Duke's eyes groggily opened, his head pounding with a dull ache. He tried to lift his hand to his temple, but it wouldn't budge. Confused, he looked down to see his wrist chained to the wall. Panic set in as he scrambled to his feet, yanking on the chain in vain. "Where am I?" he shouted, his voice echoing off the cold, grey walls.
The room was small and dimly lit, with no windows or furniture in sight. A single flickering torch cast eerie shadows on the walls, making Duke's skin crawl. He strained against the chain, but it was no use. He was trapped.
As his memories came flooding back, Duke's mind raced with fear. He remembered going to the mart with Nadia, the attack, and then...nothing. How did he end up here? Where was Nadia?
Duke snarled, tugging on the chain again. "Dominique, you bastard! Let me out of here!"
But he got no response. Just the silence and the faint sound of dripping water somewhere in the distance.
Duke continued to shout at the top of his lungs. "Hey! Let me out of here! Someone! Anyone!"
The door creaked open, and a burly man with a scruffy beard entered. Duke recognized him - he was the driver from the van he had rescued Halia from. "Shut it, prisoner," the man growled, palming a sturdy stick.
Duke didn't back down. "Or what? You'll hit me with your little stick? Kill me? If that's what you lot wanted, you wouldn't have brought me here as your prisoner, would ya?!"
The guard sneered, taking a few steps closer to Duke. "Oh, I can make your stay here very uncomfortable."
Duke snorted. "You think I'm afraid of you? Bring it on!"
Just then, Dominique strolled into the room with a smile on his face. "Ah, thank you, Grimgold. I'll handle this one." The man named Grimgold nodded and gave Duke one last glare before he exited the room, leaving Duke and Dominique alone.
Dominique leaned against the wall, and lit up a joint. He took one long drag, before he drifted his gaze on Duke. "You're quite the feisty one, Duke. I like that."
Duke's expression turned cold. "What do you want? I thought we were good."
Dominique chuckled. "I thought so too, hell, I even let you walk out a free man." He paused, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. "But that was before you killed my men, and I don't joke about my fellas. They're like my brothers.."
"Spare me the family talk." Duke chastened. "I don't know what you're talking about. I've been meaning to catch a word with you even. You sent the government after my ass after I tried to help you?"
Dominique stared intently at Duke, as though, trying to catch any uneasy expression that might give him off that he was lying, but he didn't see one.
'I supposed it was the government agent that annihilated my men.' Dominique pondered as he stared at Duke. 'It can't be him. If he could let off the Muji brothers… even though he had them where he wanted them, he can't possibly have killed my men.'
He had his men trailing Duke on that day so he knew what had transpired in the alley.
Back at the alley too where Grimgold had hijacked the van, he had reported what had happened there to him. Duke didn't look like he was capable of killing, but Grimgold had told him he saw Duke kill the muji gangs that had attacked him, brutally, and how they had vanished.
That's why Dominique suspected Duke might have been the one to kill his men. But then again it could also be the government. Only them were capable of making something disappear without a trace.
He wasn't entirely sure which it was, if Duke did kill his men or if he didn't do it.
But he planned on keeping Duke for himself regardless. He deemed him useful, after the escapades Grimgold had witnessed.
"Where's Nadia?" Duke raised a question suddenly, cutting through Dominique's train of thoughts.
"If I was you, I'd worry about myself. But since you asked, she is long gone."
Duke furrowed his brows, confused. "What do you mean by 'she's long gone' ?"
Dominique pushed himself from the wall and strolled to where Duke was chained. "You know, 'Hand you over to me, hit the road, Gone' "
Duke processed the information for a moment before he nodded stiffly. "Okay"
It was Dominique's turn to be surprised. That wasn't the reaction he had expected from Duke.
"Now let's cut to the chase shall we? I brought you here to help me with a little problem I have. And in return, You'd get back your freedom."
Duke's eyes narrowed. "I'm not helping you with anything until you tell me what's going on."
Dominique chuckled. "Ah, but that's the beauty of it, Duke. You don't have a choice."
Duke crossed his arms, his expression unyielding. "I'm not helping you with anything, Dominique. You can't just kidnap me and expect me to cooperate."
Dominique chuckled, "Oh, but I think you will, Duke. You see, it has come to my notice that you're now better than you were before. In terms of sight, reflexes and more. I know you have the pill. The one that's supposed to take you to Paradise. What I don't understand is why it hasn't manifested."
Duke's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about? And you only met me once, so don't talk like you've known me all my life, and know my strength and weakness. I go without glasses on some days too."
"Don't play dumb with me, Duke. I know you have it. And I'm willing to let you go free, with the pill, if you help me with my little quest."
Duke raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "What kind of quest?"
Dominique's eyes gleamed with excitement as he leaned forward. "I've been stuck on Tier ten for far too long. No matter how hard I try or how much I study my enemy's tactics, I just can't seem to break through. And I'm not alone - no one I know has been able to overcome this hurdle. But I believe you have the potential to help me achieve the impossible and reach the ultimate reward."
Dominique paused, taking a slow drag on his blunt before exhaling a stream of smoke. "And as for your reward, Duke? I'll let you go free. You'll have the chance to lead alongside me, as an equal."
Duke's brows furrowed in confusion "You want me to help you beat some kind of game or test? And you're offering me freedom and an equal leadership role as a reward?"
Dominique nodded enthusiastically, his eyes shining with intensity. "Yes, exactly! I know with your skills, we can overcome it together. And as for the reward, I'm willing to offer you a share of the power and wealth that comes…"
"No" Duke interrupted him mid sentence.
"…with being a leader in this world" Dominique completed acting like Duke hadn't said a thing, and that seemed to have infuriated Duke.
"I'm not doing it" Duke repeated his voice loud and clear. "You think I'm going to just risk my life for you for fame?"
Dominique countered, his pose thoughtful as he seemed to remember something. "Well, that seemed to be the case last time. You were quite… enthusiastic about doing just that. 'Get my money ready as soon as I get back' were you exact words, if I recall correctly."
Duke snorted. "You must be suffering from amnesia to forget I was doing that as a form to recover your lost parcel."
Dominique chuckled. "Right, the parcel. Either way, you have no choice. You are at a disadvantage with me."
"I have nothing to lose." Duke retorted
Dominique raised an eyebrow, a sly smile spreading across his face "Are you sure? Didn't seem like it from that livestream."
Duke narrowed his eyes at Dominique's statement. "I couldn't care less about whatever it is you have planned, but I'm not doing it." Dominique chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound, and turned on his heels, starting to make his way out of the room.
When he got to the door, he stopped and turned back to Duke, a sinister glint in his eye. "I wonder how many bodies it's going to take to have you change your mind." With that, he left the room, leaving Duke feeling uneasy and trapped.
Duke released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
He hated that he didn't receive an order from the system in situations like this. That's the only time he could access his system mart and the guns.
'Maybe this is story mode, just like the game,' Duke thought to himself. 'And a time will come for me to be tasked to kill Dominique. I'm going to make sure I take my time with him, for chaining me like a dog and trying to lie about Nadia's involvement in this.'