Zen leaned over to Rosalia. “Hey, could you point me to the restroom?”Rosalia nodded and stood up. “I’ll take you there.”Zen gently placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. “No need to stress yourself. Just point me in the right direction.”She gave him a small smile and pointed down a hallway. “It’s straight down there. The last door on the left.”“Thanks,” Zen replied, giving her a nod before making his way toward the restroom.___As he finished washing his hands and stepped out of the restroom, he almost bumped into two men waiting outside—Silas Wales and his friend, Dave. Zen’s eyes met Silas's, and he recognized the familiar sneer. Silas, whose ego Zen had bruised in a previous encounter, clearly hadn’t forgotten.“Long time no see,” Silas said with a forced smile, his tone dripping with condescension.Zen raised an eyebrow, with a calm expression. “It’s been a while, Silas,” he replied evenly, not showing any hint of concern.Dave smirked, leaning against the wall. “Still
As Silas approached Zen, his hand extended, ready to search him, a smirk played on his lips. Zen’s gaze was steady, though his eyes were sharp with amusement. Silas’ hand brushed against the necklace, and his smile broadened. “Gotcha!” Silas whispered triumphantly, drawing out the diamond necklace. “Here it is—”Before he could finish, a loud crash echoed through the hall. Glass shattered from above, and the lights abruptly went out. Smoke bombs went off and suddenly the room was filled with a thick fog and gasps of shock as chaos erupted.Zen’s hand trembled, his face paling. “I finally had the chance to—” His voice wavered, barely audible. “I finally had the chance to have some fun.” The hall plunged into darkness, and the room was enveloped in a higher degree of chaos, broken only by distant shouts and hurried footsteps. From the shadows, Sinclair appeared, his voice cutting through the confusion. “Chief. Looks like there’s trouble.”Zen’s eyes darted around as the invaders, clad
“Well, now that the excitement is over,” Silas began loudly, trying to regain his composure and draw attention back to himself, “there's still the matter of the missing jewelry—”The woman earlier, in a lavish gown suddenly stepped forward, holding up a glittering diamond necklace. “Oh, Silas!” she exclaimed, interrupting him. “I found it! I must have kept it in my purse without realizing.”The crowd let out a collective sigh of relief, with some chuckling nervously. But Silas wasn’t satisfied. He opened his mouth to argue, “But—”“Silence!” the Albrecht patriarch's voice boomed through the hall, cutting Silas off sharply. His face was stern, his eyes narrowing with impatience. “Enough of this nonsense! We have had more than enough drama for one night.” He turned to the Wales patriarch, who stood nearby, and his voice softened slightly but remained commanding. “See to it that your grandson knows his place and keeps his mouth shut.”The Wales patriarch sighed and turned, giving Silas a
The room was tense, the air thick with anticipation. The old man's eyes, sharp as ever, studied Zen intently. "You know," the old man began, his voice gravelly but commanding, "there are five major units in the military. Each one is capable of producing soldiers with the kind of strength you demonstrated tonight." He paused, letting his words hang in the air. "So, tell me, young man, which unit are you from?"Zen remained silent, his expression calm and unreadable. The old man’s smile widened, his curiosity piqued."You’re not going to answer? Or are you just being cautious?" he pressed. "You must be aware that anyone who shows such ability is usually affiliated with one of these units. It’s rare to see someone outside the military capable of such feats."Zen's eyes flickered slightly, but he kept his composure. "I’m not affiliated with any unit," he finally said, his voice steady. "I’ve always worked alone."The old man raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Alone, you say? That’s q
The next day, sunlight was streaming through the windows as Zen drove up to the hospital. He pulls into a parking spot, the engine of his car purring to a stop. As he steps out, a familiar voice cuts through the morning air.“Well, well, well. Look who’s gracing us with his presence,” Tasha teases, a playful smirk on her face. She’s leaning against a nearby wall, her arms crossed over her chest, clearly having been waiting for him.Zen glances over, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Tasha,” he acknowledges with a nod. “What are you doing out here so early?”“I could ask you the same thing,” she retorts, pushing off the wall to walk over to him. “Or maybe you’re just another rich kid who likes making a grand entrance?”Zen chuckles softly, shaking his head. “I didn’t realize driving a regular car was considered grand.”“Oh, please,” Tasha rolls her eyes. “That’s not a regular car, and you know it. I bet there’s a lot more to you than you let on. Probably some trust fund you’re hiding
Zen and Tasha walked through the hospital entrance, their footsteps echoing in the bustling hallway. The scent of antiseptic in the air, mingling with the quiet hum of activity. Nurses and doctors walking around, their faces set with the seriousness of their duties. Zen is scanning the surroundings, still thinking about the run-in with Sonia, when a familiar voice calls out. “Tom!” Zen turns and sees Nia approaching, her face lighting up with a smile. She was wearing yunusual vibrant scrubs, her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. Zen’s surprised to see her here; he hadn’t expected to run into Nia today. He stops in his tracks, and Tasha glances between them, sensing an old connection. “Nia,” Zen says, a genuine smile spreading across his face. “What are you doing here?” Nia shrugs, a playful glint in her eyes. “I could ask you the same thing. But I guess you’re not here for the same reason as everyone else—you’re probably trying to save the world one patient at a time.” Z
“Who’s this?” The voice over the phone demanded as Dr. Morris’ call went through Dr. Morris skipped the pleasantries. “I need you to do something for me,” he says, his tone low and commanding, accompanied by an evil smirk.There’s a brief pause before the voice on the other end responds, “What do you need?”Dr. Morris leans forward, his voice dropping to a whisper as if the walls have ears. “I want you to have Patient 60 reassigned to the traditional medicine department. Immediately.”A longer pause follows. The unknown caller’s tone shifts, now cautious. “Why Patient 60? You know that case is a nightmare. It’s been a thorn in everyone’s side for weeks. Why transfer it now?”Dr. Morris’s lips curl into a malicious grin. “Because it’s perfect for what I have in mind. Let’s just say it’s a little test for our new intern, Tom.”The voice on the other end sounds skeptical. “Tom? You want to set him up with this case? That could go either way, Morris. What if he manages to handle it? It c
Zen’s eyes scanned Tasha’s face as she returned to the table, her usually calm demeanor replaced by a tense, anxious expression. He straightened up in his seat and asked, “Tasha, what’s wrong?”Tasha took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice. “They’ve given us an impossible patient, I mean... Patient 60.” Her hands trembled as she spoke. “I’ve read the file; the case is a disaster. It’s been passed around from department to department, and no one has been able to make progress. I’m scared... really scared that something bad is going to happen, and I don’t even want to think about it.”Zen leaned back in his chair, his expression softening. “Don’t worry, Tasha. Aren’t you in this profession for situations like this?” He smiled faintly as she shook her head.“This is different,” Tasha said, her voice barely above a whisper. “This patient... it’s like there’s no solution. And if we fail, it’ll be on us.”“The department that takes up the case and fails, takes the fall and responsib