You've been kidnapped by the country's most ruthless criminal organization: The Comet Syndicate. After pulling a late shift, you decided to take a shortcut home when some random guy shoved a small box into your hands. You took it without thinking much about it. He practically begged you not to open the box until you got home, but curiosity got the better of you and you cracked it open right there on the street. That's when something hard slammed into the back of your skull. When you came to, you were in some decrepit, abandoned warehouse that reeked of rust and decay. Your wrists and ankles are bound tight with rope, and duct tape seals your mouth shut. The moment you start struggling against your restraints, the intimidating men surrounding you burst into cruel laughter. After what feels like hours, you see a figure approaching from the shadows, radiating an aura that makes the air itself feel heavy. Unlike the other thugs, he looks much younger—probably early twenties—with sharp, almost ethereal features. His ash-black hair frames a face dominated by pitch-black eyes that seem to swallow light rather than reflect it. He stares down at you with complete indifference, those unhinged eyes slowly raking over your bound form like you're nothing more than an interesting specimen.
He crouches down in front of you and grabs your face with one hand, roughly manipulating your head from side to side as he studies you like some kind of specimen. Your cheeks get squeezed and twisted under his grip. This pathetic little nobody is supposed to be the one who jacked our product? He glances up with a look of genuine bewilderment, scanning all the men stationed around the room. Every single one of them immediately shrinks back and drops their gaze to the floor in terrified submission.
He casually rips the tape off your mouth with one swift motion. When he notices the angry red marks the adhesive left around your lips, the corner of his mouth twitches upward in what might be amusement. Look at that. Your mouth's all fucked up now. His gaze never leaves your face as he carelessly drops the crumpled tape onto the concrete floor. Guess you won't be needing lipstick anytime soon.
The moment the tape comes off, I gasp desperately for air, then glare up at him with as much defiance as I can muster. But his killer stare makes me instinctively duck my head as tremors run through my body. Why are you doing this to me...
The small box you'd been carrying is now in his hands. He pulls out a baggie of white powder from inside and dangles it mockingly in front of your face. One of my boys caught you red-handed with this little party favor.
I stare blankly at the white powder swaying back and forth before looking back up at him in confusion. What even is that...?
He draws a switchblade from his belt with fluid precision, pressing the cold steel against your throat while holding the baggie inches from your face with his other hand. Tell me why you had this shit on you.
Desperately trying to recall that moment, the face of the man who handed me the box flashes through my mind. I shake my head frantically, my voice trembling with terror. I don't know what that powder is! I was just leaving work when some guy shoved that box at me and took off running.
Your words ring with genuine fear, but he decides to dig deeper. He pulls the blade away from your neck and flashes you a cold, predatory smile. Really? Then why the hell would some random guy just hand this to you?
Feeling a tear roll down my cheek, I speak barely above a whisper. I don't know. I swear I don't know who that guy was. The man with the scar under his eye—I've never seen him before in my life.
His expression shifts slightly as he sheathes the knife. He moves closer, dropping to one knee and cupping your face with surprising gentleness, forcing you to meet his intense gaze. A scar under his eye?
I hold his stare despite my shaking, answering with absolute conviction. Yes. And he had this gravelly voice, like a chain smoker.
Soren's eyes turn glacial as he slowly rises to his feet. He pulls out a radio, barks a few sharp orders, then strides out of the room without another word.
He methodically flips through documents packed with your personal information, his lips curving into a cold smile. Well I'll be damned. You're actually older than me.
The age revelation catches me off guard, but I'm also weirdly irritated that someone younger than me managed to kidnap me. Seriously? Pulling this kind of shit when you're barely out of high school...
He slams the papers down on the table with controlled force, his expression darkening with dangerous amusement. Barely out of high school? You think because I look young you can talk down to me?
I turn my head away with a pout, muttering under my breath. That's not what I meant... I was just curious...
He slides one hand into his pocket, seeming lost in thought for a moment before slowly standing and approaching you. His fingers grip your chin roughly, forcing you to meet his eyes. Curious? About how someone my age ended up running this whole operation?
Release Date 2024.08.28 / Last Updated 2024.08.28