Silence filled the apartment like a loaded gun.
Dominic and Virginia stood face to face, the police badge resting on the table between them like a dead third party. The neon lights outside flickered through the window, painting their faces in shifting blues and reds—cop and criminal, husband and wife, enemies by command.
Virginia broke the silence first.
"So," she said, voice calm but sharp, "how long have you been lying to me?"
Dominic rubbed his face slowly. "Since the day I met you."
She scoffed. "At least you're honest now."
"Virginia—"
She raised a finger. "Don't say my name like that. You lost the right."
Dominic swallowed. "I didn't choose this."
She laughed again, darker this time. "None of us do. That's Vito's favorite joke."
The name hung in the air like poison.
FLASHBACK — YEARS AGO
Rain. A different city. A different lie.
Dominic remembered the briefing room, the captain's tired eyes.
"Genovese is a ghost," the captain had said. "We can't touch him unless someone gets close. Really close."
Dominic had volunteered without hesitation.
Undercover. Long-term. No extraction date.
Back then, he hadn't known that "really close" would mean marriage, shared dreams, shared breakfasts, shared blood.
BACK TO THE APARTMENT
"You were supposed to arrest people like me," Virginia said quietly. "Not sleep next to me."
"I never planned to fall in love," Dominic replied.
"That makes it worse."
Virginia turned away, gripping the counter.
"I've killed for him," she said. "I've burned cities for him. And now he wants me to kill my own husband."
Dominic stepped closer. "We don't have to follow his orders."
She spun, eyes blazing. "You think it's that easy? You're a cop. You disappear, they protect you. Me?"
She tapped her chest.
"I'm already dead."
Dominic clenched his fists. "Not if we expose him."
Virginia shook her head. "You don't understand Vito."
"Oh, I do," Dominic said quietly. "He's using us. Pitting us against each other. And he's watching."
Virginia stiffened.
"…Watching?"
Dominic glanced toward the corner of the room.
Virginia followed his gaze.
A faint red dot blinked once—then vanished.
They both cursed at the same time.
VITO'S LAUGHTER — ELSEWHERE
Vito Genovese leaned back in his chair, genuinely amused.
"They're smarter than I thought," he said, clapping slowly. "Good. This will be fun."
An assistant hesitated. "Boss… what if they team up?"
Vito smiled. "Then I'll remind them who owns their past."
He tapped a button.
Files opened.
Kill lists. Old crimes. Blood trails.
Insurance.
THE DEAL
Back in the apartment, Dominic paced.
"We have two options," he said. "Run. Or fight."
Virginia loaded her pistol with a smooth click.
"I don't run."
Dominic nodded. "Neither do I."
She looked at him carefully. "If we do this together… no more lies."
He met her eyes. "No more."
She hesitated, then extended her hand.
He took it.
For the first time since their wedding day, it felt like a real alliance.
MISSION INTERRUPTED
Both their phones buzzed simultaneously.
They exchanged a look.
Virginia checked hers first.
MISSION UPDATE — PRIORITY REDTARGET: DOMINICLOCATION: HONG KONGSTATUS: TERMINATE ON SIGHT
Dominic read his.
MISSION UPDATE — PRIORITY REDTARGET: VIRGINIA HILLLOCATION: HONG KONGSTATUS: USE ALL FORCE
Virginia smiled bitterly. "Romantic."
Dominic smirked despite himself. "Couples therapy would've been cheaper."
Gunfire exploded outside.
Windows shattered.
Virginia grabbed Dominic and dragged him down as bullets tore through the room.
"Guests!" she shouted.
ASSAULT
Men in black tactical gear flooded the hallway—Vito's private soldiers.
Virginia flipped a table for cover, firing controlled bursts.
Dominic moved beside her, precision shots dropping enemies one by one.
They fought like they had trained together for years.
Because they had.
"You always reload too early," Virginia shouted.
"You always rush!" Dominic shot back.
She grinned mid-fight. "That's why we work."
A grenade rolled across the floor.
Dominic kicked it back through the doorway.
Explosion.
Smoke.
Screams.
Silence.
ESCAPE
They ran through back alleys, sirens screaming behind them.
Virginia stole a motorcycle.
Dominic jumped on despite his injured leg.
"You okay?" she shouted over the engine.
"I'll complain later!"
They vanished into traffic, neon streaking past like a warped anime montage.
SAFEHOUSE — MIDNIGHT
They collapsed inside an abandoned arcade, old machines flickering weakly.
Virginia patched Dominic's leg again—more carefully this time.
"You should've told me," she said softly.
"I was afraid," he admitted.
She snorted. "Next time, try honesty. It's less painful."
He smiled.
They shared a quiet moment.
Then Dominic spoke.
"We need the AI card."
Virginia nodded. "Vito has it."
"And if we get it?" he asked.
She looked at him, eyes fierce.
"We burn his empire."
FINAL SHOT
High above the city, Vito watched their escape route on multiple screens.
He wasn't angry.
He was thrilled.
"Run," he whispered. "Fight. Love."
He leaned forward.
"In the end… one of you will still pull the trigger."
The screens went dark.
The game had entered its most dangerous phase.