The morning began as usual for Aiden: a strong coffee, a quick shower, and the activation of the ride-hailing app. The sound of the first call of the day had barely echoed when a tall, stern-looking police officer knocked on the driver's side window.
"Are you a ride-hailing driver?" the officer asked.
"Yes. Is there a problem?" Aiden replied, his face impassive.
"I need you to drive to North Campus. It's an urgent situation."
Surprised, but with no other alternative, Aiden turned off the app and made room for the officer to get into the car. The man, clearly tense, adjusted his holster and began speaking into the radio.
"Alpha Team, I'm on my way. Full preparation on North Campus. No rash moves."
The officer's voice was firm, but his uneasy posture betrayed the gravity of the situation.
"Anything I should know?" Aiden asked, keeping his tone casual.
"No need. Just drive."
When he arrived at North Campus, the atmosphere was tense. Police cars were blocking the entrances, lights were flashing incessantly, and a group of frightened students were standing outside the main building.
Aiden parked where the officer indicated. It was then that he saw the epicenter of the crisis: a man was holding a young student, a knife to her throat.
"Stay out of this," the officer ordered, getting out of the car and joining his colleagues.
But Aiden couldn't just watch. He picked up his cell phone and called the leader of his private security team directly.
"We have a situation on North Campus," he said, quickly detailing what had happened. "Bring whatever you need."
As he waited, Aiden took stock of the scene. The man seemed unsteady, shouting demands that no one could fully understand. The panicked young woman kept her eyes closed as the police tried to calm the attacker.
"You don't understand!" the man shouted. "I want justice! Do you think you can just walk all over me and get away with it?"
"We can hear you," the negotiator replied. "But we need you to let the girl go. No one wants this to end badly."
"No! She's coming with me! If anyone comes near, it's over!"
About 20 minutes later, three black SUVs arrived at the scene. Men in dark suits, with discreet earpieces and firm postures, got out of the vehicles. Aiden walked toward them, ignoring the curious looks of the officers.
"Aiden, what's the situation?" asked the security leader, a burly man with an experienced look.
"Man armed with a knife. A hostage. We can't let this get out of hand."
Marcus quickly assessed the scene. "This is serious. I'm going to need to position a sniper. I know the negotiator over there, we've worked together before. Let's align strategies with him."
As Marcus approached the officers, there was a moment of recognition.
"Marcus? I can't believe it! I thought you were retired."
"I am, but this is my boss now. We're here to help."
The officers looked relieved. Marcus began giving precise instructions. "Position two men near the side entrance. I'll put the sniper in the library, on the second floor. He'll have a clear view of the suspect."
Meanwhile, Aiden stood at attention, watching everything. The tension was palpable. Every move seemed loaded with meaning, every minute increased the risk.
The negotiator continued to try to convince the man.
"Listen, we know you're hurt. We can fix this. But the girl doesn't have to pay for this."
"You say that now!" the man shouted, his eyes wide and his hand shaking. "But no one listened to me before! No one ever cares until something like this happens!"
Aiden could see the desperation in the assailant's eyes. He was a man on the verge of collapse, and any wrong move could lead to tragedy.
Marcus came back and whispered to him, "The sniper is in position. When I give the signal, he can neutralize the target. But we need a distraction."
"Leave it to me," Aiden said, surprising Marcus.
Before they could protest, Aiden started walking toward the building.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" one of the officers shouted, but Marcus held him back. "Leave him alone. He knows what he's doing."
Aiden held up his hands, showing that he was unarmed. "Hey, calm down. I'm not a cop. I just want to talk."
The man turned to him, pulling the girl closer. "Who are you?"
"Someone who understands what it's like to feel like no one is listening to you," Aiden replied, keeping his voice calm.
"Don't come any closer! I swear I'll..."
"I won't move, I promise." Aiden took a measured step, slightly diverting the attacker's attention.
At that moment, Marcus gave the signal.
A dry shot echoed across the campus.
The man fell backward, dropping the girl, who was quickly pulled to safety by the police officers.
Aiden stood still for a moment, staring at the body lying on the ground.
The tension disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, leaving only the sound of the police officers moving around and the murmurs of the surrounding crowd.
"Good aim," Aiden commented, returning to where Marcus stood.
"You made it easy," he replied, giving a slight smile.
Aiden parked his car in front of the building after a long sequence of runs. His days as a ride-hailing driver were anything but monotonous. Various clients, unlikely conversations and, of course, unexpected situations made each trip an adventure.
As he rested in the car seat and reviewed his earnings for the day, a new request appeared on the app. It was a short ride from the city center to the nearest hospital. He accepted without hesitation.
A few minutes later, a woman in a white coat entered the car with hurried steps. She looked tired, but still maintained impeccable posture.
"Good afternoon, doctor. To Memorial Hospital, right?" Aiden asked, looking in the rearview mirror.
"Exactly. You can go as fast as you can. My shift starts in ten minutes, and I'm already late."
"Understood. I won't rush, but I promise it will be fast enough."
On the way, the doctor was adjusting her bag and reviewing some documents on her tablet. Aiden, curious as ever, broke the silence.
"Heavy shifts today?"
She gave him a weak but friendly smile. "All shifts are. But medicine waits for no one, right?"
"I imagine it's challenging. I'm just shuttling people around, but you save lives. It must be rewarding."
"Yeah. But sometimes the pressure seems greater than the moments of relief. What about you? Is being a ride-hailing driver your main job?"
Aiden gave a short laugh, thinking about the recent twists and turns in his life. "Let's just say I'm... exploring new experiences."
She arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "Exploring? Interesting. Well, if you ever need a check-up, you can find me at Memorial."
"I'll keep that in mind."
When they arrived at the hospital, the doctor hurriedly got out of the car, giving him a brief wave before disappearing through the automatic doors.
Aiden turned off the app for a moment. He was already close to the hospital, so he decided to follow the doctor's advice and go for a routine check-up. It wasn't something he did often, but the System always encouraged him to take care of his health, even in unexpected ways.