An eerie feeling permeated the whole mansion. The house shook as Jasper thundered down the staircase and out the front door. Fury boiled in his veins as he approached the front gate, where the two security guards stood uneasily, exchanging nervous glances.“Why the hell did you let her leave?!” Jasper roared, his voice carrying across the driveway.“Sir,” one of the guards started, his tone defensive but respectful, “She insisted. She said she needed to go, and we didn’t think it was our place to—”“Your place? Your job contract literally states that you are responsible for whoever comes in and goes out of the gate.” Jasper barked, his fists clenching. “What do I pay you for? To stand around while my wife walks out?”“Sir,” the other guard interjected, “she was very upset. She even threatened to call the police if we didn’t comply. We couldn't hold her against her will.”Jasper exhaled sharply, his anger giving way to a gnawing fear that settled in his chest. He turned away from the g
The clock on the wall ticked louder than usual, filling the suffocating silence of the empty house.“Good day sir. You are home early” greeted Ariel, with confusion evident on her face. Her boss had never arrived home in the middle of a work day before. “Ariel, please I want you to think very carefully. Do you know any place where Luna might seek shelter?” Jasper asked with a worried tone. He tried to hide his worry, but he could only do so much.Ariel knew that Luna was probably with her sick mother. But she didn't want to divulge that information to Jasper. At least not yet. She was in a dilemma. “No sir. I don't know anybody or any place where she might be holed up in. She never talked about her private life, so I don't know whose house she might seek refuge in”Ariel said. She felt bad, lying to her boss was painful, especially after seeing the troubled look on his face. But she has no choice. Luna wanted to keep her sick mother out of the picture. And she decided to respect Luna
The car jerked to a sudden halt. Jasper was pulled out of his reverie. He had been lost in thought.“Apologies sir. But we have arrived at the destination.” Luke said, with a tinge of remorse in his voice. Jasper looked out the window and tried to acquaint himself with the new environment he found himself in.The place was not the highbrow neighbourhoods he was used to. As an upperclassman, he was uncomfortable with his present location. He stepped outside the car and looked around.The atmosphere exuded a raw and unpolished vibe. The air was heavy with a mix of odours- fried food and cigarette smoke lingered in the air. The street was narrow and lined on both sides by cars, his car being the newest model. He was aware of the stares from onlookers who were conscious of his arrival.“Here goes nothing.” Jasper silently reassured himself. “Stay in the car Luke and be on the lookout. I don't feel comfortable here. I'd try to round up as quickly as I can.” Jasper instructed.He took out
“Damn! Luna open the door. We need to talk” Jasper rasped. He had been knocking for ten minutes and Luna hadn’t opened the door again. His knuckles were throbbing. “I'm going to keep knocking until your neighbours intervene. Do you really want to be in the spotlight like that?” Jasper questioned. He was determined to hash out whatever issues he had with Luna.He raised his hand again to knock. Before his knuckle could make contact with the door, it was thrown open. An angry Luna stood on the other side of the door with her hair disheveled. She glared at Jasper. “What do you want from me? Leave me alone. I quit. I resign. I forfeit. Whatever terminology rocks your boat!” She retorted. Jasper's heart contracted. He felt a sharp pain. He was clearly hurt by her outburst. It felt like he was a predator that didn't know when to let up and walk away. However, he decided to overlook her outburst and his pain. “ Anything to repair this damage.” He swore silently to himself.“Can I at leas
The hum of the air conditioner was the only sound in the dimly lit room. The sun was setting, Luna stood by the window, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. “We need to talk.” She whispered. She could hear Jasper move around on the couch. She turned to face him.Jasper was tense. His usually composed demeanor was replaced with something raw.“What do you want to talk about?” he asked softly.Luna walked back to get a seat, opposite him. She sat down and put her hands on her knees.“After much consideration, I have decided to back out of the contract.” Luna said, her voice clipped. “No doubt, it's going to hurt. Because I really needed the cash for my mum's treatment. But there's only so much that a person can take.” She admitted. Jasper's eyes were searching hers. “You want to prematurely terminate the contract?” Luna shook her head. Her hands clutched her knees. “Yes. I know you said that a contract is legally binding and a breach is enough ground for legal actions to be tak
The car was quiet. The only sounds were from the three inhabitants of the vehicle as they breathed in and out. Luke was paying close attention to the road, trying to navigate the way to the house. The rain made this a difficult feat. It was raining cats and dogs. Jasper and Luna sat in the back seats. Jasper was tapping away at his phone screen. He seemed busy.“He's probably catching up with some office duties which he has deferred.” Luna thought to herself. She looked outside through the window and saw the heavy downpour of rain battering the outside world. The weather reflected her mood. Jasper raised his head from his phone. He looked towards Luna. She seemed lost in thought. Her coat was pulled tightly around her, and her gaze was fixed on the sights outside the window. His heart ached at the sight. She looked so small, so alone.He put his phone away and reached for her right hand which was on the car seat. She jerked at the contact and looked at him shockingly. He smiled at h
Luna's heart was a mishmash. As Jasper strolled past her into the room, she could smell his aftershave. She could tell that he had just showered.“He should be in bed now. Not here. In my room.” Luna thought to herself. She closed the door behind her, heaved a sigh and turned to face Jasper. The room was quiet except for the faint rustle of the curtains. Jasper stood near the window, his silhouette tall and domineering. Luna watched him from the door, her heart aching with the weight of their recent struggles and the quiet joy of their reconciliation.She closed the gap between them, but she still felt far away. No words were said.“Jasper, you should be in your bed by now. You need to rest. I know you postponed a lot of work today in order to look for me.” she murmured, her voice soft but steady.Jasper turned to her. There was something raw in his gaze, almost primal. “I’m done torturing myself.” he said, his voice low and gravelly. “I’ve come to realize that my feelings for you ar
As the soft morning light filtered into the bedroom, Luna stirred. She reached across the bed, her fingers brushing against the empty side. Jasper was gone. She immediately sat up, panic and fear strewn across her face. When she saw the neatly folded piece of paper on the bedside table, her panic skyrocketed.“Are we going to have this dance again?” Luna asked herself.She picked up the paper, unfolded it and read its contents with bated breaths."Good morning, sunshine. I couldn't bear to wake you up. You looked so peaceful. I'm off to work. I have a backlog of meetings and appointments to deal with. Last night was very good. The best actually. This is me being upfront about my feelings. You’re important to me Luna, and I promise to cherish every moment we have. Have a beautiful day. Yours always, Jasper."A goofy smile spread across her face. She held the note to her heart, letting his words sink in.Her feet hit the floor with renewed determination. She showered and got dressed.
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