Chapter 10: The Stranger’s Gambit

Kieran sat against the cold concrete wall, his breath finally evening out. His entire body ached, but the adrenaline had worn off, leaving behind a deeper exhaustion.

The stranger leaned against a rusted metal beam, arms crossed, watching him in silence.

Kieran swallowed, forcing his voice steady. “Who… are you?”

The man didn’t answer right away. Instead, he pulled a small device from his pocket—sleek, black, with a single blinking light. He pressed a button, and a low-frequency hum filled the air.

“A jammer,” the man finally spoke. “They won’t be able to track you here. For now.”

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Kieran narrowed his eyes. “And why would you help me?”

The stranger smirked, though there was no humor in it. “Help? No. I’m just… observing.”

A pause.

Kieran clenched his fists. This guy knew something.

“The way you fought,” the man continued, tilting his head, “it wasn’t just an Awakening. No normal system user moves like that on day one. And that energy? It wasn’t natural.”

Kieran stiffened. He had noticed.

“Your system’s broken, isn’t it?” the man asked, his voice unreadable. “Glitching. Unstable.”

Kieran didn’t respond.

The man sighed. “Yeah. That’s what I thought.”

The silence stretched, thick with unspoken words. Kieran’s mind raced. Who was this guy? A rogue agent? A bounty hunter?

Before he could ask, the stranger tossed something at him.

A small, worn-out military ID tag.

Kieran caught it, his eyes scanning the inscription.

"Elias Vance. Former Taskforce Omega."

Taskforce Omega. The same group that hunted unregistered Awakened.

His heart pounded.

He wasn’t just dealing with a stranger.

He was dealing with someone who once worked for the enemy.