Where am I?? Where the fuck am I??

I gritted my teeth as I pulled against the chains binding me to the chair.

The last thing I could remember was walking down the dimly lit road back to my house last night, and now, I was tied down, with a hood covering my face.

I groaned, forcing myself against the restraints, but the harder I struggled, the tighter they became.

The air tasted metallic, and it smelled of danger, the type that made my heart race.

I knew I wasn't safe.

I knew I had been kidnapped.

But trying to escape was the only thing I had in mind now.

"Welcome Jason Brooke..."

A detached female voice cut through the silence, followed by sharp steps

"Welcome to Soul Run.."

And then the hood was finally removed.

A woman stood in front of me. Her eyes were dark and empty, her short hair framing a face that felt like a warning I shouldn’t ignore..

She held a pistol on her right hand, and the look in her eyes told me she could kill me at any moment.

"I won't work for you..." I said.

She laughed, low and menacing. "And who told you that you could make a choice..." She said as she raised her pistol.

"Kill me if you want okay! I won't join Soul Run! I won't kill people for you!"

"Like I said Jason Brooke," her eyes darkened. "You don't have a choice."

"And I said you can kill me"

A scowl crossed her face, and she struck me so hard my head snapped to the side..

"“You idiot,” she cursed. “You want to die that badly? Why don’t you see your brother before you die, Jason?”

She circled me, her footsteps slow and deliberate, until she stopped behind me..

"What??" I whispered, my voice barely steady.

"You heard me." The corner of her mouth formed a smirk. "Alex Brooke, does that name ring a bell?"

Alex??

No....

No...

There's no way...

There's no fucking way....

He got missing five years ago, there's no way he's been here all this time, working as a Soul Runner..

"That's a lie, that's a damn lie…" I snapped

"Suit yourself…."

Before I could breathe properly, the door slid open.

He walked in—wearing the Soul Run uniform, a gun hanging loosely in his hand, his face cold and unchanged.

Dark hair. Blue eyes. That same familiar shape I thought I had lost forever.

My brother..

"Fuck you!! Fuck you Alex!!!!" I screamed. "I spent five years of my life looking for you Alex! Five fucking years! And you've been here working for Soul Run.."

"Quit your nonsense Jason... Join Soul Run or die.."

For a moment I didn't speak.

"I would rather die....." I finally said.

"so be it..."

And just like that he pulled the trigger, without a single trace of hesitation in his eyes.

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my shirt for what felt like the hundredth time.

I now worked for Soul Run, an agency that kidnaps people, and forcefully make them kill other people, all for one purpose: to rule America and spread all over the world.

It's been eight months since I got kidnapped, and ever since then, I could feel myself slipping away.

I sighed and picked up my phone that had been vibrating from the bed.

A couple of messages came from the agency one from Alex, a few more from the friends i made, and finally, one direct message from sergeant Claudia.

Report to the agency in thiry minutes.

I took a deep breath and tucked the phone into my pocket then grabbed my car keys before going downstairs.

My mother was downstairs, preparing dinner.

When she saw me, the excitement in her face faded.

"Going out again??" She questioned.

"Yeah, I'm going to work."

"Staying for dinner??"

"No, I can't, I have to be in work in fifteen minutes.."

"When will you be back?"

I paused.

I didn't know if I will ever be coming back.

"Tomorrow, I will be back tomorrow.." I forced a smile.

She didn't smile back, instead she took a worried breath. "Please stay safe, I don't want to loose you, just the way I lost Alex... You're all I have Jason."

Alex.

He was the worst person I have ever known. Ever since he got missing, our mother hadn't rested, she cried every single night, blaming her self for his disappearance.

Ever since I found out what he'd been up to, I could only console her without telling her the truth.

Well Alex never cared about her, he wanted her dead anyway, and he knew that she loved him, more that anything else.

Fuck you Alex...

"Nothing will happen to me. I promise, I'll be back tomorrow.."

She nodded and continued cooking, while I just slipped out of the house and went into my car.

For a moment I just laid back, wondering how I got into this mess in the first place, but there was always one person I could blame.

Reluctantly, I drove off.

After a short drive,I got to Moonlight Luxury Hotel, the most expensive five star hotel in America, but beneath it's facade was Soul Run 1-0-1.

I navigated my way through the secret passageway and finally found myself in the agency.

The cold air hit me first.

Not fresh air, but artificial. The kind that felt metallic.

I brushed it off, and walked through the endless corridor, going to my assigned unit. The dormitory.

Identical doors lines the walls on both sides of the dormitory. No names, no decorations, just metal doors with numbers glowing faintly in red.

I stopped Infront of a door marked B-17, and I pulled out my ID card, placing it in a black panel beside the door. It beeped softly, before the metallic door slid open with a mechanic hiss.

Inside was nothing comforting.

Two small beds, a metal desk, a metal drawer screwed to the wall, a mirror, with my soul Run uniform hanging beside it, and a small camera in the corner of a ceiling, always watching, always listening.

I quickly changed to the black Soul Run uniform and went to the Command sector.

It sat deeper underground than the training levels.

The corridors were quieter here. It was cleaner and more dangerous.

There were no recruits running drills or shouting orders here, just silence.

Black walls stretched endlessly in each corridor, broken only by huge metallic doors with security panel.

Security cameras hanged on the ceiling every 20 meters, watching.

The people who worked her didn't carry authority in thier voices, they carried it in a way that made others move aside when they appeared.

Sergeant's Claudia office was the first one.

I stood Infront of the door, as I placed my ID card on the panel.

The machine brushed through it with a faint red glow, before the door slid open.

She sat on a steel desk, which occupied the center of her office. Mission files were stacked neatly beside a computer monitor. A digital map of America glowed softly on the wall.

She held up a steaming cup of coffee in her hand, her eyes fixed on every movement I made.

Despite being the sergeant, there was softness in her gaze I couldn't quite explain.

I straightened my posture.

"Agent SR-2-4-6-8, reporting as ordered, sergeant!"

She sighed and gently placed the cup down. " At ease, Jason.."

I didn't move a muscle.

I just watched her swiftly type on the computer monitor, and after a while she said. "You have a mission Jason, accompanied with SR-3-1-6-2 and SR-2-7-8-1."

My heart raced, a grouped mission was probably risky.

"Your mission is to eliminate Ashford Avenue, there is a huge threat to the agency there.." she added.

Ashford Avenue??

My hometown???

My mind raced.

"Sergeant, people live there, old people, young children, my mom stays there, I... Soul Run can't..."

"Soul Run doesn't care..." She interrupted, then softened her gaze slightly. "I'm sorry you were assigned to this mission, but no one really cares." she leaned back on her chair. "And as a Soul runner... You're going to kill the people you love.. it's part of the code.."

The people you love.... I know damn well she meant my mother.

"But sergeant...."

How could I... I could I partake in something that could end my mother's life?

"By 12.30 dot you'll be reporting back here to collect your weapons and gadgets.... You're dismissed.." she said. "And do what you're asked to do Jason, you know the consequences.."

I nodded saluted and left the office.

Fuck you soul Run, Fuck you!!

I'll do everything in my power to destroy you. I promise you that.

*Somewhere else in America*

*Rina Kent POV*

"I'll tell Mom!!" Anna yelled from upstairs while I sat in the living room, fixing my make up.

Today is the night of my life.

I was invited to Nathaniel Hawthorne party, and he's the most famous influencer in the whole of America.

My two friends were also invited, so I couldn't miss that party.

"Don't you think I look sexy on this red dress? Don't you think Nathaniel will want to make out with me?"

"Rina you look like a whore.."

"Prostitute actually... I think I would be able to make good cash from Nathaniel, or any rich boy from the party." I said as I stood up.

The black dress hugged my figure perfectly, and it exposed me just the way I wanted it.

"I swear, I will tell mom"

"I dare you..."

"Oh great..." She smirked, and raised her phone.

My eyes widened in shock.

She had been recording our entire conversation.

"You son of a bitch.."

"I can't wait to spill the tea to mom.. Rina Kent, her sweet daughter is a prostitute."

"I'm not a prostitute Anna.."

"I don't think mom will think so.."

"What the hell do you want?"

"1000 dollars, I'm sure the boys in the party are 10 times richer than that.."

"Do I look like a fucking bank to you Anna.."

"Does it look like I care." She crossed her hands. "3.30am and the money should already be in my account, or else, go find a new mom." A low laugh escaped her lips as she turned towards the stairs.

I clenched my fist, fighting the urge to break her phone, but that would only make it worse.

"Bitch..." I muttered as I grabbed my purse.

I took one long glance at my self in the mirror before heading out.

*Back to Soul Run*

The time on my phone glared back at me, 11.59.

I would soon be reporting for my mission.

I had tried to call my mom, to hear from her before the tragic event would happened, but something stopped me any time I dialed her number.

Then I decided to go see my brother.

He was in the bar, as usual, playing cards with his friends, with a cigarette in his mouth, and a bottle of alcohol in his hand.

When he saw me, his lips lifted to a smile.

"Wassup brother.." he said.

"I need to talk to you, and it's important."

"Any problem."

I shrugged. "Kinda."

He dropped his bottle of alcohol and followed me out of the bar.

"What's the issue?" He said as he closed the door.

"I have a new Run..."

"What's it about.."

"To destroy Ashford.. that means everyone who lives there will die, including mom.."

I was expecting to see some kind of rue on his face, but he just burst into laughter.

"Is that why you're so gloomy Jason.. c'mon, well at least she's finally going to die.."

My jaw tightened.

"What the fuck do you mean Alex, she's your mother.." I struggled to keep my voice steady.

"No." His expression didn't change. "She's your mother, and today is the day she leaves this cruel world.. isn't it better for her?" He said as his head tilted slightly. "Soul Run is going to keep killing people untill the world finally surrenders, and it's so unfortunate that she's among them. Live with it Jason, you're a Soul runner... And you're meant to obey Soul Run instructions.." he added as he finally turned to leave.

I watched him step into the bar, and slam the door hard.

He was right anyway.

Soul Run will keep on eliminating people....