The man stepped forward, each of his movements full of confidence. The spotlight of a recently arrived vehicle illuminated the night, casting long shadows of Abraham on the cracked street. The dazzling light swept across his face, making the approaching man appear even more terrifying.
"Can you remember me now, Abraham Cornwell?" the man said sarcastically, his voice like a dagger scraping softly.
Now his face was clearly visible. He wore an eye patch over one eye, an old cabaret hat that still gave off an air of authority, and a military uniform adorned with medals that glinted faintly in the light.
Abraham froze for a moment, his eyes widening, his jaw tightening. "Sergei," he murmured lowly, full of anger, as if the name carried all the old wounds that had never healed. His face showed disgust and hatred, as though seeing a ghost from the past that should have been buried long ago.
Sergei smiled cruelly, a grin full of satisfaction. "Glad to see you still remember me, Abraham," he said with a small laugh, his voice like poison seeping in.
"Don't come closer, Sergei!" Abraham warned, his rifle raised, his finger poised on the trigger, his eyes sharp.
Sergei paused for a moment, looking at the rifle without a hint of fear. He glanced at his men behind him, all holding their rifles, ready for anything. "You think, Abraham, that you can defeat all of us?" he asked, raising his hand as if to show off his force.
Abraham stood firm. "Try me, Sergei," he replied coldly, challenge clear on his face.
Sergei chuckled, but this time there was a disturbing calmness in his voice. "Though I'd love to see how a war hero like you fights, I have an offer for you, Abraham Cornwell," he said, stepping closer slowly.
"Stay right there!" Abraham shouted, aiming the rifle straight at Sergei's head. "One more step, and I'll put a hole in your head."
Sergei slowly raised both hands in a sign of peace, though his smile never left his face. "Calm down, Abraham. You might want to hear my offer."
Abraham's eyes stayed alert, but he didn't pull the trigger. "Speak quickly," he hissed.
"We need people like you—war tactics experts," Sergei continued smoothly, almost coaxing. "Join us, and I guarantee you'll get more than just survival."
Abraham narrowed his eyes, his voice laced with sarcasm. "And why are you gathering armed men, Sergei? Are you planning to start a war?"
Sergei laughed, a cold and dismissive laugh. "Abraham, your humor is still sharp as ever," he said, before suddenly changing to a serious expression, his gaze hard as steel. "But it seems you don't understand your situation now."
Abraham remained silent, but his fingers stayed tense on the trigger, ready for whatever came next.
"Boss, he's the one who killed Team Alpha," came a deep voice from a large man with tattoos covering his arms. It was Dimitri.
Abraham glared at him with fury. The two men stared at each other as if they wanted to kill each other on the spot. The tension was palpable, the cold night air only heightening the sense of impending violence.
"Wow, looks like your skills haven't diminished, Abraham. 'War hero' still seems fitting for you," Sergei said, impressed, a cruel smile on his face.
Abraham remained motionless, only silently glaring at Sergei with hatred.
"Don't worry, Dimitri. I know you're upset," Sergei said dismissively. "They're just pawns in this chess game. Their only job is to follow the king's orders, even if it means dying. Right, Abraham?" he said calmly, his face blank as if he didn't care at all.
Abraham clenched his jaw, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "I won't join you, Sergei," he replied firmly, rejecting the offer. "I won't become a slave to a psychopath."
In an instant, Abraham pulled the trigger of his rifle, shooting the spotlight on Sergei's vehicle, plunging the surroundings into darkness. The thick night, with meteor fog covering the moonlight, created the perfect cover.
The R.E.D. Guild members were caught off guard, confused in the pitch black. Sergei, quick as ever, grabbed the pistol from his right pocket and started firing wildly in all directions. "Move quickly! Damn fools, surround him!" Sergei shouted, his orders full of emotion.
Abraham, agile, retreated and ran towards a nearby building. He stumbled over rubble in the dark but kept running.
Sergei's group started chasing him, though they too stumbled and were blocked by the ruins of the city. Sergei ran fast, firing at Abraham who kept moving.
Abraham didn't look back, just running faster, until he reached the boundary between the forest and the city.
Sergei arrived at the forest, panting, his eyes scanning the surroundings, but he had lost track of Abraham. The R.E.D. Guild members following him were just as confused. They didn't know where to go.
"Come out, Abraham!" Sergei shouted angrily, his voice echoing through the cold forest.
The thick fog began to roll in, and there was no sign of Abraham. Sergei's men surrounded the area, trying to search.
Suddenly, a gunshot shattered the silence from Sergei's right. He quickly ran towards the sound, but all he found was his men lying dead. "Blyat," Sergei cursed, frustrated. "This darkness and fog are really pissing me off."
Another shot rang out, this time longer than before. Sergei ran to the source, but once again, he only found his dead men. Abraham was nowhere to be found.
"That bastard is really good at hiding," Sergei muttered, his eyes flashing dangerously. He turned to Dimitri beside him. "Dimitri, bring that here!"
Dimitri pulled out a flare gun from his pocket and shot a flare into the sky. The bright light illuminated the forest, clearing the darkness around them.
Now Abraham was visible, and Sergei quickly fired at him. The bullet hit Abraham's left shoulder, but he quickly dodged, running to the left while shooting back at Sergei and Dimitri.
Sergei chased after him, leaving Dimitri behind. "Damn it, why did they fire a flare gun in the forest? Do they want to burn down the whole damn thing?" Abraham grumbled while running, irritated by the worsening situation.
Abraham ran further, and soon he reached the edge of a fast-flowing river. He stopped for a moment, gazing at the strong current. Behind him, he heard footsteps approaching.
"Damn it, no choice now," he muttered softly.
Quickly, Abraham leapt into the strong current of the river, hoping to escape the chase. Sergei, seeing this, immediately started firing at the river, hoping Abraham would be swept away by the current.
"Die, Abraham Cornwell!" Sergei shouted, his gun firing rapidly into the river. One of the bullets hit Abraham in the back of his thigh, causing him to lose balance and be carried away by the strong current.
"Boss, did you get him?" Dimitri asked, having just caught up to Sergei.
"He won't survive," Sergei answered coldly. They all looked towards the river, then turned back, retreating to their base, leaving Abraham drifting in the current.
Abraham, carried by the current, was eventually swept to the riverbank. Unconscious, his body lay there.
"Hmm… look who's here," said a mysterious voice, observing Abraham lying helplessly