Darno had always been considered one of the strongest members of the Fortis Group when it came to combat ability. Everyone knew that, and no one argued the point. His physical strength and precision made him one of the best. Yet there were some things about Darno that most people overlooked, small details buried beneath the obvious.
For one, he was always the last to leave the training rooms. Day after day, even when the others had already washed up and gone home, Darno stayed. He pushed through drills until his muscles screamed, until sweat soaked his clothes, until there was no one left to spar against but his own reflection. Because of this habit, he was always the last to take a shower, the last to dress, and the last to leave the changing rooms.
For Darno, today was no different. He had gone through the same routine, put on his uniform just like everyone else, and headed toward the reception at his usual, casual pace.
Everyone should be done with the issue by the time I get there, right? Darno thought. But I should still show up, otherwise I’ll get in trouble. I got the highest grading along with that Wolf guy, so my pay is higher than the others. But I can already see Max looking for any reason to cut my paycheck.
It was with that thought that he stepped into the elevator and began his descent. While the rest of the Fortis members had already rushed to their positions, spreading out across the building in trained formations, Darno took his time. Their drills always prepared for situations where an intruder needed to be caught inside, but Darno had no idea what kind of chaos he was about to walk into.
When the elevator doors opened, the sight before him was so absurd that he would never have believed it if someone had described it.
The Fortis Group employees were locked in combat against what looked like a biker gang, their black clothes and blunt weapons crashing violently against shields and armor. In the middle of the reception, the new receptionist, Sheri, was being held under the arm of a broad, powerful man who stood tall above the chaos.
"What the f*ck is going on?" Darno demanded, his voice carrying across the noise.
"Darno!" one of the chiefs shouted desperately. "Go get the girl! They’re after her, don’t worry about us!"
For Jett, the man carrying Sheri, the appearance of someone new from the elevator barely registered. This wasn’t the red-haired target, the one that truly mattered. To Jett, Darno was just another guard, another obstacle. He kept walking toward the exit without sparing him more than a glance.
"Hey!" Darno called again, anger lacing his voice. "What do you think you’re doing?"
One of the Black Hounds rushed him, swinging a bat toward his face. Darno leaned back in time, letting the swing cut through empty air before slamming against the floor. Before the attacker could recover, Darno snapped his leg upward, kicking the man square in the face. The impact cracked through the lobby.
He expected the fight to be over in that single strike. Normally, an opponent wouldn’t get up after something like that. But this man staggered, shook his head, and came at him again, gripping the bat as though nothing had happened.
Darno’s eyes narrowed. These weren’t ordinary thugs.
The man charged again, swinging down with the bat, but Darno was ready. He raised his hands in a circular stance, one above, one below, and when the weapon came down, he twisted, snapping it in two. In the same motion, his fist lashed out and drove straight into the man’s chest. The guard flew back, this time not getting up, lying crumpled on the tiles.
These guys... they’re not ordinary, Darno realized. He got up after my kick to the face. No wonder the others are struggling.
Darno had never expected to use his true skills in a job like this. The Fortis Group was meant to be about routine. Discipline. Following orders. He had always thought his real power would never be called for. But now, in this chaos, it was exactly what the situation demanded.
He started moving toward Jett again, fists clenched.
"Wait! Stop! Put that girl down!" Darno shouted. "Do you really want to get into serious trouble?"
But before he could reach him, two more of the Black Hounds stepped into his path.
One of them swung a bike chain at his head. Darno leaned back just enough to feel the rush of air past his face. But as he avoided the chain, the second man struck with a brass-knuckled fist, driving it hard into Darno’s gut. Pain exploded across his ribs, but he didn’t go down. The man swung again, this time aiming for Darno’s head, but Darno caught the fist mid-swing. His hand locked tight, fingers squeezing the knuckles.
The chain came again from the other side, snapping toward his skull. Darno’s other hand shot out, catching the links of the weapon before it could connect. His teeth clenched, but his grip didn’t falter.
"That freaking hurt!" Darno growled, his voice rising with a mix of fury and exhilaration. He yanked the chain down with one arm and dragged the fist with the other, pulling both men off balance and ready to crush them together.
For a moment, he almost smiled. This, this was what he had been waiting for. He was strong, talented, filled with power, and for so long he had been stuck in a role where none of it mattered. But now? Now he could finally use it.
With a twist of his arm, Darno snapped one of the Black Hounds’ forearms. The scream cut through the noise of the lobby. Darno tore the bike chain from the man’s grip and swung it in one brutal arc. The heavy metal links smashed against the bald head of the second attacker, splitting the skin in a straight, bloody line.
Behind him, the fight between the guards and the Black Hounds continued in a storm of shouts and strikes. But Jett ignored it all. He carried Sheri through the automatic doors and into the open air. He was finally outside. The only thing left to do was make it to his car and leave with her.
Only someone stood in his way.
A man in a suit.
Jett’s brow furrowed. "You don’t look like you’re part of those inside," he said.
"I’m not," NA answered. His voice was calm, his eyes locked on Jett.