EPISODE 55 – The Waterworks Gambit
The SUV screeched away from the plaza, leaving the cacophony of sirens and the desperate efforts of the emergency responders behind. Minjae drove with a singular, grim focus, the cut on his arm a dull ache he barely registered. Kevin and Dohee, weapons ready, scanned the urban landscape. Back at the plaza, Micha and Guen would be fighting their own battle, attempting to turn a defunct billboard drone into a life-saving device. The city was holding its breath, unaware of the dual gambits being waged for its very survival.
"Alex, status on the water plant," Minjae growled, his voice a low rumble. "Any intel on ZEROFACE's setup there? Security? Troop numbers?"
"High-level security, Minjae," Alex's voice crackled through the comms, a frantic rhythm of keyboard clicks accompanying his words. "He's heavily fortified it. Perimeter sensors, armed guards at every entry point. My scans indicate at least twenty operatives inside, possibly more. And there are multiple fail-safes on the contamination system."
"Twenty?" Dohee murmured, her brow furrowed. "That's a small army. He's expecting us."
"Of course he is," Minjae scoffed, taking a sharp turn that sent the SUV sliding. "He's listening. He knew we'd prioritize the water. This is his final play, the true threat he wanted to unveil." His knuckles were white on the steering wheel, his rage a tangible presence in the confined space.
The Plaza's Desperate Gamble
Back at the North Seoul Plaza, Micha and Guen had found an unlikely ally in the chaos: a bewildered, but surprisingly spry, former electronics engineer who had been caught in the initial panic. "You want to re-wire that for... aerosol dispersal?" the old man, Mr. Kim, wheezed, pointing a trembling finger at the massive, weather-beaten advertising drone. "It hasn't flown in years!"
"We don't have years, Mr. Kim," Micha replied, already pulling out a toolkit. "Just minutes. Guen, help me get this panel open. Alex, how's that remote piloting system coming along?"
"Patching in now, Micha! It's rudimentary, but it should give me basic flight control. Just tell me what wires you need to connect to the dispersal mechanism you rigged!" Alex's voice was strained, the effort of bypassing ZEROFACE's constant jamming evident.
Guen, with her forensic precision, began dismantling the drone's old electronics, guiding Micha's hands. The air was thick with the faint, sweet smell of the toxin, and the desperate cries of people. Every second mattered. Micha worked with a furious intensity, her scientific brilliance shining through the absurdity of the task. She carefully transferred a highly concentrated, lollipop-infused antidote into the drone's makeshift dispersal tank.
"Ready!" Micha finally announced, wiping a smudge of grease from her cheek. "Alex, it's all yours! Initiate aerial dispersal upon reaching optimal altitude!"
"Copy that, Micha! Pray this old bird can take flight!"
ZEROFACE's Taunt
At the water purification plant, ZEROFACE watched his monitors, a chilling smirk playing on his unseen lips. He saw Minjae's SUV speeding towards the plant, and he saw the desperate scramble at the plaza. His plan was unfolding perfectly.
Then, one of the plaza feeds showed the derelict drone, sputtering to life, its ancient rotors whining. He frowned. "What nonsense is this?" he murmured to himself, leaning closer. As the drone slowly ascended, a fine, iridescent mist began to emanate from its underside, spreading over the affected areas of the plaza. He instantly recognized the molecular signature – a diluted, yet effective, counter-agent to Pandora's Breath.
A cold, analytical chuckle escaped him. "Clever, little apprentice," he whispered, watching Micha's distant, determined figure on the screen. "You found Miran's 'just in case' footnote. But a partial cure is still a defeat. And you are divided. That is where I triumph." He activated a comm link, his voice echoing through Minjae's earpiece.
"Detective Minjae," ZEROFACE's calm voice cut through the comms, devoid of the previous broadcast distortion. "I commend your predictable resolve. You choose the greater threat, leaving your scientific 'sugar factory' to her futile parlor tricks. A commendable but ultimately foolish decision. You will find my welcome here... quite permanent."
Minjae's eyes blazed. "You twisted bastard! You think this is a game?! You're dead, ZEROFACE!"
"Oh, but I'm quite alive, Detective," ZEROFACE retorted, a chilling amusement in his tone. "And aware of every move you make. Every breath you take. You and your team are caught in my carefully constructed web. You think you're hunters, but you are merely pawns."
Confrontation at the Water Plant
The SUV skidded to a halt outside the heavily guarded gates of the water purification plant. Minjae kicked open the door, his rage barely contained. "He's inside. He's taunting us. He knows we're here."
"Then let's give him a show," Kevin said, his face a mask of grim determination. Dohee moved with practiced ease, preparing breach charges.
The plant was a fortress. ZEROFACE's North Korean operatives were highly disciplined, their movements precise. The initial exchange was brutal. Minjae moved like a whirlwind, driven by his personal vendetta, his every strike fueled by the betrayal he felt. Kevin and Dohee, working in sync, created diversions and exploited weaknesses, systematically neutralizing the outer perimeter.
Inside, the plant was a maze of pipes, valves, and control rooms. The air was thick with the faint smell of chlorine mixed with something metallic and artificial – the bio-bomb.
"I see the main control room!" Alex's voice warned. "It's heavily reinforced. And the countdown timer on the bomb... it's accelerating! Less than fifteen minutes until full contamination!"
Minjae, smashing through a final barricade, found himself face to face with a line of armed operatives guarding a reinforced door. "This is it," he snarled. "The final curtain."
But even as he prepared for the brutal assault, a chilling thought pricked at his mind. ZEROFACE had been so confident. Too confident. Was there another layer to his game? A trap they hadn't foreseen?
The fate of Seoul hung precariously in the balance. At the plaza, Micha was defying death with a repurposed drone and a lollipop-derived antidote. At the water plant, Minjae was on the verge of confronting the true ZEROFACE, a ghost from their past, a mastermind who seemed to anticipate every move.
The tension was suffocating. Had ZEROFACE already won, or would CHIPER's desperate gamble pay off?
What happens when Minjae breaches the control room? Is ZEROFACE truly there, or is it another trap?