? If only he had been there to protect her.

"Why aren't you telling me who did this to you?" Zack asked repeatedly.

Karma hesitated, her voice weary. "I don't want you to see me differently. I don't want you to know the truth about me, even though I know you wouldn't judge me. We're close enough, but I don't want you to leave me."

Zack reassured her, "Karma, I could never leave you. You're my dearest friend. I'm just worried about your safety."

With that, they settled into an uneasy calm, but Zack's thoughts churned. He blamed himself for not being there to protect Karma, and a burning hatred for Saho, the man behind these horrors, consumed him.

As days turned into weeks, Zack's obsession with wealth intensified. He saw it as the only way to keep Karma safe from Saho's clutches. He loathed the man with a fiery passion but lacked the means to confront him directly. His desire for riches grew into an all-consuming drive, one that led him down a dangerous path.

Zack's surveillance of Saho revealed suspicious behavior, particularly his continued obsession with Akane, who had mysteriously disappeared years ago. Saho's impending marriage only added to the intrigue. Zack couldn't shake the feeling that Saho was hiding something sinister.

Together with Karma, Zack hatched a plan to expose Saho as an insider attacker, tarnishing his reputation and potentially sending him to jail. They aimed to prove that Saho had exploited his knowledge of Cyber Detective's security systems to deploy malicious code on the company's cloud infrastructure.

The year was 2021, and Zack found himself sneaking into the organization to deploy the code. It was a dangerous endeavor, one that put him on a collision course with Saho himself. As he pushed through the shadows of the organization, Zack's heart raced with adrenaline.

At the stroke of midnight, Zack executed the plan. Unbeknownst to him, Saho had discovered his presence. A terrifying confrontation ensued on the rooftop, where Saho held Karma hostage at gunpoint. In a desperate struggle, Zack intervened, pushing Saho off the rooftop in a chaotic tumble.

They both fell, the wind rushing past them. Zack's mind raced, and he could hear Karma's scream. The world seemed to blur, and as consciousness slipped away, he heard haunting echoes in his mind.

"I am karma. Everyone has got what everyone deserves. I don't have a reason to exist here now."

Zack awoke in the hospital, his body battered but alive. He was questioned by a police officer who accused him of murder, claiming there was no evidence of Karma's existence. Desperation and confusion consumed Zack as he realized the gravity of the situation.

In the midst of this turmoil, the truth about Akane's mysterious disappearance years ago came to light, painting a chilling portrait of deceit and betrayal. Zack's world had unraveled into a complex web of secrets, and he was left to navigate the treacherous path ahead.