I was reading a webnovel that my friend had told me about while on break. It was the final pages of a novel that had been ongoing for two years, and it was finally coming to an end. The author wrote in his notes that he'd dropped his book.
My coworkers found my hobbies somewhat perplexing, but they held me in high regard, showing respect due to the amount of work I finished on a daily basis.
One day, a senior colleague's impatient voice broke through the usual office hum. "Julian! Have you completed the assignment from last week? I need it urgently!"
"I left it on your desk earlier today. It contains a list of supplies for our upcoming event," I replied, making my way to my team leader's office.
"Thank you for the report," my team leader acknowledged before introducing another task.
"I know you've just finished a challenging task, but I need you to go to New York. There's a private aircraft for you, leaving later tonight from the usual airstrip."
"What's the assignment in New York?" I inquired.
"I need you to inspect a newly established area that just came out. Oh, and ensure they're rated accurately and free from potential regulatory issues, I don't want what happened with Alex to happen again." My team leader's said, his words carrying a heavy weight. "Julian, you know the drill. You are our most accomplished agent."
With that, I was dismissed and told I could invite a friend along, with expenses covered by the company.
I wrapped up my work in a few hours and prepared to find my closest friend. Leaving the office, I got into my car, but a strange absence caught my attention. The rhythmic sway of my car's pendant was gone and I had an unsettling feeling.
I exited the vehicle and, as if in a surreal nightmare, watched as it exploded into a fiery inferno. The force of the blast hurled me into unconsciousness.
When I awoke, I found myself near a familiar figure with my car's pendant hanging from the man's trousers. A shard of metal protruded from my lower abdomen, causing intense pain. Despite the agony, I strangely remained calm. My only question, I whispered softly, was a haunting "Why?"
Facing the shadow of death, I felt an eerie serenity. Life's journey unfolded before me, and I mourned the inexplicable betrayal by my closest friend. With a mixture of sadness and regret, my friend, without uttering a word, aimed a gun at my head and pulled the trigger, ending my life.
As I braced for what I believed to be my final moments, I suddenly awoke in an unfamiliar setting. The transition from the brink of death to consciousness was bewildering, leaving me with no understanding of what had just occurred.