Season-1: Echoes From Abyss
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"What?"
"I forgot to tell you—around 9 p.m. last night we got the news. On his way back from the party, he met with an accident. The body was found completely burned. His car caught fire."
He pretended to be shocked and concerned. But Rex could clearly sense the unease beneath it. Rex spoke again,
"Really. I thought I saw him."
"You're mistaken. It's 5 a.m. now. Check the news."
Lewis asked the café waiter to turn on the television.
A brief obituary bulletin.
Renowned biologist Dr. Barnes Frederick met with a fatal accident last night while returning home from an event. His car collided with an uncontrollably driven truck, killing Dr. Barnes on the spot.
The Prime Minister has expressed condolences.
Security forces are searching for the truck.
Stay tuned for further updates.
"Then tell me—how does a man who died yesterday kidnap you?"
Rex wasn't listening. Who exactly was Barnes? And why did he stage all of this?
He brushed Lewis off.
"I don't know. I must've seen wrong. I thought I saw someone dressed like him."
"Then why are you so suspicious of people all the time?"
"Sorry. Where's Sherry?"
"She's under Dr. Mahasin's observation. She was badly shaken, so they put her on rest. Want to see her?"
"No," Rex replied flatly.
"Why?"
"No reason. When is the blast in the Ashvale area?"
"Around seven, probably. Forces 054 and 066 are assigned, along with the American army. This might get quietly buried too."
(Just like your past was.)
Rex's neurons whispered the reminder.
"Alright. Please send Sherry with Naomi. She'll arrive here shortly with the driver."
"Okay. I've got some work on Phuket Island too—possible proof of gold smuggling. But where are you going?"
"Nowhere. Listen, can you manage my visa? The previous one expired. We need to leave for Turkey tomorrow. Aran and his sister Mahao will come with us. You might come too."
"When did all this get fixed?"
"Ask your father. You'll understand."
Without another word, Rex finished his coffee and stood up. Lewis, hesitant, headed toward Commander Jacob's cabin.
Rex pulled out his black Mercedes and drove onto the main road. Dawn had broken over Bangkok's sky. Shops of every kind lined the streets, people everywhere—this was a crowded city.
He dialed Aran's number. It was picked up within two seconds.
"Well, what a surprise. Which direction did the sun rise from today that Mr. Xovier himself is calling me?"
"From the east. You doing okay?"
"Yeah. So—why the call?"
"We'll probably get the flight timing by tomorrow. Be ready."
"The Turkish Biochem Group showing interest in those unidentified organisms found in Ashvale is a good sign. Commander Jacob assigned you to provide protection to the biochemists going from Elfex Team. But why are you taking Sherry and your sister Naomi along?"
"I want them within my sight. Danger exists everywhere—you know that."
"There's something important I need to tell you. The Sherry Lewis sent for observation—we found a black lens in her eye. Her real eye color is blue. But that's not the main thing. That lens possibly had an eye-tracker installed."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. I think she was a spy."
"I'll take care of that. Just send her with Naomi when she arrives."
"Why are you taking this risk?"
"That's my concern."
"As you wish, Commander."
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Rex stopped the car a little distance away from his house. Naomi had already left with the driver—Rex had sent her deliberately.
Soon, he noticed a man emerging from his garage.
Rex knew exactly why he had come.
The man Rex had captured the previous night was being held in a secret basement beneath the garage. Rex knew he wouldn't get anything out of him—these people were merely guards. They didn't even know who they truly worked for.
That was why Rex had already killed the man the night before, forcing hydrochloric acid down his throat. A strange punishment—but Rex had found it amusing. He didn't know why he had done it that way. However, he had found a hidden tracker on the man's neck.
That was when he realized someone would come looking for him.
And the man stepping out of the garage now—that was the someone.
Rex followed him slowly. He had to capture him, no matter what. When the man reached the main road, Rex got out of the car and continued on foot.
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Over the Indian Ocean, two commercial ships sailed parallel to each other, loaded with colorful containers.
"Captain, we're detecting a massive presence beneath our ship," a crew member informed the captain on the bridge.
"Nothing to worry about. Probably a big fish or a whale. Not dangerous."
Before he could finish, the ship lurched violently. A distress signal came from the neighboring vessel as well. Something enormous had attacked beneath the sea.
A massive tentacle-like structure slammed onto the main deck, nearly overturning the ship. Panic spread across both vessels.
Another impact followed.
It was over.
They never realized that a terrible chaos had spread beneath the ocean. No creature was normal anymore. Some strange parasite was controlling them. In the darkness of the sea, grotesque mutations were giving birth to lethal organisms—capable of pushing humanity toward unimaginable danger.
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Rex lost the man near a taxi stand. He vanished—as if into thin air. Rex couldn't understand how. He realized his plan had failed. Frustration set in.
Just then, a small child ran up from nowhere, slipped a note into Rex's hand, and disappeared.
Confused, Rex unfolded it. It read—
"Hello Ren. I am watching your every step.
We are going to meet soon.
Don't waste your energy trying to find me.
The chase has just begun."
Rex understood clearly—someone was playing a dangerous game with him.
But before he could act, an urgent call summoned him to Commander Jacob's office.
...…
"Rex, there is no room for mistakes in this organization. Yet you made one."
"I don't understand, Commander. What happened?"
Rex and Jacob sat facing each other across the desk.
"First, you became the protector of a secret spy. That one girl—one of Aran's colleagues informed me. We found hidden recorders, trackers, and cameras on her. I don't know whether she has leaked any classified agency information. On top of that, you were kidnapped so easily—and you tried to hide it."
"No, Commander, you're misunder—"
Jacob silenced him with a hand gesture. Rex realized—no explanation would be accepted now.
"I'm forgiving you only to maintain stability. Remember—this is the first and last time. Tomorrow at dawn, you leave for Turkey. Your sister Naomi will not go. Your personal matter and that Sherry will remain in custody. If you want, go and see the biggest mistake of your life, Ren Elion Xovier. If she has leaked anything harmful to this organization, I won't be able to protect you. Keep your personal issues away from the agency. Now leave."
Rex walked out without a word. Outside, he saw Aran.
"I'm sorry, Rex. I understood you wanted to keep personal matters separate. But someone leaked the info. I truly didn't do anything."
"No problem. Where is the girl?" Rex asked calmly.
"In the nursing chamber. She'll be sent to the custody room in two minutes."
"Come with me."
"Where?"
"To the custody room."
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Even under the bright overhead light, the small room remained cloaked in darkness.
A wooden table stood in the center. Two chairs faced each other—Sherry sat on one. In a corner above, a CCTV camera with a recorder. On one wall, a one-way mirror. Sherry could only see her reflection; on the other side, Aran, Mahasin, Rex, and several agents observed her.
At Aran's signal, Rex entered the custody room.
"You're here. Please take me out of here. Why am I being kept here? What are you going to do again?"
Rex silently sat on the empty chair, staring at Sherry.
"Hello? I'm asking you something."
No response. She snapped her fingers once in front of him. Rex remained unmoved.
Annoyance crept into Sherry's voice. She pressed her hand on the table and said firmly, "Can't you hear me when I'm talking?"
Rex did something sudden and unsettling.
One hand had been hidden beneath the table. Without breaking eye contact, he pulled it out and drove the knife into the empty space between Sherry's index and middle finger. Sherry instantly pulled her uninjured hand away. Rex lifted the knife back.
Sherry looked at him—no trace of her former innocence remained. As if she had understood something Rex never said. Frustration and anger burned in her blue eyes.
Rex had been waiting for this moment.
Back at the chemical factory, he had sensed it—something had changed in Sherry between the moment she vanished on the street and the hours before she was found. He just couldn't grasp it then.
Now he could.
He had exposed her true form. Abruptly, strangely—but the act had ended the performance. He knew Sherry was intelligent enough to understand the signal.
She leaned back in her chair.
"You know, you understand things far too quickly. What you think is your strength—someone can easily turn it into your weakness."
(Are you really the Sherry found in Ashvale—or someone else?)
The question formed in Rex's mind, but he stayed silent, knowing he wouldn't get the truth.
Sherry exhaled slowly. She hadn't lasted even a day as a detective. Rex had understood—the real Sherry, Charlotte, had been taken away by Barnes. She had replaced her.
"I don't know your real name. So for now, I'll call you by a made-up one—Mavish. A Turkish name. Your eyes are blue."
Sherry stayed silent. Mahasin and Aran couldn't grasp the wordless exchange unfolding.
"Just as I thought."
Still silent.
"I need you, Mavish."
Sherry snapped her gaze at Rex. Aran looked stunned.
"I need you to understand my past. I know you're connected to it somehow. After my professional work, I'll meet you again. Until then, don't try to escape or cause unnecessary trouble. Our agents will treat you well. You won't be involved in agency operations. I know something has changed—but investigating it now isn't possible for me."
"You understand things too quickly. Someone will soon use that against you, Ren."
"Then I'll wait. How about that, Mavish?"
Rex smiled and left. He instructed Aran to handle Sherry carefully and told the agents to extract information by any means necessary.
"Rex Brother."
Rex stopped upon hearing Naomi's voice outside headquarters. She was still there.
"Brother, you asked me to take Sherry—but where is she? I can't find Lewis either."
Rex smiled faintly, ruffled Naomi's hair.
"Her real parents came and took her. Don't worry. Listen, I have to go abroad for agency work. Until then, go stay at your aunt's place in Chiang Mai. I'll tell the driver. Go home, pack, and leave now."
Naomi was used to this. She didn't ask much—only,
"You won't come home? Where are you going? How long will you be away? And when will father return?"
Rex paused briefly, then replied calmly,
"I have to leave now. I don't know how long I'll be abroad. Uncle James is very busy—he'll be late. Wait for him."
After sending Naomi off, Rex went to his favorite place. Every time he left the country, he came here first—to bid his homeland a temporary farewell. One never knows when that farewell becomes the last.
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Standing by the rooftop railing of a tower house near Bang San Beach, Rex stared at the vast ocean.
The beach was his favorite place. He felt only the sea could understand him—sometimes calm, sometimes violent. People surrounded him, yet inside, he was utterly alone.
He noticed a group of police officers urgently clearing the beach. Even the sea seemed restless today.
To understand what was happening, Rex hurried downstairs.
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