Offshore Vessel - 5:31 PM
The heavy cargo bay door was steel and it was locked
Yoo pressed his ear against it and heard nothing, either empty or everyone inside was dead silent.
"Can you open it?" he whispered.
Ji-yeon touched the electronic panel. Her fingers went dark—not black, just... less real. Like she was pulling color from reality itself.
The panel fizzled —died.
The door's magnetic seal released with a soft clunk.
They pushed through.
Inside: crates. Dozens of crates were stacked, the floor was wet—seawater sloshing through drainage grates.
And on the far wall: lifeboats. Three of them, yellow fiberglass, secured by mechanical releases.
"There." Yoo pointed.
They moved fast, footsteps light, the boat rocked beneath them—not dangerous swells, just slow and steady movement of the ocean.
Ji-yeon reached the first lifeboat. Started working on the release mechanism. "It's manual. Needs a key or—"
Glass shattered somewhere above. Shouts.
