The Paralyzed Man's Revenge

Digital Feed

"One more click, and your world will end, Julian," Arthur whispered.

His fingers danced across the bluish-glowing keyboard in the darkness of the van parked two blocks from The Obsidian, Edinburgh's most exclusive club. On the monitor, streams of data moved like lightning, piercing through cybersecurity protocols deemed impossible to breach.

Target locked. Initiating data injection, a cold voice from the system echoed in his ears.

Arthur smirked. His sharp eyes stared at the screen displaying CCTV footage from inside the club. There, amidst clouds of expensive cigar smoke and the chest-thumping beat of bass music, Julian McAlister was raising his crystal glass high.

"To the future of McAlister! Without any burdens in the way!" Julian shouted, greeted by the boisterous laughter of the socialites surrounding him.

"Without burdens, huh?" Arthur muttered. "Let's see just how heavy a burden you can carry tonight."

Arthur pressed the Enter key.

Instantly, the music inside the club went completely dead. An eerie silence took hold, leaving only the sound of hundreds of confused people breathing. A second later, phone notification sounds chimed in unison. Ping. Ping. Ping. Hundreds of phones in the room lit up at the exact same time.

"What is this?" a woman's voice was heard near Julian's table. "A video? From who?"

Julian frowned, reaching into his suit pocket. "Probably just a club announcement."

However, as the video opened, Julian’s face turned deathly pale. On everyone’s phone screen, as well as the giant screen behind the main stage, a high-resolution video was displayed. There stood Julian the result of Arthur’s perfect system manipulation laughing while torturing a small dog whimpering in pain in a dark warehouse.

"Oh my God... that’s disgusting!" someone from the front row screamed.

"Julian? Did you really do this?" one of his closest friends asked, stepping back with a look of revulsion.

Julian dropped his glass. The crystal shattered into pieces on the marble floor, just like his reputation at that very moment. "That’s not me! It’s fake! Someone hacked you!"

"His face is clear as day! Look at his laugh!" someone else shouted. "You’re a total monster, Julian!"

"Shut up! All of you, shut your mouths!" Julian roared. He turned toward his bodyguards standing tall in the corner. "Turn off the screens, now! Catch whoever is spreading this!"

"We can't stop it, sir," one of the guards reported nervously. "The system is completely locked down. We can't even turn off our phones."

The whispers began to turn into insults. People who had previously kissed Julian's feet now stared at him as if he were dirt on their shoes. Camera flashes from phones began to rain down on Julian; everyone wanted to be the first to upload the downfall of the sole heir.

"Go! Get out of here!" Julian screamed, his face flushed red with shame and rage. He shoved a waiter aside, knocking him down, then snatched the car keys from his bodyguard's hand.

"Sir, let us drive you," the head of security intercepted.

"Don't touch me!" Julian snapped. He threw a raw punch at his own guard's face. "You're all useless! I can handle this myself! Move!"

Julian ran out through the crowd that was now jeering at him with contempt. He felt the world spinning. Every pair of eyes staring at him felt like a dagger stabbing his sky-high pride. Once he reached the VIP parking lot, he immediately jumped into his black Bentley.

Inside the van, Arthur watched everything through a GPS tracker already embedded in the car's system.

Fear Points collected: 500. Target in unstable mental condition, the system reported.

"Good," Arthur replied calmly. He started the van's engine, moving slowly to follow from a safe distance. "Let him feel free for a moment. Give him hope that he can escape."

Julian slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The roar of the luxury car's engine pierced the silence of the Edinburgh night. He sped toward the quiet suburban streets, away from the crowds and the glare of the streetlights. His breath came in gasps, cold sweat drenching his forehead and palms.

"Bastard... who did this?" Julian cursed while pounding the steering wheel. "I'll kill him. I'll destroy anyone who tries to mess with me!"

He kept driving, entering a dark, poorly lit forest path. This was where Arthur waited for the right moment.

"System, activate Kill-Switch Protocol," Arthur commanded.

Kill-Switch Protocol active. Shutting down target vehicle's electronic systems in 3... 2... 1...

Suddenly, all the lights on the Bentley's dashboard went dead. The speedometer needle dropped to zero. The headlights, which had been shining brightly, instantly cut out, leaving total darkness before Julian's eyes.

"What the hell? No, no, no! Turn back on, you piece of crap!" Julian screamed in a panic. He tried to slam on the brakes, but the pedal felt stiff and unresponsive. The steering wheel, which had been light, was now as heavy as a stone.

The car slowed down forcefully, sputtering before finally coming to a complete stop right in the middle of a road surrounded by old trees looming like monsters in the dark.

Julian tried to restart the engine. He pressed the Start/Stop button repeatedly with trembling hands. "Come on! Start! Please, start!"

Silence.

There was only the sound of Julian's heart racing wildly. He tried to open the door, but the automatic locks wouldn't budge. He was trapped inside his own luxury coffin.

"Is anyone there?" Julian shouted, his voice cracking with fear. He pressed his face against the window, trying to peer through the thick darkness of the night.

Suddenly, from the darkness in front of the car, a pair of headlights slowly flickered on. The white light blinded Julian, forcing him to cover his face with his hands. A vehicle approached at a low speed, then stopped exactly a few meters in front of his car.

Someone stepped out of the vehicle. His footsteps sounded heavy and rhythmic on the cold asphalt. Julian held his breath, his eyes widening as the figure walked closer and stood right in front of the car's hood.

The figure didn't move, just stood there, a silhouette framed by the headlights behind him. However, Julian could feel a cold, deadly gaze piercing through his windshield.

"Who are you?!" Julian screamed from inside the car, his voice muffled by the thick glass. "Do you know who I am? I'm Julian McAlister! Open this door right now or you'll regret it for the rest of your life!"

The figure remained silent, then slowly raised a phone toward the windshield. On the phone's screen, a short message appeared in glowing red letters.

Time to pay your blood debt, Julian.

Julian felt his blood run cold. That message... those words... there was only one person who had ever spoken them in his worst nightmares.

"It's impossible..." Julian whispered, his voice trembling violently. "You're supposed to be dead. You fell off that cliff! Arthur?!"