Meanwhile, Vespera drove to an isolated location that seemed to be a hideout tucked away in the mountains. The area was shrouded in mist, and the rugged terrain made it inaccessible for most. Dense trees added an additional layer of secrecy, making it an ideal hideaway."Where is this place? Why are we here?" Oliver asked as he got out of the car and surveyed the surroundings."Master, this is my hideout. No one will find Maria here until everything is settled," Vespera replied.Given her line of work as an assassin, having a secret place like this was essential. It allowed her to escape from police tracking and lay low between jobs."Alright, I understand. So what's the next step?" Oliver inquired.Vespera opened the back seat, gently lifted Maria out of the car, and said, "Follow me, Master." She led him toward a cave entrance.Oliver followed her into the cave. Inside, the atmosphere was markedly different; it was cool and damp, the walls covered with a layer of moisture. Sparse li
Vespera nodded and lifted her head from the ground. Oliver warned her, "This will hurt, so try to bear the pain." He then took the dagger and started to carefully cut away the scar tissue. Vespera clenched her teeth and let out soft moans as her face became bloody. A sore spot formed where the scar used to be.Oliver then went to a nearby stream and scooped up some water. He came back and gently poured it on Vespera's face, washing away the blood.Ahhh"My face really hurts, Master," Vespera said."I know, but try to bear it. I'll heal you now," Oliver replied.He closed his eyes and began to chant softly, "Riwo, siro, tera."As he chanted, his palm started to glow. It glowed brighter and brighter, and his hand shook a little. Oliver kept chanting, his palm changing from white to red and red to white. As Oliver continued his chant, his palm glowed with a mix of white and red light. Carefully, he placed his glowing hand on Vespera's sore face.Ahhhhhhhh! She let out a scream so loud i
"I want your dad's life," Oliver said, his eyes locked onto Maria's."What? My dad's life? Are you serious? What's wrong with you?" Maria screamed, disbelief written all over her face."Are you done venting? Whether you believe it or not, I intend to take his life," Oliver said, unflinching.Maria tried to mask her panic. "Do you even know who my dad is? Do you know what he's capable of?"Oliver casually crossed his legs. "I don't know who he is or what he's capable of. Enlighten me."Maria sneered, "You want his life, but you don't even know who he is. My dad is Arshad Khan. Ever wonder why we have the surname 'Khan' despite not being Indian? Well, let me tell you. My dad is an ex-mafia don. Even other mafias feared him. He didn't just cross the Indian border; he conquered half of the Indian underworld. People who met him lowered their heads in respect and called him 'Bhai,' which means 'brother' in Hindi, and 'Anna,' which means 'brother' in Telugu. He was given the name 'Khan,' wh
"Do you know what it means to defy the laws of physics? To exist as a paradox within the world's natural order?" He paused, allowing the weight of his words to sink in. "I've been in fights where I've defied gravity itself. I can launch myself through the air, suspend myself in nothingness, just to deliver a strike. Hey Maria, I'm a living, breathing contradiction to the rules of this world."Oliver paused, his gaze still unyielding as he looked at Maria. "In simpler words, your father may be a lion among men, but I am a dragon among lions. So tell me, do you still think your father's might will be enough?"Gasp!"The room felt like it was closing in, as if even the walls were leaning in to listen to Oliver's audacious claims. Maria, even with her initial boldness, found herself grappling with uneasiness. "What has my dad done, what do you mean by you want his life? And who are you?" She asked"Good, this is what you should have asked for. I'm Oliver Storm, son of Garcia Storm," Oliv
Meanwhile, outside the cave, Vespera's eyes fluttered open. She found herself staring at the sky, feeling as if she had been drained of energy. Slowly, she sat up and looked around, realizing Oliver was nowhere in sight.Her hand trembled as she reached up to touch her face, specifically the spot where her scar had been. Her fingers glided over smooth skin, no bump or ridge to indicate a scar or sore. Confused, she moved her hand to the other side of her face, thinking maybe she'd touched the wrong spot. Again, her fingers met only smooth, unblemished skin. Shocked, both of her hands flew to her face, frantically searching for any sign of the scar. But it was gone, completely disappeared, as if it had never existed."What?" Vespera screamed, her voice echoing through the empty landscape. "Where's the scar? Did Master really make it disappear like he said he would?" She ran her fingers over her face again and again, as if expecting the scar to reappear any moment. But her skin remaine
Maria felt her body shiver uncontrollably as Vespera spoke. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing louder than the last in her ears. She was hanging on Oliver's every word, waiting for his response.Oliver looked at Vespera and motioned for her to rise. "As for her father," he said, shaking his head, "his fate will be sealed by my own hands, not anyone else's."Oliver turned to Maria, locking eyes with her as he spoke. "Within a few minutes or maybe an hour, your father will be under my control. Just wait and see," he declared confidently.Meanwhile, back in Boston Hills, Arshad Khan rushed through the airport. He had just stepped out of his car, and his entourage hurriedly followed him, some carrying bags and all eager to clear security checks. They were all on a tight schedule.In a secure room inside the airport, Alice stood before a screen that displayed live surveillance footage from various parts of the terminal. A light smile crossed her lips as she saw Arshad Khan
The frown on Arshad's face vanished hearing that. Intrigued and slightly appeased by the offer, he nodded. "Very well."Alice, standing in front of a bank of monitors, watched as Arshad and his men were led away by the airport staff member. She couldn't help but smile. The first phase of "Operation Delayed Comfort" was a success.She reached for the intercom, pressing a button to open a secure line. "Phase one complete. Move to Phase Two," she whispered, satisfaction tinged in her voice.As she watched Arshad and his crew disappear into the plush confines of the VIP lounge on one of her monitors, she thought to herself, "So far, so good."The lounge door closed behind them, and Alice could only imagine Arshad's surprise when he would eventually realize that this delay was far more than a minor inconvenience. Arshad Khan settled into a plush leather chair inside the luxurious VIP lounge. Despite the unexpected delay, the comforts around him—fine wines, gourmet snacks, and a serene atm
"I told you that the lady's offer to enter this exclusive lounge was too good to be true."The PA was shocked because Arshad didn't say anything, but he dared not speak back. Realizing they were trapped, Arshad ordered his men to break the door. They tried kicking down the doors, but they wouldn't budge. In a last-ditch effort, they took off their belts, wrapping them around their faces in makeshift masks, hoping to filter out the sedative. Some even attempted to break the newly-installed "air purifiers," but it was too late.While they struggled, the PA felt his legs giving way, the room spinning around him. "Sir, I can't...," he stuttered, collapsing onto a nearby couch.Arshad's vision began to blur. His last sight was of his men falling, one by one, into unconsciousness. Despite his efforts to fight it off, the sedative was too potent."Whoever did this," he thought as he succumbed, "won't get away with it." But then, darkness overtook him.Alice watched on her screen as each man