Eric Renner had always believed he was untouchable. Operating in the shadows for years, albeit with an empire as deep and wicked. Well-planned deal after bribe, each bit of dirty that had gone through his fingers already carefully accounted for. To the world, Eric was a philanthropist, a businessman whose fortune had been built on hard work and innovation. But beneath the surface, there was rot. And like all rot, it eventually surfaced.
It happened in a single night.
There had been no warning, no subtle cues that his time was up. One minute, Eric was sipping expensive cocktails and shaking hands with the galaxy's elite at a gala held in his honor; the next he was being dragged away in restraints by the Nova Corps, his face plastered across every news channel in the quadrant.
The fall from grace was nothing short of dramatic. In just a few hours, his whole life fell apart. His assets were locked down, his businesses taken over, and the charitable organizations he had set up were revealed to be nothing but fronts for money laundering. The media went wild. Headlines blared about his betrayal, highlighting the stark contrast of a man who had presented himself as a hero but was really just a criminal.
But the hardest hit was the sense of betrayal he felt deep inside. The Nova Corps officers he thought he had under his control, the ones he had bribed, turned against him. All the money he had spent on bribes and the threats he had used to secure their loyalty turned out to be worthless. In the end, they took his cash and sold him out.
Or so he thought.
Eric sat in the cold, sterile cell of a Nova Corps detention facility, the harsh light casting unforgiving shadows on his hollowed face. The constant hum of the energy shields that lined the cells, preventing any escape, was a maddening backdrop to his thoughts. He could hear the whispers of the other prisoners, but they were of little comfort. Most were small-time criminals, no one who could offer him any help.
His thoughts churned with anger and fear. The trial was set for the end of the week, and it was clear where it would lead. The Nova Corps had enough evidence to put him away for life—if they didn't opt for the death penalty. It would be a spectacle, a lesson to anyone who thought they could play the system like he had. Eric knew he was finished.
But then came a glimmer of hope, wrapped in the guise of a friendly face.
Captain Kellar came to see him.
Eric had known Kellar for years. The man had been one of his most trusted contacts within the Nova Corps, a high-ranking officer with a taste for luxuries that his official salary couldn't provide. Eric had made sure Kellar's pockets were lined with enough credits to live a life without the need to work, and in return, Kellar had kept him informed, kept him safe.
Now, Kellar stood outside his cell, his expression neutral, but there was a spark in his eyes that Eric recognized.
"I heard what they're planning for you," He said in a low voice, glancing around as if to make sure they weren't being watched. "It's bad, Eric. Real bad. They're pushing for death row."
Eric's heart hammered in his chest, but he forced himself to remain calm. "You're the only one who can help me, Kellar. You know what I've done for you. I expect some loyalty in return. Get me out of this shithole."
Kellar nodded, his features serious. "It will take Credits. A lot of Credits. Enough to make sure everyone looks the other way, enough to get you out of Xandar and off-planet. Do you still have access to your alternate accounts? Can you transfer the funds if I get you out?"
Eric felt a surge of relief. He knows credits always mattered more to Kellar than anything else. He gave a terse nod. "You get me out of here and I'll make sure you are taken care of. And I need you to give me a name. The fucker who pulled this shit on me. I want him alive."
Kellar hesitated, his hand resting on the control panel that operated the cell's energy shield. "I've been thinking, and… you're right. They're playing dirty, and you don't deserve to go down like this. But if I help you, we're both taking a risk. This has to be done quietly, or we're both dead. As for the name, you better forget that and focus on surviving."
Eric nodded, knowing that Kellar was right. "Just get me out of here and I'll take care of everything else."
Kellar didn't need to be told twice. He keyed in a sequence on the control panel, and the energy shield flickered off. Eric stepped out of the cell, his legs shaky from days of confinement but fueled by adrenaline. "You are being transferred to the Section 32 facility," He handcuffed Eric and whispered into his ears. "My men will open up a way in the midway. Go right, don't look back. There's a car with a coordinatebehind a ruined building. Don't waste time. You'll have twenty minutes before they come looking for you. From there, you're on your own."
Eric felt a surge of relief.
"We'll have to make it look like you overpowered the guards," Kellar said, producing a small blade from his belt. "Nothing serious, just a scratch or two. Enough to convince them." He placed it inside Eric's pocket, then he took out a syringe and slammed it on his neck.
"What the fuck?!" Eric staggered.
"C'mon, Eric. We both know what kind of person you are. If I just let you slip out of my hands and you run away, who's gonna pay me the credits? I'll be ruined, so, I've dumped enough nano trackers in your bloodstream to keep tabs on you for eternity. Run away, try to cheat me...I'll know. So, you better transfer my dues before going wherever you plan to go. After that, well, feel free to enjoy your free life."
Eric scowled but held his tongue. He knew Kellar was right. And he also knew that Kellar wasn't lying about the nano trackers.
"Fine," He spat, straightening up as best he could with his hands still cuffed. "Let's do this."
.
After the well-planned breakout from the detention center, Kellar's scheme had started off almost perfectly—at least in the beginning. Eric had taken down the "guards" just like they agreed, even spilling a little blood to keep up the ruse. The nondescript car was right where Kellar said it would be, and Eric drove away, successfully escaping the Nova Corps. But he knew that staying on Xander for too long would be impossible, so, he made some arrangements on the way.
The whole plan looked rock solid. He had moved his last stash of hidden credits into a secret account that only he could touch. He even hired a mercenary crew, known for their loyalty to whoever pays the most, to make sure he got off the planet safely. Everything was set. Just a few more hours, and he'd be on a ship, leaving all this chaos behind.
But something had gone horribly wrong.
As Eric approached the rendezvous point, where he was supposed to get a fake face and get rid of the trackers. There should also be a small pod waiting for him to get out of Xander undetected.
"Something isn't right..." He mumbled to himself.
The building was quiet—too quiet. The mercenaries he had hired should have been on high alert, their movements a sign of the impending departure. Instead, there was only silence, a silence that felt like a noose tightening around his neck.
Eric parked the car and stepped out, keeping his hand close to the concealed blaster at his side. The moment his foot hit the ground, he knew it was a trap. He had barely taken three steps when the unmistakable hum of a Nova Corps patrol cruiser cut through the air, followed by the blinding glare of searchlights.
"Freeze!" The voice boomed from the speakers, and in an instant, Eric was surrounded. Nova Corps officers emerged from the shadows, their weapons trained on him.
Panic surged through Eric as he considered his options. He had nowhere to run. The mercenaries he had hired lay dead or incapacitated on the ground, their weapons scattered across the blood-streaked floor. Eric cursed under his breath. Someone had sold him out, again. With no other choice, he rushed toward the ship, blaster in hand. Shots rang out as he fired wildly at the officers, not aiming to hit but to create enough chaos to make it to the pod's hatch. A searing pain tore through his side as one of the officers' shots found its mark, but he ignored it, forcing himself to keep moving.
As soon as he reached the pod and was about to enter, his body flew up into the sky before crashing on the hard floor with a thud.
"Arggg!" Eric screamed in agony. His body felt like it was being crushed by a ton of bricks. He tried to move but someone appeared before him and kicked him hard enough to make him fly again and crash on the wall this time.
"Yo. Motherfucker. Get ready for a round of beating," A man's voice came to his ears.
"Who the fuck are you?" Eric somehow pulled himself up, grabbing his stomach. His eyes scanned the figure standing before him. A teenager with a cocky smirk on his face. Eric was sure he had seen the guy before.
"You don't remember me? Humm... Weird. For someone who tried to take advantage of my mom, you are way too forgetful, dude. But with age, I can understand... You got too much tension. But don't you worry. I'm gonna beat you so much that you'll die right here, painfully at that. Won't that be a delight?" The teen spoke, cracking his knuckles.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Eric struggled to speak as he coughed out blood.
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AN: I've ended vol-1 on pat reon. So, 2 chs/day till the end. Next, I'll focus on X-Force: Beyond Omega. Public release next month.