( ARC 2 PH 2: Questioner)
Anie first noticed it not in silence,but in an error.
The white van that had been parked for
two days in front of the college admin block was suddenly gone.There had been a logo on it not government,not private company.
Just a symbol,,
On the first day she saw it,she ignored it.Today…it wasn't there.It could have been ordinary,But she understood,,
This wasn't "leaving." This was "erasure."
Mira walked beside her,,
"You're looking in that direction again,",, "There's nothing there."
"That's the problem," Anie replied.
"There's nothing."
"You've been suspicious about everything these days." laughing,
Anie didn't answer,Because she felt
the ones who don't suspect are the ones in danger now.
1.,
By noon,
in another part of the city,three men stood on a rooftop.Hunters,,Their conversation was precise.Emotionless,
Structured.
"Last contact failed.","Signal lost at 00:17."
"Interference source unknown."
"Unknown?"the third asked.
"Or suppressed?" minute of silence.
"Not the girl." "Then who?"
question remained between them.
They looked down college zone.Streets,People.Nothing seemed abnormal.That was what disturbed them.
2.,
At the same time,Anie was sitting in the library.The book was open,But she wasn't reading.glass door in front of her
gave a reflection.Someone,stood behind her.
Keeping distance When she turned
no one was there.It could be hallucination,Or memory.She closed her eyes feeling familiar not fear,not pressure.A controlled presence.
Something that once stood beside her.
She opened her eyes CCTV camera outside the door was tilted.
Wrong angle not accidentally hit Intentionally turned.
3.,
evening,,,,
"You're strange today," Mira stopped her.
"You're not afraid.But you're not calm either."
Anie stayed silent for a moment.
"Have you ever been reminded of someone?"
"Who?" didn't answer but Instead she said,
"Something has changed here."
"Hunter's "
"No.",,,Mira's face hardened.
"Anie…
we don't have to go back into that."
"I'm not going,"
"But someone has arrived here."
Time skipped,.... At Night,,,
Old warehouse at the edge of the city.
Hunters gathered again.
"Two devices failed.",
"Internal breach suspected."
"From her?"
"No."
"Then say it.".....A long pause.
"Another interference."
"Called?"
"Possibly."
"Confirmed?"
"No visual."
On the map across the table,
a red line was erased.
"Whoever it is…knows our pattern."
Meanwhile,
Anie was on her way home.
Streetlights turned on,one after another.For a moment,everything stopped.No sound,Not even wind.
She turned,,,
On the opposite side of the road,a car window rolled down.No one inside,Driver's seat empty but the engine was on.walked closer,On the seat a small paper.
picked it up One sentence:
"You are not being hunted alone."
No signature no symbol.She looked around.No one but she was certain
This wasn't a threat.
It was a warning.....,
At that same moment,in another part of the city,a man stood on a rooftop.
Hands in jacket pockets Wind moved his hair slightly.
Below,,,
a Hunters' vehicle passed.He watched them,no hatred in his eyes.He made a decision.Without saying anything,he turned and walked away.
His presence was not captured by cameras.Not recorded in signals Not in data.
But,,
a transmission was cut,a map was rearranged,a direction misled.
Anie folded the paper and put it in her pocket.She understood Hunters wouldn't come directly anymore.They would observe,Wait,Test,But now,they weren't alone.Someone was watching them,Someone was watching her.Not as a threat measuring.She reached home,Mira was asleep.
Anie stood by the window On a distant rooftop a shadow.
She blinked,It was gone.But she knew
It wasn't imagination that presence that once walked beside her was back in the city.
He still had no name but she knew,
If she saw him,she would recognize him.
That night,
on the Hunters' console,a new log appeared: "External variable detected."
No name,No image But one note:
"Pattern resembles prior incident Arc reference."
Anie couldn't sleep she felt This fight
was no longer only hers.
Someone had already made a move
for her.
She asked silently,,"Why?"
No answer came,But somewhere in the city,someone heard it.