Zed sat comfortably in his chair, his left elbow resting against the desk in front of him while his right hand held his phone. Seated across from him were four of his most trusted employees: Steve, Amanda, Christopher, and Han.Christopher was one of Zed's top engineers—young, talented, and full of innovative thinking. Han, on the other hand, was a middle-aged man, seasoned and deeply respected within the company. He was one of the sharpest minds Zed had ever worked with. The way Han brainstormed and delivered fresh ideas was on another level entirely—almost as if inspiration itself flowed through him.But Han’s value to Zed extended far beyond his intelligence. He was connected—deeply connected. Friends in high places, across various top-tier engineering firms in the city, often made the impossible possible for him. Through those connections, Han had helped Zed acquire advanced engines and rare equipment from elite manufacturers. Engines that were considered off-limits, even to other

“Welcome to NovaTech Industries. My name is Evelyn Stone, the CEO of this company,” Evelyn said as she approached Zed the moment he stepped inside with Mr. Han. With a warm smile and polished demeanor, she extended her right hand for a handshake.“Zed Zimmerman,” Zed replied calmly, shaking her hand with a firm grip.“Zed Zimmerman…” Evelyn repeated, almost in disbelief. “I’ve heard so much about you.”“You have?” Zed asked, raising an eyebrow, a subtle look of puzzlement etched across his face.“Of course,” Evelyn said with a light laugh. “Every business tycoon in this city knows your name. I’ve heard about your hard work and progress. Quite impressive, honestly.”The last thing she had expected today was for a man like Zed Zimmerman to walk through those doors. His reputation preceded him—both feared and respected in business circles.“What brings you here today, Mr. Zimmerman?” she asked, her voice cordial but curious.“I saw on the news that your company recently developed another

Sanders stood silently inside the elevator, her arms folded tightly across her chest, her face devoid of all emotion.Ding!A soft chime echoed through the narrow space a few moments later as the elevator reached its destination. The doors slid open with a mechanical hiss. Without hesitation, she stepped out with a measured, almost regal gait. The doors closed behind her with a metallic thud, sealing off the chaos below.Her eyes shifted toward the wall beside her, locking onto a red emergency power switch. It was one of the main control switches that regulated the company's power grid. Flipping it would either plunge the entire building into darkness or restore its energy—depending on its current state.She moved towards it with determined steps. Without a moment’s hesitation, she reached out with her right hand and gripped the switch. A deep breath escaped her lips before she yanked it down with force.Immediately, the overhead light bulbs began to flicker erratically. Sparks danced

“Turn around and get out of here! Once you’re gone, I’ll let him go,” Steve bellowed, his voice echoing through the large, cold room. “Take one more step forward, and I swear I’ll kill him! You said I’m not a killer—seems you’ve already forgotten how I took down a few of your men downstairs.”The leader cocked his head, unmoved by the threat. “And what do you think happens when you kill him?” he asked, his voice steady and calculating. “You die. There's no way we’re letting you walk out of here after that.”Steve swallowed hard. His throat was dry, and his grip on the gun began to tremble. He clenched it tighter, willing his hand to stay steady. Cold sweat trickled down the side of his face.“Drop the gun, man. Let’s talk. You don’t have to die like this,” the leader continued, tone shifting into something almost resembling sympathy. “Like I said—we’re only here for one man. Zed Zimmerman. I know he’s hiding up there with the rest of the workers. Bring him to us, and no one else has t

The masked men emerged from the building with the hostages, leading them briskly toward the black truck parked just outside. "Get in!" one of the masked men barked, yanking the truck’s side door open. One by one, the hostages hesitantly climbed into the vehicle.“The truck isn’t big enough to contain all of them, sir,” one of the men called out after a brief count.The leader paused, his mind racing for a solution. His eyes scanned the surroundings—and then he spotted them.A row of high-end Platinum cars, sleek and glistening under the parking lot lights, lined up like prizes on display.“Well, that should solve our problem,” he muttered with a smirk. Without wasting another second, he strode toward one of the vehicles, Steve still slumped unconscious over his shoulder. “Oh? The key is here too,” he chuckled, noticing the remote fob hanging on the side mirror. He plucked it with ease and unlocked the door.With a quick flick of his wrist, he opened the car door and dumped Steve unce