The Sacrifice for Power

Chapter 3

Noon

Lonebay Train Station

The trio stepped out of the station into the warm afternoon sun. It was just past noon, and the streets were bustling with life. The air buzzed with the sounds of people going about their day, but as they followed Sarah, everything else seemed to blur into the background. She moved quickly, leading them toward a nearby parking lot, where two sleek, high-tech cars awaited them, their polished black exteriors gleaming in the midday light. Futuristic in design, the cars had no visible handles, tinted windows, and emitted a soft, mechanical hum.

Sarah stopped in front of the first car, her demeanor professional and distant. "Terry, Olaf, you're with me," she said, her tone flat and direct.

Terry grinned, amused by the authority in her voice. "Of course," he replied smoothly, taking a step toward the car.

"And you," Sarah added, turning to Larissa, "Angelik, you’ll go with Logan and Marcus."

At the mention of "Angelik," Terry and Olaf exchanged confused glances. Terry raised an eyebrow, his grin faltering for a moment. “Angelik?” he muttered, casting a puzzled look at Larissa, who remained silent but visibly tense.

Olaf shot a cautious glance at Larissa before shifting his attention back to Sarah, clearing his throat but staying silent, waiting for an explanation.

Before Larissa could respond to the unfamiliar alias, Terry, ever the charmer, smirked and tried to ease the tension. "You know, Angelik’s not a bad alias. Kinda suits you," he teased, playfully, though the curiosity behind his words was evident.

Larissa clenched her jaw, rolling her eyes. "Shut up, Terry," she muttered, moving toward the second car, where Logan and Marcus were already waiting by the open doors.

As Terry approached Sarah’s car, he glanced back at Larissa. She hesitated for a brief moment, as if considering saying something, but then quickly turned on her heels, climbing into the second vehicle without another word. Terry couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. "Angelik . . . Why would they call her that?" he murmured under his breath.

Sarah, not missing a beat, interjected. "Names don’t matter here," she said firmly, then paused. Her lips pressed together briefly, as if she realized she had paid too much attention to him. She quickly masked her expression, her face returning to its unreadable state.

Terry’s grin widened as he studied Sarah. "You know, you try so hard to be all business, but I see through it," he teased. "You could relax a little. We’re all on the same team here … right?"

For a split second, Sarah’s eyes flicked toward him, her face neutral, but something flashed behind her gaze. There was the briefest curl at the corner of her lips, a tiny grin that almost went unnoticed. She quickly suppressed it, turning her gaze forward. She found his charm irritating—and annoyingly effective.

"Get in the car," she ordered, her voice steady but edged with frustration.

Terry chuckled, clearly pleased with himself, and slid into the back seat. Olaf followed, giving Terry a knowing look, as if to silently suggest he quit while he was ahead.

As the doors clicked shut, the car began to move with an eerie smoothness. Terry, leaning back into the plush leather, glanced up at the rearview mirror, catching Sarah’s stoic profile. His curiosity piqued; he couldn’t resist pushing just a little more.

"So," he started, casually leaning forward, "Angelik, huh? That’s new. I’ve known Larissa for a while, and that’s definitely not her name."

Sarah’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, and for a moment, it seemed like she wouldn’t respond. Then, almost hesitantly, she muttered, "You don’t know her at all. A train chit-chat doesn't give you enough time to get to know someone." Her words slipped out, and a flicker of realization crossed her face.

She quickly shut down, her jaw tightening. "Enough talking," she snapped, her tone final, trying to close the conversation before revealing more.

Terry raised an eyebrow, intrigued, but let it go—for the moment. "If you say so," he shrugged, leaning back.

Olaf, who had been quietly observing the exchange, shook his head slightly, silently advising Terry not to push any further. Terry merely grinned, clearly enjoying the tension in the air.

The car glided through the streets, leaving the city behind and entering the quieter outskirts. The other vehicle, carrying Larissa and the agents, followed closely behind. Gradually, the buildings gave way to open fields and rolling hills. In the distance, an old, weatherworn farmhouse stood in the middle of a vast, overgrown field. The rusty windmill nearby creaked in the breeze, and a barbed wire fence surrounded the perimeter. Its abandoned appearance was underwhelming, not at all what they had been expecting.

As they neared the house, Terry leaned forward again, curiosity getting the better of him. “So, you’re telling me P owns a farm and needs help cutting the grass? Or is it some kind of futuristic hologram?”

Sarah didn’t turn. She simply shook her head and rolled her eyes.

Terry chuckled and leaned back, turning to Olaf. "What do you make of all this?" he asked.

Olaf, who had pulled a small notebook from his briefcase, flipped it open and showed it to Terry.

Written on the page were notes:

Angelik, alias for P or something else?

House, facade for secret organization? Government?

Sarah is pissed, shut up!

Terry let out a laugh, trying to suppress it. "What is this, Olaf?" he asked, waving the notebook playfully.

Olaf took the notebook back and, slightly annoyed, signaled Terry to lean closer. He tapped his nose and pointed at the notes.

“Larissa told us on the train that she met P as a client. She does freelance work, remember?" he whispered.

“Yeah, she was all mysterious about how she met him, and it was just job-related,” said Terry, nodding with his head.

“Exactly. Maybe she uses the name Angelik to keep M&G out of her personal projects,” Olaf suggested.

He then pointed to the next note. “And the house? Definitely a facade. Maybe it’s got a hidden tunnel connecting to Cobra Labs. And lastly...” Olaf paused, closing the notebook. “You’re one joke away from little agent shooting you. Just my opinion.”

Terry, impressed, clapped Olaf on the shoulder, causing him to jolt slightly. "Nice work, Olaf. Exactly what I was thinking. But about Sarah, I’d say I’ve got two or three more moves before she tries to kill me," he said with a laugh.

From the driver’s seat, Sarah glanced at Terry in the rearview mirror, feeling her ears burn. She scolded herself mentally for letting him get under her skin, tightening her grip on the steering wheel.

"We’re arriving," she said in a neutral tone.

Terry and Olaf exchanged one last glance as the car neared their destination, both intrigued, puzzled, and expectant. The other vehicle, carrying Larissa, was pulling up alongside them.