"You successfully completed your first mission," the masked man said and turned around to face Daniel who was standing before him.
"Yes," Daniel replied. "What next?"
"Here. Take this," the masked man said, handing a brown envelope to a confused Daniel.
"What is it for?" He asked the man.
"Open it and you'll find out," the masked man replied and walked to a seat where he sat down to watch Daniel's behavior.
Daniel opened the envelope and inside it were a set of car keys, house key, and some bundles of money. He looked shocked at first but quickly his it by frowning.
"What are they for?" He asked the masked man.
"That is your reward for completing the first mission without having issues," the masked man replied. But seeing that Dan still looked confused, he went ahead to explain. "This mission was highly important because Lucas Martin is someone we can't afford to upset. Secondly, this mission was your first trial and surprisingly, you passed so those are your reward. The location of the house is inside there as well."
The frown on Daniel's face finally disappeared, replaced by amazement. He was amazed at the rewards.
"I see now, thank you, Mr..."
"Sebastian," the masked man said and Daniel nodded.
Daniel held the keys in his hand a moment longer, the metal cool and unfamiliar in his palm. Just yesterday, he was walking cracked pavement and avoiding potholes. Now he had a car, a house, and more money than he'd seen in years — all because of one successful mission.
But he wasn't stupid. This came with a price. And he had no intention of pretending otherwise.
He looked up at Sebastian, the masked man now reclining in the high-backed leather chair like a patient god.
"I want the next mission," Daniel said, his voice firm.
Sebastian's head tilted slightly, as though amused. "So eager already?"
"I didn't come here to collect gifts though," Daniel replied. "I came here to change my life."
For a moment, Sebastian said nothing. Then he reached for a small notebook on the side table and flipped it open with gloved fingers.
"Very well. Your next assignment will be in two days. Another deliver, different stakes but the same rules. You'll be contacted the night before. Until then, rest. Get used to your new life."
He closed the book with a soft snap.
Daniel nodded. "Understood."
Sebastian gestured toward the door. "You may leave. Your ride is already waiting."
Daniel turned and exited without another word.
---
The hallway outside was still dimly lit, still filled with shadows that seemed to move if you looked too long. But this time, Daniel walked with steadier steps. Something in him had shifted — the boy who walked in was gone, or at least buried deep under the new skin he was learning to wear.
As he stepped outside the secluded hotel, the humid night air greeted him.
A sleek black car, polished to a mirror finish, parked by the curb like it belonged to someone too dangerous to question. Its angular body gleamed under the sparse streetlights, and as Daniel approached, the engine purred softly — already running.
He paused, stunned. It wasn't just any car. It was beautiful... Too good to be true.
Inside the car, a folded note sat on the driver's seat.
Daniel opened the door and picked it up.
"Your new life starts with how you arrive. Don't forget who you are now.
—S"
He stared at the words for a moment, then folded the note and slid into the driver's seat. The interior was black leather, the smell new, untouched. His fingers gripped the wheel, and for the first time in years, he felt control. Real, tangible control.
He closed the door, exhaled slowly, and pulled out into the night.
Inside his car, he couldn't retain his excitement even while driving. As if knowing something good was happening to him, his phone rang and the caller just happened to be his friend.
He beamed and picked up the call. He put the phone on loud speaker and then kept it close to him.
"What's up, bro?" He asked.
"From your voice, it seems you're happy. What's the gist, my friend?" James asked him from the other side.
Daniel chuckled, his fingers tapping lightly against the steering wheel. The city lights blurred past as he drove through the night, the hum of the engine matching the quiet thrill in his chest.
"You won't believe what just happened," Daniel said, unable to keep the grin off his face.
"Try me," James replied. His voice was curious, laced with amusement. "Let me guess — the boss gave you a pat on the back and a protein bar?"
Daniel laughed. "More than that, bro. I got a house. A whole damn house! And a car — this car I'm driving now. Plus, a fat envelope of cash. All because I passed the first mission."
There was a short pause on the line. Then James whistled low. "Damn. Already? You lucky bastard."
"I still can't believe it," Daniel said, his voice quieter now, more reflective. "It feels like... I don't know. Like I blinked and everything changed in seconds."
"It did, bro," James said. "That's the beauty and the curse of it. Life under the boss of the underworld doesn't change gradually. It flips. And now you're in it — no going back."
Daniel nodded even though James couldn't see him. "Yeah... I felt that the moment I stepped into that room."
"But you did good, Dan," James said. "Real good. First missions are always a gamble, especially with someone like Lucas Martin. If you messed up, they'd be sweeping your pieces off the floor."
Daniel's smile faltered for a moment. He remembered Lucas's eyes — cold, unreadable. The tension in the air. The weight of the parcel in his hands.
"I know," he murmured. "I could feel it. One wrong move and... I'll be gone."
"That's the job, bro," James said. "Now, enjoy the rewards. Two days of rest, huh?. Get familiar with your new crib. That house — it's not just a place to live. It's a symbol. A status that indicates that you're not the same Daniel anymore."
Daniel smiled again. "I'm starting to believe that."
"Believe it fast," James replied. "Because the next mission? It won't be as easy as the first. You're climbing now — and the higher you go, the less mercy there is."
Daniel's grip on the wheel tightened slightly, but he didn't feel fear — only resolve.
"Then I better start preparing."
"Damn right. Call me when you get to your place. I want the full tour over video."
"You got it," Daniel said, glancing at the GPS. "Should be there in ten."
"Alright then. Welcome to the game, Daniel."
The call ended, and for a moment, the only sound was the hum of the engine and the low beat of the city night. Daniel exhaled again, slower this time.
'I can't still believe it. Mother, finally.' He thought happily.
Meanwhile, as Daniel drove deeper into the city, a familiar intersection came into view — one he used to pass all the time when life still made sense, back when dreams were simple and love felt real. The lights ahead turned yellow, then red, and he slowed to a stop, the soft purr of the black car idling beneath him.
He reached for the radio, but paused when something — someone caught his eye on the sidewalk across the street.
At first, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him.
A girl stepped out of a modest but stylish eatery, laughing, her arm looped tightly around a man's. Her dark hair bounced slightly with each step, her lips stretched in the same bright, dimpled smile he had memorized — the same smile he used to wake up to when things were still good.
His heart stuttered in his chest.
"Sonia?" he whispered.
She looked exactly like her — the posture, the way she walked, the tilt of her head as she glanced at the man beside her with clear affection. Daniel's fingers instinctively tightened around the steering wheel.
The man she was with, tall, sharply dressed, with that air of effortless control — turned slightly as they reached the curb.
Daniel's breath caught in his throat.
Lucas Martin.