Lian was trying to throw together something for dinner when a sharp knock broke the quiet. His muscles tensed immediately. Jake had finally found him. He clenched the handle of the knife he’d been using to chop vegetables, cursing silently. If he had the money, he would have moved long ago. He edged cautiously to the door. Peering through the peephole, he breathed a sigh of relief. Rogan stood there, looking far too casual with a grin plastered across his face and a box of pizza raised in one hand. Lian unlocked the door, his body still buzzing with leftover tension. Rogan pushed past Lian into the small apartment like he owned the place. Moments later, they sat squashed together on the cramped couch, eating straight from the box. “So, let me get this straight,” Rogan said through a mouthful of pizza. “Scupper, gave you a hotel address, and then—BOOM?” Lian leaned back, rubbing a hand over his face. "I’ve told you the same story three times, Rogan. You gonna take this seriously
A young girl, no more than five years old, stood in the middle of a barren field, her small hands gripping a metal plate raised high above her head. Her innocent eyes gazed forward, void of fear, as though she was completely unaware of the danger that lay ahead. In front of her stood three middle-aged men, their faces twisted in amusement. Each of them held a gun, but one of them stepped forward, lifting his weapon to aim directly at her. "Bet you can't even hit the plate," one of the men jeered, his laughter cruel and hollow. The girl remained eerily still, her face devoid of any reaction. Her expression was blank, almost as if she wasn't there. There was something unsettling about her composure, something unnatural in the way her craziness, making it all the more disturbing. Without hesitation, the man with the gun fired. The loud bang of the shot echoed across the field, and in that instant, Lijun jolted awake, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. Her eyes flew open, wide
The hospital hallways were quiet, too quiet for Rochelle's liking. The early morning light spilled through the narrow windows as she arrived at the secret facility, humming a tune that was slightly off-key, her steps almost bouncing in a twisted joy. Three months. Three long months since Lin Lijun had fallen into a coma. In that time, they had moved her from hospital to hospital, each more secure than the last, to keep her safe from those who wanted her dead. But Rochelle wasn’t here to protect Lijun out of kindness. No, Lijun needed to wake up—she had to pay for her crimes. “A criminal shouldn’t die before they pay,” Rochelle muttered under her breath, her eyes wide with anticipation as she pushed open the door to Lijun’s room. The bed was empty. Her heart skipped a beat, a thin thread of panic and excitement twisting together. She scanned the room until her gaze landed on a figure slumped on the floor, long hair obscuring half her face, leaning weakly against the bed. Rochelle
Lijun sat in her wheelchair, staring out the narrow window. It had become a habit since she woke from the coma last week, though there was nothing worth watching—just the same dull corridor, the officers passing by and envying their freedom. In here, she was nothing but caged, her mind constantly sifting through fragments of memories she couldn’t piece together. The door creaked open. Lijun heard the familiar footsteps, but she didn’t bother turning. Her eyes remained fixed on the glass. “How long do I have to stay here?” she asked, voice soft, but edged with frustration. “You’ll have surgery in a few days,” came the cold, detached reply. Rochelle. Lijun’s lips twitched into a bitter smile. “I hate knives.” Rochelle let out a short, mocking laugh. “Funny, considering you were Scupper. You used to love your blades.” Lijun didn't react right away. Her eyes drifted down to her hand, nails scratching at her skin. Each scrape dug deeper, the sting more satisfying than the hollow bore
She had one order that brought her from Thailand to Vegas: eliminate Lin Lijun. However, just as she was about to complete her mission, someone beat her to it—an explosion ripped through Lijun’s hotel room, leaving the target alive but gravely injured. She hadn’t even had a chance to act before Lijun got into an accident. Her mission was quickly altered. Instead of killing Lijun, her orders now were to bring her back to Thailand. The reasons behind this change, or the connection between Lijun and her boss, were irrelevant to her. All that mattered was accomplishing the task set before her. It hadn't been difficult to infiltrate the hospital as a nurse. With her background in medical training, blending in was second nature. Now, she was ready to act. Today would be the day she’d take Lijun out of this facility. In her small office, she prepared the items she would need: a tray of innocuous pills, a syringe, and her concealed weapon, tucked carefully into the thigh holster beneath her
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been unconscious, but when she came to, she found herself slumped across the back seat of a moving car. She blinked, disoriented, as she took in her surroundings. Through the car windows, the sky stretched out in darkness. She could make out the buildings, all of it rushing by too fast for her to place where she was. Slowly, she turned her attention to the driver—a woman with a sharp, determined face framed by dark, curly hair, focused intently on the road. It was coming back to her now. The pills, the hazy feeling of slipping into unconsciousness… and a memory surfaced. No, this wasn’t a nurse. A surge of unease twisted in her stomach. Why was this woman taking her away? And where? Once, she’d thought about escaping a thousand times over, yet her plans had always felt absurd. She had convinced herself there was no way out; to escape meant a life on the run, forever hunted. She shook her head as if to chase away the thought—it didn’t matter
Lijun slowly blinked open her eyes, greeted only by darkness. The oppressive silence that surrounded her sent chills down her spine, especially by the realization that her hands and feet were tied to the chair on which she sat in this unknown place. She heard no sounds or any indication of her captors' presence. After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the faint sound of approaching footsteps echoed in the darkness, signalling the arrival of someone. As the steps drew closer, a torch suddenly illuminated the room, causing Lijun to flinch from the sudden brightness. Blinking away the temporary blindness, she focused her gaze on the figure who had entered. Before her stood a young man, his long auburn hair framed his face, his blue eyes betraying a hint of anger at the sight of her. His intense gaze lingered on her for a few moments before he stepped aside. Behind him was a tall and imposing figure clad in a heavy coat and a sleek black suit. His athletic build and unshaven fac
Jasper chuckled darkly, his voice dripping with amusement as he let go of the knife. He sighed, giving Lian a hard pat on the shoulder. “She’s yours,” he said before turning and striding out with his men following in silence. The scene was a blur to Lijun. Why would he stop the knife barehanded for her? Did he know her? She looked up at her rescuer with wary eyes, catching his intense gaze and flinching involuntarily. Steeling herself, she pushed herself up to a sitting position, trying to mask her confusion. “What I owed you,” he murmured coolly. “Now we’re even.” Due to his unusual condition, the wound meant little—he couldn’t feel the pain. Still, he made no attempt to conceal it, as if the injury itself was a reminder of his choice to save her. Despite everything she’d done to him, he couldn’t let her die. With measured steps, he moved closer, crouching down until he was at her eye level. His expression remained impassive, yet his voice held a cold edge. “Among everyone here
Lijun took a step back, still clutching a shard of glass, her eyes sharp and deadly. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” she said, voice chilling. “Threatening me was your first mistake. Thinking you could manipulate me was your second.”When she smashed the bottle over his head, she acted on pure instinct, her anger flared that it drowned out all thought. The fury of being manipulated, his threats, ignited something deep within her.But as the glass shattered, realization set in, and her heart hammered in her chest. She knew she screwed herself. There would be no easy escape now. If she was going to get out of this alive, she’d have to fight—and that meant taking on the entire camp?“Now it’s your turn to pay. For every drop of blood of my comrades, and this …" He showed his three fingers. Her grip tightened. Those words confirmed her thoughts, no way without a fight. Since was the case, she should do everything she could. Her eyes glinted as she stared at Andrew, who made
The room fell silent as Andrew uttered the name. Every pair of eyes turned to her, widening in shock. He descended the stairs quickly, his gaze locked on her. When he stopped, just a few steps away, he looked her over with a strange, almost intensity gaze.What the hell is going on…Andrew spread his arms with a crooked grin. “Well, well, well. Are you all seeing this? The infamous ‘Scupper’ herself! Terrorist, fugitive... my idol!” He pointed at her with a hand missing two fingers. “Please, have a seat. Make yourself comfortable.”Lijun stiffened. If she had to choose between getting beheaded or dealing with this, both would be a nightmare. She stole a glance at Lian; he was pale, his jaw clenched. He wasn’t just frightened; he hated this situation as much as she did.They were led to a room where they sat across from Andrew, who lounged with a smug, while a woman brought food and liquor to the table. He studied her as if he had the upper hand, savouring every moment of her discomf
They remained outside, catching their breath after the fight. Lijun leaned against a tree, watching Lian as he tried to pick up his knife, his hands trembling. She noticed something strange—despite his injuries, he showed no sign of pain, as if his body was numb.She moved toward him, wanting to inspect the damage she’d caused to his hand. She needed him alive; whatever their current situation, he was still useful. She knew the same men from earlier might return, so she had to patch him up quickly before they left. But as she drew closer, Lian’s sharp gaze stopped her.Ignoring his silent warning, she stepped closer and crouched beside him. "Don’t trouble yourself. Honestly, I’m not looking forward to playing nurse here."His dark eyes deepened, studying her in silence.Despite their hostility, Lijun realized that Lian wasn’t a bad person, not really—not the way he wanted her to see him. Even though he clearly wanted something from her, he could have abandoned her. She was nothing
The tension between them simmered, thick as she narrowed her eyes at him."What? Go to the village?" she spat, her voice cutting through the silence. "Are you out of your mind?"Lian arched a brow, clearly unimpressed by her tone. "You want to stay hidden here forever? I thought you were smarter than that."For three days, they'd been holed up in that abandoned shack, each day stretching longer as they tried to ignore the trouble looming just beyond those thin walls. She barely knew him—this man who seemed to know far too much about her, who claimed he wanted to help her regain her memories and find someone.His proposal seemed absurd. The village was no place for her, not with her face practically branded as a target. He might have a chance there, but she wouldn’t. He still didn’t understand that, and his stubbornness grated at her."The sooner we leave, the sooner we’ll reach before sunset," he arguedShe scoffed. "And I suppose you'll carry me all the way there?" She folded her ar
When Lijun jumped, she wasn’t sure she would survive—and truthfully, she didn’t want to. Since the day she’d awakened with no memory and the world’s hateful eyes on her, thoughts of death had become a haunting comfort. But dying was about escaping; she wanted them to think she was gone while she hid, somewhere, still breathing, beyond their reach.When she opened her eyes to find herself not submerged in water, her thoughts returned immediately to Celine’s brother, and she jolted upright from the bed. For reasons she couldn’t explain, that man haunted her. The room around her was worn, built from rough wood and clearly neglected.Nearby, a figure lay on the floor, back turned to her. Her eyes narrowed, suspicion flaring. It couldn’t be him—could it? Whoever he was, he had to be the one who dragged her from the lake.“Why don’t you leave me alone!” she burst out, her voice with frustration.The man stirred, and his voice replied coldly, “You don’t deserve to die… nor live.” As he sat
That evening, Rochelle drove up to Evelyn’s mansion. Though Evelyn had never given her the address, Rochelle had her ways. After all, if she could track down the most elusive criminals, finding one young woman’s home wasn’t exactly a challenge.She wasn’t expecting Lijun to be here, and Rochelle had come for a different reason. However, she had many reasons to believe Evelyn was hiding something valuable.Dialing the house number, Rochelle listened as the phone rang unanswered. She narrowed her eyes, gaze fixed on the mansion. Though the curtains were drawn, the lights on inside suggested Evelyn was home.Rochelle tried again, bracing herself. If Evelyn didn’t answer, she'd take it as a sign of trouble—and barge right in.Finally, Evelyn picked up. Rochelle kept her tone light, though her gaze was steely. “I’ve been outside your place forever. Care to let me in? It's freezing out here.”Silence followed, and Rochelle waited, expecting Evelyn to rush to open the gate. Instead, the dela
Evelyn arrived in front of her opulent two-story house in her stunning sports car, the engine purring as she parked in the driveway. Just as she made her way towards the entrance, the house came alive with light, causing her to freeze mid-step. Aside from the occasional maids who came and went during the day, she was the sole occupant of the residence. Her home was equipped with a high-tech security system with its unique codes, which was supposed to be known by only her. Noticing a strange situation, a sudden jolt of unease crept in her, Furrowing her brow, she retrieved her iPad and quickly accessed the security footage of her home. After scanning through several clips, she paused, her attention narrowing on one particular frame. There was something unsettling in the footage that demanded her full concentration. On the screen, a woman with brown skin lounged in a cozy living room, casually waving at the camera. She tightened her grip on her phone, suddenly feeling a wave of un
Down the hall, Evelyn moved confidently through a line of officers who glanced at her with frowns, clearly puzzled by her presence. She was young, barely an adult, and to them, looked out of place at a crime scene. They exchanged skeptical glances, but she ignored their stares, focused on her mission. Her eyes locked on the empty bed, and her heart dropped—Lijun was gone. Beside the bed stood a doctor and a middle-aged woman with short, ear-length hair, dark strands falling over half of her face. Her beauty was striking, but what caught Evelyns attention was her aura: cold, detached, and intimidating. She recognized her instantly as a detective from China, sent here to retrieve Lijun. This woman was the type who wouldn’t hesitate to act if necessary, and she knew better than to provoke her. Their eyes met, and Evelyn emotionless asked “Where’s Rochelle?” One of the officers tilted his head, seemingly trying to size her up. When it became clear they weren’t going to answer, She le
She took a slow, steady breath, her gaze drifting out over the dark water that stretched endlessly around the boat. Was this not proof enough for her situation? He intended to kill her, and no one would know. If she didn't find a way out, no one would. Five mascular men stood on the deck, arms crossed, watching indifferently as she was brought by Lian. Then he put her on the chair. She sat up, lifting her gaze to stare across the deck where Japser stood, silhouetted against the moonlight. A cold resolve settled over her. 'Fine,' She thought clenched her fists. 'If I'm the one with what you want, then you will be talking business with me. Unless you're ready to kill me and lose her in the process,' Leaning back in her chair, she fixed her eyes on him. Her voice was smooth and mocking. "You care about her, don’t you? Let’s see just how far you're willing to go. " Her words made everyone froze. They almost forgot who were dealing with due to her weakling body. But for Japser was