Chapter two : first meeting

Pain came before he was awake.

It started as an ache behind his eyes like someone had put a tight band around his head and was slowly tightening it. The pressure got worse spreading to his temples and down his neck.

A groan slipped out before he even knew he was making the sound.

Ethan's body felt heavy not tired like after a long day but really heavy like every muscle had been drained of strength. His arms and legs wouldn't move at first. Even breathing was hard.

For a moment he just floated in darkness.

Pieces of memory came to him like glass.

Headlights.

Men.

Hands are grabbing him.

A cloth over his face.

The smell of chemicals.

His eyes opened suddenly as cold air filled his lungs at the moment he took a breath.

The air smelled weird. A faint dripping sound echoed somewhere.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

He blinked a few times trying to stop his head from spinning. He pushed myself up slowly wincing as pain spread through his shoulders and ribs.

“What…?" he muttered weakly.

Then he saw the bars.

Iron bars, thick and cold forming a cage around the area where he was lying.

It hit him like a shock.

Ethan scrambled backward his shoulder hitting the wall with a thud.

“What the hell—?” his voice echoed softly in the underground room.

Panic rose in Ethan’s chest as his mind tried to figure out what he was seeing.

He forced himself to stand gripping the metal bars for support as dizziness threatened to knock him over.

They were real, cold, and solid.

He was in a cage.

His breathing got uneven.

“What is this?" he demanded loudly. His voice sounded weaker than he wanted.

No one answered.

The room was bigger than he thought at first. Several rows of cages lined the stone walls, each one with a man who looked just as confused and scared as he felt.

Some sat quietly with their heads down while others paced in their cages like animals.

One older man stood gripping the bars of his cell staring around with terrified eyes.

“Where are we?" he asked hoarsely.

“No idea," someone else muttered from across the room.

Ethan looked around carefully.

The place definitely felt underground.

The ceiling was low and supported by stone beams. The walls were made of concrete damp in some places where water had seeped through over time.

The weak lights overhead buzzed occasionally casting shadows across the floor.

Somewhere beyond the room he heard footsteps.

Guards.

His heart started beating

“What kind of place is this…?”

He ran a hand through his hair trying to steady myself.

The last thing he remembered clearly was driving down a road. Then men appeared out of nowhere.

They dragged him out of the car like he was nothing.

Kidnapping.

The word made my stomach twist.

‘Why me?’

He wasn’t wealthy.

He didn’t belong to any wealthy family.

He didn’t even think he had enemies.

This had to be a mistake.

“Hey!" Ethan shouted suddenly gripping the bars again. "Is anyone going to tell us what the hell is going on?” his voice echoed sharply against the stone walls.

For seconds nothing happened.

Then a pair of guards appeared briefly in the hallway outside the room. They wore suits and carried weapons at their sides.

One of them glanced toward the cages with annoyance.

“Quiet " he said flatly.

“That’s it?" Ethan snapped. "You people just kidnap guys off the street and expect us to sit here quietly?”

The guard’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Instead of responding he just turned and walked down the hallway.

Time passed slowly after that.

No one came to explain anything.

No one brought food.

The guards appeared occasionally walking past the entrance of the room without speaking.

Some of the prisoners started talking quietly among themselves.

One man insisted he had been leaving a bar when someone shoved him into a van.

Another claimed he had been grabbed outside his apartment building.

None of them knew why they were here.

None of them recognized each other.

Hours seemed to crawl by.

Eventually, the room fell into a silence filled only with the occasional cough or nervous whisper.

Then the heavy door at the end of the room opened.

The sound echoed loudly in the space.

Everyone turned.

Several men entered first.

Unlike the guards, these men carried themselves differently. Their posture was straighter their movements more controlled.

They wore suits instead of casual security uniforms.

Authority surrounded them like a shield.

One of them spoke quietly to the guard near the entrance.

“Which ones did you bring?”

“Six total " the guard replied. "Picked them up from locations.”

The suited man frowned slightly.

“Boss won’t like mistakes.”

Ethan listened carefully his curiosity mixing with growing unease.

Boss?

Who exactly were these people working for?

The answer arrived moments later.

Another figure stepped into the room.

Silence fell instantly.

Even the guards straightened their posture.

The man who entered last walked slowly, his movements confident. He wore a tailored black suit that fit his tall frame effortlessly.

His dark hair was neatly combed. His expression remained composed as his sharp eyes scanned the underground prison.

Ethan felt a strange chill crawl up his spine.

He had never met this man before but he knew exactly who he was.

Everyone in Cross City knew this face.

Don Pope.

The name carried weight in the city’s circles.

Stories about him circulated everywhere—whispers about his wealth, his control over powerful businesses, and the quiet violence that followed anyone foolish enough to oppose him.

Some people called him a genius.

Others called him a monster.

Seeing him in person was something else entirely.

Don Pope moved through the room, slowly stopping in front of each cage as one of his men unlocked the doors and briefly inspected the prisoners inside.

“These aren’t the men we were looking for.” one of the lieutenants murmured.

Don said nothing.

His face remained unreadable.

Ethan watched the scene with growing confusion.

If they had the people then why were they still here?

The men continued moving down the line of cages until they finally reached mine.

Don’s footsteps slowed.

For a moment his gaze passed over Ethan without stopping.

Then he spoke.

“You’ve got the guy.”

My voice was firm despite the fear twisting inside my chest.

Don stopped walking.

He lifted his head and looked directly into his eyes.

Anger burned there.

For seconds the two of them just stared at each other.

The silence stretched long.

Behind Don one of his lieutenants shifted slightly.

“Boss,” the man said quietly. "Like I told you these aren’t the spies. My guys must’ve grabbed the people.”

Don remained still.

His eyes stayed fixed on Ethan.

Something about my expression was unusual.

Most people looked away when faced with him.

Most people showed fear.

But Ethan didn’t.

Instead, he glared back as if daring him to do something.

Interesting.

Don finally turned slightly toward his men.

“Release the others.”

The order caused a pause.

“You sure boss?" one of them asked carefully.

Don’s gaze flicked toward him.

That was enough.

The men immediately began unlocking the cages.

One by one the prisoners were pulled out and escorted toward the door.

Some looked relieved. Others looked confused.

He watched the process closely.

Soon one cage remained closed.

That was Ethan’s cage.

The room slowly emptied until he stood alone behind the iron bars.

He gripped them tightly.

“What, about me?" he demanded.

The question echoed sharply through the chamber.

Don turned back toward him.

For a moment he studied him carefully.

But Ethan stood despite his situation, his jaw clenched stubbornly.

He looked furious. Beneath that anger, Don noticed something else.

Strength.

Finally, Don spoke.

“Bring him upstairs.”

The words landed heavily in the room.

One of the lieutenants blinked in surprise.

“Just him?" he asked.

“Yes," the man replied.

The man nodded quickly.

Two guards stepped forward. They unlocked Ethan’s cage.

The metal door creaked as it opened.

Ethan hesitated for a moment.

“Where are you taking me?" he asked.

The guards did not answer.

One of them grabbed his arm.

Ethan tried to pull. “Hey—!" he said.

The guard held him tighter. “Move," he spat.

Don had already turned around. He was walking toward the exit.

Ethan had no choice but to follow the guards.

As they took him out of the prison, he looked back at the empty cages.