Jake's face slammed straight into Dravers' back.
Umph—
"What the hell?!"
"Huh?"
Jake rubbed his nose, about to snap—then froze.
Adrian and Dravers weren't moving.
Not even blinking.
Just… staring.
Jake followed their gaze.
And immediately understood why.
A limousine—absurdly long, polished to a mirror shine—sat parked across the road, flanked by rows of men in black suits. Dark shades. Earpieces. Guns already halfway drawn.
And at the center of it all—
A sharply dressed man stood waiting, checking his watch with visible irritation.
"…You've got to be kidding me," Jake muttered.
The three of them approached.
Carefully.
Slowly.
Three steps in—
Click. Click. Click.
Gun barrels snapped up in perfect synchronization.
One aimed at Adrian.
One at Dravers.
One—dead center—at Jake's forehead.
Dravers and Adrian immediately threw their hands up.
Fast.
Too fast.
Jake was a second slower.
"Put your guns down, you imbeciles."
The well-dressed man stepped forward, brushing past the guards like they were furniture.
His eyes scanned the trio once.
Cold. Calculating.
"Which one of you is Micheal?"
Dravers stepped forward, forcing a polite smile.
"Umm… actually, Micheal isn't here. He sent us to—"
"Oh."
The man turned slightly.
Completely uninterested.
"Then shoot them."
He shrugged.
Like he was deciding what to eat for lunch.
Click.
Safety switches disengaged.
"WAIT—WAIT—WAIT!"
Dravers panicked.
"He's here!"
Silence.
The man paused.
Slowly turned back.
"…Where?"
Adrian and Dravers didn't hesitate.
They both grabbed Jake and shoved him forward.
"Here."
They said it at the exact same time.
Jake stumbled a step ahead.
"…You traitors."
The man narrowed his eyes.
Studying Jake carefully.
"I was told Micheal was blonde."
Jake froze.
A single bead of sweat rolled down his temple.
Adrian leaned in slightly.
"Uhhh… new hairstyle?"
"…New color," Dravers added quickly.
"…Rebrand," Adrian finished.
The guards tightened their grip on their weapons.
Tension spiked.
Jake forced a smile.
"…Yeah. Rebrand."
Silence.
A long one.
The man stared.
Unblinking.
Then—
"…Makes sense."
The tension snapped.
Just like that.
The guards lowered their guns.
Jake nearly collapsed on the spot.
The man stepped forward and extended his hand.
"George. Head of this district."
Jake hesitated for half a second—then shook it.
Firm grip.
Cold hand.
"I've heard… interesting things about you, Micheal."
A faint smile.
"The most dangerous assassin in this district."
Jake let out a stiff laugh.
"Of course you have."
What am I saying?
"I've… done a lot of… interesting things."
He coughed.
"Ha… ha… ho…"
Silence.
Adrian slowly looked away.
Dravers pinched the bridge of her nose.
Jake was still shaking George's hand.
Too long.
"…You can let go now," George said flatly.
Jake immediately released.
"…Right."
The tinted limo window slid down slowly.
Inside—
A small figure.
Short black hair. Pale skin.
And eyes…
Cold.
Deep violet.
They didn't blink.
They studied.
"Oh… cute kid," Adrian muttered, nudging Dravers twice with his elbow.
"Really makes you wonder if she's actually his—"
"So this," George cut in smoothly, "is my beautiful daughter… Melda."
Adrian froze.
"…Daughter?"
Dravers gave a slow nod.
Yeah… you messed up.
George turned slightly toward the car.
"Melda, greet them."
A pause.
Then—
Melda slowly raised her hand…
…and lifted her middle finger.
Silence.
"…Well," Adrian placed a hand on his waist, "that's just rude."
George smiled.
Proudly.
"So sweet, isn't she?"
"I beg to differ—"
Adrian didn't finish.
He felt it immediately.
The pressure.
George turned.
Slowly.
"What… did you just say?"
Adrian stiffened.
Sweat.
"Whaaaat? No—no, no, no… she's very sweet."
He waved awkwardly.
"Hi, Melda."
Melda stared at him.
Unimpressed.
Then—
Click.
The window began rolling back up.
"Such an idiot…" she muttered under her breath.
Halfway up—
Her eyes shifted.
Locked onto Jake.
Time slowed.
The noise of the city dulled.
Jake stood there, slightly turned, expression calm… distant… dangerous.
In her head—
A completely different world unfolded.
A sunset.
A quiet street.
Jake—bare-chested, a rose between his teeth.
(Something Jake would never, under any circumstance, do.)
"Hi, kid," Jake said flatly.
Reality snapped back.
Melda froze.
Her face flushed instantly.
"U-uh—h-hi— I mean— you— you look— um—"
System overload.
"Hope to work with you. Goodbye."
SLAM.
The window shot up.
Jake blinked once.
"…That was weird."
"So," George continued, as if nothing had happened, "your task is simple."
He adjusted his cuffs.
"You will escort my daughter to school. And back."
"A whole week."
Jake frowned slightly.
"Your daughter? Then what are all these—"
He glanced at the dozens of armed guards.
George's expression shifted.
Subtle.
But colder.
"I've recently become… a target."
A pause.
"People who want to be assassins. Just like how a bunch of savage murderers murdered my old friend, Tudor San... You will be avenged." Clears throat
" killing me earns them the permission to join their assassin agency."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"I suspect they'll take the easier route."
A glance at the limo.
"My daughter."
Adrian opened his mouth.
"Oh—this kinda reminds me of our tes—"
THUD.
Dravers' fist buried into his stomach.
Air left his lungs instantly.
"…Not. Important," she said calmly.
George nodded once.
"Good."
A sudden roar filled the air.
Wind exploded downward.
A helicopter descended out of nowhere.
Dust. Papers. Loose debris lifted violently.
As George stepped back, the air around him growing chaotic, he spoke one last time—
Calm.
Too calm.
"If a single hair on her body is harmed…"
A faint smile.
"I will kill you."
The wind intensified.
"Your families."
Higher.
"Your friends."
Louder.
"Your pets."
Deafening.
"And every single person you've ever loved."
He stepped into the rising pull.
"So…"
He looked down at them one last time.
"…be safe."
And just like that—
He was gone.
The helicopter shot upward, vanishing into the sky.
Silence returned.
Dust slowly settled.
Adrian straightened up, still holding his stomach.
"…Well."
He exhaled.
"We definitely know what's at stake now."
Dravers squinted toward the front of the limo.
"…Wait."
A beat.
"There's no driver."
Silence.
All three slowly leaned to peek through the windshield.
Empty.
No one.
Dravers straightened.
"…No driver?"
Adrian blinked.
"…So… who here knows how to drive?"
A pause.
They all looked at each other.
Jake said nothing.
Adrian scratched his head.
"I mean… I can drive."
Dravers turned.
"You can drive?"
"Yeah."
A beat.
"…In games."
Silence.
Dravers slowly turned her head toward Jake.
"…Please tell me you can drive."
Jake looked at the limo.
Then at the steering wheel.
Then back at her.
"…I've never needed to."
Adrian frowned.
"What does that even mean?"
Jake shrugged.
"I usually just… arrive."
"—Oh, great," Dravers muttered, rubbing her temple, "we're going to die before the mission even starts."
Suddenly—
Click.
A soft mechanical sound echoed.
The dashboard lit up.
A smooth, artificial voice filled the car.
"Autonomous navigation system activated."
Coordinates appeared on the screen.
Destination: Melda – School Route
Estimated time: 14 minutes.
The doors unlocked with a soft hiss.
Silence.
Adrian grinned.
"…See? Easy mission."
Dravers exhaled slowly.
"…I hate everything about this already."
Jake opened the door.
"…Let's just get it over with."
A few minutes later…
Silence.
Dravers, Jake, and Adrian sat in the spacious limo, each occupying their own corner like strangers forced into the same room.
The air was heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Adrian shifted.
"Sooooo—"
Two deadly stares snapped toward him instantly.
"…right," he muttered, sinking back into his seat.
"Let's just… enjoy the silence."
A beat.
Five seconds.
Ten.
Adrian leaned forward again.
"So… Melda, am I right?"
Nothing.
No reaction.
Not even a glance.
"…Wow," he whispered, "tough crowd."
From the front—
"We are arriving at destination."
The limo slowed to a smooth stop.
Jake didn't react.
His eyes were locked onto the interface in front of him, scanning lines of data, tabs, hidden menus…
Too many functions… too many variables…
The old system was better. Simpler. Predictable.
The door slid open.
Melda stepped out without a word.
Didn't look back.
Didn't wait.
Just walked off.
Silence.
The door slid shut again.
Adrian blinked.
"…So… what exactly were we supposed to do again?"
A synchronized sigh escaped both Jake and Dravers.
They opened their doors and stepped out.
Adrian remained seated.
Alone.
A long pause.
"…What have I done?" he muttered, staring at the empty seat Melda had just occupied.
Then—
He scrambled out of the limo.
"WAIT FOR ME—"