Mero froze for a moment, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.
The woman in front of him looked nothing like his mother. Why was she chasing them? He wasn't exactly the kind who could be mistaken for a woman. Could it be some kind of fate, where the chosen ones are drawn together across genders?
Originally planning to lead Rebecca to safety, Mero abandoned the idea of running.
He kicked the stone coffin in front of him, sending it hurtling toward Lisa. In response, Lisa swung her hand, shattering the massive coffin into pieces. Inside the wreckage lay a disordered pile of bleached bones.
For a moment, Lisa froze. She picked up one of the skulls that had flown out and held it tightly against her chest. The skull was unrecognizable, yet she stared at it at the edge of the platform, motionless.
A cold wind seeped through the cracks of the altar. The coffin lay open, containing only a yellowed female skeleton resting quietly on decayed fabric.
Lisa trembled as she stood in front of it. She no longer roared or raged. The twisted, deformed eyes that once seemed monstrous now held only the blank, almost childlike expression of a lost soul.
She slowly extended a bloodied hand and gently cradled the skull.
There was no tearing, no brute force. Her movements were careful, as if afraid of breaking something fragile.
"Mom… Mom…"
The broken, hoarse syllables rolled out of her throat. Decades of experiments, pain, madness, and desperate searching all collapsed in that instant.
Lisa pressed her face to the cold bone, seeking warmth that had long vanished. Tears mixed with blood streaked down her disfigured face.
Mero stood a few steps away, gun lowered, silent.
This was no longer a monster. This was a child who had finally found her mother.
Lisa slowly turned, walking toward the edge of the altar.
Below, a bottomless, pitch-black abyss swallowed all light. Wind roared up from the depths, tossing her filthy hair. She did not look at Mero once. Her eyes focused only on the skull in her arms.
Step.
Another step.
Cradling her mother's skull, she leapt.
No screams, no struggle. Only the rush of wind, then silence.
Jill approached the edge and peered into the darkness. Only emptiness remained.
Had the girl, tortured all her life, finally found peace?
"Was that her mother's body?" Jill hesitated, then asked quietly, "Is this what a child's love for her mother looks like?"
It was simpler than expected.
Mero glanced once, remained silent for a moment, then signaled: "Let's go."
"Mr. Mero! Wait for me!"
Rebecca, leaning over the edge, scrambled upright to follow, then paused as if remembering something.
"Jill…"
"Does he have money?"
Jill inhaled deeply, forcing herself to calm down. "Rebecca, who is he?"
"Mr. Mero is a special agent of the National Security Council!" Rebecca said excitedly, then slapped a hand over her mouth. She had almost revealed his identity.
Mero did not lie, argue, or correct her. Outside, identity was whatever he chose it to be. It was more useful than his real name.
Jill's eyes widened, but her caution did not lessen.
"Alright, Rebecca," Mero nodded deliberately, glancing casually at Jill.
"You can tell at a glance he hasn't saved up ten thousand. Not much to talk about."
Jill's expression stayed unchanged.
"He probably spends most of his time training or on missions. Besides necessary socializing with friends, he stays at home."
Jill's eyes twitched.
"He doesn't plan financially. After paying rent and utilities each month, there's barely anything left to save."
Jill's jaw tightened. Could this guy have surveilled my home?
Now Jill fully believed Mero was a special agent. Before, she had doubted Rebecca's description, but now there was no question.
Even small details of everyday life can go unnoticed by teammates.
"Enough, I believe you," Jill exhaled, exhausted. "So, what were you saying about money?"
"Haven't you realized? Rebecca is standing in front of you, completely unharmed."
Mero began to doubt the observational skills of these elite officers.
"So?"
"You've seen Mr. Mero's abilities. I pay him money, and he agrees to protect me." Rebecca sounded like a salesperson.
Jill was surprised. "You came to a place like this… just for money?"
She expected ideals or beliefs, something noble. Who would think money could buy survival?
Mero shook his head. "Money is secondary. The main goal is completing the mission. Of course, the employer will pay me after it's done."
"And of course, I will complete the mission. Seeing Rebecca safe, I will make sure she gets home too."
His words made Jill rethink him. Harsh as he was, he was responsible and committed. After witnessing Mero's earlier actions, she felt drawn to him as a capable partner.
Still, she pressed no further.
"So you protected Rebecca just now?"
"It's what I'm supposed to do." Mero smiled.
"Even if it costs your life? What use is money if you die?"
Jill could not comprehend why this agent seemed so focused on money.
"Money is just a worldly thing. Even if I don't use it, someone else will. But since I promised to protect her, risking my life to keep that promise is the right thing to do."
Mero heard laughter faintly through his earpiece. Ada would think he left her an inheritance? That would only lower a client's mental guard. How could even his allies trust him?
Jill and Rebecca stared, their eyes shifting as they processed his words. Jill finally said, "We can cooperate. I'm trained in Delta Force."
Mero shook his head. "That's irresponsible. You may be special forces, but you can't handle someone like Lisa alone."
"Besides, I have Rebecca to protect. If I can keep her safe, even if I die, it doesn't matter. That's my resolve."
The firm voice struck like thunder, shaking both Jill and Rebecca to the core.
Ten thousand dollars… enough to buy a life?
Not enough.
Was this about money?
No. He wasn't even earning it for himself.
He just didn't know how to express it, not even to himself. He was a good man.
In this cursed place, Jill felt a rare kinship standing beside Mero. Rebecca, too, seemed to forget she even owed money, her gaze lingering on him with a faint sparkle.