When Jin finished reminiscing, he had already arrived at the doorsteps, lazily reaching for the keys.
The streetlamps behind him shuddered.
He let out a yawn, already thinking about collapsing on his bed and getting ready for another day.
Then, he saw it.
The handle had been melted down. The frame splintered, and the door hinge hanging weakly.
Jin's chest tightened as he quickly bolted inside.
His home had bee ncompletely overturned. Drawers gutted. Vase's shattered across the floor.
The small, old communicator on the table sparked, its surface riddled with crisp burns.
Jin's hands trembled. "...Mum?"
No answer came back. It was dead silent.
"Mummy's not coming any time soon, boy."
A brooding voice, resonating like ice, alarmed Jin.
Behind him stood a man who stood a whole head taller than he was. Jin recognised the distinctly damaged helmet. He was from last night. How did he...?
Jin's eyes sharpened to the device in the enforcer's hand. It was the pen.
Shit, they could track that?! Jin realised.
It was a careless mistake. Of course they'd be able to detect something that belonged with a Vassari.
"Where is she? What did you do to her?"
"She's somewhere else. Nothing to worry about."
"You say that after you've ravaged my home," Jin remarked, veins bulging from his neck as he gritted his teeth. "What happened to being glorified as a peacekeeper meant to establish order?"
Jin was being sarcastic saying that. Everyone knows that the enforcers are anything but peacekeepers.
"A sharp tongue you've got boy. But I'm afraid you're mistaken. Last time I checked, you're the crime dealer here. And I'm simply doing my job to keep the road safe."
The enforcer took a step closer as he continued. "Now then, it'd be rude to not finish what I started. So come with me. Or things would get.... what was the phrase? Ugly."
"As if."
Jin brought out his fingers and got ready to snap, his eyes flashing a tinge of purple. I can still do this, you old man!
He expected for the man to panic in recognition of what he was going to do, but remained composed. The enforcer's body language didn't change in the slightest.
When Jin snapped his fingers, he realised why.
Nothing happened.
"Huh?"
Jin had to look back twice. Why wasn't it working, he thought.
"We've already dealt with all the anchors which you've placed within a 20 metre radius. You aren't using Recall anytime soon."
Jin had no idea what the term "Recall" was but he understood: He can't warp out of here. None of his set points existed. He couldn't see any of them in that underwater state.
The enforcer brought a hand out. Jin could see molecules beginning to converge into a single point. What was he doing? Flames beginning to manifest from thin air into a sphere.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you. I'll get you patched up right after."
Jin felt an incoming wave of fear. He needed to dodge!
"Ignition," the enforcer muttered under his breath, as the ball of flames exploding out in a rage.
Jin's field of view erupted into a blaze of crimson red. An unbearable pain collapsed on top of him. He wasn't able to keep his conciousness, surrdendering his conciousness to darkness.