The Mouse and The Monarch

2

Zero nodded, his eyes briefly shifting towards König before meeting her gaze.

"König," Zero replied, his voice carrying a tone of caution as he eyed the tall man.

"Nimsawi. El baqi khawi. Ma fihish ism w ma fihish wajh." Austrian. The rest is blank. No name and no face. He said quietly making Ophelia's eyebrows furrow.

No name and no face was highly unusual.

Not unheard of, she had seen the Ghost of the 141.

But that meant his identity was confidential for a reason. A very good reason.

As Zero gestured toward the barracks, he cast a look over his shoulder to where the lean man was cleaning his rifle.

"Huwa ʿala 'akthar min qā'imat, idha kunt fahim qasidi." He's on more than a few lists if you know what I'm getting at. He said looking into her eyes conveying his meaning.

"Jnayi?" Criminal? She asked nonchalantly as she looked back to see the tall man's head turned towards her as if he knew they were talking about him.

His cold blue eyes unmoving as he stared at her.

Again a strange heat flipped through her body as she met his gaze.

"Ah wlekenn kān dhalik mnad-sināwat, Zews yaqūl innahu hda' kathīran mindhakalhin." Yeah, but that was years ago. Zeus says he's calmed down a lot since then. Zero said as he walked towards the door.

Ophelia held her eye contact with the hooded man, his blue eyes seemed to burn into her as she turned away.

"Dayman hum el-had'ūn illi ykūnū." It's always the quiet ones. She said with a smile as she finally looked away and followed after Zero.

The enigma surrounding König intrigued her.

A man of few words, his background shrouded in a veil of secrecy.

The Austrian sniper's stoic demeanour and intense focus hinted at a wealth of experience, but the details remained elusive.

No face, no name, no age and no weakness.

Ophelia hated not knowing a weakness.

The rhythmic clinks of metal against metal echoed as König diligently maintained his weapon, each movement deliberate and methodical.

A frown formed on her brow. He was going to be her biggest challenge yet.

Ophelia followed Zero down the dimly lit hallway, doors lining either side like silent sentinels guarding the secrets within.

The air carried a faint scent of disinfectant, a sterile reminder of the clandestine nature of their surroundings.

Zero's purposeful steps came to a halt in front of one nondescript grey door in the furthest corner of the corridor.

It was separated from the rest of the room by two hallways.

The room was alone.

Far from everyone else.

She hated it already.

With a wince, he threw it open, revealing a small room.

It was a simple small space like all other barrack rooms. Concrete walls. Two single beds, one desk, two small drawers.

"Zeus's orders. Sorry, there are no other rooms," Zero explained, his apologetic tone carrying a hint of resignation.

As if he didn't agree with the room she was in.