Tommy stepped into the building, his heart pounding. Arthur, Fade, and Rita were already there, their postures tense, their eyes sharp. It was as if they had no other place to go—a gathering of predators awaiting the hunt. These people lived in a different world from Tommy. They were killers, hardened and calculating. And soon, they would become his enemies.

  Arthur glanced up and smirked. "You made it just on time," he said, tossing Tommy a black coat. "Put this on. We need to hide our weapons before we reach the residence. I don’t know if you’ve seen the news, but it looks like the others already tried to kill Mr. Bird. He must be on high alert. We need to change the plan."

  Rita crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "If he killed the others, it means he’s more dangerous than we thought. How are we supposed to get more intel on him? We don’t even have a way to contact that woman for more information."

  Fade shook his head, his voice low and impatient. "We don’t need more intel. We’ve got what we’ve got, and we’re running out of time. Our heads will pop if we don’t finish this soon. We can pull it off if we create a diversion."

  Arthur nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing. "You’re right. A diversion could work. One of us will hit a part of the residence to draw their attention, and the others sneak in to find Mr. Bird and take him out."

  The room grew heavy with tension. Everyone’s gaze shifted from one to the other, assessing, calculating. The unspoken question hung in the air: who would be the one to deliver the killing blow?

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  Arthur broke the silence, addressing Rita and Fade with a sharp tone. "Listen. I was going to kill you both to make this easier for Tommy." His words struck like a thunderclap. Fade and Rita stiffened, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

  "But," Arthur continued, his voice softening, "I’ll be the diversion. I’ll draw them out and give you two the chance to get in."

  Rita’s lips curled in disbelief. "You’re willing to give up a life-changing opportunity? Just like that?"

  Arthur chuckled grimly. "It’s not about the opportunity. I want to die, but I also want to help this kid. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a kid, huh?"

  He turned to Tommy, a sorrowful smile crossing his face. "Sorry, kid. This is the most I can give you. Go, face your destiny, and live a better life. Live for me."

  Tommy was stunned by Arthur’s words. His throat tightened as he nodded. "I will," he managed to say. "I’ll live for you, and I’ll win."

  They quickly finalized their plan. Arthur would attack the left side of the residence, creating an explosion to draw attention and force the guards to focus on him. Meanwhile, Tommy, Fade, and Rita would sneak inside, using the distraction to find and kill Mr. Bird.

  When they reached the residence, Tommy couldn’t believe his eyes. It wasn’t just a building—it was a castle. The sprawling yard stretched for at least a kilometer, manicured but imposing.

  They crouched in the shadows, waiting for Arthur’s signal. Tommy’s grip tightened on his weapon. The plan was simple, but the stakes were impossibly high. Suddenly, the night lit up with the fiery blast of an explosion, followed by the echoing cracks of gunfire. Arthur had begun his part of the mission.

  "That’s our cue," Rita hissed.

  Tommy took a deep breath, steeling himself. Together, they slipped into the shadows of the castle grounds, ready to face whatever waited for them inside.