MasukTONY. That Same Hour.The Glass Penthouse.He lay sprawled on his back across the soft cushioned couch in his living-room, one arm hanging loosely off the edge, his chest rising and falling in a slow, steady rhythm. His black hair fell messily across his face, partially covering his closed eyes as a low, quiet snore escaped him, blending into the silence of the house.The vibration of his phone shattered it.A sharp, rattling buzz against the tempered glass stool beside him.His brows twitched.He shifted slightly but didn’t open his eyes. “Who the fuck is that…” he muttered, his voice thick with sleep, refusing to move as the phone continued vibrating insistently.It stopped.Silence returned for barely a second.Then it started again.“Fuck,” he breathed out, irritation snapping through him as his eyes opened abruptly, the last trace of sleep vanishing instantly. He rolled onto his side, arm stretching toward the stool, fingers closing around the phone.Marcus.Tony exhaled sharply
“Yes… yes, I am. The shooter’s… they’re gone,” the girl took a shaky breath. “But a girl’s been shot. We’re behind the Department of Economics. I think… I think she’s dying.”Mary’s hands pressed harder unconsciously at those words.“Alright. Help is on the way. They’ll be there shortly. Stay on the line with me,” the dispatcher Spoke again.The line stayed open.Mary barely heard the rest.Her focus remained on Ava.“Stay… stay with me,” she whispered again, her voice hoarse now, barely holding together.Ava’s breathing—Totally gone.Mary’s vision blurred completely as tears streamed down her face, dropping onto Ava’s blood-soaked shirt.“Please…” she choked out.Time lost meaning.Then—Faint sirens.Distant.Growing louder.Mary’s head lifted slightly, her ears catching the sound as it cut through the heavy air.Closer.Louder.The ambulance turned the corner.Within seconds, it was there.Doors flung open.Paramedics rushed out immediately, their movements quick, urgent.“Step ba
MARY’S POV — At The Moment Of The Gunshot (Ava’s Friend)The gunshot echoed through the air.Mary flinched violently, her body jerking as fear shot through her veins. Her eyes widened, breath hitching sharply as instinct took over.She ran.Her shoes scraped against the pavement as she darted toward the nearest street pole, ducking behind it, her back slamming lightly against the cold metal. Her hands gripped it tightly, fingers trembling uncontrollably.Around her, chaos erupted.Students screamed.Bodies scattered in every direction, footsteps pounding as everyone scrambled to find cover. Some crouched behind parked cars, others sprinted toward buildings, their faces twisted in panic.The black SUV tore down the road.Its tires screeched harshly against the asphalt as it sped away, disappearing around the corner within seconds.Mary stayed frozen behind the pole.Her chest rose and fell rapidly, each breath uneven, sharp. Her entire body shook violently, her knees threatening to giv
“I’m not,” Tyler said, raising his hands slightly. “But Noah is Noah. He can do whatever he chooses to.”Tom opened his mouth to argue again, but his phone suddenly vibrated in his hand. He glanced down.“3:50,” he muttered, then looked up. “It’s time. Let’s go. PSY430 starts in ten minutes.”Noah glanced at the Richard Mille resting on his wrist, then nodded once as he stood.Tyler rose next, stretching slightly.Tom dropped the controller onto the couch, the plastic hitting the cushion with a soft bounce as he grabbed his phone.Noah reached for his jacket, slipping it on smoothly before heading toward the door.They stepped out into the hallway together, their footsteps echoing lightly against the polished floor as they made their way toward the elevator at the end of the corridor.The doors slid open.They stepped in.And as the elevator doors closed, Noah’s gaze dropped briefly, his mind drifting back to the video, to her face, to that moment in the library.Let’s see if the feel
Mid-afternoon The Following Day.A Multimillion-dollar Condo Apartment Off Campus Grounds.NOAH’S POV. TONY’S RIVAL.Noah leaned forward on one of the plush couches in his living room, his elbows braced against his thighs, his grip tight around the wireless controller as his eyes stayed locked on the massive screen in front of him. The 75-inch TV flashed green from the pitch— players sprinting, the crowd roaring faintly through the speakers.Beside him, Tyler, his friend, sat just as focused, his jaw set, fingers moving rapidly over his own controller.On the adjacent couch, Tom, another close friend, lounged lazily, his back sunk deep into the cushions, one leg crossed over the other, his bare feet resting on a tempered glass stool in front of him. His attention was on his phone, thumb scrolling idly.“Goal!” Tyler suddenly shouted, jerking forward as he threw a fist into the air. “That’s what I’m talking about!”Noah exhaled sharply, leaning back for a split second before shaking h
The Following Night. 10PM.A Street Upstate New York, Off Campus Grounds.LILY.She tightened her grip on the steering wheel as the red Chevrolet Colorado rolled slowly through the quiet street, the dim streetlights casting long shadows across the road. Megan sat beside her, shifting slightly in her seat, her eyes flicking from the windshield to the empty sidewalks outside. The low hum of the engine was the only sound between them until Lily eased her foot off the pedal and pulled to a stop at the corner.She parked.Killed the engine.Silence dropped in instantly.Lily turned her head toward Megan, her expression composed, almost too composed. “We’re here.”Megan’s brows pulled together as she glanced around, her body tensing. “Here? At this dark corner?” Her voice lowered, uneasy. “I don’t like this.”Lily reached forward, grabbing her phone from the holder on the dashboard. The screen lit up, casting a faint glow on her face as her eyes scanned it quickly. “This is the location the







