The three of them stepped out of the building a few minutes later.
The late afternoon air was cooler outside.
Mark walked ahead, already pulling out his car keys.
"The warehouse is about twenty minutes from here," he said casually.
Adrian gave a short nod but didn't move toward the car immediately.
Instead he looked at Liam.
Liam noticed it right away.
"What?" He asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Adrian slid one hand into his coat pocket.
"You said you found the man," he said calmly.
"I did".
"And you know where he is."
Liam nodded.
"Yeah. My guys have been tracking him since morning."
For a moment Adrian seemed to think about something.
Then he spoke.
'Good."
Mark paused beside the car, sensing where the conversation was going.
Adrian looked directly at Liam.
"Then you handle it."
Liam blinked once.
"Handle it?"
"Yes," Adrian said simply.
His tone wasn't harsh. Just direct.
"If you already know where he is, bring him to me."
Liam folded his arms.
"You're not coming?"
Adrian glanced toward the car.
'Mark and I have other things to check at the warehouse."
Then he added quietly.
Liam studied him for a second.
"So you want him alive?"
Adrian's expression remained unreadable.
"For now".
A small pause passed between them.
Then Adrian gestured slightly towards the guards standing near the entrance of the building.
"Take a few men with you."
Liam exhaled with a half-smile.
"Wow. You're letting me borrow your people too?"
Adrian gave him a flat look.
"Do you want them or not?"
Liam chuckled.
"Relax, Mr Grumpy. I'll take them."
He turned towards the guards and pointed at two of them.
"You two. With me."
The men immediately straightened and followed him.
Liam looked back at Adrian and Mark.
"I'll call when I have him."
Adrian gave a small nod.
"Do that."
Mark opened the car door and leaned slightly over the roof.
"Try not to screw it up," he said teasingly.
Liam scoffed.
'Please I'm the only competent person here.'
"Sure you are.'
"Shut up."
Mark laughed and got into the car.
Adrian took one glance at Liam before walking towards the passenger seat.
Then the car engine started.
Within seconds, the vehicle pulled out of the parking lot and disappeared into the evening traffic.
Liam watched it go for a moment.
Then he turned toward the guards beside him.
"Alright,' he said, clapping his hands once.
"Let's go catch a rat."
The warehouse was loud and busy. Metal crates were being shifted from one side to another. The workers were all busy and the place smelled like oil, dust, and cold iron.
Mark and Adrian walked through the large space without stopping. A few workers glanced at them and immediately lowered their heads, continuing their work.
They moved toward the back section of the warehouse where things were quieter.
A guard standing near a metal door straightened as soon as he saw them.
"Sir."
Mark gave a small nod.
"Everything ready?"
"Yes."
The guard pushed the door open.
Inside, the noise of the warehouse faded almost instantly.
The room was dim, lit only by a single hanging light. In the middle of the room sat a man tied to a chair. His hands were bound tightly behind him. His legs were tied to the chair. A strip of tape covered his mouth and another wrapped around his eyes.His head lifted slightly when he heard the door.
Adrian stepped inside without saying anything.
Mark followed, closing the door behind them.
Another guard approached Mark quietly and leaned closer to report something under his breath.
Mark listened for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"Alright."
Adrian pulled a chair from the side of the room and sat down slowly, crossing one leg over the other.
His expression remained calm.
"Now what's the matter?" he asked, glancing at Mark.
Mark turned toward the tied man.
"This one has been following you for a while."
Adrian looked at the man again.
"He was spotted near the office building twice last week," Mark continued. "And again yesterday."
A short pause.
"If you noticed."
Adrian's eyes stayed on the man.
"I did notice."
His voice was quiet.
Mark stepped forward and stopped in front of the chair.
Without saying anything, he reached forward and tore the tape off the man's mouth.
The man winced.
Mark leaned slightly closer.
"Speak."
The man said nothing.
Mark's expression didn't change.
"I'll say it again."
His voice dropped lower.
"Speak."
Still nothing.
A faint chuckle escaped Mark's mouth.
"You know," he said casually, "remaining silent usually makes things worse."
No response.
Mark's fist moved suddenly.
Thud.
The punch landed hard against the man's jaw.
The chair rattled slightly.
The man groaned but still didn't say anything.
Mark straightened his back.
"What the hell do you want?" he asked coldly.
Silence again.
Behind them, Adrian quietly reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a cigarette.
He lit it slowly.
The small flame briefly illuminated his face before disappearing.
He took a long drag and leaned back in the chair, watching the scene in front of him.
Smoke slowly filled the air.
One of the guards stepped closer to Mark.
"Sir," he said quietly.
Mark turned his head.
"We checked his background."
"And?"
The guard hesitated for a moment.
"He's connected to an agency."
Adrian's eyes shifted slightly.
"What agency?" Mark asked.
The guard lowered his voice and said the name.
For a second, the entire room felt still.
Adrian didn't move.
But the cigarette between his fingers burned faster.
Mark glanced at him briefly. He noticed the slight change in Adrian's expression.
Adrian's jaw tightened.
That name had not been heard in years.
And it carried memories he had buried a long time ago.
Before Mark could say anything else, his phone started ringing.
He pulled it out of his pocket.
The screen flashed a familiar name.
Liam.
Mark answered the call.
"Yes?"
For a moment he didn't speak.
Then his expression changed slightly.
"You're sure?"
A short pause.
Mark glanced at Adrian.
"The man is dead," he said quietly.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
On the other end of the line, Liam continued speaking.
"Someone killed him before we arrived."
Another pause.
"There was a piece of paper beside the body."
Mark frowned slightly.
"What paper?"
Liam's voice came through the phone again.
"It only had four words written on it."
Mark waited.
Then Liam said,
"Next Time, Try Harder."
The call ended shortly after that.
Mark slowly lowered the phone.
For a few seconds, Adrian didn't say anything.
The cigarette burned between his fingers.
Then suddenly—
He crushed it under his shoe.
Hard.
The chair legs scraped against the floor as Adrian stood up.He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt slowly. Every pair of eyes followed him.
Then he walked toward the tied man.The man seemed to sense the shift in the room.
He began breathing faster.
Adrian stopped in front of him.
Without warning—
SMACK.
The slap echoed loudly in the room.
The man's head snapped to the side.
Adrian grabbed the chair and pulled it closer to himself.
His voice was low.
Dangerously calm.
"Speak," he said.
No response.
Adrian leaned slightly forward.
"Before I decide to do something much worse."
The man shook his head weakly.
Adian's eyes darkened.
"Why are you following me?"
His voice was sharper now.
"What do you want this time?"
Silence.
"Answer me, you dammit."
Adrian's hand slammed against the back of the chair.
"Who sent you?"
The man's breathing became uneven.
Adrian reached for the table beside him and picked up the knife lying there. He turned it lazily between his fingers, studying the reflection of the blade.
Then he stepped closer.
The cold edge of the knife lifted the man's chin slightly as Adrian traced it along his jaw, slow and deliberate.
Adrian tilted his head, watching him carefully.
"Was it him?"
Adrian's tone grew colder.
"Or someone else?"
The man finally spoke.
His voice was shaking.
"Pl..Please let me..go… I have a family…"
That was the wrong thing to say.
Something inside Adrian snapped.
He grabbed the man by the collar and forced him upright.
"Then you should have thought about your family before coming here."
His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"Now tell me the name."
The man trembled.
"Who sent you?"
The room fell silent again.
The man shook his head desperately.
"I don't know…I swear…I don't know."
Adrian stared at him.
"I hate liars."
"I'm telling the truth!" The man blurted out. "I never saw his face."
Mark watched him from the side, arms crossed.
Adrian slowly let go of the man's collar.
For a moment, it looked like he was thinking. Then he turned his head slightly.
"Bring the cutter."
One of the guards froze for half a second before quickly moving to obey.
The man's eyes widened.
"No–No–wait please!"
Adrian didn't even look at him.
"You had plenty of time to talk."
The guard returned and placed a metal tool in Adrian's hand.
The room had gone completely silent.
Adrian stepped forward again.
The man struggled weakly against the ropes.
"I told you everything I know!" he cried.
Adrian grabbed his hand and placed it against the armrest of the chair.
"Then you won't mind losing something".
The man screamed.
"WAIT!"
But it was too late, A sharp sound cut through the room. The man's scream echoed through the warehouse walls.
Adrian stepped back slightly, breathing heavier now.
The man trembled violently in the chair.
"I swear… I swear I don't know anything," he gasped.
Adrian said nothing. Mark watched him carefully.
Something about Adrian's posture has changed. The calm control he carried was starting to crack.
"I only got some messages…," the man continued desperately. "Texts from unknown numbers."
Adrian's eyes lifted slowly.
"What kind of messages?"
The man swallowed.
"He just wanted information… about you."
"Information?" Adrian repeated.
"Where you go… who you meet…"
Mark frowned slightly.
The man's voice shook as he continued.
"He paid me to follow you. That's all."
Adrian's stare didn't soften.
"And?"
The man hesitated. "There was … one message."
Adrian stepped closer again. "What message?"
The man's eyes darted nervously around the room.
"He said… he said to tell you something."
Adrian's expression darkened slightly.
"Say it."
The man hesitated again.
"I… I don't remember exactly –"
"Speak you bastard" Adrian spoke while grabbing the man's hair.
The man hissed.
"He said—"
His voice cracked.
"He said… You weren't late that night… you chose not to come."
The words hung in the air.
Adrian didn't move. The man continued quickly, almost pleading.
"He said you don't deserve to live the life you have."
Mark's eyes shifted toward Adrian.
Something changed instantly. The cigarette smell in the room suddenly felt suffocating.
Adrian's jaw tightened and slowly clenched his fists.
The man kept talking, not knowing what he just triggered.
"He also said that you turned out exactly like your father."
Adrian's breathing became heavier.
For a moment, he just stood there.
Completely still.
Then—
The chair crashed sideways.
Adrian had shoved it so hard that it fell with the man still tied to it.
Adrain grabbed the man by the shirt and dragged him upright again.
"Say it again."
His voice was low. Dangerously quiet.
The man shook his head in terror. Adrian slammed him against the floor. "Say it!"
"Please spare me. Let me go!" The man cried desperately.
Something snapped. Adrian hit him.
Once.
Then again.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances but didn't move.
Mark watched closely the entire scene.
Adrian wasn't questioning anymore. He was just hitting mercilessly.
The man tried to shield himself but the ropes made it impossible.
"I don't know anything else.!" he cried.
But Adrian didn't stop. The entire room echoed with sounds of beating.
Finally—
A gunshot rang through the warehouse.
Everything went silent.
The man collapsed completely.
Adrian stood over with heavy panting. For a moment it looked like it was over. But Adrian stepped forward again and grabbed the man by the collar, shaking it violently.
"Who sent you?... Was it Him?... Tell me!"
The words came out like a growl. He started beating and kicking the dead man without any break.
Mark moved immediately.
"Adrian."
No response.
Adrian's fist raised again.
Mark stepped forward and grabbed his arm. "That's enough."
Adrian didn't move.
For a second it looked like he might pull away.
Mark tightened his grip.
"He's dead."
Silence.
Adrian finally stopped moving. His shoulders were still tense. His breathing was slow but heavy. He was fuming with anger but there was something else… pain.
Mark let go of his arm carefully.
"Let's go."
Adrian stood there for another second. Then he stepped back slowly.
The guards were too shocked to even utter anything. They remained frozen. They knew that their Boss goes crazy whenever he is angry. And Mark was the right person at this time to stop him.
Mark glanced at them.
"Clean this up."
Then he walked toward the door.
After a moment—
Adrian followed.