The cold, gray walls of the prison echoed with every step of the guard’s boots. Ethan Walker sat on the edge of his bunk, his gaze locked on the single crack that ran through the ceiling above him. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he thought of beef stew, the scent of rosemary and thyme wafting through his memories.The sound of the cell bars rattling brought him back."Well, if it isn’t Your Majesty," the guard sneered, leaning lazily against the doorframe.Ethan didn’t flinch. "What’s the occasion? You here to rehearse my farewell speech?"The guard laughed, a deep, grating sound. "Got something better. Papers for your last meal and final visit." He shoved a clipboard through the bars.Ethan took it calmly, scanning the form. "Beef stew," he murmured, pen scratching against the paper."Beef stew? Fancy yourself a chef now?""Not for me. It was Adam’s favorite."The guard tilted his head. "Touching. And who gets the honor of visiting His Majesty before the big day?""My siblings,"

Ethan sat stiffly in the corner seat of the bus, keeping his hood low and his head down. He needed to blend in, not attract attention. The last thing he wanted was to deal with suspicious glances or chatty strangers.As the bus rumbled along, he couldn’t shake the unease in his chest. His mission to track Jimmy Carter loomed large, but the unsettling feeling from the morning lingered. Emily, Adam… everything feels too real to be fake. And that escape—how did I know it would happen?The screech of brakes jolted him from his thoughts.“Excuse me, young man,” an elderly woman said as she shuffled past him, clutching her worn purse tightly. Ethan muttered an apology, shrinking further into his seat.That’s when he saw it. A wiry man in a baseball cap slid closer to the old woman. With practiced ease, he reached into her purse, pulling out a leather wallet before slipping it into his coat.Ethan’s eyes widened. Is this really happening?Before he could shout, something cold pressed against

Ethan paced in his room, the strange mirror lying on his desk.“So, just touching people doesn’t always work?” he muttered, replaying the encounter with Jimmy Carter in his head. “If I can’t steal skills that way, what’s the point?”The mirror shimmered faintly, as if mocking him.“Stop being cryptic for once,” Ethan snapped. “What am I supposed to do? Wait for opportunities to fall into my lap?”Emily’s voice called from the kitchen. “Ethan, dinner’s ready!”“Coming!” he yelled back, shoving the mirror into his pocket. First, I stop Jimmy. Then, I figure this thing out.Later, Ethan sat at the dining table, pushing food around his plate. Adam glanced up from his homework.“You okay? You’ve been weird all day.”“Yeah, just tired,” Ethan said, forcing a smile. “School’s been… a lot.”“Maybe don’t skip next time,” Emily chimed in, giving him a knowing look.Ethan coughed, hiding his embarrassment. “Noted.”The next morning, Ethan stood outside a convenience store, holding his dead phone

Ethan stepped into the Hightower Corporation’s grand lobby with Mike, his nerves steady but his mind racing. Polished marble floors stretched endlessly, and employees in tailored suits moved like clockwork.“Fancy place,” Mike muttered, adjusting his jacket.Ethan smirked. “Yeah, they like to show off.”The receptionist at the desk barely glanced up. “Can I help you?” she asked, her tone flat.“We’re here about the bounty on Jimmy Carter,” Mike said, his voice firm but polite.Her eyes flicked to the detective. “That’s handled through our legal department. You can leave your information, and someone will get back to you.”Ethan leaned forward. “We’d prefer to speak directly with Madison Clark.”The receptionist frowned. “Ms. Clark doesn’t take walk-ins.”Ethan grinned confidently. “Tell her Ethan Walker is here. Mention the two-story warehouse near Harbor Lane. That should get her attention.”The receptionist hesitated, narrowing her eyes. “Wait here.” She picked up the phone, whisper

Ethan sat at the kitchen table, the mirror glowing in front of him. His eyes focused on the screen, his fingers swiping across the glass as he activated the Voice Modulation skill once again.“This is ridiculous,” he muttered, glancing at the clock. “It should be easier by now.”He took a deep breath and pressed the button. “Okay, let’s try this again.”“Hello, this is Emily Walker,” he said in a near-perfect imitation of his sister’s voice. He had practiced her tone, her pauses, and her mannerisms until it felt almost natural.After a few seconds of listening to his own voice echo back, he frowned. “It’s still not right.”It’ll have to do. I don’t have time to perfect it today.Just then, the phone rang. Ethan’s heart skipped. It’s them.With a swift motion, he grabbed the phone and, without missing a beat, activated the skill. He cleared his throat and put on a faltering but determined voice.“Hello?”“It’s your brother. Where’s the money?!” The voice on the other end was gruff, imp