The university trembled beneath them.
For a split second, everything seemed to pause - the deafening gunfire, the screams echoing in the halls, and the alarms blaring like a warning of impending doom. Then, it all came rushing back: the smoke, the chaos, the destruction. The fire that had consumed the lower floors had set the entire building on edge. But Lena didn't feel the panic. She didn't feel fear. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart as she moved through the darkened halls, Mikael at her side.
Their mission was simple: eliminate the last obstacle between them and freedom.
And that obstacle lay ahead - Theo.
Mikael eyed the door to the surgical wing warily, his gun ready, but Lena barely noticed. Her mind was focused entirely on the task at hand. There was no room for hesitation, no room for doubt. She had come too far.
"It's now or never," she said, her voice cold.
"Are you sure about this?" Mikael asked, glancing at her.
Lena didn't answer. She pushed the door open with a swift motion, the hinges groaning in protest. The surgical theater was dimly lit, the sterile scent of antiseptic still heavy in the air, despite the surrounding destruction. At the center of the room, the body of their father's former associate lay unmoving on the operating table. Bloodstains marred the once-pristine white sheets, a testament to what had transpired.
Lena's fingers brushed the scalpel at her waist, her eyes scanning the room. She wasn't here for revenge, not anymore. This was something deeper.
Mikael spoke again, his voice low. "You know what this means, right? There's no going back after this."
Lena paused, her gaze fixed on the figure in front of her. "I've already gone too far. There's nothing left for me."
Just then, Theo's voice echoed from the doorway, breaking the silence.
"Did you really think you could escape this?" Theo's tone was calm, but his eyes burned with an unsettling intensity. "Did you think I wouldn't see it coming?"
Lena froze. The voice she had once known so well, the one she had trusted, now filled her with disgust. There was no trace of the brother she had once loved. Only the man who had shaped her into the killer she had become.
"You don't need to do this," Theo continued, stepping forward. "You've already won."
Lena met his gaze with a piercing look. "You think I'm going to stop now? After everything you've done? After everything we've been through?"
Mikael stepped back, his eyes flicking between them, sensing the inevitable confrontation.
Theo took a slow breath, his voice lowering. "Lena, this isn't you. It's not who you were meant to be."
"I'm exactly who I was meant to be," Lena replied, her words cold and final. "You taught me well."
Before Theo could react, Lena lunged forward, her hand outstretched, grabbing the scalpel from her waist. The air was thick with tension as she faced him. A flicker of regret flashed across his eyes, but it was too late.
Theo lunged toward her, and a struggle erupted between them. The fight was brutal, each move more desperate than the last. Lena's heart raced as she fought to maintain control. She was faster, but Theo's strength was overwhelming.
With one final twist, Lena broke free, pushing him away. She grabbed the scalpel and, without hesitation, drove it deep into his side.
Theo gasped, his body collapsing to the floor, blood pouring from the wound. His hand reached weakly toward her, but it was no use.
"I've won," Lena whispered, her voice barely a whisper.
Theo's breath became shallow as he whispered back, "You were always... always... my sister."
And then, silence.
---
Elsewhere, in the wreckage...
Dr. Park had triggered the detonators, setting off the final explosion. The building shook violently, debris falling from the ceiling, and dust filled the air. But Lena barely noticed. She stood over her brother's lifeless body, her face unreadable.
Mikael appeared at her side, his eyes dark. "It's over."
Lena nodded, but the words felt hollow. Was it really over? Had she achieved everything she wanted? She looked down at Theo, the brother she once adored, now reduced to nothing but a memory. She had taken the final step. But at what cost?
Outside, the chaos continued. The sounds of sirens, of screams, of the desperate attempts to restore order filled the night. But none of it mattered now.
Lena turned away from the operating table and walked toward the door, the weight of the decision settling over her like a heavy cloak. The mission was complete, but the price of it had been higher than she had ever anticipated.
As she stepped out into the night, the world seemed to hold its breath.
But Lena was no longer the girl who had once been afraid of the dark. She had become something else - something she couldn't escape.