Kael crouched on the ledge of a high-rise, his hoodie clinging to his body, soaked from the downpour.
His sharp, angular features were set in stone, his short black hair matted against his forehead.
And after the kill he had been waiting for so long to achieve was done, he was so excited that he wanted it to end with so spoils too.
"You're in."
Juno's voice crackled in her earpiece,
"Security rotation is at 60 seconds. I'll guide you through—don't screw this up."
Kael imdiately made a ten-foot leap across the gap between rooftops as he rolled with a soft landing.
He crouched by the glass balcony doors of the luxury penthouse.
Kael reached into his pocket and pulled out a black hacking device. He placed it against the biotric panel beside the door.
"Fingers scanned...Retinal lock engaged... Pressure sensors active."
"You got 15 seconds before it resets." Juno reminded him.
The device's LED flickered green.
Click.
The lock disengaged, Kael slipped inside.
Inside the penthouse had expensive rugs, black furniture, shelves lined with gold-plated trinkets and golden chandeliers.
Kael stalked forward, avoiding the pressure-sensitive floor panels.
Then a security drone drifted past him, scanning the room.
Kael froze, waiting. Counting. The mont the drone turned away, he moved.
The item he was looking for was hidden behind an abstract oil painting—thick brush strokes disguising a biotric vault.
Kael tilted his head, studying it. His father used to say: The richer they are, the more paranoid they beco.
He reached into his belt, pulling out a thin adhesive film.
As he pressed, it scanned it imdiately and the safe's biotric scanner blinked red, rejecting him.
Kael didn't react, Instead, he pulled out a small vial of powder and sprinkled it over the scanner.
A faint heat signature appeared—a trace of the owner's last fingerprint.
Kael pressed the film against it.
*Beep!*
The safe clicked open.
Inside, resting on a velvet-lined platform, was a glowing data cube.
Kael reached for it and then there was a quiet sound.
*Beep!*
A second later, the alarms scread.
"Kael, you tripped sothing. Get out. NOW." Juno's voice was sharp, but Kael was already moving.
Footsteps pounded in the hallways.
Gunfire erupted.
"Damn!" Kael said and flipped, dodged, vaulted over furniture, he dove in-between bullets that were coming from parallel sides.
He grabbed a nearby marble sculpture, hurling it at the guards. It shattered on impact, sending shards flying.
"Rooftop. That's your best exit." Kael kicked open the ergency door and bolted up the stairwell.
Rain hit his face as he burst onto the rooftop—And then he stopped.
Because soone was already there.
A figure, standing beneath the flashing city lights.
Cloaked in black tactical armor, the exact sa man he thought he had killed — the mirror masked man.
Kael's breath caught in his throat.
"No...It isn't possible." Kael found it had to believe.
His hands clenched into fists, the masked man tilted his head,
"You can't steal from a thief and get away with it," he said in a cold, and mocking voice.
"I watched you die," Kael growled
"And yet, here I stand. Let's just say I go by many faces" The masked man took a slow step forward.
"Your father thought he could escape the system."
He took Another step. "You thought you could break it?" Kael's breath ca sharp, fast
The masked man stopped just inches away. Kael could see his own reflection in the mask.
"But the truth is... you were always going to die."
A gloved hand shot out—And before Kael could react, he was grabbed by the collar and yanked toward the ledge.
The city stretched below them, Hundreds of feet down.
"Don't drop !" Kael struggled, trying to twist free, but the masked man's grip was like iron.
The rain blurred in his eyes.
"You should have died the sa night your father did," the masked man whispered.
Then—He let him fall.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!" The world tilted, making Kael to scream and the city lights spun around him.
He was falling fast, the cold air rushed past him, whipping against his skin, his clothes.
The sound of the storm, the sirens, the city—everything lted into a dull roar. He reached out, but there was nothing to grab.
Nothing to stop him.....Nothing to save him.
Juno's voice scread in his earpiece.
"KAEL! KAEL—ANSWER !"
But he couldn't his body flipped midair, spinning toward the pavent far below.
His fingers twitched the coin, still in his hand, but he didn't let go. Due to the intense grip blood sared across the tal. His father's voice echoed in his mind.
"Survive!" Kael's fingers clenched, a slow smile curled on his bloodied lips.
Kael whispered. "If I die tonight..." His fingers tightened around the coin.
"THEN I DIE A MAN." The wind roared past him, but his voice was steady.
"I DIE FIGHTING. NOT RUNNING."
"NOT BEGGING..."
"NOT AFRAID..." His blood sared across the coin's surface.
Kael's eyes burned. "AND WHEN THE COIN FLIPS AGAIN..."
"I'LL BE THE ONE HOLDING IT." The coin imdiately burned. A shockwave erupted from his body.
The air warping around him as ti slowed dramatically.
[System Initialization Complete]
[Welco, Holder of CoreCoin.]
[Synchronizing Soul Signature...]
[Access Level: Alpha Root.]
His bones stopped breaking his wounds began to seal rapidly.
The coin lted into his palm, leaving a glowing insignia.
Reviews
All reviews (0)