Chapter 23 MISSING

Chapter 23 MISSING
CHAPTER 23: MISSING
Here your translation, raw English like you ask. Some small grammar mess up on purpose.
News "doctor from Medical Unit missing" only take twelve second on night news board.

Twelve second enough for Severance try see world reaction.
Also enough for Raven understand: they acted already.
"Not Lina," Raven say, voice flat like dead lake. "Not yet."
Kade turn quick from monitor screen, eyes sharp like knife.
"You sure?"
"Sure," Raven answer, finger tap table metal. "If Lina, they stay more quiet. This missing type... is bait."
Lucas stand door, shoulder against wall, shadow eat half his face.
"They want us show face," he say low. "Or mistake from hot blood."
Niko check watch, second hand tick like bomb.
"What if we no bite bait?"
"They drag bait farther," Raven say, eyes no blink. "Till someone gotta bite."
She pick CORE SILENT, put table with clack sound. Cold metal shine her face—no move, just deep dark.
"Make plan find person," Raven order sharp. "But no follow main track."
Kade nod, finger slide screen turn on map.
"Go around way."
"Go backward way," Raven fix it. "Severance erase all trace. We find what they can't erase."
\---
Old satellite hospital stop work long time, but emergency power still hum like ghost breath. Place use for "stable" case before send away—memory wipe clean in dark.
"Camera die last week," Niko whisper, breath white in wet air, hand grip silencer gun tight. "No accident."

"There. Temp isolation room. They use to 'blur' memory before move."
Raven go first, gun ready, old clean smell mix mold make her remember first silent pools. Light blink like dying breath.
Floor have thin water trail long way. No blood. No fight mark.
"They carry person," Kade say, kneel check, black glove slide wet spot. "No kidnap rough."
Raven bend, touch lightice cold soak skin. Heart skip beat, pool memory rush back.
"Water," she say hoarse. "And salt."
Lucas narrow eye, know it.

"Buffer liquid. For SILENT POOL."
"They take Lina to water," Raven say final, stand fast, fist white tight. "But no old SILENT POOL."
"So other pool," Niko say, eye scan broke camera hang loose.
Raven shake head, turn door quick, step hard.
"Or mobile pool."
They run hall, cold wind from vent whistle warning. Raven stop sudden, ear sharp—far engine rumble. "Water truck," she whisper. "Close." Kade nod, scan device beep. Screen flash: fake emergency signal. "They move fast. Go now."
\---
Kade open night transport map in car, water truck line, temp pump glow like web.
"Three chance," he say, finger circle against flow. "Only one go wrong way."
Raven lock single light dot, eye glow wolf hunt.
"That. Emergency tank truck off time."
Lucas smirk light, load bullet click sharp.
"Severance love hide in save-people thing."
Their car fly night, tire scream wet road. Raven hold CORE SILENT, feel metal pulse like second heart. "If mobile pool, they turn on soon. Water no learn victim memory yet." Kade glance: "You ok?" Raven no answer, grip harder—fear Lina melt in water burn her eye.
\---
They stop truck on no-light road, dark swallow all.
No gun bang. No siren—only engine die quiet.
Kade block front with black truck, tire grind concrete. Niko jump break cabin lock, tool click click. Raven rip back door fast, gun point straight.
Inside: small tank shake soft, fold seat wet, close room—weak breath sound.
Lina.
Tie hard to metal chair, but wake. Eye big with fear mix hope see Raven. Face pale, lip shake.
"Sorry," Lina whisper break. "I think... they will..."
"Shh," Raven cut soft, knife slice rope perfect kill move. "You do good. Stay calm."
Lucas hold back door, eye sweep black night, gun sweep wide.
"Two minute max. Patrol car 3km off."
Raven pull Lina out, arm around waist, feel body shake. Lina grab Raven shirt like life ring.
"They want throw me in pool," Lina say shake but clear, tear roll. "New pool. Move on truck. No fix place."
"Know spot?" Raven ask, drag her to their car, eye no leave road.
Lina shake head hard, cough cold.
"But I hear... 'before water learn her name'."
Raven freeze half second, blood rush head "her" echo curse.
"Her?" Niko ask, start engine.
Lina stare Raven deep, voice horror whisper.
"They call R-13. Like... ready for you."
Kade curse quiet, slam gas fly.
"Go now!" Raven yell, push Lina sit safe. "Fast!"
Car shoot, wheel cut corner. Raven check Lina back, wipe bruise arm. "Hear more?" Lina nod, pull crush paper pocket: "Shift list. And one name..."
Car eat black night.
Inside, Lina breath heavy, hand hold hurt shoulder.
"I got more. Shift list for 'mobile pool' watch."
Raven show CORE SILENT, scan code. Green verify flash.
"One name," Lina say, voice strong more but shake. "No tell before, not sure."
Raven look sharp.
"Marrow."
Lucas grip wheel white.
"He sell us out."
"No," Raven say, eye flash dark. "He got sold."
She lift head, wind howl crack glass.
"Severance build trap... use their old betrayers."
Niko breath deep, air thick metal sweat.
"What next?"
Raven stare front, night road long like no-answer question.
"Next, we no save."
Kade turn fast.
"No save?"
"No," Raven repeat, hand on CORE SILENT. "Let Severance show own hand."
Lucas get it first, smirk.
"You want they turn pool on. Front of witness."
"Right," Raven nod, cold smile lip flash. "This time... witness no just water."
"Is human."
\---
Car join highway, red alert pop dashboard:
"MOBILE POOL TURN ON PLACE UNKNOWN."
Raven smile soft much.
Good. You flip switch first.