At the edge of Star Harbor city the road was empty.
No traffic.
No people.
Only darkness and the distant glow of city lights far on the horizon.
An armored truck rushed across the deserted road before its brakes scread and the heavy vehicle stopped in the middle of nowhere.
The engine rumbled quietly.
For a mont nothing happened.
Then the passenger door opened.
An ard man stepped out.
He walked to the back of the truck and unlocked the heavy tal doors.
They swung open with a dull tallic sound.
Inside the truck several n sat on the floor.
Their hands were bound with cuffs.
Their faces carried fear.
These were the sa n who had attacked Daniel and the twins.
The man outside spoke calmly.
"Co out."
He stepped aside.
"You are free to leave."
The n inside looked at each other in confusion.
One by one they stepped out of the truck.
The ard guard removed their cuffs without another word.
Then he climbed back into the passenger seat.
The truck doors slamd shut.
Within seconds the armored vehicle drove away into the darkness, leaving them alone in the empty wasteland.
For several seconds the n simply stood there.
Then one of them burst out laughing.
"Haha."
"They finally let us go."
Another man scratched his head.
"Why?"
The first shrugged.
"Maybe Boss Elias helped us."
That statent made them all laugh.
"Yeah."
"He would never leave us behind."
Another man stretched his arms.
"Let’s get out of this place."
But before they could leave they heard sothing.
A loud chanical noise echoed across the road.
Heavy.
Slow.
Grinding.
A bright yellow light appeared in the distance.
One of the n pointed.
"What is that?"
Another squinted his eyes.
"Let’s check, and ask for the way out"
Curiosity pushed them forward.
They walked toward the light.
As they approached, the shape beca clear.
An excavator.
Its massive arm was digging deep into the earth beside the road.
tal claws scooped dirt and threw it aside repeatedly.
A large hole had already ford in the ground.
The n stopped beside it.
One of them shouted toward the machine.
"Excuse ?"
The excavator continued digging.
The operator did not respond.
Another man chuckled.
"Maybe he cannot hear us."
They moved closer.
The man shouted again.
"Hey!"
"Listen!"
The excavator stopped.
The engine still humd quietly.
The operator slowly stepped down from the machine.
One of the n spoke casually.
"Why are you digging here?"
Another added lazily.
"That is none of our business."
He turned toward the operator.
"Can you tell us the way to get out of the city?"
"We got robbed."
"Lost our phone and car."
The excavator lights suddenly shifted.
They flashed directly onto the operator’s face.
For a mont no one spoke.
Then one of the n whispered.
"You are..."
His eyes widened.
"You are Miles Sterling."
Miles tilted his head slightly.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"I heard sothing interesting."
His voice was calm.
"You like bullying children."
His eyes grew colder.
"How dare you try to hurt my family."
"My siblings."
The n froze.
One of them suddenly laughed nervously.
"Haha."
"You fool."
He looked around.
"You ca here alone."
Miles laughed softly.
It was not a friendly laugh.
"So what?"
He looked toward the hole beside them.
"I was just digging your graves."
The words had barely settled in the air when Miles moved.
The closest man stepped forward to grab him.
Miles struck first.
His fist smashed into the man’s throat.
A horrible choking sound escaped him before he collapsed onto the ground.
Another man rushed forward angrily.
Miles grabbed his arm mid strike.
A sharp twist snapped the elbow backward.
The man scread in agony.
Miles drove his knee into his stomach and lifted him by the collar.
Then he threw him straight into the pit.
The body rolled down into the freshly dug grave.
The others panicked.
"Kill him!"
Two n charged at once.
Miles stepped forward.
His elbow slamd into the first man’s jaw.
Teeth shattered as the man spun and fell.
The second tried to tackle him.
Miles sidestepped and drove his fist into the man’s ribs repeatedly.
Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
The sound of bones breaking echoed in the quiet night.
The man collapsed screaming.
Miles grabbed his hair and dragged him across the dirt.
The man begged desperately.
"Please!"
Miles said nothing.
He tossed him into the grave.
Another man tried to run.
Miles grabbed a shovel from the ground and threw it.
The tal blade struck the back of the man’s legs.
He fell face first onto the dirt.
Miles walked toward him slowly.
The man crawled backward.
"Please don’t kill !"
Miles grabbed him by the collar.
His voice was quiet.
"You tried to hurt my family."
Then he slamd the man’s head against the excavator tal fra.
Once.
Twice.
Three tis.
The body went limp.
Miles lifted him and dropped him into the pit.
The last man stood frozen.
His body shaking violently.
"We were just following orders!"
Miles walked closer.
His shadow stretched across the ground.
"There is no one left to give you orders now."
The man tried to punch him in desperation.
Miles caught the fist mid air.
His other hand struck the man’s neck.
The man collapsed instantly.
Miles lifted the unconscious body and threw it into the grave with the others.
Silence returned.
Miles stood at the edge of the pit.
He looked down calmly.
Then he climbed back into the excavator.
The machine roared to life again.
Dirt poured into the grave.
Slowly burying the bodies beneath the soil.
Minutes later the ground beca flat again.
As if nothing had ever happened.
Miles stepped down from the machine.
He looked up at the sky.
The stars were shining brightly above Star Harbor.
Headlights appeared in the distance.
Two black cars drove toward him and stopped beside the road.
Sterling Security agents stepped out.
"Good evening boss."
Miles nodded.
"Good evening."
One of the agents looked into the freshly filled pit.
He sighed.
"They deserve it."
Another agent muttered coldly.
"They deserve worse."
At that mont another car door opened.
Monica stepped out.
She walked toward Miles and looked at him from head to toe.
"Ti to go ho boss."
"They are waiting for you."
Miles smiled faintly.
"Let’s go then."
Monica wrinkled her nose slightly.
"First clean yourself."
"And change your clothes."
She shook her head.
"You reek of violence."
....
The black car rolled quietly through the night streets of Star Harbor.
The city lights shimred along the coastline as the vehicle moved away from the Sterling Security base.
Inside the car Miles sat silently beside Monica.
The tension of the past days was finally fading.
The road curved toward the quiet residential district where Pearl Villa stood among rows of elegant hos.
Soon the glowing lights of the villa appeared in the distance.
Warm.
Bright.
Alive.
The iron gates slowly opened as the car approached.
The vehicle rolled into the driveway and stopped.
Miles and Monica stepped out.
The mont their feet touched the ground the front door of the house burst open.
Two small figures rushed out like tiny rockets.
"Big brooooo!"
The voices echoed across the garden.
Miles barely had ti to react before Hope and Asher jumped straight into him.
He laughed and lifted both of them into his arms instantly.
"How are you two?"
Asher wrapped his arms around Miles’ neck tightly.
"Big bro you finally ca back!"
Hope’s small face pressed against his shoulder.
Her voice trembled slightly.
"We missed you so much big bro."
Miles gently ruffled their hair.
"I am back."
Then he smiled mischievously.
"And I brought you souvenirs."
Asher’s eyes lit up imdiately.
"Really?"
Miles set them down on the ground.
"Yes."
Asher instantly ran toward Monica.
"Yay!"
Monica smiled and handed him a small paper bag.
Hope, however, did not let go of Miles’ hand.
She held it tightly and started pulling him toward the house.
"Big bro co inside."
Her voice filled with excitent.
"Mom cooked yummy dishes."
Miles laughed softly.
"I cannot wait."
Together they walked inside.
The warm sll of food filled the entire house.
Elena walked toward them from the dining room with a gentle smile.
"Welco ho."
Daniel stood beside her with his arms crossed comfortably.
"Welco ho son."
Miles looked at them both.
For a mont the world outside the house seed very far away.
The past few days had not been very long.
But they felt like an eternity.
Soon the family gathered around the dining table.
Hope and Asher talked nonstop.
Asher proudly showed everyone his souvenir.
Hope kept asking Miles about his trip.
Elena kept filling his plate with food.
Daniel laughed at the chaos.
The house filled with warm voices.
Laughter.
Stories.
The sound of plates and glasses.
The echoes of a peaceful ho.
Far away from violence.
Far away from war.
But on the other side of the world the atmosphere was very different.
Moscow.
Belov Mansion.
The large office room remained dimly lit.
Artem Belov’s father sat in a leather chair facing the television.
The news channel was broadcasting nonstop.
The reporter spoke with a serious tone.
"Police across the country are still searching for Artem Belov."
"His criminal records have now been revealed to the public."
Images flashed across the screen.
Photos.
Docunts.
Evidence.
The reporter continued.
"The opposition leader stated that Artem Belov is currently on the run."
Belov’s father clenched his jaw.
His face twisted with rage.
Suddenly he grabbed the glass in his hand and smashed it onto the floor.
The glass shattered loudly across the marble.
At that mont soone knocked on the door.
"Sir."
Belov spoke without turning.
"Co in."
A servant stepped inside nervously.
"Sir there is a package for you."
Belov frowned.
"What is it?"
The servant shook his head.
"I do not know."
"But it says only you should open it."
Belov waved his hand impatiently.
"Put it on the table and leave."
The servant placed the package carefully on the desk.
Then he exited the room quietly.
The office returned to silence.
Belov stared at the box for several seconds.
Slowly he stood up.
He walked toward the desk and grabbed the package.
With one hand and the support of his prosthetic arm he tore the wrapping open.
The cardboard ripped apart.
Just as the box opened a terrible sll filled the room.
Belov imdiately covered his nose.
"What the hell..."
He slowly lifted the plastic cover inside the box.
Then he froze.
Inside the package lay a human arm.
Severed.
Preserved.
On the fingers were several familiar rings.
Artem’s rings.
Carved deep into the flesh of the arm was a symbol.
A half blood moon.
The aning struck him instantly.
Terror flooded through his body.
His breathing stopped.
His legs weakened.
He stumbled backward.
The box fell from his hands.
He collapsed onto the floor.
The heavy thud echoed through the mansion.
Outside the room the servant heard the noise.
He rushed inside.
"Sir!"
"Sir!"
"Sir!"
The servant froze at the sight inside the room.
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