Hana sat in the dimly lit office, a place she never thought she’d find herself — inside the headquarters of the very agency that had been hunting her for months. The stark contrast of the cold steel desks and buzzing fluorescent lights made her skin crawl, but she kept her expression unreadable, her sharp eyes scanning every inch of the room.

M sat across from her, watching her closely, but not speaking. He had made his offer, and Hana had accepted, though it was less of a decision and more of a calculated move. She had to admit, aligning herself with the FBI, however temporary, would allow her access to resources she’d never had before. It was dangerous, but she was always one step ahead, and now, she was determined to keep it that way.

Evans entered the room, setting a stack of case files on the table between them. He glanced between M and Hana, his skepticism barely masked. "Well, here we are," he said dryly. "Our killer turned consultant."

Hana smirked but didn’t rise to the bait. "You’d be surprised how often roles reverse," she said, her tone light but layered with menace.

M interjected calmly, "We need to focus. This arrangement isn’t about personal grudges. Hana’s here because she can help us do what we’ve failed to do — track down dangerous individuals before they strike. We have a common enemy now."

Hana leaned back in her chair, arms folded. "I don’t work for you. Let’s be clear on that. We’re just… aligned. For now."

Evans scoffed, flipping through one of the files. "Yeah, aligned until it doesn’t suit you anymore."

M ignored the comment, focusing on Hana. "We’ve identified several potential targets for the Soul Ledger. People in positions of power, organized crime figures, corrupt officials. You’ve already been working through a list, haven’t you?"

Hana’s expression didn’t change. "I have my own criteria."

"Good," M said, leaning forward. "Because now you’ll be able to operate within the framework we provide. You give us insight into how the Ledger works, and we give you intel you wouldn’t have access to otherwise. We make the world cleaner, faster, together."

Before Hana could respond, a breaking news report flashed on the large screen in the corner of the room. The bold headline read: **MASS MURDER SPREE—35 DEAD IN ONE NIGHT.**

The room went silent as all three of them turned toward the TV. The anchor was speaking rapidly, her face pale, as footage of a chaotic crime scene played behind her. "In a shocking turn of events, thirty-five individuals were found dead across various locations in the city, their deaths occurring in what appears to be a coordinated spree. Authorities are baffled as the victims have no clear connection, and all died under mysterious circumstances within a span of hours."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Hana felt her stomach tighten. Thirty-five? That wasn’t her. She’d been here, in the FBI building, the entire time. She caught M’s sharp gaze out of the corner of her eye.

"Another Ledger user?" M asked softly, though the question was more for himself than anyone else.

"It can’t be," Evans muttered, shaking his head. "There’s no way there’s another one."

M’s eyes flickered toward Hana, his tone steady but urgent. "You didn’t do this?"

Hana gave him a deadpan look. "You know where I’ve been all night."

Evans leaned in closer to the TV, as if the anchor might offer an explanation. "But how? Thirty-five people in one night? We’ve only seen a fraction of that from you, Hana."

Hana stared at the screen, her mind racing. "Whoever this is, they’re reckless. They don’t have the same patience or control." Her voice was cold, analytical, the wheels in her mind already turning. "They want attention. They’re making a statement."

M nodded slowly, considering her words. "Or they’re trying to send a message—to you."

Hana’s gaze darkened. "If they know about the Soul Ledger, then they know about me. It’s a challenge."

"Challenge or not, this person is dangerous," Evans cut in. "We have thirty-five bodies in one night, M. Thirty-five. What are we going to do about this?"

M was quiet for a moment, his eyes focused on the screen but his mind clearly elsewhere. Finally, he spoke, his voice calm but resolute. "We treat this like we treat any other case. We track the killer, identify their patterns, and stop them before they strike again."

Hana leaned forward, her expression focused. "You won’t catch them like this. Not the way you caught me."

M raised an eyebrow. "You think you can find them?"

Hana’s lips curled into a small smile. "I know I can."

Evans laughed bitterly. "Oh, now we’re just supposed to trust you to find this other killer?"

Hana turned her gaze to him, her eyes cold. "I’m not doing it for you. Whoever this is, they’re a threat to me. I can’t allow someone else to have that kind of power."

M exchanged a glance with Evans before nodding. "Alright. You’re in."

Evans stood up, pacing the room, clearly agitated. "You think it’s really another Soul Ledger? There’s no way there are two of these things floating around."

"Clearly there is," M said, standing up as well. "We need to work fast. Thirty-five people in one night means whoever this is won’t stop. They’ll do it again."

Hana stood up, pushing her chair back with a screech. "Give me access to the crime scenes. I need to see how they died. If they used the Ledger, there will be signs."

M nodded. "We’ll arrange it. But Hana, this killer might be more unpredictable than you. They don’t seem to care about precision or discretion."

"That makes them easier to find," Hana said calmly. "Sloppy work leaves more clues."

Evans didn’t look convinced. "Or it means they’re more dangerous. They could kill hundreds if we don’t stop them."

M watched Hana closely. "You’re going to have to play by our rules this time. No killing on your own terms."

Hana stared at him for a moment before finally nodding. "Fine. But when we find them, they’re mine."

Evans glanced between the two of them, shaking his head. "This is insane. We’re trusting a murderer to catch another murderer."

"We don’t have a choice," M replied quietly. "She’s our best shot."

As they gathered their things to head out, the weight of what they were facing settled in. Hana knew that whoever this other Ledger user was, they weren’t just a threat to the world—they were a threat to her. And in a game like this, there could only be one winner.