Chapter 1

The dimly lit room reeked of smoke and cold snowy fog around him, Kai stood over Mr. Wagner. With a slow, deliberate motion, Kai took a final drag on his cigarette, the ember glowing bright red as he inhaled. He let out a stream of smoke, his eyes looking down at Wagner's battered face.

"I pity you, Mr. Wagner," Kai said, his voice low and menacing. He pressed down on Wagner's already broken ankle, evoke a pained yelp from the man.

Wagner's eyes welled up with tears as he begged, "Please, stop. I'll tell you anything you want to know."

Kai's expression remained unyielding. "You're not telling me anything I don't already know, Mr. Wagner. What I want to know is where you've hidden him."

Wagner's eyes darted back and forth, searching for an escape. "I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered.

Kai's smile was a thin, cruel line. "Don't play dumb with me, Wagner. I know all about your little secret. The question is, how much pain are you willing to endure before you tell me the truth?"

As Kai applied more pressure to Wagner's ankle, the man's screams echoed through the room, mingling with the smoke and the stench of fear. Kai's eyes never wavered, his gaze piercing as he waited for Wagner to crack.

But Wagner's resolve, though battered, remained unbroken. "You'll never find him," he spat, defiance flickering in his eyes.

Kai's smile grew wider. "We'll see about that," he said, his voice dripping with malice.

"Alright then, as you wish," Kai said, his voice low and menacing. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed his cigarette onto the ground, the ember dying out with a faint hiss. He didn't bother to watch it roll across the floor.

With a swift motion, Kai picked up the baseball bat leaning against the wall. The wood felt cool and solid in his hands, a reassuring weight that spoke of potential violence. He took a step closer to the man, the bat held menacingly at his side.

The man's eyes followed the bat, his pupils dilating in fear. "Please," he begged, his voice shaking. "I'll tell you anything. Just don't hurt me anymore."

Kai's expression remained impassive, his eyes cold and calculating. "You should have thought of that before," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. With a swift motion, he raised the bat, targeting the man's knees.

The man's eyes widened in terror as he realized the gravity of his situation. He tried to scramble backward, but his broken ankle wouldn't allow him to move quickly.

As the bat hung suspended in mid-air, the man's voice cracked with desperation. "Wait! I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything."

Kai's grip on the bat tightened, his knuckles white with tension. For a moment, he hesitated, the bat poised to strike. Then, slowly, he lowered it, his eyes never leaving the man's face.

"Speak," he growled, his voice low and menacing.

The man took a deep breath, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I was hired by someone... someone big. They wanted me to keep him hidden, to keep him safe."

Kai's eyes narrowed, his interest piqued. "Who?" he demanded, the bat still clutched tightly in his hand.

The man's eyes darted back and forth, his mind racing. "I don't know," he stammered. "I swear, I don't know. They wore a mask, and they paid me in cash. I never saw their face."

"I didn't know what I was getting myself into," Wagner stammered. "They promised me a large sum of money, and I was desperate. I didn't realize the gravity of the situation until it was too late."

Kai's eyes narrowed, his grip on the baseball bat tightening. "Who paid you?" he demanded, for straight point of the conversation.

Wagner hesitated, his eyes darting around the room once more. "I-I don't know if I should say," he stammered.

Kai's expression turned cold, and he raised the bat, ready to strike. But before he could bring it down, a loud noise echoed through the room. Wagner's body jerked violently, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

Kai's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at Wagner's lifeless body. A single bullet wound marred the back of his head, and a pool of blood began to spread across the floor. Kai's gaze snapped toward the door, and he saw a figure standing in the shadows.

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