Logan's eyes widened in fear, but he couldn't answer, his mouth firmly bound. Baton nodded to one of his men, and they reluctantly removed the makeshift gag. Logan gasped for breath, his voice trembling as he begged for forgiveness."I swear, I didn't want to betray anyone. I was just trying to survive!"Baton's eyes narrowed, and his voice dropped to a sinister whisper. "Survival in our world comes at a price, Logan. You should have thought about that before meddling in our affairs."With a cruel smile, Baton signaled to his men, and they didn't waste a moment. They began to beat Logan mercilessly, the blows raining down on him from every direction. Pain exploded in Logan's body with each strike, and he could do nothing but curl into a fetal position and endure.After what felt like an eternity, Baton finally ordered them to stop. Logan lay battered and bruised, barely able to move. The bike gangsters stepped back, their faces impassive, showing neither sympathy nor remorse. They unt
"I'll transfer triple the amount I owe you," Logan declared through gritted teeth.The manager was taken aback by Logan's sudden resolve. He reluctantly provided the bank account details, disbelief written across his face as he watched Logan process the transfer on his phone. When the manager received the notification confirming the substantial payment, he was left in stunned silence.Logan's eyes bore into the manager's as he spoke, his voice trembling with pain and exhaustion. "Now, I expect you to treat me, as you should have from the beginning."The manager, finally realizing the extent of Logan's determination, turned to the nurse and ordered her to treat him immediately. She did so begrudgingly, her resentment palpable as she attended to his wounds.The treatment was far from gentle. She handled him with an air of begrudging obligation, her touch firm and impersonal. As Logan winced with each touch, she probed the swollen and bruised areas of his face and body, her fingers tracin
The following day, Logan awoke in his hospital room, feeling marginally better but still nursing a throbbing headache and aching body. He shifted uncomfortably in his bed as the morning sun filtered through the curtains and the rays blinding his eyes. Just then, the nurse entered, her smile a facade of compassion. "How are you feeling today, Mr. Logan?" she inquired, her tone polite but distant.Logan winced, his voice still hoarse. "Slightly better than yesterday, I guess. Can I go home now?"The nurse, seemingly ignoring his question, checked his bandages with clinical detachment and replied, "I'll inform the doctor of your progress."Logan watched her leave the room, a growing sense of unease settling in. He had a nagging feeling that his day was about to take a turn for the worse.As if on cue, a doctor arrived, her face a mask of professional indifference. Logan cleared his throat, his anxiety building. "Doctor, can I be discharged today?"The doctor, reviewing his chart, barely
As Daniel arrived at Logan's apartment, he couldn't help but notice the subtle signs of bruising on Logan's face, despite his attempt to conceal it. Concerned, he remarked, "Logan, what happened to your face? Are you okay?"Logan hesitated for a moment, not wanting to burden his friend with the truth. Instead, he quickly thought of an excuse and replied, "Oh, that? I got jumped last night while I was out with my girlfriend."Daniel's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Girlfriend? When did you get another girlfriend Logan, and why didn't you tell me?"Logan, realizing he had painted himself into a corner, chuckled nervously. "Well, she's not officially my girlfriend yet, but I'm hoping she will be soon."Daniel couldn't help but smile at his friend's hopeful tone. "That's great, Logan. But seriously, you should be careful. You don't want to get hurt while protecting someone, girlfriend or not."Logan nodded in agreement, appreciating Daniel's concern. As Logan and Daniel conversed, their d
Logan managed to hail a cab to take him home, but as he settled into the back seat, his phone began to ring. He hastily answered it, expecting anything but what he heard."Logan," his boss's stern voice crackled through the phone before he could even say hello, "why didn't you show up for work today?"Logan paused for a moment, taken aback by the directness of the question. He considered his options carefully before responding, "I had an accident, sir. I couldn't make it to work."His boss's response was unexpected. "Logan, do you still want to work with us?"Logan found himself in a moment of silence, pondering the question deeply. The job at the canteen had never been his dream career, and now, with the mysterious task at hand and the money he had recently obtained, he questioned whether he wanted to continue in that line of work.After a brief pause, he finally replied, "Yes, I do."His boss's voice remained stern as he added, "Good. Be at work tomorrow morning. We need to talk."B
"What did you say?" the boss demanded, his voice going harsh.Eleanor repeated herself, louder this time, for Logan's benefit. "I said that Logan's salary here is less than five thousand dollars, but he spent that much at the grocery store."Logan's boss, a stern and principled man, didn't take accusations lightly. He turned to Logan, his expression serious. "Did you steal money from work, Logan?"Logan, taken aback by the accusation, shook his head vehemently. "No, sir, I didn't."The boss then called Lydia, a fellow employee responsible for managing the financial aspects of the canteen, to check if any cash was missing. Lydia promptly responded, "No, nothing is missing."However, the boss insisted that she double-check. Lydia, slightly irritated by the repeated questioning, conducted another thorough check and confirmed once more that everything was in order.With an apologetic look, the boss turned to Logan. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, Logan. It seems there was no issue af
After Carter's lowrider turned on its engine and drove off with Eleanor inside, Logan finally emerged from his hiding place. He let out a sigh of relief but also a sense of disappointment, as he had initially intended to head back home. As he was about to take his leave, he heard Eleanor's mother call out to him. Logan turned, startled by her addressing him by his name. She stood there, her gaze fixed on the spot where Carter's vehicle had just been parked. She muttered her daughter's name and paused making Logan wonder what this was about.Logan couldn't find the right words to respond, so he remained silent, unsure of what Eleanor's mother was thinking.Finally, she broke the silence. "It's like that almost every night," she remarked, her voice tinged with a mix of resignation and concern.Logan nodded, acknowledging the truth in her words. The strained relationship between Eleanor and Carter was apparent, even to those on the periphery.Eleanor's mother continued, "Eleanor is an a
Logan sat down and, as if on cue, the waiter approached. "What can I get you, sir?" the waiter inquired politely.Logan paused, feeling a surge of discomfort, and then replied, "I'm waiting for someone, thank you."Time seemed to stretch endlessly, each minute reminding him of the limited time frame he had to complete the task given to him by the system. An hour had nearly passed, accompanied by persistent reminders by the system that he had only three hours left.Just as Logan's nerves were starting to get the best of him, his phone rang. It was Eleanor, and he answered quickly. They exchanged greetings, and Logan directed her to his table.Eleanor, looking radiant in an expensive dress, approached with confidence. As they locked eyes, Logan couldn't help but feel a pang of doubt. Her presence stirred up old emotions, reminding him of the connection they once shared."Eleanor," Logan greeted her with a polite smile as she arrived."Logan," she replied, her voice tinged with curiosity