In a dimly lit, cold concrete underground parking lot. The sound of rushing footsteps echoed amidst the silent cars. From behind the parked cars emerged a masculine figure. Dressed in a suit, hastening out of the garage.
His rapid footsteps, deep breaths, and tensed gaze all pointed to one thing – danger and urgency.
In the man's hand was a black leather briefcase. Its weight evident from his strained grip. Despite the burden he moved at a quick pace, almost breaking into a jog.
As the man forged on, he occasionally glanced back at where he was coming from. Every glance filled with fear and anxiousness.
The garage was extremely cold and strangely quiet that night. Unlike other nights, no one was seen around except for him. And that only sum up to the man's fear and insecurities of being watched. Of being followed from within the shadows. And the thought of his life in danger overwhelmed him immensely.
The only sound audible in the space was that of his heavy intake and outlet of breath, thumping heartbeat and rapid heels clink against the ground.
After a few more walks, which felt like eternity. He got to his car. He swiftly entered, putting a call through to someone – his wife. While he waited, his breathing became loud and audible to his ears filling the car.
"Susan, it's happening!" in a deep, low and shaky tone he said immediately his phone vibrated in his palm. His voice barely above a whisper filled with nothing else but tension.
"What's going on?" While from the other end, came a woman's voice calm and soothing in stark contrast to his tone.
"M..." Silence followed.
After saying just the first word, Enzox struggled to find his words. His heart raced wildly in his chest.
He took a deep breath to compose himself.
"Enzox, calm down. Please speak to me" Susan urged.
Despite Enzox's word, silence and the tensed aura it emanated. Susan's voice remained unwaveringly calm. But this time, it was filled with a bit more worry and concern.
Her words pierced through his panic, calming his racing heart. Her voice was the courage he needed. The moment he heard her speak, his racing heartbeat dropped by several counts, going back into a serene state. Almost stable again.
He laid his head against the steering wheel. Taking in several measured breaths for a while before speaking again. As he did these, Susan remained silent waiting for the moment he would finally speak.
"I was right about everything! M. Boss plans on using the ball are dangerous. H-he is going to use its power against humanity" Enzox uttered his words in a rush, almost forgetting to breathe.
However after he spoke, no word came from the woman. A brief silence reigned again between the two of them.
During this silence, Enzox thought why she could have all of a sudden go quiet. And all he could think of was their son.
"Is Kaiza with you?" he asked, his heartbeat quickening. This was because he didn't want his child overhearing these.
He was scared if he did, he would be putting the burden of these situations on his shoulders. The burden of knowing their life was in danger would result in a mental strain.
"He is here. But don't worry, I walked away from him already."
Enzox released a sigh of relief.
"Is the ball with you?" Susan asked just immediately.
With a glance at the briefcase Enzox replied "Yes!" then added "We have to leave now before M. Boss notices anything."
A brief pause.
"I know this will be hard, but try to convince Kaiza. I have to go! Stick to the plans. I will be with you shortly"
The woman agreed and hung up.
Then Enzox started the car's engine and drove out of the garage.
During Enzox's long drive from the garage to where he was presently. He had noticed a car trailing him from a distance for a while now. And this only made a single thought crept into his head 'M. Boss Assassin'
He was aware his boss has a bunch of assassins he sends after those who go against him. Though right now he wasn't sure if this was one of them because he couldn't be aware of the disappearance of the ball just yet.
However, to confirm his suspicion, Enzox decided to make a quick stop. So as to avoid bringing harm to his family.
With these in mind, Enzox pulled over, parking in front of a restaurant. Got down, heading to the building with a gait that suggests no urgency unlike before. He carried the briefcase elegantly along with him.
He walked into the vast space of the restaurant and was greeted by some staff. Without much interaction he headed upstairs.
He walked into another vast space. An office adored with a few artworks. Hung gracefully on the white painted walls. Most were food displays.
In a corner in the office was a desk and chair. Also was a secluded area designed to be a waiting room or a conference lounge.
The man gently dropped the briefcase on the desk. Then sat, playing his fingertips against the desk.
He wasn't just doing that, his finger beats were in rhyme with the clock's seconds hand as it ticked. He was counting seconds into minutes in his mind.
And when he had counted up to exactly three minutes, he moved closer to the desk. He turned on the curved monitor and began to operate it.
Soon, what appeared on the screen was the entrance of the restaurant.
Like he had imagined and suspected things to happen. A man walked into the restaurant. The person was clothed in full black clothings; jacket, suit, trouser and undershirt. Everything was in black. The person walked up to the cashier.
Enzox wasn't sure if this was the assassin after him. But if it was, then he knew the person did this not to raise suspicions. He could have walked into the restaurant and headed directly upstairs to his office. To get his work done in a minute.
Enzox paid closer attention to what was happening on the screen to finally confirm his thoughts. After a small chat between the man and the cashier. She put a call through to someone.
The phone on Enzox's desk rang. Without any hesitation, he picked up.
"Sir, someone is here to see you," the cashier reported.
"Send him in. Tell him I'm using the restroom and I will be out shortly" Enzox instructed calmly, and hung up.
With no doubt in his mind now, he watched carefully as the cashier directed the man upstairs.
The man headed towards the stairs.
That moment the man was no longer seen on the screen, Enzox stood heading to the restroom having a plan in mind.
Like he had planned, he waited for his signal to start his operation.
Then when the door creaked open, Enzox pressed on the closet flush button.
As the water ran, Enzox moved towards a side in the restroom and opened a hidden panel on the wall. With a few buttons pressed, a screen appeared with a puzzle on it to unlock a secret passage.
After solving this puzzle, the door slid open from the wall. He stepped in and shut the door behind him. Before the door finally vanished, a countdown started on the screen. Then after, the water stopped running.
Not long, Enzox walked into the restaurant kitchen. There were a few chefs. Startled to see the man walk out of absolutely nowhere.
Enzox didn't mind being stared at as he forged ahead and stepped out. He then made his way to the front of the restaurant.
In front of the restaurant was another car. A taxi parked behind his car. Enzox got in and ordered "Drive!"
Meanwhile in the office, the man dressed in black was by the bathroom doorpost with an almost invisible dagger in his hand waiting impatiently for the man to come out.
He had opened the door earlier as he walked in, tossed in some gas ball and locked the door. It was a poisonous gas that was expected to weaken the man within a few minutes.
Five minutes had already passed and the man hadn't stepped out. Nor was there any audible movement of struggle from inside the restroom.
By now he was expecting to hear a loud fruitless cough from inside. This made him have suspicion if the man was still even in there at all. Perhaps was he able to protect himself from the gas?
Then he thought of opening the door to confirm his assumption. But just before that. His phone buzzed.
"Where are you?" A male voice asked him after he picked up. Without waiting for the assassin to answer the question asked, the person added. "Enzox just left the restaurant"
"That's impossible. He's trapped" the assassin argued. But that only made him realize his assumption might be true. So to confirm this he decided to break in.
He booted the door open and cautiously walked in. Walking in a posture that suggested defense from an external threat. A ready to strike posture if perhaps he was ready to attack.
However, when the fog had cleared away. He met with an empty room.
"Damn it! He is really good at disappearing" The man said, a frown lacing his features.
"But Enzox, you can't run faster than your shadow. I am your end" he added with a smirk on his lips heading out of the office.