A chuckle escaped Luna's lips. It had taken her just two days to accept Sebastian's offer. She had been mailed the job contract prior. The contract was simple and straightforward. She has signed the job contract and mailed them back to Jasper's assistant. Two days after signing the contract, Sebastian had sent a car to convey her to his estate. She was already packed and ready to go. The ride from her apartment building to Sebastian's estate has been long but comfortable. At long last, the driver announced that they were driving towards the estate's gate. Luna could make out Sebastian's form, waiting by the side of the gate with a slight smile on his face. He waved down the car and gestured for Luna to alight. Luna was puzzled. “Luna, welcome. I hope you had a splendid ride.” Sebastian's voice was firm, but lighthearted. He offered his arm which Luna took.“Mr. Sebastian. What's going on?” She asked anxiously. Sebastian chuckled. He turned his attention to the driver. “Eli, you c
Sebastian jolted awake, his chest rising and falling heavily. His breath came in short, uneven gasps, his body drenched in cold sweat. He pressed his palms to his face, exhaling sharply. The nightmares had returned. Again. The clock on his nightstand read 3:27AM. He lay back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling, but sleep evaded him. His mind dragged him back to the memory that haunted his every waking moment. Flashback: Three Years AgoThe world had been different then. Brighter. Sebastian had a lot of reasons to live for. He and Megan had been inseparable, two halves of the same whole. She was fierce, brilliant, and the only person who had ever truly seen him. She never regarded him as a reserved tech entrepreneur, nor a dutiful art collector, but as a man capable of love, of joy. The day he proposed to her was forever etched into his memory. It was a day filled with outpouring love and promises. But nothing good lasts forever. He could still recall the exact moment s
Lisa’s voice on the other end was bright and full of excitement. “I want you to be my chief bridesmaid!” Luna blinked, leaning on the table for support. “Lisa, I……Are you serious?” “Of course!” Lisa laughed. “Why do you sound so shocked?” “Because we only just became friends!” Luna replied, still trying to process the request. She liked Lisa. She liked Lisa’s warmth and her easy-going nature, but she hadn’t expected to be chosen for such an important role. “Don’t you have….. I don’t know, a childhood best friend or a sister for this?” Lisa chuckled. “I do, but I want you. We’ve clicked so well, and Owen absolutely adores you as a friend. Plus, I need someone who can keep me sane through all the wedding madness.” Luna felt a warmth spread in her chest. “Wow… I’m honored, Lisa. Of course, I’ll do it.” “Great! I’ll send you the details soon.” Lisa hesitated for a moment before adding playfully, “Oh, and you have to bring a plus one.” Luna let out an amused snort. “A plus on
Sebastian’s tight grip on the steering wheel did not ease. Luna’s words echoed in his mind.A plus one. It was a simple request. Harmless. Yet, it caught him off guard in a way he hadn’t anticipated. Luna's sigh could be heard as she leaned back into her seat. “ You heard me.” She simply stated in response to his question. Sebastian tried to steady his breath. He couldn't understand why he felt clammy and nervous. It was just a request. Or was it an ask? “Are you asking me to be your plus one or are you telling me to be your plus one?” Sebastian inquired, confusion evident in his voice. Luna chuckled. “Is there a difference? They both serve the same purpose, do they not?” She glanced at Sebastian briefly. Silence. It was thick and hung over their heads.Sebastian's initial instinct was to decline. It wasn’t because he disliked social events—though he certainly avoided them these days—but because the invitation carried an unspoken weight. He had spent years erecting specific ba
“Luna. Hi. Sorry for the late call.” Owen's voice was raspy. He sounded ill. Luna was immediately alarmed.“Owen. Is everything alright? You sound different…..unwell.” Luna pointed out. A series of guttural coughs invaded the receiver on Luna's end. This was followed by a round of bated breaths as Owen tried to regain his composure.“Yeah. Luna. I'm okay. Just recovering from a bout of fever. Don't worry, the storm is past. Just the occasional coughs.” Owen explained.Luna's anxiety was reduced only by a fraction. Owen could still sense her anxiety. “I'm serious. Don't worry. In a few days, I'd be as right as rain. Let me go straight to my reason for calling. Lisa informed me that that she has selected you as her chief bridesmaid. She said that you agreed to it. I just wanted to call to confirm that you were actually okay with that decision. I know how impulsive Lisa can be.” Owens’voice was soft. Luna chuckled. “Really? Honestly, I was skeptical about her choice, but I realized t
Luna walked towards the door slowly. Another frantic knock threatened to break down the door. With shaky breaths, she stealthily walked towards the door and focused her eye through the peephole. She sighed in relief. It was Lisa.“Damn! Lisa. You nearly scared me to death. What's up with the frantic knocks?” Luna breathed out as she opened the door to allow Lisa in. Without a word, Lisa rushed past her and towards the toilet. A few seconds later, she was walked out of the toilet, drying her hands with a hand towel. A playful grin on her face.“Luna. Sorry for the drama. I have been trying to call your phone for hours. It hasn't been connecting. I knew that you were enroute but I had no idea whether you had landed. I just checked in with the receptionist and she told me that you had arrived. I had to come see for myself.” Lisa explained, anxiety written all over her face. Luna smiled. Lisa's concerns were heartwarming. “ Sorry for not reaching out to tell you about my arrival. Shit!
Lisa's words hung in the air like a dust cloud threatening to consume the inhabitants of the room.Wordlessly, Luna stood up from the bed and walked towards the little kitchen that was sequestered in a corner of the room. The coffee machine was already filled with hot coffee. She poured some into two tea cups. Turning to face Lisa, she noticed that Lisa had left the bay windows. She was now seated on one corner of the bed, her hands fidgeting with the hems of her gown. Luna walked over to her and handed her a cup of coffee. She sat down near her and wordlessly sipped from her own cup. The silence continued.Suddenly, Lisa drew in a quick breath. “Luna. I'm so sorry. I don't know why I said that. I shouldn't have….I….” Lisa's voice tapered off. Luna turned to her, placing a steady hand on her shoulder. “No need to apologize. We all go through emotional tussles. It's fine. I understand.” Luna's voice was soft and encouraging, like a sister who was consoling another. Lisa sipped ging
“Damn! Lisa was right.” Luna whispered to herself as she threw herself on her bed after a long day of wedding preparations. The big day before D-Day.Luna was tired. Her head was banging and she didn't have the strength to drag herself to take a shower. She needed a minute to reactivate her muscles. Thinking about her experiences that day only brought her more misery. Flashback: 12 hours agoThe day started slowly. With the other bridesmaids in attendance, Luna escorted Lisa to the designer who was in charge of trimming and streamlining Lisa's wedding gown. It escalated into a gruesome process of measuring, fitting, additions and removals of fabrics. Luna was exasperated. Along the line, the other designers who were in charge of the bridesmaids' dresses also came for their own rounds of fittings, measurements, additions and removals. At the end of it all, Luna was starting to feel irritable and itchy. However, she didn't show it on her face. After the dress fittings, they trooped i
Two Months After The Shootout The courtroom had been silent when the judge read the sentence. Life Imprisonment Alexander Mason, once a feared man, had sat expressionless as the verdict was delivered. His fate had been sealed—the culmination of years of crime, deceit, and brutality. The United States government had wasted no time in securing his extradition. The evidence against him was overwhelming: the murder of Jake Morgan and Jung Yen, the torture and grievous bodily harm inflicted on Sebastian’s mother, Luna, Lin and his funding of a terrorist cell (Black Sentinel).There had been no grand farewell or dramatic objection from him; just a simple nod as the gavel came down, condemning him to a lifetime behind bars. His reign of terror had ended. In the weeks that followed, Thomas and Sebastian worked closely with the local authorities in Vietnam. With Alexander gone, the Black Sentinel crumbled, their remaining members either arrested or fleeing into the unknown. The contraban
Five Hours EarlierThe convoy moved steadily along the winding dirt road, a line of black Humvees and trucks kicking up clouds of dust under the gaze of the moon. Inside one of them, Sebastian sat with his hands bound, his jaw clenched. Lin and Luna sat beside him, equally restrained. Across from them, Alexander Mason sat, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Sebastian had expected many things when Alexander’s men had dragged Luna, Lin and him, bagged their heads and tossed them into the van, but the sight that greeted him when he had reoriented himself was not one of them. The moment his eyes landed on her, his breath caught in his throat.“Mum?” His voice cracked, disbelief rendering him momentarily frozen. Her eyes widened, and before anyone could react, Sebastian lunged forward, pulling her into his arms. Her thin frame trembled as she clung to him fiercely, her silent sobs shaking her body. “You’re alive.” Sebastian whispered, as he deepened the hug.Alexander chuckl
Thomas adjusted his night-vision binoculars and focused on the camp below. Locating the camp after Jasper's direction wasn't hard, coupled with the fact that they had high-tech surveillance devices. The camp was a hive of activity, armed personnels moving swiftly in all directions. From their vantage point, he and his team had a clear view of the entire setup. The black tent in the center caught his attention again. Jasper had been clear. That was where Sebastian's mother was being held.However, getting into the camp wasn't going to be easy. It was heavily guarded and its location in the centre of the camp was a tactical nightmare. Thomas arched his brow as he noticed a pattern. There was a tall, bearded man, immaculately dressed, who strolled leisurely around the camp. As he walked, soldiers paused and slightly bowed to him in respect. This led Thomas to believe that the man held some sort of high authority. He was definitely the top dog in the camp, the shot caller. Thomas zoo
Sebastian’s head hung low, blood dripping from his temple. His wrists were raw from the metal shackles that bound him to the wooden post. His body screamed with pain from the beatings, but he had endured worse. He would not break. He just hoped that Jasper had been able to escape and call for help.Lin was slumped beside him, barely conscious. Her face was swollen, her lip split open. They had fought. They had endured.With a venomous stare, he spat out a lump of blood on the boot of his torturer. The torturer was a bulky, dark man who had been tuning them up for days in search of information. He had proven to be an unyielding captor, and the fact that Sebastian and Lin refused to talk infuriated him. A knock vibrated the door. The torturer's attention snapped to the door. He had instructed his minions not to interrupt him whenever he was at work. With an irritated voice, he snapped.“Who's there?” He bellowed.No response.Sebastian and Lin exchanged weak glances. They were glad fo
Jasper’s breath came in ragged gasps as he sprinted through the dense undergrowth. Twigs snapped underfoot, branches tore at his arms, and the darkness seemed to press against him from all sides. After running and simultaneously scanning his environment for hours, he had done it.He had escaped the camp.But now what? Realization dawned on him. Adrenaline had driven him out of the camp, but now that the rush was fading, reality set in.Where the hell was he?The jungle was vast and like a green void. He had no compass, no map, and no idea how far he had run. He sighed as he mentally facepalmed himself.He had been so reckless.How was he going to locate the shore where the boat had been hidden?He forced himself to keep moving. There was no turning back. As the hours stretched into days, Jasper’s pace slowed. His legs burned, his lips cracked from dehydration, and his stomach twisted painfully from hunger. No food. No water. The sun was relentless, beating down on him thro
Jasper had begun to believe his father had abandoned him again. Days had passed without any word from him. It was therefore surprising when his father strode into his tent on a cold evening. His father stood at the entrance of the tent, a smug look on his face. Jasper hated how unaffected Alexander looked. He clenched his fists. “Where are my friends?” “They’re fine.” His father replied him, his voice devoid of emotion.Jasper studied him. He didn't believe anything he said.“I want to see them.” His father exhaled through his nose. “That won’t be happening.” Before Jasper could retort, Alexander held up a hand to cut him short. “I didn't come here to banter words with you. I came here to give you a choice.” Jasper’s jaw tightened. “What choice?” “You leave this island. Tomorrow morning, a helicopter will arrive. You’ll board it, and you’ll forget you ever saw me.” Jasper stared at him in disbelief and confusion.“Excuse me?” He inquired.“You heard me.” Jasper let out
Two days passed by in quick succession. Ever since Alexander stormed out of the tent, he hadn't returned. The only people who had entered and left the tent were the nurse who came to change his bandage and the maids who came to drop off food and water for Jasper and the strange woman I'm the corner. Two days confined in a space with a mute woman who was like a lifeless husk—unwilling to socialize. The morning of the third day, Alexander decided to bless Jasper with his presence. Jasper sat on the edge of his chair, his father’s piercing gaze locking onto him like a predator studying its prey. Without any form of pleasantries, Alexander decided to swoop in for the kill. “Let’s try this again.” He said, his voice calm but firm. “My apologies. I wasn't entirely honest with you. Your friend Jung is in custody, that you already know. However, we also managed to capture two other people plus the commando-lady we picked up two weeks ago. They've already been questioned and I have to give i
Jasper groaned as he stirred, pain radiating from his injured leg. His mind was foggy, the lingering effects of morphine dulling his senses. As his mind cleared, the first thing he registered was the smell of roasted coffee beans. Last time he checked, they weren't on a vacation island which provides luxuries like hot frothy coffee. With a huff, he sat up and properly assessed his surroundings. He was in a tent, that much he could deduce. The tent was well furnished, two plush couches arranged perpendicular to each other, a large shiny oak table in the centre, maps and documents spread across it, expensive-looking artworks propped up against the foot of the tent and another king-sized bed situated in the opposite corner of the tent. Glancing at his foot, he noticed that it had been neatly wrapped up with clean bandages. He sighed.His nostrils traced the source of the coffee smell. It came from a coffee pot which was placed on a tray with cups on a table in the corner of the tent. T
From the shadows, figures emerged. At least five of them, dressed in a mixture of camouflage and dark clothing, their faces partially covered with cloth. Each one wielded a weapon—rifles, machetes, even crossbows.The leader, a tall man with a bald head, stepped closer. Unlike the other men, he didn't cover his face with a cloth. From the slant of his eyes, he seemed to be of oriental origin. However, his English was surprisingly clear and well-pronounced. “Who are you? And what are you doing on this island?” His voice boomed and reverberated around the forest floor. Sebastian's mind whirled as he tried to figure out the best way out of their current predicament. Looking at the men, it was evident that they weren't government military personnels; instead, they looked like the pirates that Lin had warned them about. Sebastian exchanged a tense glance with Luna. He knew one thing for certain. They were in serious trouble.“We are researchers, on a research mission to uncover the w