Ryo sat in a sleek, black car, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses despite the late hour. The engine purred quietly as he stared out the window, his thoughts focused entirely on the mission ahead. He had been in England for over a month now, settling into his assignment, but the more he got involved in the underground world, the more he realized just how deep it ran.
The man sitting beside him, a contact who had been working with Ryo for years, handed him a dossier. "This is the target," the contact said, his voice low and gravely. "A corrupt businessman who's been laundering money through illegal arms deals. He's about to make a deal tonight, and we need to intercept it."
Ryo nodded silently, flipping through the documents in the folder. The name of the target was familiar, a man known for his ruthless tactics and deep connections. It wasn't just about money this time—it was about power, and that was the most dangerous game of all.
The car stopped outside a high-rise building in the heart of the city. The lights were dim, and the air had an electric tension to it. Ryo could feel the adrenaline begin to surge through his veins as he stepped out of the car, adjusting his jacket. His hands were steady, but his mind was elsewhere.
*Hana...* The thought drifted through his mind, unbidden but persistent. He hadn't responded to her messages just yet. Maybe he should tell her more, maybe let her in on who he really was. But he pushed the thought aside. Tonight was not the night for distractions.
As he moved toward the building, he was joined by his partner—an ex-soldier named Victor, who had been working alongside him for the past few months. Victor was as efficient as they come, but his demeanor was blunt and cold, the kind of man who had seen too much to care about the moralities of what they did.
"This is it," Victor muttered, leading the way toward a discreet side entrance. "We get in, take the man out, and get the intel. Quick and clean."
Ryo nodded again, his gaze scanning the area. There were two guards at the entrance, but Ryo was already calculating the most efficient way to neutralize them without drawing attention. It wasn't his first time in this kind of situation, but he always moved with precision. He didn't want to make a scene.
With one fluid motion, Ryo drew a silenced pistol from his jacket and approached the first guard. In a matter of seconds, the man crumpled to the ground, unconscious, with hardly a sound. The second guard barely had time to react before Ryo knocked him out with a swift, calculated strike to the head.
The path cleared, Ryo motioned for Victor to follow. They slipped into the building with the ease of shadows.
Inside, the corridor was eerily quiet, save for the faint hum of fluorescent lights overhead. They moved swiftly, knowing the target was somewhere up ahead. The deal was supposed to be taking place in a private office on the top floor.
As Ryo approached the elevator, his phone buzzed again. He quickly glanced at the screen, his heart skipping a beat when he saw it was a message from Hana.
Hana:I'm thinking of you. I hope you're safe
Ryo's breath hitched for a moment, the weight of her words pressing down on him. He couldn't reply now—not while on a mission. But the fact that she still thought about him, still cared... it made his heart ache.
"Focus, Ryo," Victor's voice broke through his thoughts. "We're almost there."
Ryo nodded, shoving his phone back into his pocket. No more distractions. He wasn't here to think about Hana, not tonight. There was a job to do, and nothing was going to stop him from finishing it.
The elevator dinged, and they stepped inside, silently ascending to the top floor. The doors opened to reveal a lavish office, but it was far from empty. Two armed men stood near the large wooden desk where the target—Sullivan Crews, the businessman—sat with a smug expression, his back to them.
Ryo's eyes narrowed as he approached. This wasn't going to be as easy as he hoped. The men at the desk weren't his only problem—there was something off about the whole situation. He could feel it in the air, that familiar sense of danger creeping closer.
With a signal, Victor moved into position, but Ryo stayed behind, his thoughts briefly flickering back to Hana. He wondered if she would still be there when he returned, if she'd wait for him despite the dangerous life he led.
But there was no time for that now. The mission was in motion, and there was no turning back.