A man jolted awake, rattled by a wave of confusion flooding his muddled mind. He quickly scanned his surroundings, realizing he was lying in a hospital bed. The steady beeping of medical machines filled the room.
His weakened eyes darted around, struggling to make sense of where he was. Bewildered, he tried to sit up but was halted by a sharp, stabbing pain in his back, which, like the rest of his body, was wrapped in bandages.
Then a voice broke the silence. It came from a man sitting near the bed.
"You're finally awake," the man said.
The patient, still disoriented, turned toward him. "Big brother? Where am I? What happened?"
The man offered a sympathetic smile. "You're in the hospital. You've suffered serious injuries."
The patient frowned, straining to piece together his fragmented memories. "An attack? I remember…"
"You were brutally assaulted. Your attackers left you for dead. You survived, but your injuries are severe," the man explained.
The patient's eyes widened, the fog of confusion lifting. "I… I remember now. And Gomis, my partner? Is he okay?"
The man by his bedside fell silent for a moment, his gaze dropping. Then, in a heavy tone, he replied, "Unfortunately, your partner wasn't as lucky as you."
The words hit the patient like a blow, leaving him stunned and speechless. Tears choked his voice as he cried out, "How could this happen? We were just supposed to apprehend those criminals, bring them to justice. None of this was supposed to end like this!"
"I'm sorry it took such a dark turn. We're all shaken by how this operation ended. But tell me, what exactly happened?" the man asked, trying to comfort him.
Through sobs that garbled his words, the patient managed to explain, "We were about to nab two art traffickers. Everything was going to plan when, out of nowhere, one of them broke free of his cuffs and attacked us viciously." Losing control of his emotions, he wept as he poured out his grief, "We'd known each other for nearly ten years. He and his wife were about to welcome their third child soon… Damn it…!"
The man nodded. "Calm down. For now, you need to rest and recover." He stood up. "Well, now that I know you're out of danger, it's time for me to get moving."
"What happens now? What's going to come of all this?" the patient asked, his face utterly crestfallen.
The man looked at him and answered, "Simple. I'm going to find the bastard who dared lay a hand on my little brother, and as your big brother, I'll make him pay—him and his whole crew."
The patient gritted his teeth. "I want to come with you! There's no way I'm staying here doing nothing. I owe it to Gomis…"
The man let out a soft chuckle before replying, "My dear brother, you can barely stand. Leave it to me. You take this time to mourn your partner."
The patient lowered his eyes.
"Don't worry, I'll do everything in my power to track down those criminals and make sure they pay. You know I keep my promises, don't you?"
The patient took a deep breath. "You'd better keep your word, big brother."
At that, the man flashed a smile. He headed toward the door. "And you'd better recover fast."
With those words, he left the room.
***
The pale neon lights illuminating the bustling streets masked a far darker, clandestine reality.
To access that reality, one had to navigate a maze of dank, smelly tunnels where the thick air created a humid, stifling atmosphere. As you descended deeper, the city's clamor faded, replaced by muffled whispers and eerie echoes.
The entrance was hidden behind an old, rusty steel door. Beyond that barrier, a spiral metal staircase emerged, leading to the underground entrance of a factory. The only light came from dimly lit spotlights dangling from the low ceiling.
The deeper you went, the more the scent of overheated metal mingled with faded ink. Noisy, decrepit machines rumbled like mechanical beasts. Shelves crammed with unmarked boxes stretched endlessly into the distance.
A diverse, numerous group of individuals worked with fierce determination. Some unpacked glittering jewelry, appraising it with quick, expert hands, while others wielded sophisticated tools to craft counterfeit artworks.
Overseeing this chaos stood a woman. She watched with a gleeful smile as the organized mayhem unfolded beneath her.
Just then, a breathless man burst into the den, supporting another man and clutching a framed painting in his free hand.
The hive of activity halted abruptly. The crooks stopped what they were doing and turned toward the newcomers, all intrigued by this sudden interruption.
The woman approached the two men, her piercing gaze brimming with both curiosity and anger. "What happened to you, and why do you still have that damn painting you were supposed to sell?"
The breathless man, who seemed in better shape than his companion, spoke up. "Boss, we got played by some cops, but Marco," he said, gesturing to his partner, "got us out of it thanks to that drug you gave us."
The woman's face hardened into an icy glare. She delivered a sharp slap across the man's face. "Incompetents!" she shouted, her voice cracking through the room like a whip.
The crooks watched discreetly, holding their breath, knowing that defying the mistress of this place would be a grave mistake. But they were also captivated by the drama unfolding before them.
The slapped man bowed his head, taking the humiliation in stride.
"I'm sorry, Boss. We thought we could close the deal smoothly, but those damn cops tricked us, posing as buyers."
The woman crossed her arms over her chest, studying the two men's faces intently. "You were the naive ones. I entrusted you with this job thinking you could handle a simple task. And you failed miserably." She shook her head, her voice dripping with disappointment. "You've let me down badly."
"Boss, please, give us another chance. We might've screwed up the mission, but we still brought back the painting and made those cops pay. I beg for your mercy."
The woman eyed him with disdain, letting the silence stretch. Then, in a frigid breath, she replied, "You've been useful, that's true." A faint smile crept onto her lips. "You've helped me test this drug's effects. So, tell me, how are they?"
The breathless man's heart tightened. He took a deep breath and answered, "Boss, I've got to tell you, the drug's effects are incredible. Marco broke free of his cuffs no problem and took down the cops in seconds. It was unreal! For a moment, Marco was like a superhuman."
A smile flickered briefly across the woman's lips. "Interesting," she murmured. "Very interesting indeed. Just as I thought, this drug could be a valuable tool for our future ventures." She then fixed the two men with a stern look. "That said, know this: if you fail me again, no one will shield you from my wrath."
The breathless man felt a mix of relief and terror at her response. "We won't let you down again, Boss," he vowed fervently.
The woman returned to her vantage point. "Gilvern!" she called out.
A man approached quietly, stepping to her side. "Boss," he greeted solemnly.
"Set up a meeting with that organization. I want a deal for their drug at all costs. I'm willing to pay big. Got it?"
The man bowed. "Yes, Boss, I'll get right on it."
With that, he vanished into the air like a ghost from nowhere.