Ben Clifford cracked his knuckles as he stepped onto the gravel-strewn ground. Across from him, Jack Adams stood in silence, wind tugging at the edges of his bloodied shirt, his eyes calm and unblinking. The bodies of Ben’s men littered the lot behind them like fallen dominoes, their weapons still clutched in limp hands.A breath of wind stirred the dust between them.Then, Ben lunged first, his fist shot forward like a cannon, and Jack tilted his head just enough for it to brush past. Jack countered with a low sweep, but Ben jumped, spinning to kick Jack across the chest. Jack stumbled back, catching himself in a crouch.“You’re quick.” Ben snarled. “But not quick enough.”Jack didn’t respond. Instead, he darted in again, fists flying. He landed a blow to Ben’s jaw, then another to his ribs. Ben grunted but twisted, slamming an elbow into Jack’s temple. Jack’s vision blurred. He staggered.Ben charged like a bull, slamming Jack against the hood of a rusted-out car. “You don’t eve

Inside the Courtyard, Moments Later…The table was still bustling with laughter and clinking cutlery when Jack finally leaned back in his chair, the last bit of grilled steak gone from his plate. The warm breeze ruffled his shirt slightly, but it wasn’t the wind that made him shift in his seat, it was the steady stare from across the table.Anna’s eyes were locked on him. Curious. Unrelenting.“Alright.” She said all of a sudden. “So you’re some kind of ninja now?”The laughter around the table fell silent.Jack raised a brow. “I wouldn’t say ninja exactly.”“Well, what would you say?” She pressed, folding her arms. “Those moves back there, they weren’t just regular street-fighting. Who are you, Jack?”The question hung in the air, heavy and sharp.Jack’s jaw tensed.Before he could speak, Lord Leo cut in gently, his voice steady.“Anna, what Jack just told you, that’s all he remembers.” Lord Leo said, turning to her. “He lost more than just his family that day. He lost his pa

As Jack was dragged into the ocean, his arms flailed, bubbles rushing past his face. The cold grip of the water tightened around him, choking him, pulling him deeper into the abyss. Just as the last light vanished above him, he heard a voice, distant but urgent, calling out his name."Jack! Wake up! Wake up!!”His eyes flew open.Jack bolted upright in bed, his chest heaving, sweat glistening on his forehead. He blinked hard, the echo of the dream still pounding in his ears. His gaze darted across the room, disoriented, until it landed on his alarm clock. 4:00 AM.He let out a breath and leaned back against his headboard, rubbing his face with both hands. "Why do I keep having these dreams?" He muttered to himself.Slowly, he slipped out of bed and knelt down by its side. With his palms pressed together and his eyes closed, he prayed."Lord, I don’t know what these dreams mean. But please, I have lost my family, please, protect the ones I care about. And help me find the answers I

Still at Lord Lucas’ mansion…Steam rose in soft tendrils from the bubbling hot tub, coiling around Lord Lucas’ towering frame as he stood motionless, the cell phone still pressed to his ear. The ripples in the water shimmered under the golden lighting of the patio canopy. His two sons, Rex and Victor, who had been lounging nearby with wine glasses in hand, exchanged a sharp glance. The sudden stillness of their father was unsettling.From the speaker, Kyle Rick’s voice cut through the silence again, laced with dry impatience.“Well?” Kyle Rick drawled. “You wanna do business or not? You know you're not the only lord who wants to see Lord Williams fall. Plenty of others would pay double to see him stripped of everything. So,Lord Lucas, what’s it gonna be? Are you in or not?”Lord Lucas’ grip tightened around the phone. His jaw flexed. He took a slow breath and finally spoke, his tone clipped but controlled.“I’m interested.”Rex leaned forward. “What’s he interested in?” He whisp

Kyle Rick’s voice rang out with a commanding chill. “Turn around. Slowly.”Lord Lucas stood still for a moment. His fingers twitched slightly at his side. Then, like a man walking into a storm, he pivoted,inch by inch. The weight of the moment pressed against his chest as he turned to face the voice.And there he was.Kyle Rick stood less than twenty feet away, dressed in a long black coat that caught the breeze, flanked by two armed men,both aiming their weapons directly at Lord Lucas’s chest.A slow, mocking smile spread across Kyle’s face. “I thought I told you to come alone.”Lord Lucas frowned. “What do you mean? I did.”Kyle Rick's grin widened. He turned toward his men, nodding toward Lucas with exaggerated amusement. In a high and mocking voice, he repeated.“He says he came alone.”The two henchmen burst into laughter, one slapping the other on the chest as if Lucas had just told the greatest joke they’d ever heard.Lord Lucas’s confusion darkened into frustration. He clenc