Lucian shook his head slightly, exhaling as he watched Cassandra pull a pistol from behind her back, the cold steel now aimed directly at him. His lips curled into a faint, sorrowful smile, arms crossing over his chest as a flicker of confusion passed through his eyes.
“So… what do we have here?” he mused, voice calm, almost amused, though his mind was somewhere else entirely.
He wasn’t worried not about the gun, not about her intent. Beneath his clothes, an invisible bulletproof vest, a gift from Max, lay snug against his skin. He had equipped it after last night’s disaster. He would never let that mistake repeat itself, not after what had happened to Rose. If only he had been more serious back then… if only.
His gaze locked onto Cassandra’s. “So, you really want to kill me?” His voice was steady, unreadable, as he took a slow, silent step forward.
Cassandra’s grip on the pistol tightened, her knuckles white. Her hands had been trembling before, but now, after a deep breath, they were steady.
Her eyes bore into his, unreadable, before she finally spoke. “Who even are you to me?”
Then
Paak.
The gunshot cracked through the air.
Lucian didn’t stop. He had no reason to. The vest would block the bullet, just like Max had promised. Even a sniper rifle fired at point-blank range wouldn’t penetrate it. He had already decided he would simply take the gun from her hands and talk this through.
“Sorry to tell you, but you can’t hu—”
Pluck.
“Ugh—”
A sharp, searing pain tore through his stomach. His body instinctively recoiled, a grunt escaping his lips as he staggered back, eyes widening in shock. His hand flew to his abdomen, warmth seeping through his fingers. Red. Blood. His blood.
“What the…” His breath hitched as he looked down, disbelief crashing into him like a wave. “I… I was wearing the vest. How… how did this happen?”
The pain was real. It wasn’t some weak impact; the bullet had actually pierced him. It was good that it wasn’t a high-caliber round, or else
MAX? Lucian’s mind screamed. What the hell just happened? My bulletproof vest… you said— He cut himself off, realization dawning with creeping horror. Wait… shouldn’t my dodging skill have activated? My assassin instincts?
But there was no response. No familiar voice in his head, no system notification.
What the fuck… Max? Are you playing some kind of sick joke right now?
Still, nothing. Only silence. Only pain.
Lucian took another step back, his breath uneven as his body processed the sensation of a bullet wound for the first time. This was wrong. This was beyond wrong. Even his pain resistance skill wasn’t working.
What the hell is going on? His thoughts were practically shouting now, his mind racing with panic and confusion.
Cassandra hesitated, just for a fraction of a second, as she caught the way his face twisted in pain. A small flicker of something guilt? crossed her features before she forced it down, lips pressing into a thin line.
Is this because of Avey? she thought to herself, exhaling quietly. Sorry, Avey… but revenge is revenge.
Her grip on the pistol firmed. She pulled the trigger again.
This time
Lucian’s body reacted on instinct, his hand snapping up in an attempt to summon a shield from his inventory.
Nothing. No shield. No defense. No vest
MAX?! Panic surged in his chest as he tried again, mentally commanding something anything from the system to appear. Another bulletproof vest, a wall, a weapon anything.
Nothing happened.
His heart pounded as he realized Cassandra was still aiming at him, finger tightening on the trigger. He had no choice. Gritting his teeth, he threw himself to the side.
BANG.
The shot rang out, missing by inches as he hit the ground. His instincts were still sharp, but Cassandra’s aim was… off. Maybe this was her first time actually trying to kill someone.
He scrambled to his feet, his breathing ragged.
He was trapped. The room had only one open window, the doors locked. Cassandra stood in front of it like a reaper waiting for his end.
Max? he tried again, a last desperate attempt to summon the voice that had guided him so many times before.
Still nothing.
His frustration twisted into something darker. This fucking system… what the hell has happened to it these past few days?!
Lucian exhaled sharply, raising a hand. “Cassandra. Wait. Let’s talk this through.” His voice was tense, his expression sharp, but there was still a trace of something softer something desperate in his tone.
Cassandra didn’t even flinch. She simply pulled the trigger again.
Lucian cursed under his breath, diving sideways just in time to avoid the bullet. She didn’t care. She wasn’t listening.
For the first time in a long, long time
Lucian felt fear.
Lucian’s breaths came in ragged gasps as he dodged left and right, his hand pressing tightly against his bleeding stomach. Cassandra’s expression remained unreadable, her grip firm on the pistol as she murmured to herself, almost as if trying to justify her own actions.
“Please… just die. Maybe this is for the best. My revenge will be complete, and… maybe Avey will be better off, too.” Her voice wavered for a brief moment before hardening again. “Though… I do feel a little bad for doing this to her. But it’s not like you two ever had a chance anyway.”
Her cold, emotionless eyes locked onto him once more. “Filthy blood.”
She pulled the trigger again.
Lucian barely managed to keep moving, weaving through the small locked space. His every motion sent a fresh wave of pain searing through his gut, but stopping wasn’t an option. His hand pressed harder against the wound, his expression twisted in agony.
“Stand still, Kane,” Cassandra said with an exasperated sigh, shifting her aim. “Maybe it’ll be a painless death for you. Though I would’ve preferred to torture you first… but then, what difference would that make between us?”
She pulled the trigger twice more.
Boom. Boom.
Lucian’s luck barely held. His erratic movements kept him from taking another hit, the bullets missing by inches, ricocheting off the walls with sharp, metallic clangs.
His breathing was uneven. “Max… at least give me something to patch this up. Or at least… give me back my pain resistance!” His voice in his head was frantic. “My stomach… it’s killing me!”
As he moved, twisting in desperation, a silver-and-blue eye-shaped necklace slipped out from beneath his shirt. It had come loose from all his frantic movement, now dangling freely, catching the dim light.
Cassandra’s eyes flickered toward it for a fraction of a second before narrowing. “Die already, you disgusting”
Her fingers clenched around the pistol. Without hesitation, she aimed and fired again.
Lucian’s body froze.
Oh no… I’m so done.
He barely had time to react as he caught the sharp determination in her eyes.
“Cassandra, please stop! Listen to me! I can explain”
Pak! Pak! Pak!
Three more shots rang out in quick succession.
“Ughh!” Lucian staggered back, a fresh wave of pain tearing through him.
The first bullet struck his stomach once more, the impact nearly buckling his knees. He could feel the damage now muscles ripping, the deep agony of something vital being hit.
The second bullet missed entirely, embedding itself into the wall behind him.
The third grazed his right arm, tearing through flesh just enough to leave a burning streak of pain behind.
His vision blurred. His body was screaming at him. I have to run. If I stay here, I’ll die.
Without thinking, Lucian turned on his heel, raising an arm instinctively to shield his head in case she fired again. His movements were rushed, desperate
And then
Tick.
Something caught. A sharp pull at his neck. His hand had accidentally snagged his necklace chain in the chaos. He didn’t even register it until it snapped free, falling to the floor with a soft metallic clink.
Lucian didn’t stop to think. He just ran.
“Crazy woman,” he spat out, stumbling toward the window behind him. But as he reached it, his breath hitched.
It was a third-floor drop.
If he jumped, he’d be screwed. What if Max’s rewards don’t work either? He swallowed hard. He’d be double screwed.
Cassandra watched him dash toward the small window, but her gaze flickered just for a second to the necklace lying on the floor. A strange sense of familiarity nagged at her. But it didn’t matter. Not now.
Her only goal was to kill Kane.
She clicked the trigger again
Clutch. Clutch. Clutch.
The pistol jammed. Empty.
Lucian, who had been bracing himself to jump, snapped his head back at the sound. Their eyes locked.
A split-second decision.
Cassandra’s hands flew to her pocket, fumbling for another magazine. But Lucian saw his chance. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he pressed both hands against his wounds, trying to stem the bleeding.
This is it.
He bolted toward the door behind Cassandra.
“No, you won’t!” she growled, her fingers struggling to retrieve the magazine. Her jeans were too tight
Shit! Why did I wear these today?
She yanked her hand free, abandoning the reload, and instead swung her fist toward him.
Even without pistol she was confident she could take care of man who is injured two bullets deep in guts.
but reality was often dissapinting.
Lucian barely managed to dodge, agony ripping through his body as he twisted out of the way. “Fuckkk!” he grunted through clenched teeth, then, acting on pure instinct, he lashed out
A hard slap across her face.
Ahhh
Cassandra staggered backward, her balance thrown completely off. She crashed against the side of the room, her body crumpling to the floor in a daze.
She felt hot feeling on her cheeks her anger flying off the cealings.
Lucian’s vision swam with pain, but he didn’t stop. “Max, we’re having a serious conversation after this!” he growled under his breath, yanking the door open. Without hesitation, he darted out, slamming it shut behind him and locking it from the outside.
Cassandra lay there, stunned.
No… I missed my chance she said forgetting the pain focusing on important thing.
Her breath came in sharp, uneven pants. He’s gone. My revenge… Kane’s family will come for me now. I have to go into hiding…
Anxious thoughts spiraled through her mind, but then
suddenly
Her eyes landed on the necklace still lying on the floor.
She frowned, something gnawing at the edge of her consciousness. Slowly, she pushed herself up and walked toward it. bending down, she picked it up, turning it over in her fingers.
A chill ran down her spine.
This… isn’t this Harry’s?
Ofcourse she was familiar with this thing.
She had seen it before. Worn it before. But
Her gaze snapped back toward the door.
Wait. This fell off Lucian?
Her grip tightened around the pendant. Confusion swirled in her eyes, followed by something darker. No… it has to be a coincidence. Maybe it’s just similar… maybe he bought one just like it…
But then, an unsettling thought crept into her mind.
I’ve never seen Harry’s face… he always wears a helmet… or covers up…
Her fingers trembled slightly.
No… wait.
That can’t be. I’m overthinking. Harry’s voice is completely different from Lucian’s..
But the thought had already taken root, twisting and curling like a creeping vine in her mind. Anxiety gnawed at her, refusing to let go.
Their body shape… it’s similar. Now that I think about it…
No. That’s just coincidence. It has to be.
But… his timing. He always met me at night. Only for riding.
A slow, suffocating realization began to claw its way up her throat. Wait… Harry never showed me his face. Not once. Not in all these years of friendship.
Her breath hitched.
He had a crush. He used to say… Her pulse pounded in her ears. The way he described her it sounded just like Avey.
No… No, it’s impossible. But then
Most of the time when he visited me, he asked about my friend. Indirectly. Always steering the conversation back to her.
Her fingers clenched involuntarily around the necklace.
He knew my real name.
A memory struck her like a slap
Last night. The bike race. Harry had said her name.
Her real name.
No… he didn’t. Wait… no. No, no, no.
But
Could Lucian change his voice?
It all clicked. The scattered puzzle pieces slammed into place so fast it made her dizzy.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Are they the same person?
The realization slammed into her like a tidal wave, cold and merciless. Her grip on the pistol faltered, her fingers trembling violently. Her knees felt weak, the weight of her thoughts pressing down like an avalanche.
Then that means
Her breath shuddered out, horror crawling up her spine.
Did I just
The pistol slipped from her grasp, clattering onto the floor.
Her vision blurred.
Did I just try to kill him?
Her body locked up. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe.
Lucian… Harry…
—