Leo breathed heavily, half-naked and lying on his bed. Sweat glistened on his skin as he whispered into the frigid air.
"Mumma... Papa... Grandpa... Sisters... I will punish your killers."
A sharp knock at the door shattered the silence.
He stood, the nightmare's grip still fresh, and began layering against the Antarctic cold—first heavy trousers, then a thick jacket, a woolen scarf wrapped tight around his throat, and finally a cap pulled low over his eyes.
Leo opened the door. A man stood outside, clutching a tablet, his face pale and slick with sweat. The moment he saw Leo, he forced a stiff greeting.
"Good morning, sir."
His voice wavered as he delivered the report.
"The night passed, but we found nothing—just bare ice. The cold is brutal. The men are exhausted... they can't keep going like this."
Leo stepped out, his deep voice cutting through the frozen air as they walked.
"Did the radar pick up anything?"
The assistant reacted by saying.
"Once. But the signal was faint... almost negligible."
Leo didn't break stride.
"Then I'll take the machines myself. My men have done alot"
The assistant hesitated, then offered weakly.
"But sir... they're your henchmen. It's their job to—"
Leo cut him off, his voice low but razor-sharp.
"Listen, Jake. My life—and the lives of the people with me—has always been shit. But I refuse to let it stay that way. Not for me. Not for my men."
He stepped closer, the cold air thickening between them.
"I know you're new. I know you've spent more time with machines than people. But understand this: you're not just my assistant. You're my friend. Everyone who stands with me is. They know it. You will too."
A pause. Somewhere in the distance, the wind howled like a wounded animal.
"We don't just work together, Jake. We bleed together. And if it comes to it? We die for each other too."
Leo moved forward. Jake lingered for a second, turning Leo's words over in his mind—then smiled and followed.
A few moments later, they reached the mouth of a cave. Inside, the new recruits labored nonstop, their drills biting into the ice, breath fogging in the frigid air.
Leo's voice cut through the noise, steady and firm.
"Brothers… you've worked long enough. It's time to rest."
The machines sputtered to a halt. One by one, the men looked up, exchanged glances—unsure if they'd heard right.
Murmurs rippled through the group.
"No one's ever called me 'brother' before."
"Me neither."
"Not like that."
Leo studied their bewildered faces, then spoke again, his voice firm but warm.
"Yes, you heard right—brothers, today is your holiday. The work can wait until tomorrow."
He paused, letting the words settle before continuing.
"I'm not doing this just for myself, but for all of you. Go rest. And if you still don't understand… ask Jake. He'll explain everything."
They all left - except Leo. He stood motionless, his eyes fixed on the hulking drill machine. A whisper escaped his lips.
"The rest... was a kindness, brothers. But the truth? This ice won't wait. This world won't wait. And neither will I."
His calloused hand ran along the drill's cold steel as he spoke again, quieter this time.
"Take your holiday. But the drilling never stops. Not until we carve our happiness from this frozen hell."
Meanwhile, Ritul grips the drill machine, as he screams at Lucas.
"I'LL KILL YOU, SON OF A BITCH!!!"
Lucas snarls back, spit flying:
"TRY ME, BASTARD!!!"
Osanai turns away, muttering under his breath:
"Why are they even together?"
Both instantly whip their heads toward him, eyes sharp as knives, roaring in unison:
"WHAT!?"
Osanai raises his hands still tied with chair , voice flat:
"Nothing. Nothing."
SLAM! The door flies open. Aryan storms in, takes one look at Ritul, and his jaw clenches. He stomps over—tap, tap, tap—grabs Ritul by the collar, and drags him out before slamming the door shut again.
Ritul shoves Aryan off, furious
"The hell was that!?"
Aryan gets in his face, hissing:
"Shut up. I've got a plan—been listening to you morons for a while."
His eye twitches before exploding.
"And this is what you learned from spy shit shows, huh!?"
Ritul replies while turning and moving toward the upstairs, which leads to the garage.
"Ahh!! Do whatever you want—I am going!!"
Aryan grabs him again from the back and whispers something to him.
Now, Aryan enters the interrogation room with his iced tea in his hands, where both mafias sit, breathing heavily.
Aryan takes the chair, sits down, puts his legs on the table crossed, and makes eye contact with both of them—a dead, calm, scary, and cold eye contact. Both of the mafias get a little bit scared. Osanai looks the other way for a split second, but as soon as he turns back, Aryan is looking at him in the same manner.
Lucas, hesitating but trying to appear strong too, speaks
"Wh...what... are you looking at... bastard?"
Aryan stares at him the same way, drinking his cold coffee with a straw.
Lucas speaks again.
"We... won't tell you anything about Leo."
Aryan tilts his head a little, tightens his jaw, and gives Lucas a cold look. He finishes his coffee, stands up, and smashes the glass on Lucas's head. Lucas falls down, bleeding. Lucas was actually a coward; he inherited all these mafia powers because of his father, who was a mafia.
He shouts in fear. Aryan takes out his knife, pierces and slices his right arm like butter.
Lucas screams in fear, pain, bleeding from his head and twice as fast from his arm.
Osanai's eyes widen, breathing in fear, and he screams.
"H...ho...how could you?..... MONSTER!"
Aryan feels guilty for this act but doesn't let it show on his face. He roars back.
"What about the people you killed? Huh... what about their lives, huh?"
Lucas is still screaming while Osanai shouts at Aryan.
"STOP!!"
Aryan stands up and stabs the knife into Osanai's leg.
Osanai screams in pain.
"AHHHHH.....
Osanai Breathing.
AHHHHHHHH..."
Aryan asks
"Where...is...Leo?"