TS 024

The embers, swirling through the air like a fiery snowstorm, vanished as they reached a certain point, extinguished as if consumed by an invisible barrier. Behind Han Suryeon, a massive column of flames roared skyward, painting the night sky in crimson hues, casting flickering shadows across his face. 

“Even a princess has to save his prince charming every now and then.”

Yoon Taehwa ignored the absurd self-proclamation, brushing back his wind-blown hair with a frown. 

“How did you know?”

“Are you suspecting me now?”

“Don’t try to change the subject. How did you know?”

The flames, having reached their peak, began to recede, dying down as if starved of fuel. It wasn’t an Esper’s ability. Something physical, something explosive, had triggered the inferno. 

When it came to planned operations, meticulous preparation was crucial, unlike the unpredictable nature of responding to a sudden terrorist attack. This mission had been no different. Only a few hours earlier, a team disguised as gas inspectors had swept the area, confirming the absence of any explosive devices. 

Which made this sudden detonation all the more perplexing. Unless someone had deliberately planted the bomb, knowing full well that the Center would be monitoring the area, it was an absurdly improbable coincidence.

“You get those feelings sometimes too, Team Leader.” 

Han Suryeon’s grey eyes seemed to shimmer against the backdrop of dancing flames, reflecting the crimson light.

“That gut feeling, telling you not to do something.”

“And that’s why you stopped me?” 

“That blast would’ve been fatal, even for an S-rank Esper. We’ll have to analyze the residue, but it looks like one of those new bombs they’ve been developing in the US.”

“You familiar with it?” 

“I’ve used it before.”

The casualness with which Han Suryeon admitted to using experimental explosives was unnerving. 

Yoon Taehwa let out a frustrated sigh, shoving Han Suryeon aside. He needed to assess the situation. The flames were starting to die down, their intensity waning. 

“Team Leader, are you alright?”

Hae Na-eun’s voice, laced with concern, crackled through his earpiece, the connection briefly interrupted by the blast. 

“I’m fine. What about you?” 

“We’re safe. But… the explosion disrupted my illusions.”

“The target. Is he dead?” 

“No, I believe he’s still alive.”

“Stand by. I’m contacting the Center.” 

“Acknowledged.”

The heat radiating from the flames was intense. Kim Su-an, who had the unique ability to manipulate any kind of fire, even artificial flames, would be able to contain it. He was likely already en route, his support instincts kicking in the moment he’d detected the explosion.

“Tell me about the bomb.” 

Yoon Taehwa gestured towards the inferno, his tone leaving no room for further delays. Instead of answering, Han Suryeon simply stared at him, his expression unreadable.

“You’re not as suspicious as I expected.”

“I’m not suspicious.”

“Why not?”

“Because you wouldn’t resort to such… crude tactics. You prefer to hunt your prey, to savor the kill.” 

Han Suryeon, even in the midst of a chaotic terrorist attack, had a penchant for prolonging the chase, for toying with his victims before delivering the final blow. It simply wasn’t in his nature to resort to such a quick and painless method as an explosion. 

“My Team Leader knows me so well…  He’s even familiar with my hunting style.” 

“Don’t get cocky. Just explain the damn bomb.”

“It’s a prototype. One detonation is enough to engulf an entire block in flames, but what makes it special is that you can control the blast radius.”

“The radius?”

The embers, raining down on them, finally lost their glow, dissolving into ash. 

“Look, over there, and there.”

Han Suryeon, pulling Yoon Taehwa closer, pointed towards two specific points. 

“See how the flames aren’t spreading to the adjacent buildings?” 

He was right. The flames were contained, consuming only one structure – the building their target had been occupying. It was a good thing they had evacuated the civilians. Otherwise, the casualties would have been catastrophic.

“It was originally designed for Esper suppression. To neutralize them, permanently.” 

“You said it was developed in the US.” 

“My Guild has a… close relationship with the company that developed it. As you know, Guilds aren’t bound by national affiliations.” 

It was the same in the US. Its vast territory was home to numerous powerful Guilds, their allegiances shifting, often prioritizing competition over cooperation. Weapons manufacturers, always eager to capitalize on lucrative opportunities, would naturally gravitate towards powerful allies like Kasatka.

“And they allowed a prototype to make its way to Korea…?”

“There are spies everywhere. You don’t actually believe the Center’s immune, do you?” 

Yoon Taehwa’s mind raced, instinctively running through a mental list of everyone who’d been privy to this mission’s details. With backup teams and cleanup crews on standby, the number of individuals involved was substantial. 

“Team Leader!”

A panting Kim Su-an skidded to a halt before them, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. He’d clearly rushed over the moment he’d sensed the explosion. 

“What the hell happened?”

“Any civilian casualties?” 

“None. I’ll deal with this first.” 

Without hesitation, Kim Su-an focused his abilities, manipulating the blaze. The flames began to recede at an accelerated pace, parting to create a path.

“Na-eun noona says the target’s still alive.” 

Through the flames, they saw him – Pavel, slumped against the wall. He’d clearly been on the verge of losing control, but the blast seemed to have knocked him unconscious. 

“There’s a water manipulator on Team 2.”

“I’ve already called them. Might take them a while to get here, though. These narrow alleyways are a pain to navigate. I’ll hold it off until they arrive.”

“Han Suryeon, with me.” 

“Coming.” 

Yoon Taehwa approached the wall of flames, its intensity diminished by Kim Su-an’s expert manipulation. Even with the flames parted, the heat radiating from the inferno was almost unbearable.

Tossing his coat aside, Yoon Taehwa stepped through the opening, crunching over debris.

The flames licked at the unconscious man’s feet, his body limp, as if devoid of life.

“See if this is the Ant we’re looking for.”

Yoon Taehwa nudged Pavel’s chin with his boot. Han Suryeon knelt down, taking the man’s jaw in his hand, examining his face with a bored expression. 

“Yep, it’s him. Pavel.” 

Han Suryeon’s hand slid down, his fingers wrapping around the unconscious man’s throat. ‘He wouldn’t kill him here, would he?’ Yoon Taehwa’s gaze followed the movement, his eyes narrowed. 

“There’s a needle mark.”

Needle mark?  Yoon Taehwa crouched down, peering at the spot Han Suryeon was indicating. A small, almost imperceptible puncture wound was visible near Pavel’s jawline. 

“Someone got to him first. What do you think, Team Leader?”

The location of the explosion had been… strategic. If Hae Na-eun hadn’t herded Pavel into the alleyway, he would have been caught in the blast. 

“Perhaps it was one of his contacts. We need to know what they injected him with.” 

The moment Han Suryeon released his grip, Pavel’s head lolled back, hitting the ground with a dull thud. Han Suryeon, staring down at the unconscious man, touched his lips. 

“Can you read them?” 

He was asking if Yoon Taehwa could decipher lip movements. 

“Tell me.”

‘Get this guy to someone you trust. There’s a leak at the Center.’

It wasn’t difficult to read Pavel’s final words.

While it was possible that this was merely a bizarre coincidence, Yoon Taehwa couldn’t rule out the possibility of a mole within the Center. And the timing, the sheer improbability of it all, made him lean towards the latter.

“The Center’s taking their sweet time, don’t you think?” 

Han Suryeon, his gaze sweeping the area, finally broke the silence. Yoon Taehwa was having the same thought.

Several minutes had passed since the explosion. With the area secured and civilian casualties avoided, there shouldn’t have been much cleanup required. Yet, there was no sign of any other Espers arriving. 

Yoon Taehwa glanced at Kim Su-an, who was still battling the flames, sweat dripping down his face as he struggled to contain the blaze. It seemed artificial flames were more difficult to manipulate than those generated by his own abilities.

“Something’s off.”

Cleanup had been assigned to Team 2. Suddenly, a familiar voice, Kim Dohee’s, crackled through his earpiece.

“Get a move on, Dohee.” 

“Sorry, Team Leader. We had to divert half the team to deal with a building collapse nearby. We’re on our way!”

Yoon Taehwa exchanged a look with Han Suryeon, who had undoubtedly heard the exchange.

A heavy silence descended upon them. Then, a hand shot out, gripping his ankle in a vice-like grip. 

Click. 

Instead of panicking, Yoon Taehwa reacted instinctively, drawing his weapon. Pavel, his eyes half-open, was staring up at him. His bloodshot eyes, a clear sign of an impending rampage, were fixed on him with chilling intensity. 

A scarred hand reached out, gripping Pavel’s face. Seconds ticked by. Then, the bloodshot eyes fluttered closed, the wildness within them fading as the man slumped back into unconsciousness. 

Han Suryeon, who had been watching the exchange with a detached curiosity, blinked.

“What did you do?”

“What does it look like?” 

Yoon Taehwa clicked his tongue, annoyed. He hadn’t intended for anyone to witness this particular ability. 

“I forced my energy into him. Overloading an Esper’s system is a surefire way to knock them out.”

“You can force your energy into someone? That’s…fascinating. Sounds like a telepathic ability.” 

“It only works on Espers who are on the verge of losing control. A telepath would have been able to do it to anyone, though.” 

“Interesting.”

Han Suryeon’s gaze, lingering on the unconscious Pavel for a moment, returned to Yoon Taehwa, a playful smile curving his lips. 

“That’s too bad. I was kind of hoping you’d knock me out and have your way with me.”

More nonsensical rambling. Despite knowing exactly what Han Suryeon was implying, Yoon Taehwa couldn’t help but take the bait. 

“What kind of ‘way’?”

“Hmm, let’s see…” 

Han Suryeon tapped a finger against his chin, feigning deep thought, before suddenly letting out a curse in Russian.

“Говно.”

Yoon Taehwa, caught off guard by the sudden shift in Han Suryeon’s demeanor, lost his balance as a hand shot out, gripping his shoulder, pulling him down.

BAM!

A wave of intense heat slammed into his back.