The cold night air hit Isaac’s face as he catapulted over the balcony, hurtling into the void below as his night vision faded.

  While his body cut through the darkness, limbs flailing, the ground rushed to meet him.

  The fall seemed to stretch on forever as panic gripped him while he plummeted, and for a brief moment Isaac felt weightless, suspended in the air as if he’d never land.

  Then, with a bone-jarring impact, he crashed into a decorated patch of overly groomed bushes.

  Pain exploded through his body as snapped branches stabbed at his sides and leaves swayed before laying gently on his face.

  Gasping for air, Isaac quickly struggled to his feet, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins, dulling the worst of the pain.

  Wincing, Isaac rushed toward the massive gathering of finely dressed people who had been unable to secure tickets to the opera, as those fleeing the now-smoking building began to merge with the onlookers

  Celebrating as he used the panic and confusion rippling through the crowd as cover, Isaac began pushing further in while his eyes darted around, scanning for an escape route.

  Only to discover several of the masked men with walkie-talkies bulldozing their way through in hot pursuit.

  "Damnit!" Isaac cursed under his breath, quickly deciding to run toward the rendezvous point his employer had designated.

  Dipping into an alleyway, he sprinted through the narrow passage, his footsteps echoing off the walls. He crossed several streets, weaving between buildings and cutting through narrow paths to throw the men off his tracks.

  Finally, he emerged onto the busy main roads where cars of all makes and models traveled the streets, and people of all different backgrounds roamed them. The bustling urban scene provided another opportunity to lose his pursuers.

  Isaac seized the moment, blending into the crowd and navigating through the pedestrians. He ducked and weaved, using the everyday chaos of the city, the noise of honking cars, and the chatter of people to his advantage.

  Glancing over his shoulder, Isaac locked eyes with the masked men struggling to keep up in the dense crowd. Their frustration was palpable, but Isaac was determined to stay ahead. He quickened his pace, moving with purpose as he put more distance between himself and his pursuers.

  Every step bringing him closer to the rendezvous point and further from the danger behind him, Isaac's mind raced as he planned his next moves. This was his chance to outsmart them, and he wasn't going to let it slip away.

  The city's hustle and bustle became a blur as he maneuvered through the crowd. Taking an unorthodox path through the busy roads, Isaac wasted no time pushing past people, apologizing each time he made contact with someone.

  Suddenly, he bumped into a familiar face—an old hunting acquaintance, a man who changed women like the seasons. Tonight seemed to be no different, as he was out with his new girlfriend, both clearly drunk and enjoying the evening.

  "Isaac! Long time no see!" Marcus exclaimed, a wide, tipsy grin spreading across his face. He reached out to grab Isaac's shoulder, clearly not noticing the urgency in his old friend's eyes. "Hey, why don't you join us for a drink? It's been ages!"

  Isaac forced a smile, trying to pull away as Marcus’ shouting drew the attention of those near.

  "Sorry, I'm really in a hurry. Maybe some other time." Isaac said with a mix of fear and frustration.

  The man tightened his grip, his voice slurring. "Come on, just for a minute. It'll be fun!"

  Before Isaac could respond, the girlfriend, equally tipsy, wrapped her arms around him in a playful hug. "Yes, stay with us!" she giggled, her touch lingering a bit too long.

  Isaac glanced over his shoulder as the shouts of his pursuers grew louder. Panic surged through him. He struggled to break free, but the drunken couple, who both happened to be several levels above him, held on tight.

  "Let me go!" Isaac pleaded, his voice strained. But the couple, oblivious to the danger, only laughed and stumbled around with him.

  At that moment, one of the guards appeared, closing in on Isaac.

  Then, panic took over as he watched the guard draw a long double edge sword from seemingly nowhere. With a burst of strength, Isaac forced Marcus and his girlfriend to the ground alongside him just as the guard swung his weapon. The blade sliced through the air where their heads had been moments before.

  "Stay down!" Isaac hissed, saving them from death. The couple, now realizing the gravity of the situation, did as they were told, their eyes wide with shock.

  Isaac sprang to his feet and raced off toward the roads, where his employer instructed him to rendezvous, his heart pounding in his chest but not before giving a knowing nod to Marcus.

  Darting through the crowded streets of Aetheria, each step propelled him closer to safety.

  In the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the bodyguard swinging again, a deadly blade slicing through the air aimed at his neck. Instinctively, he dodged, but the blade still grazed his back, biting into his flesh.

  The pain flared up, sharp and searing, but Isaac gritted his teeth and pushed through it.

  Blood trickled down his back, staining his clothes, and through clenched jaws, he groaned in agony.

  Amidst the chaos, Isaac managed a dark humorous remark to himself, "They just had to ruin my last set of clothes, didn't they?"

  Nervously laughing, he continued to sprint forward, his pace relentless. Each stride carried him further from his pursuers, closer to the elusive safety of the rendezvous point. He couldn't afford to slow down or falter now.

  Once he reached the empty intersection, Isaac's heart raced with urgency as he frantically scanned the area. He was determined to rid himself of the camera and break free from the clutches of the masked men who pursued him.

  "Finally got you, you damned punk!" The guttural yell pierced the tense air.

  Isaac spun on his heels towards the sound, adrenaline surging as two figures emerged from behind a building at the intersection’s edge.

  "Just hand over the damned camera, that's all we want!" one demanded, attempting to sound intimidating but the cracks in his voice gave him away.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Backing up slowly, Isaac contemplated what to do next. The camera had become more trouble than it was worth, and he was ready to rid himself of it.

  "Well, I honestly can't! I don’t even have it anymore…" Isaac's voice rang out confidently, a wide grin spreading across his face as he raised his empty hands in mock surrender.

  The two men exchanged a skeptical glance, their expressions darkening with suspicion. Isaac's cockiness grew, fueled by the knowledge that he had passed off the camera to Marcus, a trusted ally.

  "I ditched it a while back," Isaac continued nonchalantly, watching as realization dawned on the guards' faces.

  “The whore and the twink!” The other man shouted, as they both exchanged another look, this time mixed with frustration and anger. They had been outwitted, and they knew it.

  “That’s a little harsh.” commented Isaac.

  "You little rat!" one of them spat, fury lacing his words.

  Isaac shrugged casually, his grin widening. "Hey, you asked for the camera. I'm just telling you where it is now. I don’t have it."

  The tension crackled between them, the men torn between their desire to retaliate and their need to regroup.

  Suddenly, the atmosphere shattered as bright headlights flooded the intersection , accompanied by the roar of a powerful engine. A muscle car tore into view, its presence unexpected and disruptive.

  “What the hell!” Both men shouted, simultaneously as, like a deer in headlights, the two stared blankly at the car.

  Instinctively, the guards reacted with shouts and curses, their guns raised as the car’s engine roared with life.

  “Right on time, sorry gentlemen, but we can’t let you go,” said Isaac.

  As the car sped forward, shots rang out.

  Isaac seized the opportunity, using the distraction to his advantage. Without another word, he turned and sprinted away, his footsteps echoing off the pavement as he dashed towards freedom.

  Behind him, he heard the clash of metal, the screech of tires, and the shattering of bones as the confrontation intensified. Ignoring the chaos unfolding behind him, Isaac focused on one thing—escape.

  As he ran, the adrenaline rush fueled his movements, each step carrying him further from danger and closer to safety. He didn't dare look back, his mind fixed on reaching the last of the rendezvous points and leaving this nightmare behind.

  The sounds of the skirmish faded into the distance, drowned out by the pounding of his heart and the rhythm of his feet against the pavement. Isaac's cocky grin remained, knowing he had played his cards right—at least for now.

  The cool night air brushed against Isaac's sweat-dampened skin as he blended in with the people walking the streets of Aetheria. His breath came in ragged gasps, as the adrenaline that had been urging him forward began to dissipate.

  Glancing over his shoulder, momentarily relieved to see no sign of his pursuers, Isaac attempted to see how bad the wound he had been gifted truly was.

  Ducking into an alleyway, Isaac crouched against the rough brick wall, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath and revealed a tub of healing jelly, the only healing item he could ever afford.

  However, now that’d all changed as a system notification popped up.

  **********

  [System Alert: Reward Notification]

  [Congratulations, Isaac Hue!]

  [Side Quest Completed: "Capture and Deliver"]

  [Objectives]

  [?] Take a photo of the Orian.

  [?] Deliver the camera to the designated recipient.

  [Reward: 1,000,000 Gold]

  [Your daring escape and clever tactics have earned you a substantial reward. The gold has been added to your inventory. Use it wisely and stay alive. - The Man In Yellow.]

  **********

  Though struggling, Isaac grinned widely as he began the agonizing process of applying the gel through the hole in his torn shirt for a wound he could barely reach while the distant sounds of the city murmured around him, a deceptive calm settling over him.

  “I’m trying…at least I gave myself a moment. There’s probably at least a dozen or so men patrolling in a five-mile area, so I’m not out of this shit yet.” Isaac said with a heavy sigh.

  For a fleeting moment, Isaac allowed himself to believe he had slipped away unnoticed and had time to rest, however, that belief was quickly stripped from him.

  "Where did he go?" A gruff voice echoed from the street behind him, shattering the fragile illusion of safety.

  Isaac's heart lurched in his chest as he realized his pursuers were closer than he thought. Without hesitation, he pushed away from the wall and sprinted towards the nearest line of cover—the corner store just ahead.

  The neon sign flickered overhead as Isaac burst through the door, his pulse racing with renewed urgency. The clerk, whose ears were plugged with wired headphones, glanced up from his porno magazine, offering a casual greeting that Isaac, though barely, acknowledged.

  He then hurried deeper into the store, scanning the aisles for a hiding place or any advantage he could use, before diving into the aisle next to him.

  Moments later, the door swung open again, and Isaac's heart sank. One of the masked men entered, scanning the store with predatory eyes. Isaac froze, the weight of desperation pressing down.

  The clerk, oblivious to the imminent danger, continued his routine behind the counter.

  "A young man, brown curly hair, maybe about five-eight. He came in here. I saw him," the masked man demanded, his voice laced with urgency and menace. He leaned over the counter, glaring at the now trembling clerk.

  “I-I-” Stuttered the clerk.

  Isaac silently maneuvered toward another aisle, keeping low to avoid drawing attention, and listened intently as the masked man interrogated the clerk.

  “There ain’t no fight in you old-man, so out with it, or you’re gonna be the first to die tonight!” Exclaimed the masked man.

  “Okay, okay, please, I saw him too! I did! He’s down there!” shouted the clerk.

  Sweat beaded on Isaac's forehead as he prepared for his next move, knowing he’d been outed, though he couldn’t blame the man.

  Soon, Isaac heard the masked man's footsteps approaching, heavy and deliberate. The man was on the move, closing in on him with every step. Isaac's pulse quickened, the sound of his own heartbeat thundering in his ears.

  As the man turned into the aisle where Isaac was hiding, his attention focused ahead, Isaac acted quickly to create and seize an opportunity to escape.

  Shooting back to the previous aisle, he pressed himself against the shelves and shoved with all his might.

  "What the hell?!" the masked man shouted in surprise as the shelf creaked and crashed down, sending products scattering across the floor.

  Seizing the moment, Isaac jumped onto the toppled shelf, towering over the pinned man. "Serves you right, you piece of shit!" he yelled, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. "You suck!"

  The masked man struggled beneath the weight of the shelf, cursing and grunting in frustration, and Isaac couldn't resist adding more to his taunts. "What were you thinking? Can’t nobody fuck with me!"

  Isaac's celebration, however, was short-lived as the shelf shifted under him. The man beneath was regaining his strength and began pushing against the weight.

  “You…damn…punk!” Yelled the masked man.

  "Oh, come on!" Isaac muttered before quickly leaping off the shelf and sprinting toward the exit, not daring to look back.

  Bags of chips burst under each footstep as he reached the doorway, the cold night air a brief reprieve. But just as he crossed the threshold, a massive fist collided with his face, sending him sprawling to the ground.

  Isaac's vision blurred from the impact, pain throbbing through his head. The sound of heavy footsteps closed in around him as he struggled to regain his bearings.

  "Get‘em up," a gruff voice commanded, accompanied by the harsh glare of a flashlight. Isaac groaned, trying to shake off the disorientation. He was surrounded, caught in the merciless grip of his pursuers.

  Rough hands grabbed him, hauling him to his feet. The world spun as Isaac was forced upright, his legs barely supporting his weight. He winced, the light stabbing into his eyes, rendering the figures around him as little more than ominous shadows.

  "Well, well, what do we have here? You were talking a lot of shit just a second ago, what happened?" the man Isaac had taunted sneered, his voice dripping with malice.

  Isaac blinked hard, trying to focus on the man's masked face. A menacing chuckle escaped the man as he examined Isaac like a prized catch.

  "You've caused us quite a bit of trouble, you know that?" another masked man said, his voice laced with irritation. Isaac's mind raced, trying to find a way out, but every muscle in his body screamed in pain.

  "Let's see how tough you really are," the leader growled, raising his fist. Isaac braced himself, but the blow to his stomach still knocked the wind out of him. He doubled over, gasping for breath, his vision swimming before another heavy hit landed on the back of his head, knocking him out cold.