The sanctuary woke slowly. Sunlight crept through the windows, catching dust in the air and warming the house. The girls stirred one by one, stretching sore muscles, groaning softly as the aftermath of Brazil finally loosened its grip. Milena is already working hard in the lab. Comparing samples, analyzing blood, experimenting, trying to create anything useful. The twins are stable for the moment. They have occasional fever, cramps and other problems and they are still weak. But they are awake and responsive. And still can′t remember a thing. The only thing they know is that they are sisters. Since they are identical twins - that was pretty much obvious. The girls take good care of them and despite the language barrier, the twins feel they are safe there. Michelle has received a message from her dad and Dawson. They won't be returning anytime soon. The investigation is running slow, there is a lot of data to process.

  A few days have passed. The condition of the twins is slowly getting worse. But Milena has probably made a breakthrough. A new serum for the two basically built from scratch. She has put them under and gave them the serum and some additives and enhancers. Only time will tell…

  Later that day all girls are gathered in the ops room. Trella stood at the center. “We haven′t done this for a while, but we are not bound by the chains of the CIA anymore. And we need to earn some money. We are no freelancing crimefighters, we are guns for hire. And we′ve just got hired.”

  Aya tilted her head. “By whom?”

  “Our old buddy Vasco. An easy job. Quick clean up. Not much money, but we can use the cash.”

  “I think a little bit of non-serum related exercise will do us good,” Maya exhales.

  Milena entered the room. “Looks like you′re in a good mood. Got something to make it even better.” She made a hand gesture and the twins came in. “The treatment worked. For the moment they are stable and even the blood results are looking good. The only thing I could not fix is their memory loss. That may be permanent. For now they′ve been given temporary fake names. So, girls, I'd like to introduce: Marina & Marisa Oliveira.”

  “Nice to… m-meet… you,” Marina said in hesitant, shaky English.

  All girls show a genuine sign of happiness and relief and give them applause.

  Michelle was a bit concerned. “What effects did the serum have on them? Are they…?”

  Everybody was so focused on the survival of the twins, that they completely forgot that this still was a supersoldier serum.

  “Yes. They are enhanced,” Milena replied. ”I don't know yet to what extent, but they are now just like you.”

  Trella exhaled slowly. “So now—”

  “Now we teach them,” Milena finished.

  Anya grinned. “Can’t wait to find out what they can do.”

  Michelle’s expression tightened. “Although they're enhanced, do we have to make weapons out of them?”

  That question felt heavy…

  “Oh, come on,” Anya protested. “They’re like us!”

  “No,” Trella said flatly. “They′re not. They have a choice. If we take that away from them, we′re no better than those who created them or us.”

  That remark felt even heavier. But everyone understood.

  Samira broke the tension with a shrug. “But we definitely should teach them English. Twat won′t hurt. Or some basic physical training. Keeping their bodies in shape! No?”

  Trella nodded. “Yes, if they want it.”

  “Yeah… Sorry.”

  Milena added, “I used neurological enhancers, their brains are now pretty sensitive and in high gear. If you want to teach them something, this is the perfect time.”

  Trella straightened. “Right now we have a mission to do. They will now have time to think about it. We will decide when we return.”

  ***

  Michelle is sitting alone in the ops room processing some data and talking to herself.

  This big house suddenly feels very empty. I have some time before the mission starts. Santos gave us a name - Louross Chan. Who are you? Hmm… A black market merchant. He was very active in the past, then about a year and a half ago suddenly disappeared. Last known location - Indonesia. In the past the Fangs did operate in the South China Sea region. Let′s see if any of Milena′s old contacts still work.

  Milena appeared behind her. “Still digging?”

  “Yeah… Trying to locate this Chan guy. If I find him, we can- “

  A ping of an incoming message cut her off.

  “-uh? That was fast! According to this, he was a low level criminal. He was selling some drug recipes like he owned a hod dog stand and it seems someone made an end to it and Chan had to flee. And it looks like he went to - Tratpur?”

  Milena winced. “Uf… The biggest sewer in the world. It's a town in south Thailand founded during WWII by outcasts, deserters and criminals. And till this day it remained just like that. The city is reigned by mafias and cartels. And to look for a scumbag like him in such a town - that is like a needle in a haystack. But you don’t go looking for someone there. The whole place swallows you whole.”

  Then we’ll need eyes there,” Michelle said. “But if Chan is the one who sold the formula, if he’s the reason those kids ended up on slabs, we don’t have a choice. He’s the next step. Do we have any live contacts in that town?“

  Milena hesitated, looking very concerned. “Maybe. We never made many friends there. That town doesn′t welcome outsiders with open arms. Wai-San Wong. He was leading an offshoot of the Chinese Triad. One of the most powerful people in the town. And pretty cultivated. If you want an intelligent conversation with someone, he is the man. But he is also a tough businessman. Everything has its price.”

  Michelle raised an eyebrow. “Cultivated crime lord in a swamp of cutthroats. Sounds like my kind of paradox. What’s the catch?”

  Milena smirked faintly. “The catch is that he’ll talk to you over fine wine, but sell your shadow to your enemies the moment you step out the door. Wong isn’t sentimental. If he sees a profit in your death, he won’t even blink.”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Good. That means he’s predictable. Greed is easier to navigate than loyalty.”

  “Don’t be too sure. You’ll need more than money — you’ll need leverage. Wong respects strength, but he admires wit. If you can intrigue him, you might walk out richer in answers than you walked in.”

  Michelle closed her notebook. “Then I’ll make sure to give him both.”

  Milena hesitated. “ I… think Joseph had his contact. But I would be mighty surprised if he would let you use it.”

  Michelle was already reaching for her phone. “It’s worth a try. I’ll call Dad.”

  The line connected quickly.

  “Hi, dad!”

  “Hi, kiddo,” Williams replied warmly. “How are you doing? Is everything OK there?”

  “Yes. The girls went to do a quick job. It's really quiet here. How is the investigation going? When will you come back home?”

  “We made progress, but it’s more like baby steps. Even Lang’s glasses fogged up when reading all the files I brought.”

  Michelle laughed softly. “That’s hard to imagine.”

  “We do have a main suspect,” Williams continued, “but we can’t tie everything to him. Not yet.”

  “The mission in Brazil didn’t help either.”

  “But at least you shut down a dangerous lab.”

  “I may have something… a lead. But I need help from Joseph. Is he around?”

  “Yes. Hold on.”

  There was the muffled sound of movement, then Dawson’s voice came on the line.

  “Hello, Michelle. What can I do for you?”

  “Hello. I may have something—the person who found and sold the formula.”

  Dawson’s tone shifted instantly. “Really? That’s excellent work.”

  “But I need help finding him. I need a contact.”

  “Sure. What kind?”

  “It looks like he went to Tratpur. Milena thinks Wai-San Wong might help us—”

  “No.”

  The word landed like a slammed door.

  “But—”

  “He is the most dangerous man I know,” Dawson cut in flatly. “Criminals don’t live off favors. I doubt he’d even read your message, let alone talk to you.”

  “You didn’t have a good relationship?” Michelle asked.

  “That’s an understatement. Let’s just say… the whole of Tratpur felt uneasy with us around.”

  “Can’t I at least try? Do we have anything to lose?”

  There was a long pause. Dawson sighed—the sound of someone surrendering to bad judgment.

  “All right, I’ll send you the contact. But don’t expect anything from it.”

  “Thank you. By the way… how much does he know about us?”

  “We were there for a few months. And he was the one controlling the town. He knows… some things.”

  The call ended. Michelle went to the kitchen to grab a cold drink to calm down the nerves.

  Milena leaned against the counter, smirking. “So. How did it go?”

  “Got the contact.”

  Milena just blinked. “Say what???”

  “What time is it now in Thailand?”

  “Eh…” Milena is still in shock. “Girl, this is not some regular bad guy you will be talking to. Wong is a way different league. Do you really think you can just have a friendly chat with a monster like him?”

  Michelle smiles confidently, but inside she is scared to death. She locks her up in the com room, holds the phone in her hand for a long time thinking if she should or should not dial the number. She knows who Wong is. She read the files. She did her homework. She closes her eyes and pushes the button. It's ringing.

  “Hello?”

  “Mr Wong, I presume.”

  “You presume correctly. Who do I own the pleasure?”

  “I am Cipher. I am a member of the Black Fang.”

  “A member,” Wong repeated lightly. “A pretty bold member I have to say. I think I will need to have a little chat with Dawson about letting his kids play with the phone.”

  Michelle breathes out. She doesn′t want to show how nervous she is. “I am the team's coordinator.”

  “Very well, little miss coordinator. What can I do for you?”

  “I am looking for informations. And since you are the man who basically runs the town-”

  “I don′t remember running an information bureau for tourists.”

  “Well this one might interest you. We are looking for someone. Someone very dangerous. And he should be in your town.”

  “My sweet little girl, the whole town is dangerous. And you are wasting my time.”

  “Not the man himself, but what he possesses is dangerous. I know none of you were thrilled when the Fangs arrived in Tratpur.”

  “So, if I don′t help you, ”Wong mused, “you’ll return and turn the city upside down?”

  “No. But somebody else might. And he could arrive with an army of Fangs, that would not be as pleasant as we are. Mr. Wong. The Triad and Black Fang always had mutual respect for each other. I am not asking for any favors. I am offering help.”

  “Help? With what?”

  “I know how important this city is for your business. I am offering you help to keep the status quo.”

  “You have caught my interest. I see why Dawson gave you his chair. Visit me in Tratpur and we can talk business. Don′t disappoint me.”

  The handset goes dead. For a long second Michelle sits with the empty receiver at her ear, the charge of the conversation still jittering through her. She exhales — a small, sharp sound and let a smile settle over her face that is more armor than joy.

  Michelle walked into the kitchen a bit shaken like she just survived a tornado…

  Milena looked at her smirking. “So? How did it go?”

  “I have… an audience.”

  Milena blinks, then the smirk fades as the meaning lands. “You—? Girl, that’s a full-on pit. Wong… He’s not a man you ‘have a chat’ with.”

  Michelle looks at her like she’s been preparing for this for weeks. The confidence is deliberate; the tremor under it is real. “I know.”

  Milena lays a hand on Michelle’s shoulder. “Wong plays with people for sport. He’ll test you. He’ll probe for weakness. He’ll want entertainment or leverage. Don’t be cute with him.”

  Michelle nods and walks back into the ops room. Milena is silently trying to process what just happened. The sanctuary feels suddenly too small.

  ***

  The next day the Fangs return home from their mission. Tired but in a good mood. Michelle was awaiting them.

  “Don’t even unpack. Trella, Aya, Katya, Mei-Ling — shower, change, pack light. We leave in one hour.”

  Aya froze. “What are you talking about?! We just came back from a mission! I’m dead on my feet!”

  “You can sleep on the plane.”

  “Plane?! Plane to where?!”

  “Thailand. Tratpur. We’re meeting Mr. Wong.”

  The room freezes. Eleven girls staring like a stun grenade just went off.

  “Did she… just say Wong?” Mei-Ling whispered.

  “I think she did,” Trella murmured.

  “Tratpur…” Katya shook her head.

  “I’ve got tickets and passports,” Michelle continued, already walking out. “Pack what you need. I bought you something decent to look sharp. And no weapons, we’re flying commercial. Maya, you’re our airport cab.”

  “No weapons?” Aya protested. “How—why—? This is insane!”

  Michelle leaves and shuts the door behind her. A beat of silence follows as the girls exchange looks.

  “She’s serious,” Mei-Ling whispered.

  “More serious than I’ve ever seen her,” Trella admitted.

  “We’re ghosts without weapons,” Katya muttered.

  “Did she just recruit half the kill squad without telling anyone?” Samira asked.

  “Enough,” Trella said. “We do what she says. End of story.”

  “This feels like the start of one,” Mei-Ling muttered.

  ***

  The car hummed steadily as the city blurred past the windows on their way to the airport.

  Aya broke the silence first. “Michelle, I think being alone in the sanctuary had a bad influence on your sanity.”

  “It influenced me, but in a good way.”

  “How about sharing your plan?” Mei-Ling asked.

  “Louross Chan was the one that dug out the serum formula and wanted to make a fortune. So he started to sell it like hot pockets on the street.”

  “That sounds dangerous,” Trella said.

  “I know he managed to piss off someone to a point where he had to run for his life. That told me our Indonesian contact. And also that he hightailed to Tratpur.”

  “The city of outlaws. A perfect sewer for a rat like him,“ Aya muttered.

  “That’s where Wong comes in,” Michelle said. “He owns the town.”

  “What makes you think he′ll tell you anything?” Trella asked.

  “I′ve already talked to him on the phone. We are not going there blindly. He invited me.”

  “WHAT?!” The car erupted.

  “Wait, you just… called?” Mei-Ling gaped. “Are you some kind of a magician? What did you say to him? It took several weeks to make him at least talk to us instead of chasing us away from the town!”

  “Really? Wow. He sounded very nice on the phone.”

  “Yes, he is always like that,” Trella sighed. “But he is highly intelligent. And has zero remorse. He destroys lives for sport.”

  “Sounds like a handful,” Maya muttered from the driver’s seat.

  Katya’s voice was quieter. “What will this favor cost us?”

  “We haven’t talked about the price yet,” Michelle admitted.

  Trella grimaced. “Oh, boy. This will be one dangerous and unpredictable trip.”

  “And that’s where you come in,” Michelle said evenly.

  “Yeah,” Aya muttered. “Barehanded.”

  “We only travel unarmed. Mils said that Joseph has hidden weapons depots all around the world. Tratpur included.”

  Maya nodded slowly. “Sounds like you thought of everything.”

  “Not everything,” Trella said. “Tratpur isn’t like normal cities. It’s a completely different beast.”

  ***

  The terminal buzzes with life. Families, tourists, business travelers. In the middle of it, the five figures in civilian clothes with duffel bags. To everyone else they look like normal college girls about to head off on a trip. But every nerve is on fire. “Alright, girls. Next stop: Tratpur.”