While the world slept in peaceful silence beneath the silver glow of the full moon, a girl limped down a tree-shrouded road, her breath shallow, her eyes wide with fear.
The night was still, almost too still — as if the darkness itself held its breath.
Barefoot and trembling, she stumbled forward, her long shadow chasing her in the moonlight. Her heart pounded like a drumbeat in her ears, drowning out the rustle of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPhblwetoB
She kept looking over her shoulder, her eyes scanning the darkness behind her — as if something, or someone, was following her.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhtHspA1ve
The road was empty, but her terror made it feel crowded — with memories, with danger, with whispers that only she could hear. The echo of police sirens still rang in her ears — distant, yet sharp enough to stab through the silence of the night. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu050aydNH1
She kept running, her steps uneven, her breaths short and panicked. She didn’t know where she was… or where she was going. All she knew was that she had to keep moving. Terror had taken full control of her body. Her legs were trembling, her throat was dry, and despite the biting cold of the winter night, sweat trickled down her forehead and spine. Her clothes clung to her skin — damp, heavy, and cold. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkkzbeQ9n3
Her mind was a blur, flashing only one desperate thought: “Don’t stop. Don’t let them catch you.” But the darkness stretched endlessly ahead, and every shadow seemed like a threat waiting to pounce.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHgtgX4JtY
Suddenly, headlights cut through the darkness like knives — a car was approaching.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3nQFMilCk
Her breath hitched. Without a second thought, she darted off the road and threw herself behind a cluster of trees, the cold earth biting into her knees as she crouched low. She didn’t dare move. She pressed herself tightly against the bark, clutching her bag to her chest as if it were her only lifeline — because it was.............. Inside that worn, dirt-stained bag was everything.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLR35ubWCR
Everything that could save her.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4pD08XY6X
Everything that could prove she wasn’t guilty.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UhRg76M03
Everything they would kill to hide.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXDCeitZdM
Her pulse thudded in her ears louder than the car engine now rolling past. She didn’t blink. She didn’t breathe. The night was still again, but her world was anything but. Clutching the bag tightly in her hands, she shut her eyes — trying to block out the world, but her mind betrayed her. Images from just hours ago came crashing back like a tidal wave. She could still hear it. Her grandfather’s voice — broken, desperate, screaming in her ear:31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gTWzIwmZ8
“Run! Save yourself! Go, now!”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vnfdSoL9P
The memory tore through her like a blade. His cries echoed in her head, louder than the wind, sharper than the cold. Her chest rose and fell with shaky breaths, her nails digging into the fabric of the bag like it was the only thing keeping her anchored to this moment. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. She couldn’t afford to break now. She was alive. But at what cost? Instead of returning to the road, she rose slowly from behind the trees and turned toward the forest. The shadows between the trees felt safer than the headlights of any car. She knew it was dangerous. The woods were cold, wild, and full of unknowns. But something about the road — exposed, open, vulnerable — felt far more terrifying. At least in the forest, she could disappear. Each step into the underbrush was like stepping deeper into another world — a world of rustling leaves, whispering branches, and hidden things that watched from the dark. But she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTUzDF3nXu
“Better to face the night than the people hunting me,” 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkAA6BlEt8
she thought, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth. She would find a place to hide.... Somewhere no one would look.....31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVXKWz8Q0T
Somewhere she could breathe… at least for a little while.
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4x0qD343a0
..........................................
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnWF0L42lI
It was a lavish TV lounge — quiet, dimly lit, soaked in the golden glow of the fireplace. Through the tall glass window, one could see a man sitting with his back to the world, facing the flickering flames.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eFqL6KLWl
He didn’t turn. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPCO1vpzkV
Not even as the television behind him blared breaking news, filled with urgency and chaos. His posture was calm. Too calm. A half-burnt cigar rested between his fingers, its smoke curling lazily into the air like it had nowhere to be. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyy4ywoFHx
His other hand rested on the armrest, fingers tapping slowly — rhythmically, like a man lost in deep calculation.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxibNsyjuO
His face remained hidden in shadow, but his silence spoke volumes. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa94e3LUXjb
Not a flinch. Not a word.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQgHN2uxd5B
As if the chaos on screen… had nothing to do with him.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OxN0fVaMJ
Suddenly, the phone on the sleek glass coffee table beside him began to ring.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7hYanpIsr
He didn’t glance at the screen. With practiced ease, he tapped to answer and switched on the speaker.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeRkf6CDX0
His voice broke the silence — deep, commanding, and laced with restrained fury. "I’ve seen the news. What happened… is deeply unfortunate. Find the girl. Fast. She’s the only one who can tell us how one of our most loyal, long-standing agents ended up dead." He didn’t wait for a reply.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1VT2atdSG
Before the voice on the other end could respond, he ended the call with a swift tap —then stood up, the dying cigar dropping into the ashtray like a period at the end of a sentence.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjD5Lk6v0lT
He moved toward the window, standing still as the night outside stared back at him. His hands slid into the pockets of his tailored trousers, his broad shoulders rising and falling with a quiet breath.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9c4pEjgQ6
Then, for the first time — his face came into view. Jet-black hair swept neatly back from his forehead, revealing intense, dark eyes lost in thought. His features were sharp and striking — a perfectly carved jawline, a high-bridged nose, and skin fair and smooth, almost glowing under the soft light.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAXgOkiuRt
He was tall — towering at 6’3" — with a naturally powerful build that hinted at both strength and discipline.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFuWSc7sKK
A man of beauty… and danger. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKiwmnH14c
But in this moment, he wasn't thinking about power or appearance. He stared through the glass into the dark beyond, his mind caught in a web of questions… and perhaps something deeper.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNV2k04R80d
He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling with a hint of frustration. Without another thought, he grabbed his phone, scrolling through the contacts. His finger paused at the very first name in the list, and with a steady hand, he tapped it. The phone rang. He sat back, eyes fixed ahead, waiting for the other side to pick up 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNC9wfans9
Suddenly, a groggy, annoyed voice came through the phone, thick with sleep and irritation. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3jkc9pccy
"Grayson, seriously? It’s not necessary for you to be awake at this hour. Normal people are asleep right now, not running around at 2 AM." 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoXCNDbmMl
The voice on the other end sounded like someone who had just been pulled from a deep sleep — disoriented, yet unmistakably familiar.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0t8brAMvlV
Grayson knew this tone all too well. Max Bennett, always half-awake but never without a quick comment. Grayson’s lips curled into a smirk. Grayson let out a light chuckle, his voice calm but carrying a sharp edge.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgU6e8rIlF
"When did you become the ‘good guy’?" “And come on, you're my friend. You know that aside from you, I don’t talk to anyone with this much... carelessness.”31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogy1uTsWcE
The sarcasm in his tone was unmistakable — a mix of teasing and a hint of deeper meaning. It was a strange comfort, this banter with Max, even in the middle of chaos.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPm7kotX0PX
Max let out a dramatic sigh and replied, 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEkX76al9V
"This is what I get for being your one and only best friend, huh? First, you wake me up in the middle of the night… and now this. People say a wife makes your life miserable, but here my best friend is trying his best to fill that role himself!"31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgOMRr3Rcv
His voice was teasing, full of mock misery — but it was clear he was used to this. Grayson calling at odd hours? Typical. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkECgROyX6M
"Get to the point, buddy," Max mumbled, half-asleep, "I didn’t lose my beauty sleep just to have a midnight romance with you. So if you’re done with the sweet talk, can we please talk business now?"31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwO1Rog1mV
His tone was dry, playful, and filled with that lazy annoyance only a true friend could get away with. He shifted under his blanket, clearly still clinging to the last bits of sleep.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRl2YdMIBFI
Grayson gave a small shake of his head — the kind that said “There’s no saving this guy” — and replied in a cool, effortless tone,31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRYrKozqau
"Let’s go hunting tomorrow. It’s been a while since the two brothers went on a proper chase together. So… what do you say? 7 a.m.?"31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQl90ZzLDN
As he spoke, he walked back to the single-seater sofa in front of the fireplace — the same place he had been sitting a while ago — and sank into it again, his voice steady, eyes glowing with something deeper. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReDIVSbQqw
Max let out a sleepy grunt in response… and then fell silent.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJkE3w6gwhq
Grayson didn’t wait for more. He ended the call without another word, slid the phone into his pocket, and stood up.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBZ0Ubc4Sg
With calm, measured steps, he walked out of the TV lounge and towards the staircase leading upward. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBgMWs2LGN
The house was warm and peaceful — a stark contrast to the cold night outside — thanks to the soft hum of the central heating. Upstairs, he walked down the hallway and stepped into the room directly across from his own.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoJMBz1vVZ
It was a space unlike any other in the house — lined with weapons that gleamed under soft ceiling lights. Expensive rifles, handguns, and rare collector pieces hung neatly on the walls, each displayed with care.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwptqyhmlY
But it didn’t take a trained eye to know — these weren’t just for show.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutLPPFxDaz
There were subtle signs: worn grips, faint scratches, a few cases left slightly ajar. These guns had history. They had been used.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUC4oWl7ez
And the man standing in the middle of it all?31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuF3kEAfus
He knew exactly how to use every single one of them. Grayson’s eyes scanned the array of weapons before him, a brief moment of admiration for the precision and power they represented.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUd6aEqxBDs
His gaze landed on a particular rifle — the Sako 90S Adventure. He reached out and carefully lifted it, inspecting the sleek metal and well-crafted design.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjMEEeZ7mD
This was his weapon of choice for tomorrow's hunt. The perfect balance of power, precision, and reliability.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlAOPnPGno
"Tomorrow," he muttered to himself, running a finger along the barrel, "it’ll be this one."31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsT2kmqOrid
The feeling of the gun in his hands was familiar, like an old friend ready for action. Grayson could already picture Max’s sulky face after losing — and just the thought of it made him smirk.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhWSklRbmQ
There was a special kind of satisfaction in beating Max, especially when it came to hunting. And teasing him afterward? That was the real prize.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSccbEHfQyE
They had been best friends since childhood, and everyone in the agency knew it well. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gpwHRpFn4
Their bond wasn’t just strong — it was legendary.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2becjy0lH
No matter how serious things got, there was always room for a little mischief between the two. And tomorrow, Grayson planned to enjoy every second of it. With a soft smile still playing on his lips, Grayson set the rifle back in its place and quietly closed the door to the weapon room.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUycnTKegn
He walked into his bedroom — a space that reflected both discipline and comfort.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmApsEVmuYu
On either side of the entrance, shelves lined the walls, filled with books of all kinds. A couch sat nearby, perfect for late-night reading or quiet thinking.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOY7W3RDJd9
He stepped in, shut the door behind him, and made his way to the bookshelf. Picking up a book that had been left on the table, he carefully slid it back into its place. Then, with a quiet sigh, he moved to the bed and lay down.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXznpyk2eC
The room was softly lit by wall lamps placed strategically around, casting a warm golden hue. Hanging above the bed was a grand, elegant chandelier that added a touch of timeless beauty.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7KUn6Adl4
On the bedside table to his left sat a framed photo of him and Max — a frozen memory of laughter and brotherhood.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolaq1Rz7Sf
On the other side, another frame stood silently: a picture of his parents...........That was it.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlZ2KLETVu
His people. His home. His heart. 31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMT7RRv7dMj
He pulled the blanket over himself, letting the warmth settle in around him. With his eyes closed, the weight of the day slowly melted away.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPr1s9DAe5
The quiet hum of the heater, the soft glow of the lamps, and the comfort of familiar memories all wrapped around him like a lullaby.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDsjhFxD7q
And soon...31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkaz74d7RYS
Grayson was fast asleep.31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaiyyMC8Zc
...................................................31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3T2vW5cbV3
31Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQo9NWzmQO
→ Request update
and then Add to home screen.