2025-09-29 17:46:48The journey passed in silence, the only sound being Jake’s steady snoring as he slept, worn out by the long drive.
“Wake up,” Damian said.
Jake jolted awake, blinking around in confusion. Damian motioned for him to follow as the car stopped.
“At my place, of course.”
They stepped into the elevator, Jake’s wary gaze never leaving Damian.
When the doors opened, Jake froze. Plush red carpet cushioned his feet, and the glass walls reflected the glow of the city lights.
Damian strode calmly into his office, pressing a code on the massive safe’s panel. The door swung open, revealing stacks of cash, bars of gold, and piles of documents.
Damian glanced at him, a faint smile on his lips. “All of this could be yours.”
“Do as I say.” Damian shut the safe slowly. “I know who you are. I know your strength. The world out there rejects you, Jake. But I… I can give you a place. You could have more than even this penthouse.”
Jake took a step back. “And if I refuse?”
Silence wrapped the room. Jake stood rigid, torn between the temptation of wealth and the weight of suspicion. Outside, lightning split the Ashborne sky.
Jake sat in a black leather chair in Damian Crowne’s penthouse meeting room. A crystal chandelier glittered above, casting light over a long table strewn with files, digital maps, and bottles of expensive wine. He felt out of place—like a street thief suddenly dropped onto the chessboard of kings.
Damian leaned back, lighting a cigar. “I won’t waste words. You’re here because I see something in you, Jake. Something no one else has.”
Damian’s smile was subtle. “Not muscle. You… can’t be tracked. That’s both a gift and a curse, isn’t it? You’re an anomaly.”
Jake fell silent, his pulse quickening. Damian knew more than he should.
Before Jake could ask, the door opened. A man in a white suit walked in, slick blond hair combed back. His eyes were sharp, calculating.
Jake only gave a curt nod.
Everett dropped a thick folder on the table, then looked at Damian. “Tell me this is a joke. We’re talking about a multi-billion-dollar project, and you bring in… a street thief? Being untraceable doesn’t mean he can pull off something this big.”
Jake pulled it closer. Inside were satellite photos of a warehouse, distribution route diagrams, and sketches of a long metallic object—like a miniature missile.
“Vanguard-7,” Damian said. “Next-gen military tech. Remote control, capable of scrambling any nation’s defenses. It’s still in trial at a northwestern base. Its value? Immeasurable.”
Jake shut the folder slowly. “And you want me to steal it?”
Damian blew a stream of smoke. “Impossible for everyone… except him.”
Jake held Everett’s stare, fighting the urge to snap back. “Why me?”
Damian leaned forward, voice low but cutting. “Because surveillance can’t detect you. Cameras don’t register your face. Satellites can’t read your body’s signal. You… are a ghost. That’s why their project failed to make you a soldier. But that failure, Jake, is our key to success.”
Jake swallowed hard. Memories of the lab clawed back—sterile stench, needles, children who never came back.
Everett shook his head. “You’re betting everything on a failed experiment? You’re insane.”
Damian flicked on the massive wall screen. A digital map appeared, crisscrossed with red lines and blinking points.
Jake leaned in, eyes narrowing.
Everett cut in. “You’re forgetting thermal drones. Not even a rat can slip by.”
Jake slumped back in the chair. “So I sneak in on a truck, reach the hangar, and grab it?”
Everett slammed the table. “This is madness! Even if he gets in, how does he get out? The whole base will go into lockdown once the vault opens.”
Jake let out a long breath, still processing. Silence filled the room, broken only by the rain outside the glass walls. Everett glared at him with open disdain.
Jake met his gaze. “I’ve been dead since I was twelve. So what’s the difference?”
Damian grinned, satisfied. “That’s the answer I wanted.”
He opened a drawer, pulling out a briefcase. He set it in front of Jake. Inside—stacks of cash. A hundred thousand dollars.
Jake stared at the case for a long moment, then closed his eyes. The memory of himself in that filthy alley, beaten and bleeding under the rain, flashed in his mind.
He opened his eyes. “When do I start?”
Jake stood, locking eyes with Damian. “If everyone says it’s impossible, then it’s the right job for me.”
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9
They kept running through the forest. One thing Jake realized: the man who had just saved him could run incredibly fast. It felt like his own body was being carried by the wind. They stopped in front of an old house hidden deep within the woods.“Come on, we’ll hide in here!” the man said.Jake was still gasping for air, his back pressed against the damp wall of the old warehouse. Cold sweat mixed with rainwater dripping from the rusty roof above. The man who had helped him shoved Jake forward roughly, then pried open a small hatch in the grassy floor. From inside, a pungent smell of wet earth rose up, mingled with the scent of rusting iron.“Get in,” he whispered sharply, his eyes hard.Jake hesitated. The hole was dark, narrow—like a grave. But the heavy thud of approaching boots gave him no other choice. Panting hard, he crawled inside. His body dropped into a cramped, cold, pitch-black tunnel. Roots scraped his back as his knees knocked against the packed dirt.Once the hatch clos
8
The rain fell softly as Jake stepped out of the car that had just arrived at the harbor. The cold air bit into his skin beneath the heavy, overcast sky.He drew a slow breath, trying to calm his racing heart. Tonight’s mission was clear: reach the heavily guarded weapons warehouse, take the asset that would bring him closer to his dream car, and return without leaving a trace.“Nervous?” Damian asked.“Not really,” Jake replied.“Good. If you keep being scared, you’ll never get that luxury car.”Damian patted Jake’s shoulder and gave a signal to several members who would be joining him.“All right, everyone, today is the day we’ve been waiting for. Something big is about to fall into our hands! I know you all understand and won’t ever fail—especially our master player, Mr. J,” Damian said, winking at Jake.Jake gave a small nod. Damian raised his hand again, signaling his men to board the ship at once.As the vessel began pulling away from the pier, Everett stepped closer to Damian, h
7
Jake stopped in front of the towering black iron gates. Beyond them a grand mansion rose, surrounded by gardens dotted with white marble statues.“This place is huge—yesterday’s penthouse already impressed me,” Jake muttered.“Come in, Jake.”Damian’s voice crackled from the speaker at the gate, and at the same moment the tall gates swung open.Jake scanned the grounds carefully, but what drew his attention wasn’t the mansion—it was the luxury cars lined up on the terrace.A golden-yellow Lamborghini, a blazing red Ferrari, and a black Rolls Royce that looked like a throne on wheels.Jake suddenly felt small; his threadbare clothes made him inhale a long, quiet breath. His eyes fixed on the Rolls Royce.“My God…” he whispered. “When will I ever have a cool car like that?”Inside the main hall Damian was already waiting. He wore a white shirt beneath an elegant black vest. His smile was wide; he treated Jake like an honored guest.“Jake!” Damian spread his arms. “Right on time. Come, h
6
Morning light slipped gently into the penthouse suite, scattering gold across the white sheets. Jake stretched, his body stiff, his mind restless.For the first time in his life, he’d crossed a line he’d never imagined crossing—not with any woman, and certainly not with someone like Elara. He lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling, replaying the night before.“So this is what it feels like?” Jake murmured, blushing.Beside him, Elara stretched languidly, her hair spilling across the pillow like spilled ink. She caught his gaze and smirked.“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”Jake quickly turned away. “I just… it’s my first time.” The words slipped out before he could stop them. His eyes went wide, his face twisting into a look of self-reproach.Elara tilted her head, curiosity glinting in her eyes. “First time?” She propped herself up on one elbow. “You mean… ever?”Jake nodded, embarrassed. “Yeah. Didn’t you notice how stiff I was last night and… how quick?”Instead of mocki
5
Jazz still floated through the grand hall. Crystal chandeliers scattered golden light across tables dressed with champagne, caviar, and counterfeit smiles.The guests—bankers, politicians, crooked businessmen—crowded around Damian Crowne, praising his latest shady deal that had just rattled Ashborne’s shadow market.Jake stood off in a corner, his back pressed against the cold marble wall. He wore a cheap black shirt and worn-out trousers, a stark contrast to the silk suits of the guests.Damian raised his glass high. “To the man who made the impossible possible!”Cheers erupted, the crowd chanting Damian Crowne’s name as if he were the star of the night. No one realized the toast was actually meant for Jake.Jake’s gaze was flat as he watched people drift past him.One guest whispered loudly enough for him to hear, “Why is that guy here? He looks like a pizza delivery boy.”Another snickered. Jake kept himself in check, gripping the glass of mineral water he held just so he’d have so
4
The sun had just risen when Jake woke up. Golden light streamed through the tall glass windows of Damian’s penthouse, illuminating the Persian carpet and the luxurious leather sofa.Jake jolted, as if his body still wasn’t used to sleeping somewhere this comfortable. A savory aroma teased his nose.He turned toward the dining room and saw Damian already standing in front of a long table loaded with food: roasted meat, warm bread, fresh fruit, imported cheese—even coffee whose sharp scent filled the room.“Wake up, Jake,” Damian said with a faint smile. “Today, you’re going to do something that will change your life.”Jake rubbed his eyes, staring at the table hesitantly. “This… is for me?”“Of course. A full stomach, a clear mind.” Damian pushed a plate toward him. “Eat. You’ll need the strength.”Jake sat down awkwardly, his hand trembling as he reached for bread. “I usually just eat instant noodles,” he muttered.Damian chuckled. “That was before. Now you’re in a different world. A
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