Chapter 1: Adrian Steele

Adrian saw his death coming.

It wasn't a vision or some mystical premonition. No, it was a gut feeling, a gnawing certainty that whispered in the darkest corners of his mind. He knew he had to ignore it. With the life he'd known, there was no escaping the inescapable march of karma. And right now, he had a mission to complete. 

The night is particularly dark, Adrian Steele thought, as he crept through the estate grounds like a ghost. The estate grounds were big and silent, with tall trees, long shadows, and a mansion in the middle.

His movements were quiet and, dressed in his signature attire for covert operations, he blended well into the shadows. He wore a form-fitting, black tactical suit designed for stealth and agility. The suit was equipped with various pockets and compartments to carry essential tools and weapons discreetly. 

Adrian's attire included black gloves, a dagger resting by his right hip, black boots designed for silent movement, with rubber soles that minimized noise, and a dark hood that concealed most of his face, leaving only his determined eyes visible.

The mansion wasn’t properly lit, so it was safe to assume the master was asleep. After all, it was two shademarks past midnight. He went up to the first perimeter guard, a large man leaning against a wall. He didn’t notice Adrian coming up behind him.

This is what I do, he thought, the familiar thrill of the hunt coursing through his veins. Adrian sped up his movement to close the gap. He muffled any cries by covering the guard's mouth with his gloved hand. The guard's eyes widened in disbelief, but Adrian's dagger was in the man’s jugular before he could react. The guard slackened, his eyes displaying shock even as his life slowly faded away.

Adrian softly brought the guard to the ground. He hid the body in the bushes right next to the big wall surrounding the estate and removed all traces of his presence by wiping his knife on the guard's uniform.

The second guard moved deliberately along a passageway that was barely lit. As Adrian followed the guard's movements with careful observation, he hadn’t been noticed yet, so he easily eluded the guard as he turned to face the other way. Putting a tree between himself and the guard, he put the chilly muzzle of his pistol on the guard's neck with a single fluid motion.

Adrian whispered, "Don't move," in a quiet, firm tone. Guard Two froze. "You utter a sound; you are dead. Understand?"

The guard's eyes were wide with horror as he nodded. Adrian quickly and expertly disarmed him by twisting the guard's wrist and taking the gun firmly from him―his training showing in each move. The guard's weapon clattered to the ground. 

Adrian kept a firm hold on his gun. With a deep hard voice, he demanded, "Where are the others?"

The guard's words stumbled out and his voice was trembling. "A few more guards are inside, in the main hall."

As Adrian processed the facts, and from his intel he knew the direction he should take. He demanded, "Stay here," in a tone that said I’ll kill you if you don’t. He left the guard, tied up with his own belt and helpless, and continued deeper into the mansion.

The main hall was a large space with luxury and darkness blending together. Adrian's eyes swept the room, calculating for every vantage point and potential danger. Guards were on patrol, moving with discipline and focusing solely on their responsibilities.

Adrian moved silently while surrounded by darkness, his ally. He killed the guards three, four, and five one by one with his testy dagger stabbing silently into its target neck or chest. The only one there to witness the death was the moonlight, and it was indifferent to their silent cries as the bodies fell silently.

And then, his senses heightened. From his side eyes, he noticed movement. There was a guard approaching from a side corridor. Steathingly, he leaned up against the wall while holding his breath in anticipation. 

Waiting for the guard to walk into his dagger, but the guard went by, walking straight without looking to his left, and without noticing the figure that was hiding beside the dark wall. While exhaling, Adrian's heart beat in time with each breath, the pressure of the moment disappeared as the guard walked far into another part of the estate. 

The center of the mansion was now within his reach. He could see it just as he peaked out from his hiding spot. Moving quickly, he found the entrance door open, and quickly found his way up the stairs. 

His specialty and art were both infiltration, and based on his research, he knew exactly which room belonged to his target. The master suite was on the left wing of the mansion, just after the first floor, so he quickly arrived at the spot where his target was―the second room on the left. 

Focus, Adrian reminded himself, stay in the moment. 

His pistol, taken from the guard, remained steady as he opened the door, revealing his target—Erik Thorn, a mercenary with just as much skill as Adrian himself. The seconds stretched into eternity as Adrian stood there, his finger poised on the trigger. The room seemed to hold its breath, anticipation crackling in the air like static electricity.

Thorn, his eyes locked onto Adrian's, slowly raised his hands in surrender. "Easy now," he murmured, a hint of amusement in his voice. "We don't have to do this."

They stood, facing each other, rivals in silence. Adrian's finger tightened on the trigger. But Thorn dodged, moving behind the bed with the grace of a dancer. Some furniture fell over, as the room descended into chaos, and sounds of shots echoing. 

Adrian moved quickly behind a couch, while firing with precision at Thorn whose head was now peaking out from behind the wooden bedpost serving as a shield. Thorn was a reflection of himself, fully armed and equipped to respond, and match Adrian's moves.  

This is what it all comes down to, he realized, the stakes higher than ever. I can't afford to fail here.

Given the stakes, neither gave in. Pain seared through him as his arm was grazed, a reminder that this was about survival now. I can't give up, he thought, fueled by determination. Thorn was also hurt, hit by two bullets to his right arm, when he tried to move. 

It wasn’t fatal; the red stain of blood ruined their clothes. The room quivered suddenly, and the sound of boots charging filled the air. Adrian found himself caught in an ambush, something he didn’t expect. 

The room erupted in chaos as bullets continued to fly, and shadows moved in a deadly dance. But amidst the mayhem, a voice cut through the turmoil—a voice that did not belong to Thorn.

This isn't part of the plan, Adrian thought, alarms ringing in his head. As he tried to adapt to the sudden turn of events, the odds shifted, and the battle escalated beyond his expectations.

Amidst the chaos, the voice emerged again—a voice filled with triumph. "Impressive, Steele."

What's happening? Adrian wondered, his mind racing to make sense of it all.

“What the…” Adrian thought. Alarms going off in his head as he tried to keep up. The remaining bodyguards he couldn't account for arrived, and Adrian's world fell into chaos as more bullets sliced through the air. The odds were suddenly against him, and he found himself fighting more than his target, and with no time to adjust to the shock or plot his escape. 

Adrian's body reacted to the impact, as a bullet hit his shoulder, and it began to hurt. He struggled bravely, his testy dagger an extension of his will. But when his stamina dropped, so did his balance.

When Adrian's eyes discovered the source of the voice, his heart stopped. Then he realized Vance had planned this, setting him up against his competitor―Thorn.

A once-reliable ally, Kael had now taken on the job to kill Adrian as part of Vance's crafty plan. Adrian's mysterious and formidable client Vance had duped him into falling into this ambush. "How could I be so blind?' Adrian angrily thought to himself

In the midst of the confusion, Adrian could hear Kael's words as clear as day. "Vance wanted you dead, Steele. The client wanted Thorn eliminated, but Vance saw this as an opportunity to eliminate you instead."

Adrian's thoughts swirled with anger and disbelief. I should have known.

Adrian saw his death coming. With his gun pointed squarely at Adrian, Kael fired two shots quickly and precisely from his revolver. As the bullets reached their target, he felt the impact before his mind registered the pain of the bullet. Adrian, a master mercenary, was dead.

Betrayed, Adrian thought, by someone I trusted.

Adrian's last memory was of Kael's smile,  as his consciousness began to fade.