1. Deal with a stranger

Matthew was running for his life. His lungs burned with every breath, each step tearing pain through his battered body. Blood smeared his vision, sweat stinging the open wounds on his face as his fingers clenched around a gun that had no bullets.

After escaping the building, he had lost his bodyguards and now, death was chasing him.

Four men thundered behind him, their footsteps echoing like a countdown. They, too, carried guns with no bullets.

“If I see that bastard again,” Matthew snarled between breaths, “I’ll fucking kill him myself!”

Matthew walk into an alley behind a middle-class restaurant. Darkness swallowed him whole. Flickering lights buzzed in this alley and only lightning the rusted trash bins and damp concrete. There's no one here. He can't ask for help, he can only help himself in this kind of situation

“Fuck!! where the hell are my bodyguards?” he gasped.

His body screamed in pain. Bruises layered over bruises, wounds reopened with every movement. His legs were shaking and nearly gave out. With a bitter curse, he frustratedly threw the gun aside as it was useless to carry.

Even though he wants to stop and rest for a bit. Those Kuznetsoz men wouldn’t stop until they dragged him away.... or even kill him

“Matthew,” a voice called smoothly from behind him, almost amused. “Do you really think you can escape from us?”

He froze and started to swallow sequencely as ge realized he was corner and there was no way to escape them again.

The four men in black stepped forward, forming a circle around him like a hungry hyenas closing in on a dying animal. Guns dangled loosely from their hands, empty but threatening all the same.

Matthew’s fists clenched and ready himself. Running was no longer an option. Fuck!! Kill me if you want but would never catch me alive bastard!!

“You want to abduct me?” he spat, blood dripping from his lips and grin. “You wish.”

He lunged at them. His fist met a jaw and a bone cracking was heard. He managed to take down one of the Kuznetsoz men but that was all he managed.

"Ughh!" Pain exploded across his face. As one of the Kuznetsoz men punch slammed into his abdomen, driving the air from his lungs. His vision blurred. The world spun and then he hit the ground hard. He started to cough and sneered because of the pain running through his body.

He didn't even get a chance to feel the full impact of the punch in his abdomen and Kuznetsoz mens boots started raining down on his weak body.

One man kicked his ribs. Another stomped his back. A third struck his face again and again until his body trembled violently under the assault.

“Ahhh—g-get off me!” Matthew choked. Matthew tasted a metal taste in his tongue as the blood started to come out of it.

He tried to push himself up, but a brutal kick sent him flying into the trash bins. Metal screeched as his body slammed into them the garbage spilling around him like a mockery of his condition.

He struggled to stand, clutching his stomach and teeth clenched against the pain. The men in black start laughing

A loud, cruel and merciless. As they start mocking Matthew

“I thought you were good?” one sneered.

“Hahahaha! Look at you now—you’re a fucking punching bag aren't you??”

“The youngest son of the Guerrero family?” another added mockingly. “Worthless after all.”

Their laughter echoed through the alley, sharp and humiliating. Matthew’s vision burned. Rage boiled inside him, hotter than the pain, hotter than the humiliation but his body was failing, he can't fight back. His limbs felt heavy and useless. One more blow might knock him unconscious....or worse he might dead in this kind of torture.

That was when the back door of the restaurant creaked open.

A man stepped out, wearing a black cap pulled low, a sleeveless shirt, an apron, and a face mask. He carried a black trash bag slung over his shoulder.

He stopped and his eyes landed on the scene before him. “Another riot?” he muttered, face-palming. “Nothing new in this place.”

Matthew, half-conscious, laughed bitterly through the blood in his mouth.

“Idiot” he rasped toward the men in black. “There are four of you. H-How am I supposed to fight back?”He lifted his head defiantly. “Fight me alone—and I’ll show you where you belong!!” Matthew gitt his teeth while looking at Kuznetsoz men.

The man beside the trash bin could hear everything. He wasn’t far enough to pretend ignorance.

“And why would we do that?” one of the men in black replied calmly. “We know how you fight bastard. If this is the only way to take you down, why not?” A cruel grin spread across his face.

“We use our brains, not our fists, Matthew.”

The man in the apron sneered in this believe.

“En pocas palabras, cobarde (Italian: In short, coward)” he purposely made it loud so Kuznetsoz men could hear it.

The alley fell silent. Five pairs of eyes snapped toward him.

“WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!” one of the men in black roared.

“Ah—don’t mind me,” the man said casually, tossing the trash into the bin. “I’m just talking to myself.”

He turned to leave but suddenly....Matthew stumbled toward him and grabbed his arm.

“Please,” Matthew whispered and his voice was almost breaking. “Help me. They’re going to kill me.” His grip was weak an his knees shook. He was barely standing.

The man stiffened. He looked at Matthew and shifted it to Kuznetsoz men. This guy looks beaten to as hell...But I don’t usually get involved in trouble.

“You know I’ll get dragged into this if I help you, right?” he said grimly.

The men in black burst into laughter after they heard the man respond to Matthews pleading.

“That’s right,” one of them mocked. “Stay out of it if you don’t want to be included.” Another smirked at Matthew. “Don’t expect anyone to save you. Look at him—he’s just doing his job.” the man mockingly points the man in a cap. “Do you really want to drag a stranger into your own grave?”

Matthew’s nails dug into his palm. Not wanting to let the man go. You dare—No! If I curse him, he’ll never gonna help me no matter what.

He swallowed his pride. “Please,” he said hoarsely.

“Don’t you have a conscience?” he slowly swallow

“I’ll treasure this day for the rest of my life if you help me.” He nearly dropped to his knees.

I’ll do anything... he thought desperately. Anything—just don’t let me be taken by these bastards.

The man stared at him. Too long that made Matthew feel anxious. There was something about Matthew’s face...bloodied, furious and desperate that made his chest tighten. Even beaten half to death, the man was… strikingly handso—What the hell? Why am I so mesmerized in his face??? I’m not gay—snap out of it.

He cleared his throat sharply. “S-Sorry,” he said and slowly pulled Matthew’s hands away. “I don’t want trouble.”

He turned and started to walk away but a single sentence from Matthew made him stop “I WILL PAY YOU IF YOU HELP ME!!” Matthew shouted desperately.

The words sliced through the air. The man froze and slowly, he turned back and faced Matthew.

“Repítelo??(Italian: Say that again??)" His eyes widened, sharp and alert now as the money mentioned.

Matthew blinked and looked confused. “I mean....” the man said calmly, “how much?”

Matthew stared at him in disbelief. My begging didn’t work...... but money did? What the fuck?

“F-Four digits” Matthew said through clenched teeth. The man smiled politely as he heard the number

“Make it six,” he replied, utterly unfazed,

“and I’ll consider it.”

Matthew nearly laughed in disbelief. So he’s shameless and greedy.....but he had no choice but to accept this deal to keep himself alive.

“....Deal,” he said.

As Matthew start to feel relieved, one of Kuznetsoz men attact surprisingly behind the back of the man wearing a cap that made Matthew heart skip a beat and widened his eyes.

He hurriedly raise his hand and his index finger point behind the man wearing a cap to alert him for incoming attack.

"BEHIND YOU!!!!"