As Sam stepped onto the gritty ground of the military base, the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows that danced across the concrete. He felt a familiar rush of anticipation mixed with exhaustion from a long day. Just inside the entrance, he spotted Kevin, leaning casually against the wall, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Did you see her?” Kevin asked, his voice a blend of eagerness and urgency.

“Yes,” Sam replied, a grin breaking across his face. “You were right—she’s stunning.”

“I told you,” Kevin said with a smirk, clearly pleased with himself.

Sam raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were on duty at the tower?”

“My shift ended ages ago. I couldn’t resist coming back here,” Kevin admitted, glancing around as if the base itself held secrets.

“Dude, I have to run. It’s getting late, and I need to give the captain my report,” Sam replied, already feeling the weight of responsibility settling back onto his shoulders.

“Sure, catch you later. But have you seen Clay? I can't find him anywhere,” Kevin asked, his brow furrowing.

“I saw him yesterday. He wasn’t feeling unwell, so he said he was going to sleep. Check his room; he might be in there. Anyway, I’ve got to go. See you!” Sam waved as he hurried toward the captain's office.

He knocked on the door with a sense of urgency.

“Come in,” the captain’s voice called from within.

Sam pushed the door open, stepping into a room filled with the scent of old paper and ink. The captain sat behind a sturdy oak desk, shuffling through paperwork, his brow furrowed in concentration.

“Is the job done?” the captain asked, looking up.

“Yes, sir. It’s done,” Sam replied, standing at attention.

“Good. What took you so long? Don’t tell me you had trouble with some wild animal,” the captain said, a hint of skepticism in his tone.

“No, sir. There were no wild animals, but I did encounter a bandit attacking Jeff.”

“A bandit, you say?” The captain leaned back, concern etched on his face. “There’s been a spike in crime lately. What happened to him?”

Sam swallowed hard. “He’s dead, sir.”

“Nothing we can do now. You’re free to go.” The captain waved him off but then added, “Wait, I almost forgot. I need you to take Kai into town tomorrow. He needs new clothes; we can’t have him looking like a street kid. Don’t worry about the money; I’ll give you some.”

The captain handed Sam a handful of bills, and with a quick nod, Sam responded, “Yes, sir,” before exiting the office.

In the hallway, Sam’s thoughts drifted to Kai. **I should check on him before I turn in for the night.** He made his way to room 108, knocking softly on the door. When there was no answer, he opened it and peeked inside. Kai lay sprawled on the bed, lost in slumber. Sam closed the door quietly and headed to his own room, number 90.

As he entered, he found Eric sprawled across one of the beds, deeply engrossed in a book. The room was modest, with two separate beds and a shared space that echoed with camaraderie.

“Jeez, man! Knock before you barge in!” Eric exclaimed, looking up with mock annoyance.

Sam plopped down on his bed, shaking his head. “Why bother? We’re just a couple of dudes here. It’s not like you have a girlfriend or anything.”

“What was that?” Eric shot back, feigning confusion.

“Nothing,” Sam said, waving it off. “But there’s something serious I need to discuss.”

Eric set his book aside, sitting up straight. “What’s up?”

“On my mission, I found a guy beating up Jeff. He was looking for us—or, more specifically, for Kai.”

“What did he say his name was?” Eric inquired, his interest piqued.

“He said it was Drake.”

“Why was he looking for us?”

“He didn’t know who sent him, just that he was supposed to find us,” Sam explained, his voice low.

“So what happened to Drake?” Eric pressed, concern creeping into his tone.

“He’s dead. I didn’t want to kill him, but it was self-defense.”

“Maybe it’s for the best; now he can’t report back,” Eric reasoned, but a shadow of worry crossed his face. “But won’t whoever sent him come looking for us?”

“You’re right about that,” Sam replied, sinking back onto his bed.

“It’s getting late. I’m hitting the sack. We can overthink this tomorrow,” Eric said, stretching out.

The next morning, the sun burst through the window, illuminating the room in a warm glow.

“Wake up, wake up! We’re late!” Eric shook Sam urgently.

“What?! Not again! The captain’s going to be furious!” Sam scrambled out of bed, adrenaline kicking in.

As they rushed to make their beds, Eric shouted, “Let’s go!”

“Why didn’t the alarm wake us?” Sam panted, pulling on his clothes.

“I told you that thing is broken! It’s your fault for buying cheap crap!” Eric retorted.

“No time for blame! We need to move!” Sam urged, throwing open the door.

They dashed into the hallway, then suddenly Sam halted. “Kai!”

Eric laughed. “We forgot him!”

They sprinted to room 108, bursting through the door. Kai was still asleep, oblivious to the chaos.

“There’s no time!” Sam exclaimed, shaking him awake.

“Huh?! What’s going on?” Kai gasped, panic washing over him.

“No time to explain. Let’s go!” Sam urged as they all rushed out, Kai still trying to process what was happening.

“Why are we running?” Kai panted as they bolted down the hall.

“Late for training! The captain’s going to be mad!” Sam explained, urgency in his voice.

They skidded to a halt at a door leading to the training ground. Sam and Eric pushed through to find a row of soldiers already assembled, the captain standing before them, his expression thunderous.

“You’re late—again!” the captain boomed, eyes narrowing at the trio.

“But sir, we can explain!” Sam stammered.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. Drop and give me 200 push-ups, and take these.” The captain handed them heavy backpacks filled with rare iron, each weighing nearly 200 kilograms.

“Yes, sir,” Sam and Eric muttered, heads bowed in resignation.

As they began their push-ups, the murmurs of the other soldiers drifted behind them.

“I can’t believe those two are the strongest in the base after the captain,” one soldier whispered.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“You have no idea,” Kevin chimed in from the back.

“I could beat them with my eyes closed,” Clay boasted.

“Yeah, right,” a random guy scoffed.

“1, 2, 3…” Sam counted, the strain evident in his voice.

“1, 2, 3…” Eric echoed, trying to keep pace.

“Now, let me introduce our newest recruit, Kai. Come up and introduce yourself,” the captain called, pointing at Kai.

Kai stepped forward, nerves bubbling within him. “Uh, h-hi! My name is Kai, and I’ll be living here from now on,” he stammered, heart racing.

“A recruit? A kid?” a soldier murmured.

“Don’t let him hear you say that,” another warned.

“Since you’re new, I’ll let you off the hook for being late today,” the captain said, his voice firm. “But don’t let it happen again. For your warm-up, run around the base twice.”

Kai’s heart surged. *I can do this!* “Yes, sir,” he replied.

“Take this.” The captain handed him a backpack weighing 12.5 kilograms.

“It’s heavy,” Kai said, surprised.

“I’m sure you can handle it. But if you stop, you’ll have to start over,” the captain warned, his expression unreadable.

“What?!” Kai’s eyes widened.

“Go!” the captain commanded.

As Kai took off, Sam and Eric struggled through their push-ups.

“77, 78, 79…” Eric grunted.

“76, 77, 78…” Sam counted, sweat dripping down his brow.

Meanwhile, Kai pushed himself, heart racing as he ran, thoughts racing faster. "I want them to see I’m worth keeping around." He focused on the rhythm of his feet against the ground, the weight of the backpack a reminder of his resolve.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally finished the laps, panting heavily. He approached the captain, breathless. “I finished, sir. It wasn’t easy, but I did it.”

“What took you so long? Sam has been waiting for you in the hallway,” the captain replied, a hint of impatience in his tone.

Kai’s mind raced. "What does he want?" “Yes, sir,” he replied, hurrying to the door.

As he stepped into the hallway, he glanced around but didn’t see Sam. "Maybe he’s in his room?" He decided to check there, knocking on the door.

“Come in,” Sam called from inside.

Kai opened the door and stepped into Sam's room, sunlight spilling through the window and illuminating the space. He found Sam sprawled on his bed, looking up with a mix of curiosity and concern.

“The captain said you wanted to see me,” Kai said, his voice a touch nervous.

Sam sat up, the sheets rustling around him. “Yes! What took you so long? It was just two laps. If you’d used physical enhancement, you could’ve finished them in half the time.”

“Physical enhancement? What’s that?” Kai asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Sam hesitated, realizing the gap in Kai’s memory. “Right, you don’t remember. Let me break it down for you. Everyone has something inside them we call energy.”

“Even me?” Kai’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes, even you. But not everyone has the same amount. Some people are packed with energy, while others have less. Judging by your energy, kid, you’ve got plenty, so no need to worry about that. Using physical enhancement is simple: just imagine your energy at the center of your body and let it spread to every part. But you need to control it carefully; if you release it all at once, it won’t work, and you’ll be back at square one. If you pull it off right, it can double your strength.”

“Double?” Kai’s eyes sparkled with intrigue.

“Exactly! Picture this: if you can lift 30 kilograms normally, with this technique, you could lift 60.”

“Wow, that sounds amazing!” Kai exclaimed, his excitement palpable.

“Yeah, and it boosts not just your strength but all your senses—sight, speed, everything,” Sam added, leaning in closer as if sharing a secret.

“I wish I’d known about this sooner; my training would have been so much easier,” Kai said, a hint of regret in his voice.

“But how long you can maintain this technique depends on your energy and control,” Sam cautioned.

“Is that really why you wanted to see me?” Kai asked, hopeful.

“Actually, no. The captain asked me to take you into town to buy you some clothes.”

“Thank you! I don’t have any clothes,” Kai said, his face lighting up with happiness.

“Where’s Eric?” he wondered aloud.

“I don’t know. He might be on a mission or something. Let’s get going,” Sam replied, standing up and grabbing his jacket.

They stepped out of the room and made their way through the base, the air crisp and filled with the sounds of distant training drills. The town was a short walk away, and soon they found themselves strolling along the bustling streets.

As they walked, Kai glanced around, taking in the sights. “Sam?” he began.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve been meaning to ask—what’s up with the eye patch on your right eye?”

Sam touched the patch absentmindedly. “Oh, this? It’s just something that happened a long time ago.”

“So you don’t have your right eye anymore?” Kai asked, curiosity piqued.

“It’s still there, but it’s not the same as my left, so I wear the patch to avoid scaring people,” Sam explained, his tone shifting to something more somber.

“What happened?” Kai pressed gently.

“Let’s just say I made a deal with the wrong thing,” Sam said, his expression darkening.

Kai sensed the weight of a painful memory and quickly shifted the topic. “Are we there yet?”

“Not yet, but we’re close,” Sam replied, a hint of a smile returning.

As they approached the town center, Kai marveled at the throngs of people bustling about. “This place is packed! Is this the main city?”

“No, this is just a town. The main city is much bigger, and that’s where the leader of our country lives,” Sam replied, a sense of pride in his voice.

They finally arrived at a clothing shop. Sam opened the door, and a bell chimed softly as they entered. A cheerful saleswoman approached them.

“Good morning, sir! How can I help you?” she asked, her smile warm and inviting.

“I’d like to buy some clothes for this kid,” Sam said, motioning to Kai.

“Right this way, young sir,” the saleswoman said, directing Kai toward a rack of clothes.

Kai felt a little odd being called “young sir” but followed her lead. After trying on a few outfits, he found ones he liked. Sam paid, and the saleswoman handed over a shopping bag filled with fresh clothes.

“Thanks for everything!” Sam said, and they headed back outside.

As they walked, a grumbling sound erupted from Kai’s stomach. “I haven’t eaten anything since morning. I’m starving!”

“Let’s grab some food,” Sam suggested, leading the way to a nearby restaurant.

They found a table near the window and settled in. Kai placed the shopping bag down and looked up as a waitress approached.

“Can I take your order, sir?” she asked, her notepad ready.

“Yes, I’d like some fried chicken and chips. What about you, kid?” Sam turned to Kai.

“I want meat! Beef!” Kai declared eagerly.

The waitress struggled to suppress a laugh. “Alright, so that’s steak for the young one, along with fresh chips and grape juice.”

“Perfect,” Sam replied, grinning. “That’ll do.”

After a short wait, the waitress returned with their food, placing the steaming dishes on the table. “Fried chicken and chips for you, and steak, fresh chips, and grape juice for the kid.”

“Thanks!” Sam said, handing over some money.

As they dug in, Kai wolfed down his food with remarkable speed. “Jeez, kid, slow down! The food isn’t going anywhere,” Sam chuckled.

“I’m just so hungry!” Kai exclaimed, barely pausing to breathe.

Once they finished, Sam stood. “Let’s head back, but first I need to take care of something.”

“Okay,” Kai replied, curious.

They walked to a small electronics shop and entered. A familiar face greeted them.

“Hey, Jimmy! How you been?” Sam called out, a friendly smile crossing his face.

“Good, good! You know how it is,” Jimmy replied, looking around his cluttered shop.

“I see the place is as messy as ever,” Sam teased.

“Hey, come on! Don’t say that,” Jimmy laughed, brushing off the comment.

Just then, a rat scurried past, causing Kai to jump slightly.

“Don’t worry about that. I have a cat that takes care of them,” Jimmy assured them, waving his hand dismissively.

Kai couldn’t help but think that these two seemed to know each other well.

“Who’s the kid?” Jimmy asked, glancing at Kai.

“I’m Kai,” he introduced himself, standing a little taller.

“Ah, the newest recruit, huh?” Jimmy said with a raised eyebrow. “I guess you guys must be pretty desperate to recruit kids.”

“We’re going to need all the help we can get; crime is on the rise,” Sam replied, his tone turning serious.

“Have you heard about the serial killer on the loose?” Jimmy asked, concern creeping into his voice.

“No, I haven’t,” Sam said, frowning.

“I’ll look around,” Kai said, eager to explore.

“Just don’t wander too far, or you’ll get lost,” Sam warned, watching as Kai stepped away.

As Kai began to browse, Jimmy turned back to Sam. “So, why are you really here?”

“Oh, right! The alarm clock you sold me—it doesn’t work,” Sam said, irritation creeping into his voice.

“Easy there; no need to get angry. Did you bring it?” Jimmy asked, his tone calm.

“Uh, no. I forgot,” Sam admitted, feeling a bit sheepish.

As Kai wandered the streets, a sudden sound pierced the air—a desperate cry that sent a chill down his spine.

"What was that?" he thought, instinctively turning toward the alley where the noise originated. Curiosity tugged at him, but dread gnawed at the edges of his mind. He crept closer, heart pounding with each cautious step.

Peering into the dark alley, his stomach dropped. A woman was being stabbed repeatedly by a man in a black jacket, her screams echoing off the brick walls. Kai froze, paralyzed by terror as he witnessed the horror unfolding before him. It was the first time he had seen someone die, and the sight twisted his insides.

“Help me!” the woman cried, her voice raw with pain.

The killer, cold and unyielding, leaned closer. “No one is going to save you. Don’t worry; I’m sending you to a better place.”

In that moment, the woman’s gaze locked onto Kai, desperation shining in her eyes. “H-help me…”

The killer turned, his eyes narrowing as he spotted Kai. "A kid? What’s he doing here?" Panic flickered in the killer’s expression. “No witnesses,” he muttered, letting go of the woman, who crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Instinct kicked in. Kai’s survival instincts screamed at him to run. He turned to flee, but his foot caught on a rock, sending him sprawling to the ground. As he fell, the killer lunged, the knife swiping dangerously close, grazing Kai’s cheek. A warm trickle of blood began to run, but Kai didn’t notice; adrenaline coursed through him as he scrambled to his feet and bolted away.

"First day in town, I witness a murder, and now I’m being chased by a serial killer!" His mind raced, panic clawing at him. "I can’t go far. I need a place to hide."

In the distance, he spotted an abandoned building. Without thinking, he darted toward it, glancing back to see the killer still in pursuit, determination etched on his face.

"I’ll hide there," Kai decided, his heart hammering in his chest.

As he entered the darkened interior, the musty scent of decay enveloped him. He spotted a broken refrigerator and dove behind it, holding his breath, praying the shadows would conceal him.

The killer burst through the door, his footsteps heavy and menacing. “Come out, kid! I’ve got some candy for ya,” he taunted, his voice dripping with malice.

Kai’s body trembled as he pressed himself against the cold metal, heart racing like a drum in his ears. He could hear the killer’s breathing, ragged and impatient, echoing in the silence. Each second felt like an eternity, the weight of fear suffocating him.

"Stay quiet. Stay hidden", he told himself, willing the panic to subside. But as the killer’s shadow loomed closer, Kai knew he was in a fight for his life.