Can’t Win Me Back

The hospital corridor was eerily silent in the dead of the night.

The lone nurse on duty drowsed at the nurses' station, oblivious to the flashing red light from the malfunctioning surveillance camera down the hall.

A figure clad in a white doctor's robe and mask darted past the station, his movements purposeful.

He carefully scanned his surroundings before pushing open the door to Natalie's ward and slipping inside.

The patient lay curled up in bed, seemingly fast asleep.

The intruder crept closer, a glint of steel catching the dim light as he drew a dagger from his sleeve.

He raised the weapon high and stabbed the person on the bed.

All of a sudden, his vision went dark.

Unexpectedly, the person on the bed leaped up and threw the blanket over his head! Panic surged through the assassin.

He flailed wildly with the dagger, ripping the blanket free.

But before he could react further, the cold muzzle of a gun pressed against his forehead froze him in place.

"Don't move.

Not unless you want your head to be blown off." Under the dim light, Axel's eyes glinted with a dangerous glint.

A cynical smile played on his lips, sending shivers down the assassin's spine.

The ward door burst open, revealing Sean and Xavier leading a team of men who quickly surrounded the intruder.

"Are you alright, Mr.

Axel?" Sean inquired, his voice laced with concern.

Axel clicked his tongue.

"I didn't even attack him.

All it took was a blanket to take this fool down." With a practiced ease, Axel disarmed the assassin.

He sneered.

"Sir, you can barely fight, yet you're trying to be an assassin? Try harder next time.” The assassin's face was drained of color.

His knees buckled, and he crumpled to the floor in a heap.

the man's

you? Reveal his name, and

in prison, you can walk free

guarantee that you'll be able to walk out

spoke to him over the phone! I've never met him in person!" the man stammered, sweat drenching his

"But...

to my account two days ago and promised another after the job! We even spoke just 30

searched the assassin for

it to Axel after finding

him to the

way to unlock this

"Thank you, Mr.

escorted away, the silence returning to the ward as if the commotion had

lingered in Axel's gut as an oppressive premonition weighed

vibrated, making his heart

opened the message, his pupils constricting as he read

was a

gut punch,

much that his vision blurred, and he nearly lost his grip

She wrote, "Goodbye, Axel.

I'm leaving Solana City.

to

or you manage to find out where I am, I won't see you." A wrenching pain tore

trembled as he typed and

are you, Amber? Tell me." A long

there was no

He wasn't satisfied.

tears, Axel

if

know you're there!" "Who do you think I am? Can you avoid seeing me just because you don't want to? Do you think you can control me?" "You're the only one I want

love me?

reply buzzed back almost immediately, its words acold and sharp knife that sliced through

"I don't

ray of light that

showed me what the light looked

gave me a feeling that

disappear, but feelings

feel anything

all that I'm

me,