Athena sat back on the bed, her body still aching from the unfamiliar sensations coursing through her veins.
She was used to waking up in strange places, in enemy territories where every breath could be her last, but this, this was different.
She was in a world she didn't understand, trapped in a body that wasn't hers, and yet somehow bore her name.
Before she could fully gather her thoughts, the door to the room suddenly swung open.
A woman dressed in a sharp business suit stepped in, her expression filled with visible relief. "Thank goodness! You're awake! I was so worried since you fell unconscious!"
Athena didn't answer.
Her instincts kicked in, and she immediately observed the woman, the way her shoulders were slightly tense despite her words, the way her fingers clenched around the tablet she held, the nervous yet practiced smile on her lips.
Whoever she was, she wasn't a stranger to handling high-stress situations.
"The doctor said you can go home when the treatment is done. I will take you home," the woman continued, stepping closer.
Athena nodded. She had no idea where home was in this world, nor how to navigate the roads of this era.
For now, the best course of action was to go along with what was expected of her and gather information.
The journey back was silent. She sat in the vehicle, gazing out of the tinted windows as the unfamiliar city passed by.
Towering skyscrapers with holographic billboards stretched into the sky, and cars that hovered just above the roads moved in a perfectly coordinated flow.
Everything was far more advanced than what she had ever seen, even beyond the black-market technologies she had once used for assassinations.
"You've been awfully quiet," the agent beside her commented, glancing at her from the driver's seat. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm just tired," Athena replied, keeping her tone neutral.
The woman nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. You've been training so hard, and with the accident during practice, it's no surprise you're exhausted."
Training? Athena remained still, waiting for the woman to say more.
"I mean, you're already set to join Love in the City next week. The producers were worried when you collapsed, but I assured them you'd be fine."
Love in the City? The name meant nothing to her, but it was enough to tell her that this body's former owner had some connection to entertainment.
"It's a popular love variety show," the agent continued as if sensing her confusion.
"You know how strict the rules are. Every participant needs proper credentials to prove they're single. But don't worry, I've handled all that for you except for the certification."
Athena simply nodded, letting the information settle. In her past life, she had operated in shadows, eliminating targets with precision and disappearing without a trace.
Now, she was a celebrity? The thought almost made her laugh. When they finally arrived at what was supposedly her home, Athena stepped inside and took in her surroundings.
The living space was simple, far too modest for someone in the entertainment industry.
There were no extravagant decorations, no signs of luxury, only neatly arranged furniture and a few personal belongings that meant nothing to her. Was she poor?
It was hard to say. Everything about this world was unfamiliar, and without context, she couldn't judge what was considered wealth or simplicity here.
As the agent bid her goodnight and left, Athena remained standing in the center of the room, unmoving. The silence felt unnatural, suffocating in a way she hadn't experienced before.
She was alone. Her fingers curled into fists as she tried to make sense of everything. The memories of her past life were clear, yet this world demanded she play a different role.
A celebrity. A woman who had no ties, no family, no attachments. She walked to the bathroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror.
The face was still unfamiliar, no matter how much she studied it. She reached up, running her fingers through her hair. The sensation was real. Her skin was warm, her heartbeat steady.
This wasn't a dream. She turned off the lights and lay down on the bed, but sleep never came easily for someone like her.
Her instincts, honed by years of living on the edge, refused to let her fully rest. Every creak of the house, every shift of the air had her senses on alert.
Then...
A sound.
Her eyes snapped open.
The door.
Athena remained motionless, her breath slow and controlled as she listened. The subtle movement of the handle, the barely-there sound of footsteps entering her home.
Whoever it was, they were careful, calculated. Not a common thief.
A killer.
She moved swiftly, her body reacting before her mind fully processed the threat. Rolling off the bed, she crouched low, her muscles coiled like a predator preparing to strike.
The faint glow of the city lights outside barely illuminated the shadowed figure now standing in her living room.
He was tall, dressed in dark clothing, his movements precise. He carried no flashlight, no hesitation. He knew exactly where to go.
Athena smirked. Wrong house. Wrong target.
The assassin took another step, inching toward her bedroom door. But before he could react, Athena moved.
Silent. Deadly. She closed the distance between them in an instant, her hand striking the side of his throat with lethal precision.
The man staggered, choking on the sudden loss of air, but he wasn't an amateur, he recovered quickly, drawing a blade from his side. Too slow.
Athena twisted, avoiding the slash with ease before grabbing his wrist and twisting it sharply. A sickening crack echoed through the room as the blade clattered to the floor.
The assassin let out a strangled grunt of pain, but Athena didn't give him a chance to recover.
With fluid efficiency, she drove her elbow into his ribs, then followed with a sharp kick to his knee. He collapsed, gasping.
She straddled him in an instant, pinning him down with a knee against his chest. Her fingers wrapped around his throat, applying just enough pressure to keep him conscious.
"Who sent you?" Her voice was calm, almost amused.
The man struggled, his breath ragged. "You…" he rasped, his eyes widening in disbelief. "You're… not the same…"
Athena frowned. So he knew the original owner of this body. Interesting.
She leaned in slightly. "Who. Sent. You?"
The man's lips parted as if to answer... And then his body seized violently.
Athena yanked her hand away as a foam-like substance spilled from his mouth. His eyes rolled back, and within seconds, his body fell limp beneath her. Poison. A failsafe.
She cursed, standing up and taking a step back. The scent of cyanide lingered in the air. Whoever had sent this man had made sure he wouldn't survive if he failed.
Athena stared at the corpse, her mind working fast. This wasn't just an accident. Someone had targeted her, or at least, the previous owner of this body. And that meant one thing.
The moment she entered this world, she had already stepped into a battlefield. Her fingers clenched into fists, her heart steady despite the situation.
If someone wanted her dead, they would have to try harder. She had spent a lifetime killing to survive. This time would be no different.