The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the courtyard. Within seconds, several security guards rushed toward the gate, their weapons raised. Their eyes widened in shock as they spotted the unconscious guard slumped against the iron bars.
"Hey! You there!" one of them barked, pointing directly at Rudra. "Are you the intruder?"
Rudra stood frozen for a moment, his body tense but his face calm. "No," he said firmly. "I only came here for a job… for the position of a security guard."
The guards exchanged doubtful glances. The unconscious man at the gate told them a different story. Their leader narrowed his eyes, voice sharp as steel.
"Don't lie. Drop to the ground right now. Surrender, or we will shoot."
Rudra clenched his fists. His heart pounded as the cold barrels of rifles glinted in the dim lights. He wanted to avoid a fight, but their distrust reminded him of something bitter—something from the past. The memory of the last time he tried to surrender, only to be beaten and shot at, resurfaced like a cruel echo.
His voice turned low, almost a growl. "I told you, I didn't come to fight…"
But the guards didn't listen. They advanced, fingers tightening on their triggers.
The instant one of them raised his gun, Rudra's patience shattered. His body moved like a blur—faster than the human eye could follow. The first guard found his rifle knocked clean out of his hands before his finger could pull the trigger. A swift strike to the side of the neck sent him collapsing unconscious.
"What the—?!" another guard gasped, firing in panic.
But Rudra's speed had surpassed the limits of normal men. The bullets cut through empty air, missing their mark as he weaved and ducked effortlessly. With each step, his movements grew sharper, smoother, almost animalistic. He dashed forward, disarming one guard, then knocking another unconscious with a precise elbow to the ribs.
He did not kill them—he refused to cross that line. Each attack was calculated, aimed to disable rather than destroy. Within moments, the courtyard was littered with fallen bodies, groaning or unconscious, their weapons scattered across the stone floor.
Rudra stood alone among them, chest rising and falling, his fists trembling slightly from the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
But his relief was short-lived.
From somewhere in the city, an alarm had already been raised. The distant wail of sirens pierced the air, growing louder every second. Within minutes, flashing red and blue lights surrounded the base of the towering skyscraper. The police had arrived.
A booming voice cut through the tension.
"This is the city police! You are surrounded! Put your hands where we can see them and surrender peacefully!"
Rudra's jaw tightened. He felt the heat rising inside him, his anger pushing against the edges of his control.
"Surrender… again?" he muttered under his breath. "The last time I surrendered, they shot me like a criminal… and now, you expect me to trust you again?"
His fists curled. The fire in his chest urged him to fight, to strike first before they had the chance to betray him once more. His muscles tensed, ready to spring into action.
But just as Rudra took a step forward, a calm, unexpected voice echoed from above.
"That will be enough."
The massive steel gates of the tower slowly creaked open. From within the shadows of the grand lobby emerged a tall man in an immaculate suit, his silver hair gleaming under the lights. His presence was commanding, almost regal, and the way he carried himself silenced both guards and officers alike.
It was Sam Hills—the wealthy magnate who owned the tower, and the father of Jack Hills.
Behind the glass walls of his office, he had been watching everything unfold through the tower's security cameras. Rudra's extraordinary speed, his ability to dodge bullets with ease, and his refusal to kill despite overwhelming power—it all intrigued him deeply.
Now, face-to-face, Sam Hills looked at Rudra with a faint, calculating smile.
"You," he said, his voice smooth yet commanding, "step inside."
Rudra blinked, caught off guard. His anger momentarily cooled, replaced with confusion.
"Why… are you calling me?" he asked cautiously.
Sam's sharp gaze never wavered. "Because I've seen enough. You are wasted out here, fighting useless battles against guards and police. You don't belong on the streets. You belong inside, where your talents can be… properly used."
Rudra hesitated. His instinct screamed not to trust men of power—he had already suffered enough betrayal. But curiosity tugged at him. Why would the father of Jack Hills, of all people, be interested in him?
As if sensing his doubt, Rudra quickly tried to defend himself. "Listen… the guards attacked me first. I only fought in self-defense." His voice faltered slightly—he knew it was half a lie.
To his surprise, Sam Hills chuckled. "Self-defense, hmm? Very well. Let's call it that." He stepped closer, lowering his voice so only Rudra could hear. "I don't care about their excuses. What matters is what I saw with my own eyes—your speed, your strength, and your control. Skills like yours… could be very useful."
Rudra's eyes narrowed. "…Useful for what?"
"For me," Sam said plainly. "I want you to work under me. As my personal security guard."
The words struck Rudra like lightning. Of all the outcomes he had expected, this was not one of them.
"You… want me?"
Sam's gaze softened for a fraction of a second. "Yes. Men like you don't come often. If you accept, you'll never have to worry about the police again. I can give you protection, purpose… and perhaps, something greater than survival."
Rudra looked back at the unconscious guards sprawled across the courtyard, then at the flashing lights of the police cars beyond the gates. His choices were narrowing fast. Continue fighting and risk being hunted down like an animal… or step into the unknown with the man before him.
Finally, he took a deep breath. His fists loosened, and he raised his head to meet Sam Hills' eyes.
"…Fine. I'll accept."
A smile curved across Sam's face. "Good. Then from this moment on, you belong to the Hills Tower."
The steel gates closed behind them with a resounding clang, shutting out the chaos of the city. For the first time, Rudra stepped willingly into the heart of power—his fate forever tied to the man who had just recruited him.
And somewhere deep within, he wondered… whether he had just saved himself, or stepped onto a darker path he could never turn back from.