Tap... Tap...
My footsteps echoed through the night as I walked down a dark alley. My jacket's hood was pulled up, hiding my face from the dim light of the street lamps.
The feeling of unease was gripping my chest, however, I buried it underneath my cold expression.
During the past few weeks, I noticed that I could control my emotions more easily, whether that is because I've lived two lives or because of that weird dark lightning bolt that killed me.
In my past life, I was more of a reckless individual, a coward in some ways.
However, in this life, I will not be the same, I will not be stopped by fear or hesitation.
"..."
My grey eyes scanned the alley as I walked, assessing my surroundings for any potential threats.
This was probably the sketchiest part of the city, one where criminals thrived and law-abiding citizens like me had nothing to do but pass through quickly, keeping our heads down.
Today, however, I'm not just passing through.
Thud... Thud...
Approaching one of the dimly lit corners of the alley, I extended my hand and knocked on the old, rusted door that stood before me.
Creak...
The door creaked open, revealing a man with tattoos covering his face. He looked at me with a sneer.
"What do you want?"
Before he could even react, I delivered a swift punch to his face, drawing blood from his nose. He staggered backward, clutching his face in pain.
"What the fu-"
He cursed, however, I didn't waste any time. I followed right after him, delivering a flurry of punches and kicks.
He tried to defend himself, but I was too fast for him.
Thud...
Finally, I landed a solid kick to his stomach that knocked him out cold. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.
I huffed heavy sighs, catching my breath. I looked around the room, which appeared to be a warehouse of some sort. Crates and boxes were stacked everywhere, and the air was thick with the smell of dust and decay.
"..."
I quickly closed the door behind me and made my way through the warehouse. I searched for any sign of a door leading to the basement.
I was about to give up when I noticed a trapdoor on the floor.
Creak...
I carefully opened it and peered inside. It was a steep staircase leading down into darkness.
I hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and started down the stairs. The darkness was so thick that I could barely see my hand in front of my face. I had to feel my way down, one step at a time.
After what felt like an eternity, I reached the bottom of the stairs. I found myself in a small, cramped basement. There was only one window, and it was boarded up.
A stench of decay hung heavy in the air, and I could hear the faint dripping of water somewhere in the distance.
"..."
My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to find the light switch in the dark. I felt my way around the wall, my fingers brushing against cold, damp surfaces.
Finally, my fingers found the switch. I flipped it, and a dim light flickered to life.
As soon as the light came on, I saw the gruesome scene before me. The floor was covered in old and new pools of blood. Empty cells lined the walls, their metal bars stained with crimson.
I gulped and began to walk slowly, my fists clenched and my teeth gritted. The air was thick with the smell of blood and death. I could feel my stomach churning with disgust.
Tap... Tap...
I walked until I reached the very end of the basement. There, in a corner, I saw a child lying on the ground. His body was beaten black and blue, and his eyes were barely open.
I rushed to his side and knelt down.
"Hey, kid, are you okay?"
The child winced and tried to speak, but no sound came out. His lips were moving, but I couldn't understand what he was saying.
I gently placed my hand on his cheek. He flinched at first, but then he relaxed.
"You'll need to wait here..."
Pulling out my phone, I quickly dialed the emergency line. As soon as I gave them the address, I canceled the call and took out a pen and paper.
"Although you don't know me, you owe me one..."
I knelt near the child and scribbled down a note.
"Remember this phrase, sometime in the future I will also ask for your help."
As I handed the note to the child, I rose from my knees and glanced around the basement once more.
In the distance, I could already hear the sirens approaching so I quickly made my way back upstairs and out of the dark and eerie basement.
Leaving the house, I delivered another kick to the guy lying motionless on the ground.
"Human traffickers..."
I muttered as I disappeared into the dark alley.
Those guys were the local scum of the city, preying on the vulnerable and profiting from their suffering.
Even in my past life, they managed to elude the grasp of the law. Until, of course, they kidnapped the wrong person, a child of a billionaire who would stop at nothing to bring them down.
The entire thing was supposed to happen a few years in the future when the billionaire finally found out that his child was kidnapped by human traffickers, however, I advanced the timeline and took matters into my own hands.
Yes, the child that I just rescued was the son of the billionaire.
After being rescued, the child revealed where he was kept and how he was kidnapped so I knew where to find him.
However, this whole act wasn't from my kindness of heart.
I did this solely because I had my own agenda.
Having a favor from a billionaire...
I've acquired a valuable asset.
All I needed to do was use the phrase I'd given to the child in the future, and he would be bound to help me in return.
"Adsumus..."
I whispered under my breath as I walked into the darkness, slowly moving toward my apartment.