The other guy leaned in a bit and said, "I’ll give you some good news, MK."

MK gave a nod, showing he was interested. The man turned and walked out of the office, his guards following him closely. Once in the hallway, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number. He held it up to his ear, and after a short wait, someone picked up. "Send our best guys after her. MK wants her found ASAP," he said quickly before ending the call and moving on.

Meanwhile, MK was watching him leave through the big glass wall of his office. Once he knew the man was gone, he turned to his guard, clearly a bit worried. "Any news on HK?"

The guard straightened up and said, "Not really. We still have no idea where he is. Since that incident, he’s just dropped off the radar – no one’s seen or heard from him."

MK frowned and continued, "What about his company? Is everything running smoothly over there?"

The guard replied, "Yeah, the company seems to be doing fine. But it looks like his work has been moved somewhere else; when we checked last time, the base was empty, so they probably shifted their operations."

Mk was trying to figure out where HK could move his base and operations. He wondered where HK was at the moment and if he was planning to make a move against him. But then Mk thought, ’No way, HK definitely doesn’t have the strength to attack right now.’ He was still recovering and didn’t have an army at his back to support any plans. What Mk didn’t know was that the force HK had shown him was just a small glimpse of what was really on the way; there was a lot more waiting in the wings, and he was just waiting for the right time.

After a moment, Mk asked his guard again, "Do we know where his weapons are? Did he move those, too?"

The guard replied, looking a bit uneasy, "We haven’t heard anything about that. It seems like HK has hidden his weapons in a super secure spot. AD couldn’t find them either; he just updated us about HK’s missions. and then the incident happened."

MK was thinking hard about where HK might go. He considered a bunch of places, maybe some old warehouses on the edge of town, or a rundown factory where HK could stash his weapons without being noticed. What MK didn’t realize was that HK had something up his sleeve that could turn everything upside down.

Time was ticking, and MK felt the pressure. If he didn’t find that girl soon, HK was definitely going to come after him. He couldn’t let them get close; if they teamed up, it would be a huge problem for him. She was an amazing hacker, top in her field, and HK was a dangerous guy who played for keeps. Together, they’d be a nightmare for MK. He knew he had to do something fast before they became a real threat.

**********

Leo pulled into Manhattan in the afternoon, parking his jeep on a pretty quiet street that hardly ever seemed busy. It was the middle of the day, but the street had a weird kind of darkness to it, like the sun forgot to shine here.

He stopped at the end of the street, turned off the ignition, and stepped out of the jeep.

After grabbing his trusty bag from the passenger seat and twirling the keys in his hand, he pressed a brick in the wall, which, surprisingly, opened up like a door, revealing a staircase leading down. A smile crossed his face as he headed down, the door clicking shut behind him. As he walked down the steps, lights comfortably flickered on, lighting his way.

At the bottom, two sturdy doors were waiting for him. He knocked on one, and a moment later, a guy popped out, his face lighting up when he saw Leo. "Sir!" he exclaimed, standing at attention and bowing a bit. Leo laughed and gave him a friendly pat on the back before stepping into the main hall.

This hall was Leo’s secret base, looking like a high-tech control center with glass-walled rooms scattered around. In one corner, there was an office next to a small assistant’s area where a young guy worked diligently at a keyboard.

One of the other rooms was mostly empty, with four chairs set up in pairs facing each other around a sleek table; it had that interrogation room vibe. There was a double glass window so that people could watch what was happening without being seen, making it feel more discreet. The door to this room was separate, adding a layer of privacy to whatever discussions would take place. The room was labeled "Interrogation Room."

The last two rooms were labeled "Control Room" and "Lab." The control room was buzzing with activity, filled with screens showing live feeds, data, and surveillance footage. Leo’s team was busy keeping an eye on everything, while a big map on one wall marked important spots around the city. The rhythmic sound of keyboards clicking filled the air, echoing a sense of purpose.

Meanwhile, in the lab, three guys and a woman in lab coats were chatting away, looking relaxed as if they had all the time in the world. They all seemed to be around Leo’s age, in their 40s, sharing a friendly vibe. Every room had a guard, keeping things secure and making sure all their operations stayed under wraps. In the center of the hall was a small table, perfect for quick meetings or discussions, surrounded by an energy that made the whole place feel alive.

Leo decided to take a break at his office because he felt completely exhausted. After a long night of searching and a tiring drive, he really needed a moment to himself. He didn’t even think about eating; all he wanted was to rest. Having not slept at all the night before, he was definitely feeling the effects. He walked straight to his office, dropped his bag onto the comfy sofa, and flopped down with a big sigh. Just as he began to relax and close his eyes, a thought suddenly jolted him awake.