The rain had stopped, but the night still clung to a damp chill as Jamie walked down the deserted street. The puddles reflected the distant streetlights, their glow flickering like a heartbeat. He had just left Oz’s place, his mind weighed down by the cryptic advice and the unsettling realities of the system. His thoughts scattered, he pulls out his phone, intending to text Lyle, when it hits.
The familiar sensation snaps into place, sharp and clear in his mind: *the system activates*.*New Mission: Retrieve Classified Intel.**Location: Underground Facility, North Seattle.**Time Limit: 1 Hour.**Reward: 200 Essence.*Jamie freezes, his eyes narrowing. It’s the same facility Lyle mentioned during their last phone call. Too coincidental. The system never operates on coincidences, and Jamie knows better than to question it at this point. But the timing couldn’t be worse.Just then, his phone rings—Lyle. Jamie hesitates b
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20k Rolin Chapter 16: Lingering Shadows(0x16LS)
The soft hum of the system in the air is a constant reminder that nothing stays still for long. Jamie hasn’t been able to fully relax since the mission, even though he’s tried. Each time he closes his eyes, flashes of the underground world flood his mind—faces he can’t trust, names whispered in the dark, and the classified intel they fought so hard to obtain. The 200 Essence is a boost, but it comes at a price. Jamie can feel the system nudging him, urging him toward his next move, but he’s still processing everything. He rubs the back of his neck and looks out the window. The rain has finally stopped, leaving the streets slick and quiet. It’s eerie how calm it is after all the chaos they’ve been through. *Ding.* The system notification cuts through the silence like a blade. Jamie instinctively tenses. Another mission? He opens the interface and reads the message. **New Mission Available** _Obtain high-level intelligence from subject “Cipher”—a key player in the underworld o
20k Rolin Chapter 17: Into The Web (0x17ITW)
The aftermath of the fight leaves Jamie on edge. His pulse slows, but his senses stay sharp, eyes flicking to every shadow that stretches beyond the dim alley. He bends down, checks the pockets of one of the unconscious attackers, but finds nothing useful—no ID, no sign of allegiance. The system warned of hostiles, but as usual, it keeps the details frustratingly vague. “Any chance these guys are connected to Cipher?” Jamie asks, his voice barely a murmur. Lyle emerges from his hiding spot, shaking off dust from his jacket. “Could be. Cipher’s got eyes everywhere. Or maybe they’re just goons trying to make a quick buck. Either way, we’re not sticking around to find out.” Jamie gives him a long look. “How about we start with some answers? What do you know about Cipher that you haven’t told me yet?” Lyle’s grin falters, but only for a second. “Look, Jamie, Cipher’s not your typical underworld boss. He’s... different. Rumor has it he’s got connections way deeper than anyone reali
20k Rolin Chapter 18: Deep In The Web (0x17DITW)
Jamie’s pulse steadies as the system notification fades from his vision, but the weight of what they’ve just uncovered clings to him. Cipher's reach extends far beyond what he expected, and he can’t shake the feeling that this is only a small piece of the puzzle. He glances at Lyle, who’s catching his breath against the grimy alley wall, still clutching the portable drive with all the stolen data. "Next step?" Lyle asks, his voice a bit breathless, though the glint in his eyes says he's already thinking ahead. Jamie scans the narrow alley, his instincts urging caution. “We’re sitting on a ticking bomb. Cipher’s people will be combing this area soon. We need a safe spot to go through what we grabbed.” Lyle nods, adjusting his backpack. “I’ve got a place. It’s off-grid. No surveillance. It’s just... not close.” "Doesn’t matter," Jamie replies, already moving. "Lead the way." They stick to the back streets, keeping to the shadows. As they navigate through the underbelly of Seattle,
20k Rolin Chapter 19: The Trap Tightens (0x19TTT)
The air feels thick as Jamie and Lyle weave through the streets of downtown Seattle. The city is bustling, unaware of the impending storm brewing just beneath the surface. Seattle Central looms ahead, its towering structure cutting sharply against the darkening sky. As they approach the building, Jamie's heart pounds in sync with the system's ever-looming presence in his mind. Lyle adjusts his backpack, checking the makeshift comms device he rigged up. “So, what’s the plan when we get inside? We’re talking high-security here, and if Cipher’s people are already in place, we’re walking straight into a deathtrap.” “We’re not walking in,” Jamie replies, his voice low. “We need to hit them from the inside out. Disrupt their communications, take out key personnel, and cut off their backup. Holmes should be in position by now, and if everything goes smoothly, we’ll have a window to sabotage the whole thing before they even realize what hit them.” Lyle quirks an eyebrow. “Smoothly, huh?
20k Rolin Chapter 20: The Unseen Cost (0x20TUC)
The sound of boots pounding down the hallway outside grows louder, like a war drum signaling the inevitable. Jamie’s pulse races, his mind calculating the odds. Lyle is hunched over the terminal, fingers trembling as he continues to work, sweat beading on his forehead. Holmes has taken up a defensive position near the server room’s exit, gun drawn, eyes hard as stone. “They’re almost on us,” Holmes growls. “Make a choice, Anderson. Do we go out guns blazing, or do we pull the plug on this whole operation?” Jamie stares at the servers, feeling the weight of his decision closing in. He had been in situations like this before, where every second mattered and each choice carved a path of consequences. But this one felt different. **Darker.** The system in his mind pulses, as if urging him to act, to trust in its power. But that power came with a cost—a cost he wasn’t willing to fully understand yet. “Jamie,” Lyle’s voice break
20k Rolin Chapter 21: Fractured Bonds (0x21FB)
Jamie stands outside the apartment door, the weight of the past few days heavy on his shoulders. He hasn’t been back since Emma dropped the bombshell: her betrayal, the shady people she met, and the fact that she’s pregnant with his child. He takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself. The system hums faintly in the back of his mind, but this isn’t a battle where it can offer help. This is something he has to face alone. He unlocks the door quietly, stepping inside. The apartment feels different—like an alien space he no longer belongs in. Emma is sitting on the couch, hands folded over her stomach. When she sees him, her eyes widen in relief, but Jamie can tell there’s tension behind it. “I didn’t think you were coming back,” Emma says, her voice tentative, almost pleading. Jamie doesn’t respond immediately. He closes the door behind him and leans against it, taking her in. The woman he married. The woman who, not long ago, sold him out. “I had to,” Jamie finally says, his
20k Rolin Chapter 22: The Job Offer (0x22TJO)
Jamie sits in the quiet corner of a dimly lit bar, nursing his second glass of whiskey. His mind keeps wandering back to his last conversation with Emma—the argument, the tension that hung between them like a fog neither of them could cut through. He clenches his jaw, pushing the memory aside for now. There’s no space for that here, not when he’s about to dive deeper into the underworld.The bar door swings open, and in walks Lyle, his casual demeanor clashing with the gravity Jamie feels tightening around him. Lyle saunters over, his signature smirk plastered on his face as if the world outside is nothing more than a game to be played."Jamie, my man," Lyle says, sliding into the booth across from him. "Got a job that’ll make us both a nice payday. Interested?"Jamie glances at him, his thoughts still on Emma, on how distant their relationship has become. But Lyle’s here now, and he can’t afford to let his personal life bleed into this world. He nods, knowing full well that anything
20k Rolin Chapter 23: The Silent Connection (0x22TSC)
Jamie stands at the edge of the upscale hotel lobby, scanning the room for any sign of Selina. Lyle has given him the basics: Selina is dangerous but necessary. She holds the keys to getting inside Nikolai Sokolov’s mansion, but trusting her is out of the question.The soft hum of conversation mixes with the clinking of glasses as well-dressed patrons mingle around him. Jamie feels out of place, a predator hidden in plain sight. He checks his watch, tension coiling in his chest like a spring wound too tight. Lyle set this meeting up, and if Selina doesn’t show soon, Jamie will have to assume the worst—that she’s already decided to double-cross them before the job even starts.Just as the thought crosses his mind, the soft click of heels catches his attention. A woman in a sleek, dark red dress walks through the entrance, her eyes cutting through the room as if she owns it. She’s stunning, but there’s an edge to her that keeps Jamie alert. Her confidence isn’t just from beauty—it comes
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