Slowly opening her eyes, the overhead light and swirl design across the ceiling, sent pain radiating through her head. Quickly she closed her eyes again, before tentatively opening them, happy that the pain had subsided. Velásquez had no idea where she was, but one thing she was certain of, was that her throat was as dry as the Sahara Desert.

  An audible crunch came from beside her, alerting her to the presence of another person and shocking her. Forcing herself to sit up, she looked across and saw a woman sat beside her bed. Dressed in casual clothes and even wearing slippers, her long black hair flowed down her back, completing the appearance of a lady leisurely relaxing at home.

  After taking a bite of the green apple in her hand, she swallowed the morsel and smiled at Velásquez, before indicating a jug of water and an empty glass on the table beside the bed. Immediately Velásquez poured herself some water and quenched her dry throat, her swallowing becoming less painful with every subsequent one.

  "I...I recognise you....Are you the undercover agent from the CGI?...Where am I?"

  Not being in a hurry to answer, the woman casually took another bite of her apple before answering.

  "Indeed I am, and you are currently at my home recuperating.....My name is Nüying. I brought you here after the raid, but do not worry, your District is aware of your whereabouts"

  Velásquez nodded her understanding, and as a greeting.

  "My name is Isabella Velásquez, but I prefer to go by my surname....Why did you bring me here, and not have me taken to a hospital?"

  Nüying took hold of a handheld golden bell, that was sat on the small table beside her. Her dainty fingers gently rang the bell, yet no audible noise was made. Placing the bell back, she then replied.

  "Because you are now mine Velásquez....That is probably not a good way of wording it, after being betrayed, it was obvious that you were not corrupt, and so you are trustworthy....So I recruited you to be part of my unit.....There is also another reason, but you have not realised it yet....You were extremely injured, and a normal hospital would not of been able to save you"

  Velásquez's memory of the night of the raid was foggy, she had completely forgotten about the haggard state she had ended up in, at the hands of the traitor. Before she could think about it any harder, another woman entered the room. Wearing a black cheongsam, her raven hair was bound tightly into a bun on either side of her head, and in her hands was a full length mirror.

  Showing no emotion on her face, the woman stood in front of Velasquez, holding the long mirror for her to view herself. Velásquez's eyes went wide when she gazed at the mirror and saw her reflection. She was gaunt and had lost weight, her collarbone and cheekbones being now prominent. Even so she had lost weight, it had not detracted from her beauty, only giving her a more elegant appearance.

  This was not what caused such a shocked reaction for Velásquez though. Looking at her right arm, she had not noticed it before, or indeed felt it, but it was not her arm. Through the mirror, she could see a perfect scar around the top of her arm, with a high tech synthetic arm attached at the scar. Moving her arm around, she opened and closed her hand, manipulated her fingers, and was amazed that it felt just like her original arm.

  Velásquez had been in pure silence since she gazed in the mirror, surprised at the loss of her arm. Coming to her senses, she looked at Nüying and spoke, her voice relatively calm given the circumstance.

  "My arm was amputated, the damage was too severe? I've never seen a synthetic limb this advanced before"

  The maid left the room, taking the mirror away with her, before returning with a set of fresh clothes, and placing them at the foot of the bed. Nüying smiled warmly and replied.

  "Your arm had been perforated several times, as well as a necrotizing substance rendering your arm unsalvageable....My family is a leading power in the medical field, that model is not on the market yet...Think of it as an investment on my woman...Now get dressed and meet me outside"

  Nüying and her maid left the room, leaving Velásquez to her own thoughts. Mumbling to herself, she slid her legs out of the bed and slipped the hospital gown off.

  "I thought my mind would be in more turmoil after losing an arm...Maybe it hasn't sunk in yet?...What did she mean, I'm her woman?"

  As she said those words, she felt her cheeks flush slightly, a thought appearing, one she hoped was true.

  A few minutes later, Velásquez had dressed herself and managed to find Nüying waiting for her in the garden. With the mid day sun overhead, the noise of bird song radiated around the large garden. The garden they were in was only a small portion of the mansions grounds, with the house Velásquez was recuperating in, being only a relatively small guest house.

  Walking behind the pair, the expressionless maid shadowed them, hardly giving off any presence at all in her duties.

  "Nüying, so you want me to be part of the special team you've created? Working for the CGI? I get that much now, and the reasons why you want me, but what's the aim of the team?"

  Nüying smiled as if that was the question she had been waiting for. Reaching out a hand, she plucked a vibrant white rose and inhaled its scent, before replying.

  "Have you heard of the Goliath Cult? Also known as a Dark Guild? They are the ones responsible for issuing orders to many criminal enterprises across the Districts, as well as being the ones who supply them with monsters.....As to their ultimate goal, that would be the extinction of the Human race, even so they're Humans themselves....Comical isn't it?"

  Before Velásquez could say anything, Nüying glanced behind her and said the maids name.

  "Zi Xuan"

  Appearing out of nowhere, the maid held an electronic tablet and began to bring up several files. Zi Xuan handed the tablet over to Velásquez, with a slight bow, her face not moving in the slightest.

  Looking over the files on the tablet, Velásquez saw several police reports on criminal activities, as well as politicians who are suspected of corruption, and being under Goliath's thumb. A loose history of the cult was also compiled, unfortunately it was made from several sources, with a lot relying on hearsay and unsubstantiated rumours.

  Two things became extremely clear from the files, the first being that Goliath had the reach and power to carry out their most fervent wish. With the second being that they are extremely competent at handling information, and carrying out the eradication of any information pertaining to themselves. Velásquez had never even heard of them until Nüying told her.

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  The cult was a mystery.

  Velásquez could see just how much of a serious threat the cult was, and the most disturbing part was that they were mostly unknown. An evil group of people that were working behind the scenes, with the public not even aware that their lives were on the precipice, with only a small group trying to stop them.

  "I agree, I'll be part of your team....But, there's something I need to do first"

  Expecting this point to be brought up, Nüying was surprised it was not spoken earlier. With a sly smile on her face, she replied.

  "Officer Carmichael is already dead. His clothes, equipment and firearm were found in a pile discarded. It was covered in his own blood and brain matter, as well as chunks of multiple organs...It appears he was eaten"

  Velásquez's eyes went wide, that was not information she was expecting, and the revelation hit harder than learning about Goliath. A mixture of emotions swamped her mind, joy at his death, regret she was not the one to kill him, and anger for the betrayal.

  "Are you sure he's dead, with no body found? Who, I mean what did it?"

  While they had been walking and talking, they arrived at the entrance to a large building. A solid metal door barred their entry, with a handprint scanner embedded within the wall. Nüying placed her delicate hand lightly on the panel, and a red glow illuminated it, before turning green. With a click the door unlocked, and Nüying opened it as she replied.

  "I'm positive...It was Goliath that killed him, they would have had no need for an undercover agent who had blown his cover. They are very adept at severing loose ends....As for what ate him, a large monster who enjoys the taste of Humans apparently. Goliath smuggles monsters, so them having numerous to use for such thing is a known"

  The shock that Velásquez was feeling, and the mixture of emotions within her mind, where now blown away and replaced with happiness. The more she thought about it, the more the image of a monster eating him alive filled her with joy.

  Those images within her mind were dashed away, and she was brought back to reality by the sight in front of her. The large room was similar to a schools gymnasium, only this one had thick reinforced concrete walls, lined with special ballistic metal, developed by the Central Government.

  Instead of gym equipment lining the far wall, a plethora of weapons were there in its stead. A rack for melee weapons, with knives, swords, spears, hammers, whips, and several exotic ones she had not seen before. The rack beside them was filled with firearms, from pistols to heavy machine guns. All of the firearms she had used in training, with herself being very proud of her proficiency with pistols.

  Without even realising, Velásquez had entered the room of her own volition, her instincts guiding her. With an electronic buzz and a click, the door locked behind them, sealing the three inside the metal container of a room.

  Zi Xuan silently made her way towards the weapons rack, while Nüying asked a question.

  "What weapon are you most capable with, sword, spears?....."

  Velásquez understood the situation, and looked a little sheepish on hearing the question. With her fingers fidgeting at her sides, she replied.

  "I haven't trained with melee weapons, they never taught us at the academy, as we don't go in Dungeons...I'm more than capable with firearms though, especially pistols"

  While they were talking, Zi Xuan had gone and retrieved two blunt training knives from the weapons rack, and was expertly manipulating them with the same deadpan expression on her face. Nüying nodded her understanding, and spoke again.

  "Your file said you trained with swords throughout your school years. So at least you won't be starting from nothing with regards to that....Go and retrieve a pistol and spar with Zi Xuan. Don't worry, the firearms are loaded with rubber bullets"

  Velásquez gave a slight hum to convey her agreement, and then went to inspect the pistols.

  How did she even know that I trained in swords though? Not even the police were aware of it, I never told anyone because I gave up on trying to become an Adventurer....She must of really done her research on me while I was unconscious.....The maids going to fight me with knives. In a close quarters fight, a knife is more suitable against a firearm, but this is a large open space, and our start points are at either end.....They're really underestimating me aren't they?

  After she finished her conversation with herself, Velásquez selected a pistol and took a position within a small red circle at the end of the room. Zi Xuan on the other hand, was positioned in an identical circle at the opposing end, armed only with her two knives.

  Velásquez gripped her pistol firmly with both hands, her new artificial hand feeling natural. She had two spare magazines wedged within her belt. Her eyes focused on her opponent, the maid Zi Xuan was crouched low, her stance indicative of a sprinters. With her knives held backhand, her gaze was sharp and her killing intent was sharper, even so it was only a mock battle.

  Nüying whistled loudly, with that piercing noise signalling the start of the battle.

  Velásquez instantly squeezed the trigger several times, her bullets flying through the air with pin point accuracy, even at such a long rage. What should have been impossible to avoid, bullets travelling faster than the speed of sound, were all deftly avoided.

  Zi Xuan sprinted forwards, her body shifting slightly to avoid the bullets, with only the minimalist of movements. Her eyes were firmly fixed on the weapon in her opponents hands, with her reading the bullets trajectory from the direction of the muzzle, and then moving to avoid the moment she saw the trigger squeezed.

  Zi Xuan's unnatural vision, paired with her inhuman reflexes, and a wealth of experience, resulted in her avoiding every bullet shot at her, including one of the spare magazines. In less than 4 seconds, she had closed the distance, and struck with her knives. Even so the edges were blunt, the speed and precision of the blows were brutally felt by Velásquez.

  In the length of time it tuck for Velásquez to regret ever walking into that room, Zi Xuan had struck her wrists, elbow joints, achilles tendons, inner thighs, abdomen and throat. The multitude of strikes were all felt at the same time, with the force sending her crashing to the floor and unable to move, with even the act of breathing being a struggle. One thing she did find out from the exchange though, was that her artificial arm took no damage, and was not impeded at all, something she could utilise in the future.

  Staring up at the ceiling, she was amazed at how many things had shocked her since she regained consciousness. She truly felt like a frog at the bottom of a well, and Nüying was the beauty offering her a lifeline to climb out. With that thought in her mind, Nüying's actual face appeared in front of her, with a pleasant smile on her face.

  "That was better than I expected, I didn't think you would get through one magazine, let alone two, and your shots were accurate....Good work Velásquez"

  Before Velásquez could relish in the compliment she had been given, she heard several loud metallic noises that resembled locks engaging. Accompanying these peculiar noises, she felt a crushing weight on her arms and legs.

  Attempting to sit up, she could only perform a half sit, with her arms and legs still flat on the floor. That was when she realised what the cause was, large metal shackles had been placed on her wrists and ankles, the sheer weight of them making it hard to move.

  "You've got to be shitting me Nüying!?"

  Nüying leaned forwards and planted a light kiss on Velásquez's forehead, before turning to leave and replying.

  "You catch on quick. You will be living in here for a month, you will not leave for any purpose. Zi Xuan will be your training partner....By the time a month is up, I will come and check on your progress, make sure you're on equal footing with Zi Xuan, with at least one melee weapon...If you manage to do it with multiple, then I'll give you a present!....Oh and Zi Xuan, don't scar her face, and don't kill her either, she's too pretty to be a corpse"

  Velásquez accepted her fate, with a thud her head hit the floor. From the far end of the room, she heard the tell tale noise of the door opening and closing, with the lock engaging. While trying her utmost to lift her limbs up from the floor, she heard Zi Xuan's voice for the first time. Her tone lacking emotion the same as her face, but yet her voice sounded extremely cute, to the point it would make a man's heart melt, just from her talking about the weather.

  "You have 20 seconds to get back in position, then we will start again...Begin"

  Outside of the locked room, it was all quiet, with only the sound of nature filling the air. The pain and anguish being elicited from within the room, was completely subdued by the soundproofing. Nüying walked away, with her hands behind her back and a spring in her step.

  "It really is a beautiful day".