Do you believe in immortality? No?
I didn't believe in it either. Not until it happened to me.
My name is Silvia Johnson. I grew up in a military family where discipline was our mother tongue. My father was a General, my mother a Major, and my older brother a military doctor. I was immensely proud of them and spent my entire life striving to walk in their footsteps.
I became a black-ops agent, handling the secret missions no one else could touch. I had no equal. Whether it was sharpshooting or hand-to-hand combat, I pushed myself until I was superior to everyone around me. Though my parents initially opposed my career choice, I eventually became the person they were most proud of.
Then, the most dangerous mission of my life appeared.
"Silvia, you can't go! This is suicide!" my father shouted, his General's composure cracking.
"No, Dad, I can do this. You have to believe in me!"
"And if something happens to you? I can't lose my daughter to this war."
"I will complete the objective and I will come home. Just tell me what I have to do."
For the past two years, an operative known only as Dragon-K5 had been a plague upon our country. He was an international arms dealer, and despite his crimes, the world turned a blind eye. Now, intelligence suggested he was developing a new type of weapon—or rather, he was planning a heist to steal the components for one.
Since my father was the General in charge, the burden of stopping him fell on his shoulders. As both his daughter and his best agent, I took the lead.
"If you insist..." he sighed, looking at me with weary eyes. "You will go undercover as a new recruit in his organization. Your primary goal is to gain their trust and feed us intelligence the moment you get it. Do you understand?"
"Understood."
"When you arrive in the city, high-ranking military assets will meet you to facilitate your entry. Silvia..." He paused, his voice softening. "I'm proud of you. But you must come back."
"I will, Dad. I promise."
That was the last time I saw my father. The last time I saw my family.
—BANG—
The sharp, deafening crack of a gunshot was the last thing I heard that night.
Is this it? Is this the end? Darkness pressed in on me. Panic flared in my mind. I haven't done enough. I don't want it to end like this! I'm still so young... What about my future? No, no, no! I won't let it end!
My eyelids felt like lead. I fought to stay conscious, fought to keep my soul anchored to my body. I have to live! I have to finish the mission and go home!
With my last breath, a cold, vengeful thought solidified: If I die, I will find a way back. I will avenge myself.
Where am I?
Didn't I die?
My head throbbed with a rhythmic, stabbing pain. Who are these people? Why is everything so loud? They shot me in the chest... I didn't hit my head!
I groaned, forced my eyes open, and stumbled toward a silver surface on the wall.
I froze.
The reflection in the mirror stared back at me with wide, unfamiliar eyes.
"Who... who is this?" I whispered.
The girl in the glass moved her lips when I did, but she wasn't Silvia Johnson.
~ to be continued