The sun had barely set, bleeding the sky into streaks of purple and burnt orange, as Elira walked steadily toward the middle of the abandoned bridge. Her heart hammered in her chest, each step echoing in the hollow silence.
She wore a simple black hoodie and jeans, blending into the gloom. Her black hair was tied in a low ponytail, and she clutched a pepper spray can tightly in one hand — not that it would help against real danger.
Waiting for her was a man she didn't recognize.
Character Spotlight: Adrian Voss
Name: Adrian Voss
Age: 32
Profession: Information broker
Appearance: Clean-shaven, neatly combed ash-blond hair, thin spectacles perched on his nose; tall and slim with an almost fragile appearance; light gray skin from living too long under artificial lights.
Attitude: Calculating, soft-spoken, with an unnerving smile; sees people as tools or chess pieces.
Flaws: Overly confident in his ability to control situations; no true loyalties except to profit.
---
Adrian leaned casually against the rusted railing, flipping a silver coin between his fingers. When he saw Elira, his smile widened.
"You came," he said softly. His voice was polite, almost apologetic, like a salesman about to deliver bad news.
"You said you had information about Elias," Elira replied, steadying her voice.
Adrian nodded. "I do. But information is never free, darling."
"What do you want?"
He tilted his head, considering her. "Nothing much. Just... a little favor."
Before Elira could respond, a shadow moved behind Adrian — another figure stepping onto the bridge.
It was Jonas.
Beaten, bruised... and carrying a message.
"I didn't want to do this," Jonas said, voice shaking. "But Marcus... he's holding my sister. He said if I didn't lure you here—"
Adrian sighed dramatically. "You're ruining the surprise, Jonas."
Suddenly, two black SUVs screeched onto the bridge, headlights blinding.
Men in suits poured out, guns drawn.
A trap.
Elira's heart sank, but she didn't panic.
She thought of Elias.
Of his stubbornness.
Of his awkward jokes.
Of his silent strength when the world pushed him too hard.
I have to survive.
---
Elias sat on a battered couch, staring at the flickering screen of a cracked phone. His latest reward from the mysterious watch was glowing:
Task Complete! Reward: Enhanced Intuition (Temporary Boost: 6 hours)
Suddenly, a pulse of danger slammed into his mind like a wave.
Something was wrong.
Something was very wrong.
Without hesitation, he bolted from the room, slipping into the rain-soaked streets, a singular thought burning in his mind:
Elira.
---
Shots rang out.
Elira dove for cover as bullets ricocheted off the metal railings. Jonas tackled one of the gunmen, trying to buy her time.
Adrian, meanwhile, simply stepped backward into the shadows, vanishing with that same maddening smile.
Chaos erupted on the bridge — but in the distance, a figure was sprinting through the rain, moving faster than humanly possible.
Elias.
Fueled by intuition, fear, and something else — the will to protect — he crashed into the gunmen like a force of nature.
It wasn't just the rewards anymore.
It was him.
The boy who had been bullied, abandoned, overlooked — refusing to be powerless ever again.
---
Jonas's betrayal wasn't simple evil — it was desperation. In real life, sometimes good people do bad things when they feel trapped. Elira understood that... but forgiveness wouldn't be so easy.
And Elias? He was learning that strength meant nothing without something worth fighting for.
The night deepened, but Elias wasn't running anymore.
He was choosing.
---