[Chamber X Viper] Begins at the End

Murder (I)

The golden sniper rifle appeared slowly in Chamber's hands.
"You want to play? Let's play—" Chamber picked up the Tour de Force and aimed at a crimson prism.
The man inside the prism smiled and raised his own gun.
The prism immediately shattered into two pieces, revealing another Chamber stepping out from within.
"Thank you."
With that, the other Chamber raised his hunter.
"What are you going to do?" Chamber asked.
"Sorry, partnership's over," the other Chamber replied.
"But you're the one who told me to do this," Chamber argued logically, "to rescue you from your world."
"And so what?" The other Chamber pulled the trigger.
A gunshot rang out—

Chamber woke up from the nightmare.
For the past few days, he had been repeatedly having the same nightmare.
Sometimes he even suspected that Fade had sneaked into his house while he slept and planted the nightmares.
"She's not as free as you think." Viper immediately retorted to his thoughts.
Chamber stared blankly at the ceiling, sitting up in a daze, looking around at everything, including Viper in a lab coat beside him.
Who am I?
Where am I?
Wait a minute—
He remembered. This afternoon, he had gone to Viper's lab to deliver a love letter, but before entering, he had fainted and then fallen into a deep sleep.
"What kind of new poison is this?" he asked.
"It's not mine; it's a new anesthetic developed by Sage next door," Viper replied.
"Why would she just leave it at the door?"
"How should I know? That woman often makes mistakes like this," Viper said, not liking Sage, although Viper knew that she often did nothing wrong.
"In fact, she's not as—" Chamber wanted to say something, but Viper glared at him fiercely, silencing him immediately.
"Are you preparing for the experiment?" Chamber awkwardly changed the subject.
"I'm waiting for you to wake up. Don't you see I haven't even put on my protective suit?" Viper's tone remained icy, but Chamber knew she still cared about him.
Chamber guessed that he had been sleep-talking about something that made Viper wake him up.
"Thank you, Sabine."
"No need to thank me." Viper tossed him a set of protective suit, "Put this on if you want to come in."
Chamber immediately got up and put on the protective suit.

Chamber sat in the corner of the lab like a guilty student, holding the love letter he had intended to deliver.
"By the way, Sabine," Chamber asked, "where do you usually put those love letters after you read them?"
" I soak them in waste liquid, of course." Viper replied casually.
"Really? Why not burn them?"
"Burning them means taking them home, and you write so many that they won't all burn at once. My poison can corrode almost any paper, isn't that more convenient?" Viper said, taking out many bottles and jars from a cabinet.
"What if one day I die and only leave behind a love letter, would you soak it in poison then?"
"Dead? If you're dead, go get the woman next door to bring you back."
"I mean, what if, like, I died somewhere people can't find me?" Chamber responded.
"Why wouldn't I soak it? Anyway, you'll write more if you ever come back to life," Viper said while pouring liquid into a graduated cylinder, her tone as casual as if she were discussing what to eat for dinner.
"Then it's settled, when I die, you'll soak all my love letters in poison," Chamber said cheerfully.
"I've never agreed to that." Viper rolled her eyes and poured the waste liquid into the waste tank.

After finishing the experiment, Viper said goodbye to Chamber and walked towards the command center with a map, preparing to report her newly researched smoke screen positions to Brimstone.
She reflected on their recent conversation and felt that she might not dislike him as much as she thought.
"This guy heard that I soaked his love letters in waste liquid and didn't seem sad or angry at all," Viper muttered to herself. "Is he just too pitiful, or does he actually not care?"
On the way to the command center, two people were arguing loudly.
"I've told you a hundred times, keeping secrets for that Frenchman won't bring you any good."
"Shut up! If you keep shouting like this, it won't be a secret anymore!"
Viper didn't need to look back to know it was Fade and Cypher.
As two agents who knew the most secrets under the Valorant their personalities were completely opposite.
Fade was straightforward and emotional, which was hard to believe given she was already a parent.
Cypher was reserved and smooth, seeming more inscrutable and more intimidating.

Viper hurried into the command center and soon saw the two enter.
"What happened?" Brimstone asked.
"I'm here to report on the new smoke screen positions in the Abyss." Viper replied.
Cypher and Fade exchanged glances.
"We have important intelligence that requires your decision," Fade said, glancing at Viper next to her, as if signaling Brimstone to ask her to step aside.
"Fade, I've told you, I trust Viper," Brimstone quickly discerned Fade's concern. "You should trust her too."
Fade remained silent, glancing at Cypher.
"We've received intelligence that the Hourglass has sent agents to assassinate during our operation in Abyss, targeting Chamber," Cypher said bluntly.
Viper was startled, but under the cover of her mask, she appeared no different than usual.
"Brimstone, you've said before, as long as his goals don't conflict with ours, we can let him be. But that's just what we know of his intentions, not necessarily his true motives. Hourglass never acts rashly. The people he targets must have a compelling reason to die. Saving him might only result in more agent losses before we fully investigate this place, and if he really is a double agent... In short, I don't recommend we inform him personally or take action to protect him," Fade explained.
"I think as long as there's no solid proof of Chamber violating the protocol, we should treat him as a member of the it and protect his safety," Cypher promptly added. "If mere suspicion of betrayal allows us to let someone be killed, then I'm afraid I no longer wish to be part of such a protocol."
"Anyway, we think it should be up to you to decide," Fade concluded, tossing the intelligence on Brimstone's desk.
"I know, I'll consider it. I appreciate your efforts," Brimstone responded briefly.

" Hourglass, assassination..." Brimstone mused, "Viper, what do you think?"
"To kill an agent, mere brute force is not enough," Viper replied in her usual tone. "After all, most organizations have people capable of resurrection. However, most resurrections require the body of the deceased, and if the body can't be found, then you can consider that agent truly dead."
Viper slowly unfolded the map in her hands.
"Abyss appear similar to most places we've visited, with two main sites, A and B. However, the entire cavern is built along cliffs and not only has numerous secret rooms and passages, but also many cliffs with significant height differences, mostly located on the essential paths to the site, and even within the sites themselves. Without control of the entire Abyss, it's very difficult for anyone to safely reach the bottom of the cliff. So far, no organization has successfully reached the bottom. If you want to assassinate an agent here, the best way is to make him fall off a cliff."
"Right, so do you think we should tell Chamber this?" Brimstone looked up and asked Viper.
Viper didn't answer.
"Okay then, what about the smoke screen positions you've been researching?" Brimstone redirected his attention to the map.
"I think we should tell Chamber the intelligence."
"Hmm?" Brimstone was a bit surprised. "I thought you didn't care about him, or maybe even disliked him."
Viper remained silent again.
She analyzed what Brimstone's words really meant; most of the time, she wouldn't doubt his intentions, but at this moment, she sensed a different implication in his words.
"So, you actually... care about him?" Brimstone tried to sound not too surprised.
"We need Chamber, his weapons, and his abilities. Hourglass could act at any time, and we can't afford to lose more agents," Viper responded, her tone cold, betraying no real emotion. "Of course, I've said I'll keep a close watch on him, and if his real motives conflict with the Valorant, I'll personally take him down."
"I see. I'll think about it twice," Brimstone's response remained unchanged.
Viper maintained her silence.
"Are you here to report on the smoke screen positions?" Brimstone asked, staring at the map.
"You must tell him the intelligence; it's the best choice for everyone," Viper repeated in a very restrained tone.
Brimstone looked up, studying Viper's face, cold and sharp, no different from usual.
"I'll consider it. Report the smoke screen positions to me," Brimstone finally said.

After reporting on the smoke screen positions, Viper walked out of the command center with heavy steps, confusion rising in her heart.
Why assassinate Chamber? What secrets does he hold that make Hourglass so wary of him?
Why does Cypher believe there is no solid evidence that Chamber has violated the agreement? If that is the case, what exactly are Chamber's intentions?
Why is Fade so wary of her? Could it be that she is a more dangerous entity than Chamber?
It felt like a small stone tossed lightly, yet it stirred endless ripples at the bottom of the pond.
Viper suddenly felt regret.
Just now, she thought Brimstone was testing her, so she did not reveal her true thoughts.
But thinking about it now, if Brimstone still trusts her, he should also trust Chamber.
That was the real meaning behind that question.
Viper turned around and walked back to the command center.
However, there was no one inside, just a huge map that, under the glow of the setting sun, emitted a faint red light.

The night sky flickered between brightness and darkness as Chamber looked at his golden agent's watch on his wrist.
"I'm late," Viper said shortly.
"It's okay," Chamber didn't seem upset at all. "I thought you wouldn't come out for a date before a mission."
"Just a walk. I'm a person, too," Viper replied.
"Do you have something you want to ask me?" Chamber asked, as if he had expected it.
"Has Brimstone come to see you?"
"No."
Viper felt a strong sense of guilt well up inside her; she stopped and stared at Chamber's face.
"I know something important to you..."
"If he hasn't allowed it, don't tell me," Chamber interrupted her as if he had anticipated it.
He also stopped, looking into Viper's eyes, which shone unusually bright under the moonlight.
"Sabine," Chamber said seriously, "I know better than you how many people in the Valorant are doubting me. I understand them; I've indeed done many seemingly disgraceful things, and their suspicion is reasonable."
Viper sighed. "It's up to you then. I just think Brimstone doesn't need to hide this from you."
"Sabine," Chamber reached out and gently patted Viper's shoulder, "this matter isn't about being right or wrong. If others think Brimstone is wrong, they can come and tell me themselves, but you shouldn't. Brimstone trusts you, and so do the other agents of the Valorant. You shouldn't lose their trust over me."
Viper looked at Chamber, her eyes revealing an unprecedented confusion and shock.
"I might have deceived you before, but these two sentences are sincere."
Viper closed her eyes, as if hiding something.
Chamber sighed deeply.
The moonlight spread like water, casting a serene glow over the land.

"Vincent," Viper took off the mask she normally wore and sat down on the grass, "if you don't want to complete the cooperation with Omega, why do you still pursue me?"
"Why would you pursue someone?" Chamber asked in return.
"Because of ... love?"
Chamber nodded, took off his golden agent watch, and put it in his pocket.
"So, I'm not pursuing you because of the cooperation; I'm pursuing you and therefore don't want to complete the cooperation with Omega."
Chamber lay down on the grass, closed his eyes, and continued, "You probably don't believe me now, which is reasonable. You do need to keep your suspicions, Sabine."
"So you're giving up the cooperation with Omega just for me?" Viper asked.
"I think you already know the answer."
"Then why are you so afraid of the cooperation falling apart?" Viper countered.

Chamber looked up at the starry sky, as if the answers he sought were hidden among the stars.
"To be honest, I don't know," Chamber replied, "Maybe that's why I hope Fade won't use her nightmare power on me. Everyone has fears deep inside, right?"
Viper didn't speak; she just wanted to lie there, close her eyes, and feel the evening breeze.
"Unless I'm a robot..." Chamber seemed to be talking to himself, "Right, like that toaster."
The so-called toaster refers to KAY/O, a robotic agent of the Valorant who, unlike most, could still counterattack under Fade's nightmare attacks. Chamber always believed that he lacked the ability to dream.
Hearing Chamber call KAY/O a toaster, Viper chuckled softly.
Chamber stopped talking and, like Viper, closed his eyes. The evening breeze was soothing, making him feel content at the moment.

The sky began to lighten with the pale white of dawn, and the occasional birdcall echoed in the deep blue sky.
"I'll walk you home," Chamber suggested.
"Not now," Viper sat up, looking towards the faint light in the distance.
Chamber also sat up, gazing at that hint of light.
"Vincent, if two parties argue endlessly over whether or not to save a person, what should that person do?" Viper asked while picking blades of grass off her shoes.
"Why are they arguing?"
"Because of interest. Some believe there is greater benefit in saving him, others see more benefit in not saving."
"If all this arises because of him, then he should face his own fate. To save or not to save, after all, is others' choice."
"Should he just die then?" Viper continued.
"If that is indeed his fate," Chamber replied.
The cry of a guiding hawk came from the horizon. Viper stood up, brushed off the dust from her clothing, and then she and Chamber left the lawn together.