### Chapter 1: Prison Time
Alex Turner sat on the cold, hard cot in his prison cell, staring at the grey walls that had become his world for the past two years. The noise of the prison – the clanging of metal doors, the shouts of inmates, the distant hum of the guards' conversations – all faded into the background as he lost himself in thoughts of the life he once had. His mind wandered back to the days before the betrayal, to the times when he was a promising young man with a bright future, a loving fiancée, and loyal friends. Now, all he had were memories and the burning desire for vengeance.
Alex's life had been turned upside down by a betrayal so deep it left him reeling. Emma, his fiancée, and Jake, his best friend since childhood, had orchestrated a robbery, setting him up as the fall guy. The evidence against him had been overwhelming, and despite his protests of innocence, he was convicted and sentenced to a decade behind bars. The betrayal cut deeper than the sentence; it was the loss of trust, love, and friendship that haunted him the most.
As Alex was lost in his thoughts, the cell door clanged open. A guard, burly and indifferent, stood there, motioning for him to step out. "Turner, you've got a visitor."
Alex frowned. He hadn't had a visitor in months. Emma had stopped coming after the trial, and his parents were too ashamed to see him. Curiosity piqued, he followed the guard through the labyrinth of the prison until they reached the visitor's area.
Sitting at one of the tables was an older man with a dignified air about him. His hair was silver, his eyes sharp and observant. Alex had seen him around the prison but had never spoken to him. The man motioned for Alex to sit.
"Do you know who I am?" the man asked, his voice calm but authoritative.
Alex shook his head. "No, should I?"
"They call me Marcus. I've been in here longer than most. Seen many men come and go. I've heard about you, Alex. Heard about what happened to you."
Alex's jaw tightened. "Everyone knows what happened to me. Doesn't change anything."
"Maybe not," Marcus said, leaning forward. "But I see something in you, something that shouldn't be wasted. You remind me of myself when I was younger – betrayed, angry, lost. But unlike many others, you have the potential to do something about it."
Alex looked at Marcus skeptically. "And why do you care?"
Marcus smiled, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Let's just say I have a vested interest in seeing certain people get what they deserve. And I can help you. I can teach you how to survive in here, how to strengthen your body and mind. And when the time comes, how to reclaim your life."
The offer was tempting. Alex had spent the last two years consumed by thoughts of revenge, but he had no idea how to go about it. He was a prisoner, both physically and mentally. This man, Marcus, seemed to offer a way out, a path forward.
"Alright," Alex said slowly. "What do I have to do?"
Marcus's smile widened, transforming his face. "First, you need to let go of who you were. Alex Turner died the day you were betrayed. From now on, you are whoever you need to be to survive and eventually, to get your revenge."
Over the next several years, Marcus took Alex under his wing. He taught him how to fight, how to think strategically, how to read people and situations. Marcus's lessons were grueling and often harsh, but Alex absorbed everything like a sponge. The weak, trusting young man who had entered prison began to disappear, replaced by someone harder, sharper – someone who could take on the world and win.
Alex's body grew stronger, his mind more focused. He spent hours in the prison library, reading everything from philosophy to psychology, learning about manipulation, strategy, and human nature. Marcus introduced him to other inmates who could teach him skills he would need – how to pick locks, how to forge documents, how to move unnoticed.
Through it all, the image of Jake and Emma haunted him, fueling his determination. He pictured their faces every time he hit a punching bag, every time he pushed himself to run another mile in the yard. The betrayal had become his driving force, and with Marcus's help, he was transforming into a weapon forged in the fires of his own suffering.
Years passed, and Alex became a different man. When the day of his release finally came, he was ready. Marcus, now an old man, gave him a final piece of advice as they stood in the prison yard.
"Remember, Alex, or Ethan, or whoever you choose to be – your greatest weapon is your mind. Use it wisely, and you will achieve what you seek."
Alex nodded, a steely resolve in his eyes. He walked out of the prison gates, leaving Alex Turner behind. The world outside was different from the one he had left, but so was he. He was no longer the naïve young man who had been betrayed. He was Ethan now, a man with a mission, ready to reclaim his life and exact his revenge.
And so, Ethan stepped into the world, determined to bring shadows of revenge to those who had wronged him.