Against the Countdown

I pulled on my bomb suit and sprinted into the building.

I had no blueprints, no contingency plan.

However, I had memories from my last life.

I bypassed the faulty wiring Gilbert had set up and ignored the deadly traps blinking red all around me.

I went straight to the core server room.

Liquid nitrogen was injected, and white mist filled the air. The piercing alarms cut off abruptly.

The secondary detonation sequence was successfully frozen.

I took off my helmet. Cold sweat mixed with the lingering fog, blurring my vision. My legs gave out, and I slumped against the wall, barely staying conscious.

When I walked out of the building, cheers erupted outside, the sound of people surviving a disaster.

My coworkers rushed over, hands everywhere as they held me up, voices full of gratitude and lingering fear.

"Edmond! You're a damn miracle!"

"I knew it! As long as Edmond steps in, nothing's impossible."

Invitations to celebration dinners poured in one after another.

I turned every single one down. I just wanted to go home.

The moment I pulled open my car door, a sharp pain struck the back of my neck. A hand clamped over my mouth and yanked me backward.

My struggle was crushed instantly as I was dragged into a dark storage room.

Bang!

The door slammed shut and locked.

I was tied to an ice-cold chair, completely unable to move. Above me, an old light bulb flickered weakly.

In the shifting shadows, a familiar outline slowly came into focus.

Jasmine. My wife.

She crouched in front of me, her fingers gently brushing through my hair. Her voice was softer than I had ever heard.

"Don't move. The rope will cut into you."

That voice slithered over my skin like a snake's tongue, making my stomach churn.

She stared at me, something unhinged burning in her eyes.

"You ruined Gil. Do you know that?"

Her voice was light, but it slammed into my chest like a hammer.

"In the report, he's listed as the primary offender. Ed, his life is over."

I looked at her, a chill creeping into my bones. "He brought it on himself."

She shook her head and sighed, as if I was being unreasonable.

"No. I can save him."

She stood and picked up a steel pipe from the corner, thick as my arm.

"As long as you can't disarm bombs anymore, they'll have no choice but to reinstate Gil. Help him. One last time. Don't worry. Once it's done, Gil and I will take good care of you."

My blood froze. Cold shot from my feet straight up to my scalp.

I watched in horror as she stepped closer, my eyes fixed on the pipe in her hands.

"Jasmine, have you lost your mind? What the hell are you doing? My hands are for defusing bombs, not for clearing the path for your precious trainee's future!"

A flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes, but the way she raised the pipe never wavered.

"I'll take care of you for the rest of your life."

Those were the last words I heard.

The pipe came down with a violent rush of air.

Crack!

I heard the sound of my right wrist shattering.

Pain swallowed me whole in an instant. Darkness crowded my vision, and I nearly blacked out.

Jasmine tossed the pipe aside and crouched down. With a towel she found somewhere, she carefully wrapped my crushed hand. Her movements were gentle, as if she were handling a priceless artifact.

She leaned close to my ear, warm breath brushing my neck as she whispered, "You'll have to stay here for one night. Once the investigation's over, I'll take you away. I can't let Gil's reputation be stained. Not even a bit."

After that, she stood up and walked out without looking back.

Click!

The light went out.

The room sank into complete darkness and silence.

-

Violent shaking jolted me awake.

The pain in my wrist flared as it was tugged, and I let out a muffled groan. Cold sweat soaked my back instantly.

It was Jasmine!

She grabbed my shoulders, her eyes split wide and bloodshot, like a rabid animal.

"Edmond! The server's core cooling system is down!"