The roar of the engine. The screech of tires. The pounding of his own heart.
Kisimoto ran. Barefoot. Faster than he ever had.
Ahead, a truck rumbled down the road, its taillights glowing in the darkness. Inside... his mother. His sister.
"Kisi! Kisi!" Their muffled screams sent ice down his spine.
His breath was ragged, legs burning, but he wouldn't stop. He couldn't.
With one final burst, he leaped—slamming onto the driver's side window.
The driver jerked, swerving the truck violently. Kisi barely held on. One wrong move, and he'd be under those wheels.
CUT TO BLACK.
A dimly lit room. Cold. Sterile. A single light swung from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
Kisimoto sat across from a figure, his wrists bound to the chair. The man before him was a shadow with a voice.
"You were reckless," the figure sighed, hands clasped. "You almost made things difficult for us."
Kisimoto's glare was ice. "WHERE THE F*** ARE THEY?!"
The man chuckled. "Safe. For now." He leaned forward, voice dropping. "But that depends on you."
Silence.
Then—a tablet slid across the table. The screen flickered to life.
His mother. His sister. Hands tied, blindfolded, surrounded by armed guards.
"You play along, they live," the man said, voice smooth, calculated. "Resist, and—"
BANG.
The gunshot was instant.
Not from the guards.
Not from the man.
From Kisimoto.
In a single, fluid motion, he had disarmed the man, turned the man's gun against his own, and fired.
A perfect shot. Right between the eyes.
The man's body slumped. Blood pooled on the table. The guards outside heard. Chaos exploded.
Kisimoto grabbed the keys from the corpse, unlocking his restraints. Time to get the f*** out.
ALARM BLARING.
Bullets shredded the air. Red warning lights painted the hallway in blood and fire.
Kisimoto ran, his heart hammering. His mother and sister were so close. Just a little more—
Then—
They saw him.
The moment his eyes locked with the other guards, he knew. It was over.
A shadow moved. A whisper drifted through the chaos.
(chuckles)"Nice try..."
A sting at his neck.
His body locked up instantly. Green liquid spread beneath his skin.
A woman stood before him, syringe in hand, her face unreadable.
Then—darkness.
THREE YEARS LATER.
The world kept on moving...
Where Kisimoto forgot how to...
TO BE CONTINUED.