Since the red hues of the sunset faded into the dark of night over New York's sky, the boys had been tailing employees of "Berry Corporation." They'd been following them for five blocks now, sneaking after them with barely any skill. But, as it seemed, the employees hadn't noticed—or at least that's what the boys thought—since they kept a safe distance, like an invisible red line separating predator and prey.
Salim muttered in frustration after what felt like forever of following them with no results:
"Where the hell are they going? It's been over twenty minutes, and we haven't seen anything suspicious!"
Alex, who was ahead of them, turned sharply and snapped:
"Maybe if you'd shut up for a second, we'd actually figure out where they're going or what they're planning!"
Jeremiah suddenly spoke up, his tone unusually serious:
"Damn. I think I know where they're headed."
Alex narrowed his eyes at him skeptically:
"Where?"
As the damp night breeze brushed against Brooklyn's graffiti-covered streets, Jeremiah replied:
"They're heading toward Purple Dragons' territory. That's the most dangerous gang in New York, man. Trust me, we don't wanna mess with them."
A look of worry crossed Salim's face as he nervously fidgeted with his fingers:
"So… why are they going there?"
Alex, deep in thought, responded:
"They own a building there now. Bought it recently. They're probably just checking up on something."
Salim tried to calm himself, forcing a smile:
"So… office stuff, right? That's all it is?"
Alex, determined, replied:
"We need to get closer and find out for ourselves."
The boys continued following the employees toward Purple Dragons' territory. The streets glistened with the sheen of earlier rain, cars lined up on both sides. Finally, they stopped in front of a building bearing the "Berry Corporation" logo above its modest entrance. The employees entered quickly, the door shutting tightly behind them.
The boys tried to open the door, but it was firmly locked. After a few failed attempts, Salim and Alex stood back, dejected.
Jeremiah stepped forward, examining the lock. He asked calmly:
"Anyone got a hairpin?"
Salim pulled one out of his pocket and handed it over silently. Jeremiah was one of his closest friends, and he didn't need to say much.
Taking the pin, Jeremiah got to work. After a few tense moments of fiddling with the lock, the door finally clicked open, leaving the others in awe.
Alex asked, clearly impressed:
"How the hell did you do that?"
Jeremiah smirked and shrugged:
"Picked it up from a cousin of mine. When you've got five rowdy siblings, you learn a thing or two."
They stepped inside, their eyes scanning the dim, dusty space. Despite being a newly-acquired property of a modern company, the air felt heavy with neglect.
The sound of Salim's hesitant footsteps echoed behind Jeremiah, who was holding a flashlight. Salim whispered anxiously:
"Shouldn't a big company like this have, I don't know, better security? Guards, cameras, something? But here? It's just us… and those two guys we saw go in before us."
Dust coated the desks, and the computers were cold and lifeless. Alex's voice carried a hint of frustration as he replied:
"I told you, they just bought the place. Stop asking me like I'm an expert. Jeremiah, just keep searching."
Jeremiah snapped pictures of everything—the dusty desks, the untouched furniture, even the faint golden light reflecting off the grime.
As they delved deeper into the building, the sense of abandonment only grew stronger. Most of the offices were untouched since the past summer, with some rooms under construction and incomplete staircases.
Suddenly, Alex froze. From a distant room—what appeared to be the manager's office—he heard a faint, strange sound.
They climbed the creaky wooden stairs carefully, the sound growing louder as they approached. Behind a caramel-brown curtain over the office's glass window, the room appeared unlit, shrouded in mystery.
Alex cautiously opened the door, stepping into the darkened space. The manager's office was unassuming—an ordinary leather chair, a matching desk, and a wooden cabinet next to soft, fabric chairs.
But something felt… off.
The computer on the desk was on, its screen glowing faintly. Wires—bright neon and conspicuous—snaked out of it and connected to a small cabinet by the far wall.
Alex hesitated as he moved closer to the computer. The data on the screen reflected on his glasses, his voice low and disbelieving:
"You guys… look at this. These are records for Berry Corporation. Shipping orders from someone named Hank. Hank with a glass eye."
Jeremiah's head shot up, his tone sharp with recognition:
"Hank? He's with the Crimson Dragons. I know that guy."
Salim, trying to mask his nervousness, muttered:
"But… what are they shipping? And why all the secrecy?"
With all the clues in front of them, Alex made a decisive move. Pulling out a USB drive, he began copying the files displayed on the screen.
Just as the progress bar hit 97%, the faint shuffle of footsteps outside the room snapped them to attention. Jeremiah, peering out a crack in the curtain, saw shadows approaching.
"Alex!" he hissed, his voice urgent. "You done yet?"
"Almost!" Alex shot back, his fingers flying over the keyboard.
The door swung open.
A tall man entered, his partner close behind. His voice was deep, commanding:
"The deal with the stores and complexes went smoothly. Everything's on track."
The second man, who walked to the window, nodded. His dark eyes gleamed as he replied:
"They've agreed with the Crimson Dragons. Tonight, the shipment's being delivered."
From the corner of the room, a faint sound escaped—a breath held too long.
The taller man turned sharply toward the source of the noise, his face cold and menacing.
"You boys can come out now. We've known you were here this whole time," he said with a mocking smirk.
The second has passed and it has become minutes
The boys, frozen with fear, finally emerged from their hiding spot. One of the men crossed his arms, his voice chillingly calm:
"So, you finally decided to show yourselves. What's the plan, huh?"
The taller man raised an eyebrow and introduced himself mockingly:
"The name's Luther. This here's my friend Hudson. Now… let's talk."
Hudson had a tall, well-built physique, just like Luther, except for a slight difference in height—Hudson was a few centimeters shorter. Hudson's black hair fell over his head like an inky pool, while Luther's hazel-colored hair gleamed like a candle's flame. Hudson's dark eyes contrasted sharply with Luther's sharp, amber gaze.
Luther smirked mockingly as he spoke, "So, you think breaking into this company will get you something, huh? What's your big plan? Stealing something? Come on, spill it. Or are you just here to mess around like all the other rebellious kids?"
Alex stood up shakily next to Salim, his face betraying his nervousness. "Umm… I-I think we just, uh, came in here by mistake, sir," he stammered.
Luther eyed them intently for a moment before saying slowly, "If it was just a mistake, then why is my computer on? You know, it doesn't just turn itself on in a dark room, right?"
He leaned back in his chair, close to the computer, facing them with a lazy confidence as he continued, "Anyway, you can leave now. You're just kids. Whatever you were trying to do, it's not worth it."
The boys felt a wave of relief wash over them, though Hudson remained silently standing beside Luther. As they prepared to leave, Jeremiah wiping sweat from his forehead, Luther's voice cut through their relief.
"But before you go," he said calmly, "there's one small favor I need from you. Hand over the flash drive you're carrying."
The question hit them like a thunderbolt. How did he know? Alex froze, gripping the flash drive in his pocket. His gaze darted to his friends, filled with frustration and resignation. He whispered harshly, "If we don't give it to him, we're not walking out of here. I just know it."
With a reluctant glance toward Salim and Jeremiah, Alex stepped forward and held out the flash drive to Luther. But just as the exchange was about to happen, Salim hurled his bag toward Luther and yelled in panic, "Run! Now!"
The three of them bolted toward the door, with Jeremiah slamming it shut behind them to slow down any pursuit.
Inside, the employees stayed rooted in place. Luther turned to Hudson and said in a calm, deliberate tone, "You need to get that flash drive back."
He stood, following Hudson toward the door. Looking up at the ceiling, Luther muttered almost to himself, "Seems like there's a fourth rat in play. Tonight's gonna be a bit longer than I thought."
Hudson didn't hesitate. He punched the closed door, splintering it easily, and dashed after the boys.
In the hallway, the sound of the wooden door shattering echoed behind the fleeing trio. Salim yelled in terror, "Jeremiah, isn't that door open yet?!"
Jeremiah snapped back, "I can't focus when you're shouting at me!"
Alex grabbed Jeremiah's shirt, shouting, "Forget the door! Let's find another way out!"
Moments later, they were sprinting through dimly lit corridors, shadows swallowing their frantic movements. Behind them, Hudson chased with terrifying precision, his face a mask of rage, his dark eyes blazing.
---
Meanwhile,
on the second floor, Luther entered an office, his movements calm and composed.
"Activate the search lens," he muttered, and his eyes glowed a bright yellow as he began scanning the room with sharp intensity.
The office was cold and cloaked in darkness, resembling a vast hall. Luther's gaze swept across the rows of desks, stopping near the far end where a faint breeze whispered through an open window. The distant lights of nearby buildings flickered, reflecting in his eyes. A smirk tugged at his lips. "Gotcha," he said confidently. "Come out now, or I'll drag you out myself."
A tense silence filled the room, broken only by the soft murmur of the wind. After a few seconds, a figure stepped out of the shadows—a man wearing a black vinyl mask that completely obscured his face. He moved with eerie calm, standing before Luther without uttering a word.
Luther's smirk widened. "So, you're the one who hacked my system, huh?"
The masked man remained silent, still as a statue. Luther raised an eyebrow, his tone steady. "If you don't talk, I'll have to take you in myself. Trust me, I'll be real gentle."
Suddenly, the masked figure bolted across the tops of the desks, his movements swift and light. Luther whispered to himself, "Fast, but not fast enough," as he gave chase. The two clashed in a violent confrontation, fists colliding with thunderous force.
---
As Hudson relentlessly pursued the boys, their frantic cries echoed through the narrow corridors. They dashed up to the second floor, their feet pounding against the creaking wooden staircase that groaned under their weight. Bursting into the second room on the right, Jeremiah slammed the door shut behind them.
But the sight that greeted them froze them in their tracks.
In the dimly lit room, Luther stood in the center, his expression calm, yet a sly smile lingered on his lips. Beside him was another masked figure, this one with an intricate design of two interlocking circles—a larger one enclosing a smaller one in faded gray.
Raising his arms in mock hospitality, Luther said, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "Ah, you've saved me the trouble of finding you. Welcome! The audience makes the show much more entertaining."
Before Luther could say more, the masked figure beside him drew a knife and lunged at him, grazing Luther's cheek with a swift, precise motion. Luther didn't flinch, but his hand instinctively went to the wound. Instead of blood, a clear, glass-like liquid seeped out, revealing wires and faintly glowing circuits beneath his synthetic skin.
With a chilling edge to his voice, Luther growled, "Big mistake... you won't get away with that."
The boys huddled in the corner, paralyzed with fear, while the masked figure's labored breathing echoed in the room. They could see the exhaustion in his stance, the trembling of his body beneath the sleek black suit.
Clenching his fist, Luther's voice boomed like a storm. "It's over now." He lunged toward the masked figure with terrifying speed, his fist aimed at his head. But in a desperate move, Alex shoved the masked man out of the way, saving him from the devastating blow.
Luther's punch slammed into the wall, shattering it like a wrecking ball. Dust and debris filled the air as Alex turned to check on the masked figure—only to watch his mask slip off, revealing a familiar face.
It was Amy.
"Chris" stumbled, almost losing his balance from the shock, but there was no time to process it. He tried to speak, but the intensity of the situation left him speechless.
At that moment, "Hudson" broke through the wall, his glowing red eyes burning with fury, surrounded by smoke like restless flames.
Salim said bitterly, with exaggerated sarcasm:
"Great... looks like tonight's the night we die."
Luther stepped forward slowly, a cold, sinister smile on his face, and said:
"Since you've seen what happened... there's no way you're leaving alive now."
Jeremiah hesitated, stepping forward with trembling legs, and stammered:
"If there's no way out... at least make it quick with a laser gun or something."
Hudson gave him a blank stare and replied indifferently:
"Too bad we don't have weapons like that. Only the Purifiers do. And if I had one, I would've used it back when we were down there."
Luther walked forward steadily, his footsteps echoing ominously in the narrow corridor, while Hudson stood behind them like a menacing shadow sealing their fate.
Alex, Salim, and Jeremiah were paralyzed with fear, while Amy scanned the area intently, as if searching for an escape route. Suddenly, she said in a calm but firm voice:
"I didn't want to resort to this... but we've got no choice now."
She pulled out a spherical object from her bag, its glossy black surface dotted with pentagonal ridges. Red and green lights pulsed faintly across it. Holding it briefly, as if solidifying her decision, she hurled it at the nearby wall.
The explosion roared like an angry beast. Air blasted violently through the space, and the cracked wall glowed bright orange, leaving behind a gaping hole billowing with gray smoke.
Amy yelled without hesitation:
"Move! Now!"
She leaped through the opening first, followed by Alex and the others, with Salim bringing up the rear. But Hudson, who hadn't taken his eyes off them, lunged forward to grab him.
They all tumbled into a rusted dumpster in a dark alleyway between two buildings. Torn trash bags flew around, releasing a pungent stench. Kneeling in pain, Jeremiah groaned:
"Perfect. A dumpster. Just when I thought things couldn't get worse."
They scrambled to their feet, brushing off the filth as best they could, and hurriedly moved away. There was no time to think—only to run.
Above them, Luther stood at the edge of the gap, staring blankly, as if plotting his next move. He turned to Hudson and warned in a chilling tone:
"Catch them. You know I can't show my face outside. If you fail, none of us will escape punishment."
Without a word, Hudson leapt from the second floor, landing directly on the dumpster. The impact shattered it into pieces, scattering the torn trash bags like shredded paper.
Rising swiftly, he turned towards them, his fiery eyes blazing with rage. He began the chase, his heavy steps shaking the ground beneath them as their frantic breaths echoed in the alley.
The alley wasn't too narrow, but their fear made it feel claustrophobic. They were trying to escape the territory of the "Crimson Dragons" gang, choosing this side path in hopes of reaching the main road.
As they ran, Alex couldn't suppress his curiosity, even though it was clearly not the right time. Gasping for air, he asked Amy in a broken voice:
"What the hell were you doing back there?"
She didn't respond immediately, either thinking or ignoring him on purpose. After a few moments, she snapped, her voice sharp and angry without looking at him:
"The real question is—what the hell were you doing there?"
Caught off guard by her tone, Alex stammered, quickly answering:
"We've been investigating them for a while now... We didn't expect things to escalate like this."
Amy's tone grew harsher:
"Oh, really? I know that. But breaking into one of their facilities? That's insane!"
Their argument was cut short by the sound of Hudson's heavy footsteps growing louder, adding to the tension. It was enough to push them to sprint towards the alley's end. Salim spotted the busy main road ahead and shouted:
"There's the exit! Move faster!"
Hudson nearly caught Salim as they burst into the street, but they managed to reach the road just in time.
Amy darted through the moving traffic effortlessly, navigating the chaos with ease, while the others struggled to keep up, especially Jeremiah. The blinding headlights and roaring engines made it hard for him to focus. Suddenly, a car sped towards him, screeching to a halt just inches away. He barely survived.
The driver jumped out of the car, shouting angrily. Before he could continue, Alex gasped in shock when he saw his face:
"David? What are you doing here?"
David, an old friend of Alex and Chris, and a recent acquaintance of Joey, stood there, stunned, trying to process the situation. The cold night air barely touched his exposed shoulders under his short black shirt.
Before anyone could say more, Hudson appeared again, running at an alarming speed. He ignored the oncoming traffic, leaping over a car with unnatural agility, leaving David staring in terror.
Alex shouted, pointing at the car:
"Unlock the doors! Now!"
David hesitated for a moment but quickly complied, opening the doors. Everyone piled in one after another, still shouting:
"Drive!"
David was still confused and hesitant, but the look in Hudson's eyes, reflected in the rearview mirror, was enough to send chills down his spine. Without another word, he started the car and sped off.
Hudson pursued them relentlessly, weaving through the chaotic traffic with inhuman precision, under the damp and suffocating night sky.
To be continued...