Nicole woke up to the sound of water dripping—a relentless, hollow echo bouncing around her.
She opened her eyes only to see darkness.
Thick. Suffocating.
She blinked, her vision blurry, trying to move—only to feel the harsh bite of tight ropes cutting into her wrists.
Her hands were tied together with thin tight ropes.
Her feet—bound together.
Panic spiked in her chest as she shifted slightly, only for something sharp to scrape against her skin causing her to yelp silently.
She used her hands to feel the ground. A rusty, metallic floor.
Jagged. Rough.
Nicole stilled, forcing herself to breathe, to listen—searching for clues about her surroundings.
She heard the soft cranking of twisting gears. The hum of turbines whirring in the distance and the rush of flowing water.
Nicole's eyes flew open.
'A dam… I'm at a dam. It must be the Roseville Lake's dam.'
Her pulse pounded.
The realization hit—she was trapped. And this room—this room was a flooding tank—meant only one thing.
'They're planning to drown me.'
She swallowed hard. 'Who were they? Why me? What do they want?!'
Then suddenly a loud clang of metal filled her ears and soon a door swung open above her.
Light spilled into the room, a single silhouette stood at the top of the stairs, gazing down at her.
A slightly deep, smooth voice echoed.
"Good evening, Ms. Swerver. I trust you had a pleasant trip."
Nicole squinted her eyes, trying to make out the face—but the light obscured it.
She gritted her teeth and shouted.
"Who are you?! What do you want?! Let me go!"
The person Laughed.
Dark. Cold.
"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Ms. Swerver." The voice was amused, almost mocking. "My client sees you as a nuisance in his life. And nothing would make him happier than making you disappear.....forever."
Nicole's blood turned ice-cold.
The person continued, voice dripping with malice.
"However… I have my own agenda. Before you say your final goodbyes to the world, I want to leave a little message for someone."
A slow chuckle.
"Then...I'll have the satisfaction of watching you drown. Slowly."
Nicole felt a deathly chill crawl down her spine.
Her throat tightened, her fists clenching.
Then suddenly bright lights flooded the room.
Nicole hissed, turning her face away as the sharp glow stabbed at her eyes.
After a moment, she forced herself to look around.
She was inside a massive steel tank, its towering walls slick with damp residue.
There was no way out.
The stairs leading to the door were lifted high, far beyond reach.
Then the sound of gears shifting filled the empty space. A low rumble vibrated through the walls. Soon after water rushed in—fast, pooling around her ankles, rising rapidly.
Nicole struggled, pulling against the restraints—only for them to tighten, the rough metal digging deeper into her skin.
A maniacal laugh echoed from above.
"It's no use, Ms. Swerver. No matter how much you struggle—you won't be free."
The voice held pure delight in her suffering.
"Instead of fighting—just relax. Welcome your death happily. After all… death is a happy place, don't you think?"
Nicole's rage boiled under her fear.
But then—the man chuckled lowly.
"I'm sure your dear sweet friend, Ms. Milton, would agree with me… no?"
The mention of Patricia made Nicole's eyes snap to the door.
She glared—hard. Searching, memorizing.
The person was finally visible.
A young man with blonde hair. A sleek black suit—but no shirt, just an open jacket, its buttons undone, exposing his bare chest.
Nicole's breath steadied.
"Who the hell are you?! What do you want with Patricia and me?!" she roared.
The man hissed, stepping back slightly at her volume.
Then—he scoffed. "Do you really think screaming will save you? Seriously—you should get real."
A slow exhale escaped from mouth, like he was bored of her struggling.
"Let's just say I'm helping a dear friend of mine deal with a little problem..... called your friend. You wouldn't be here if your friend wasn't so stubborn. She keeps pursuing things she shouldn't, my friend's client is worried she will start digging up secrets best left buried. And trust me—she's pissed off the wrong people."
His eyes gleamed with amusement.
"So why not do everyone a favor and cut the roots before the tree has a chance to sprout? That way—we all get a 'happy ending'."
Nicole clenched her jaw. "You crazy son of a bitch!"
The man ignored her, pulling out his phone.
He hit record—filming her as water rose past her waist, her struggles growing more frantic.
"You crazy son of a bitch! You'll never get away with this!!" Nicole screamed.
The man laughed, shaking his head.
"It's okay, Ms. Swerver. Scream all you want. It's not like you need to save your breath—you'll be dead soon anyway."
Then—he turned off the camera.
A smirk curved his lips.
"Sadly, my mission is complete. I won't get to enjoy watching you die after all."
He tucked his phone away, stepping back toward the doorway.
"Goodbye, Ms. Swerver. I hope we meet again in heaven… Ha! Ha! That is, if that's where you're headed."
A wicked grin played on his lips.
"But don't worry—for your sake, I'll still keep you company in hell. After all—that's what good friends do."
His laughter echoed as he turned away, disappearing into the hallway.
The door slammed shut.
Sealed.
"You crazy son of a bitch!!"
Nicole cursed, thrashing as water continued to rise.
Then— the gears whirred louder.
The pressure increased.
Water gushed in faster.
Nicole whimpered, her heart hammering.
She squeezed her eyes shut, lips trembling.
Then she whispered.
"Oh… I need a miracle."
...
Meanwhile…
"Hey man, got a cigarette?"
"Nah, but ask Richy. He always has one on him."
"Thanks, man."
Davis watched from the shadows as two guards chatted casually, stationed at the entrance to the dam site.
But these weren't ordinary security guards.
They carried machine guns—far too heavy-duty for standard personnel.
Davis's jaw clenched.
After the van skidded off into the distance, he had raced back to his car, driving like a maniac, following the tracker he had discreetly dropped into the vehicle.
The signal led him out of town, straight toward Roseville Lake's dam site.
Now—he parked at a distance, watching as the van disappeared through the gate.
He moved on foot, keeping low, studying the layout of the site.
A narrow road—one way in, one way out.
The dam loomed on the right, whilst the lake stretched on the left.
No other way around.
Unless he climbed the dam wall—which was impossible.
Davis exhaled sharply, knowing he had no choice but to wait—to watch—to strike when the opportunity came.
He quickly texted on his phone:
'S.O.S. Need immediate backup at Roseville Lake's dam site ASAP.'
Then—he turned off his phone.
His eyes flicked back to the guards.
One of them—the one asking for a cigarette—was heading inside to fetch it from the other guy they called Richy.
Davis waited.
Then—he moved.
Silent. Swift. Precise.
He snuck up behind the remaining guard—striking fast.
Giving him a sharp blow to the neck—the guard collapsed, unconscious before he could react.
Davis dragged the body into a nearby bush, stripping off his uniform and weapons, quickly disguising himself.
Then—he returned to the gate, standing at attention, blending in perfectly.
Just then— the roar of engines filled the air.
Davis turned, spotting a line of three cars—including the van—approaching the gate.
He opened it, standing rigidly, playing his role.
The first car passed.
Then—the second car stopped.
The back window rolled down.
A man with blonde hair, wearing shades, sat inside.
He sighed, speaking without looking up.
"Get the body of the girl out of the tank and ship it off to her friend. Do it discreetly."
Davis's blood boiled beside him.
The man paused, pondering.
Then—his lips curved slightly, as if entertained by a thought.
"Mmm… on second thought, that damn girl is very attractive. Could be useful."
Davis's fingers twitched against the rifle in his grip.
"It wouldn't be a bad idea to use her in our plans—to spread the poison. The Supreme Boss's evolution is already upon us… so having another pathogen inside the government's pants? Not a bad idea at all."
Davis's rage simmered dangerously.
"Take the girl out of the tank before she drowns. But—make sure to take a picture of her while she's unconscious. Send her to the lab as soon as you're done. And no mistakes—or you'll be dog food."
Then—the window rolled up, and the car drove away.
Davis smirked, watching the vehicles disappear into the distance.
Then—he whispered into a small radio.
"They're on the move. Get ready."
Without hesitation, he slipped inside the gate—and ran toward the dam site.
Davis arrived at the dam site, his breath ragged, muscles tense.
The place was swarming with goons, loading crates onto massive trucks.
The vehicles rumbled, each one heading toward an exit far from the dam, disappearing into the night.
Davis kept his head low, blending in.
He moved among the workers, pretending to help load crates, his sharp gaze darting from one building to the next.
But as he stepped inside, realization hit hard— 'Where the hell is the flooding tank?!'
That blonde psychopath had mentioned a tank—but which one?
Davis roamed, moving fast, opening doors to every flooding tank along the dam.
Empty.
Again. Empty.
Every second lost sent fresh panic clawing at his chest.
Nicole could be drowning right now.
Then— a thought struck him like lightning.
'Drowned. Drowned…! Damn it—I've been thinking all wrong!'
His eyes widened.
'I have to find the first flood tank—the one that starts filling up before the others!'
Frantically, Davis looked down the dam wall— and there it was.
1.2 km high on the dam wall, tucked into the structure—a massive steel flooding tank.
Water was already spilling from a drainage pipe beneath it.
It was almost full.
"Son of a bitch" Davis cursed, bolting toward the tunnel entrance like a wild beast.
He jumped over crates, shoved aside metal obstacles and ignored the goons' shouts.
He reached the door into the tank, skidding to a stop.
Water was already pouring out.
His heart thundered inside his chest.
Twisting the sealed door, he yanked hard—but the damn thing wouldn't budge.
"Come on, COME ON!!"
He braced, pulled harder—but the pressure from inside made the lock impossible to break manually.
Then— as he was about to give up hope, his eyes flicked to the wall and he saw a big red button.
His breath hitched.
As he realised the do could be opened automatically.
Without hesitation, he slammed his palm against it.
The door jerked open and water exploded outward, flooding the tunnel.
Davis was almost swept away, reeling back, barely gripping the door latch before the tunnel flooded around him.
His eyes darted inside—searching.
"NICOLE!! NICOLE!!"
No reply.
"NICOLE!! DAMN IT—ANSWER ME, HOOLIGAN!!"
The rushing water roared, pulling at him.
Then—a small, gasping voice reached his ears.
"Dave!! (Cough! Cough!) Dave!!"
Davis's stomach twisted in sheer relief as he heard the small voice answering.
"NICOLE!! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"DAVE!! (Cough! Cough!) I'M OVER HERE!!"
His gaze locked on her—she was clinging to a ladder, the torrents of water slamming against her.
Davis's chest tightened.
Nicole looked exhausted—her arms barely holding on.
But the fire in her glare was still there.
Still strong.
A smirk tugged at Davis's lips due to the relief of seeing his hooligan alive.
"WELL DON'T JUST SMILE THERE, YOU DAMN ROACH!! COME HELP ME!!"
Nicole's angry yell made Davis chuckle slightly despite the chaos.
"LET GO OF THE LADDER! THE WATER WILL PUSH YOU TOWARD THE DOOR—it's the only opening left! DON'T WORRY—I GOT YOU!"
Nicole shook her head slightly before releasing her grip.
Just as Davis had predicted, the water rushed her forward, pushing her toward the door.
"DON'T WORRY—I GOT YOU!!" he shouted, arms ready.
But then a blaring alarm screamed through the tank.
Flashing red lights exploded, illuminating the entire space.
Then—the water's direction shifted.
Suddenly, the current reversed.
Nicole's body jerked backward—violently.
Davis dived forward, grabbing the ropes around her wrists tightly, stopping her from being sucked back inside.
"AAAAH!! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" Nicole screamed.
"THE TANK IS FULL! AND ALSO FLOODING THE TUNNEL! THE AUTOMATIC HATCH HAS OPENED—IT'S FLUSHING THE WATER INTO THE LAKE!!"
Nicole's body was pullingagainst the ropes—trying to tear away from him.
Davis tightened his grip, planting his feet, gritting his teeth.
"HOLD ON!!"
The pressure surged, the water raging, threatening to flush them both out into the lake.
Davis held fast, his grip iron around the latch of the door.
Nicole's scream tore through the chaos.
"AAAH!! DAVIS!!"
She could feel the force pulling at her, trying to rip her away.
Davis locked eyes with her—intense, unwavering.
"DON'T WORRY!! I AM NOT LETTING YOU GO!!" His voice was fierce, cutting through the roaring flood.
Nicole's panic-stricken gaze met his.
"LOOK AT ME!! LOOK AT ME!!" His grip tightened, muscles burning.
"I AM NOT LETTING YOU GO. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? I PROMISE—WE ARE GETTING OUT OF HERE. YOU CAN TORTURE ME ALL YOU WANT AFTERWARDS. I WILL ALWAYS BE YOUR ROACH—UNTIL YOU'RE SATISFIED!"
He gritted his teeth, pulling harder.
"YOU CAN DUMP ALL YOUR FRUSTRATION AND FILTH ON ME WHEN WE GET OUT OF HERE—I SWEAR IT! BUT I AM NOT LEAVING YOU! UNDERSTAND?!"
Nicole stared into his eyes.
And in that moment—the world slowed.
Just for a fleeting second, it was only them—two souls caught in a deadly storm, holding onto each other.
Nicole felt something stir deep inside her, something she had never felt before.
Not even with her last boyfriend. Who was a jerk and a womanizer.
She had assumed Davis was just the same—a distraction, someone she wanted to be an eye around Isaac in case he turned out to be a traitor like Jonathan.
But now—he had come after her.
Rescued her.
Despite her being rough on him—despite her constant teasing and relentless banter—he was here.
If it had been any other man, he would've let her drown.
But Davis was holding on—refusing to let go.
Not because of duty.
Not because of orders.
Because he wanted to.
Because she mattered to him.
Nicole swallowed hard.
For the first time ever—she trusted him.
Without a shred of doubt clouding her resolve.
Davis felt the gravity pulling him down toward the whirlpool beneath them.
But when he saw that the water in the tunnel was finally gone—
He used every ounce of strength he had—pulling Nicole free.
She crashed onto the threshold of the door.
Davis released his grip, throwing himself out into the passageway with her.
Nicole landed on top of him, both panting hard, chests heaving.
For a long moment—they just breathed.
Letting the exhaustion settle, the relief sink in.
Then—Davis looked up, eyes searching hers.
"Are you okay?"
Nicole didn't answer.
She grabbed his face—and kissed him.
Davis froze.
His first time kissing his hooligan.
He had expected her lips to be rough.
But they were soft. Tender. Sweet.
He liked it.
Just as he was about to kiss her back—
Nicole pulled away, voice soft.
"Thank you... thank you so much for saving my life… my Sweet Roach."
She smiled.
Davis smirked, ready to say something—
But then, Nicole's eyes rolled back, her body went limp. She collapsed against him.
Davis's chest tightened.
"Damn it—Nicole!"
A deep sigh escaped him as he cursed under his breath.
Then— he felt something warm spread over his hand.
His stomach dropped.
Blood.
Nicole's left thigh had a deep gore, where blood was oozing relentlessly.
Davis snapped into action.
He ripped off his shirt, tearing it into strips, quickly tying them around the wound, securing the pressure.
Then—he lifted her onto his shoulder, moving fast, racing out of the tunnel.
As Davis opened the door, preparing to climb out—he felt a cold touch of metal pressed against his back.
He froze.
A low, rusted voice whispered.
"Drop the body—and nobody getshurt."
Davis sighed, shaking his head.
"You don't want to do this."
The goon chuckled.
"Oh, I definitely want to do this. Turn around—nice and slow."
Davis exhaled, his muscles tensing.
Slowly—he turned.
The goon holding the gun— was the same guard who had gone inside for a cigarette.
Guess he had gone back to look for his friend. Hell that was an expected setback.
The man's eyes flickered with rage.
His grip on the gun tightened.
"Now—drop the body. NOW."
Davis tilted his head slightly, voice calm.
"And what if I refuse? What exactly are you gonna do about it, huh?"
The goon snickered.
"Acting tough now, are we? How about I put some bullet holes in your body? Would that be more satisfying?"
Davis smirked.
"How about… you fall off the bridge instead? Because you're about to."
The goon blinked.
"Huh—? What?"
Before he could react—a firm kick from behind sent him flying toward Davis—who struck hard, by kicking him on the chest, launching him straight over the dam wall bridge.
The guard screamed, his body plummeting—until—he hit the safety net below, dangling helplessly.
His gun however splashed into the water rendering him useless.
Davis smirked, watching the goon struggle to maintain his balance on the net.
Then—he turned, grinning.
"I would've preferred he fell to his 3km death splash—but I guess you couldn't catch the other ones, huh? Captain."
Standing there was Isaac.
Clad in black leather, golden brown hair gleaming under the bridge's yellow lights.
His blue eyes glowed subtly beneath the moonlight.
Isaac crossed his arms, smirking.
Davis chuckled.
Isaac exhaled. "The slippery snakes slithered away before we could catch them. But—at least we caught one rat, and we got our hands on their loot and also busted their hideout."
His gaze flickered, eyeing Davis—half-naked, Nicole unconscious on his shoulder.
Isaac grinned. "Looks like I missed all the action."
Davis smirked. "Pretty much."
Isaac laughed.
"Come on. Let's get out of here. My little Sweeches must be worried sick.And the two of you are gonna pay for ruining my date."
The two chuckled, as sirens blared in the distance—police officers storming the dam site.