John Wick slowly regained consciousness, his mind instantly taking stock of his precarious surroundings.
He was tied to a chair, and his weapons, including the sacred Dragon Ball, were carelessly scattered on the dirt floor.
"John, let me put it this way," Viggo began, pacing before the tied assassin, savoring his moment of false superiority. "I will have my men cut you into pieces."
John Wick raised his battered face and looked directly at the crime boss. "You're always so bold, you know that?"
Viggo smiled grimly. "Is it?"
"Yes," Viggo affirmed, leaning closer. "I bet five years have passed, and you, John Wick, are still as good as ever."
"Is it?" John Wick asked again, his tone flat, baiting his former boss.
Viggo leaned over, his face inches from John's. "People don't change much. You know, time will."
Then, Viggo's rage, fueled by the memory of the fire at the church, took over. "Do you know what was in that basement?" he roared, his voice trembling.
"Artwork, banknotes, and the like may not have much value," Viggo conceded, waving his hand dismissively. "But I had criminal connections in this city, video recordings, physical evidence, extortion... These are priceless!"
His voice rose to a panicked shriek as he hammered the table. "Priceless!"
Looking at Viggo's furious, panicked expression, John Wick remained impossibly calm. "Really? I quite enjoy this."
Viggo laughed, the sound hollow and manic. "Yes. Yes, of course, you enjoyed it." He leaned in, his face darkening. "Are you laughing?"
"BUMP!"
Viggo exploded, delivering a savage punch to John Wick's face that nearly toppled the chair.
Hidden by the warehouse window, Fox and Smith watched the scene unfold with professional judgment.
Fox whispered, "In this situation, do you think John Wick can still turn the tables?"
Smith didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pointed in a direction outside the warehouse's primary entrance. Fox looked through her telescope and spotted a man on a nearby rooftop holding a sniper rifle, aimed directly at the warehouse.
"Someone actually came to rescue him," Fox realized. It was Marcus, John's old friend.
Viggo, having exhausted his monologue, finally tired of John Wick's defiance. Before leaving, he gave the final order: Kill him.
Two of Viggo's men approached John Wick, preparing to slip a plastic bag over his head to suffocate him slowly.
It was then that Smith Doyle made his move, beating Marcus to the punch. Smith leveled his pistol and fired two precise, suppressed shots.
"Bang. Bang."
The two bullets shattered the dusty windowpane, then flew in two distinct, impossible arcs, striking both of Viggo's men directly in the head. They dropped instantly.
Smith grabbed Fox, jumped directly from the high window, and landed silently in front of John Wick.
Outside, Marcus, who had been watching through his scope and preparing to intervene, saw the sudden, impossible attack and the two bodies drop. He immediately knew that John Wick was safe and lowered his rifle.
John Wick stared at the two figures standing over his fallen captors, surprised to see the man who had only hours ago declared him a "target of observation" saving his life.
"Thank you for saving me," John Wick said.
Fox quickly took out a tactical dagger and sliced through the thick cable ties binding John Wick's hands.
Smith looked down at the battered assassin. "John, you look so miserable. I thought you were actually going to accompany Helen down there."
John Wick nodded, the near-death experience validating the urgency of his mission. "Thank you, Smith. I owe you my life. If you need me, I will do my absolute best."
John Wick immediately began retrieving his gear. He tucked his weapons away and, with deliberate care, secured the Dragon Ball inside the inner pocket of his suit. He then picked up a powerful Kel-Tec KSG shotgun left by one of the dead thugs.
"Is my investigation still in progress?" he asked, fully armed and ready for revenge.
Smith nodded. "It's still under investigation."
John Wick, fully focused, made his vow. "Smith, after I finish this, I will come to the Continental Hotel to find you with the blood oath."
"Let me finish this matter as quickly as possible."
Seeing Smith Doyle nod in agreement to the terms, John Wick bolted out of the warehouse, disappearing into the city to hunt down Viggo.
Fox turned her head to Smith, intrigued by the mention of the legendary marker. "Blood oath?"
Smith explained the ancient, non-monetary currency of their world. "A pledge guaranteed by the Continental Hotel. It allows the holder to command the person making the pledge to do anything, anything at all. If you violate this rule, you face the severe, irrevocable punishment of the High Table."
Smith then waved subtly toward Marcus's position on the distant rooftop.
Marcus realized at that moment that he had been discovered, but the memory of Smith's inhuman jump down from the roof holding another person was terrifying. Is this the strength of the Assassin's League? he wondered.
Without any unnecessary movement, Marcus simply put away his sniper rifle and retreated. He was grateful his old friend was saved, but he was also deeply curious about John Wick's sudden relationship with this legendary, fearsome organization.
Fox looked at the retreating assassin and back at Smith. "A blood oath contract for free. Worthy of being the God who will soon become the leader."
Smith smiled, accepting the compliment. "Let's go back to the Continental Hotel."
Meanwhile, John Wick had quickly intercepted Viggo's car. He slammed the stolen vehicle into Viggo's, jumped onto the hood, and shot Viggo's driver dead with the shotgun.
"Viggo, where is he?" John demanded, pointing the gun at the terrified man.
Seeing Viggo hesitate, John Wick fired a warning shot right next to Viggo's head, the blast deafening inside the car. He then pressed the muzzle of the shotgun directly to Viggo's face.
Knowing John Wick would follow through, Viggo immediately gave up his son's hiding place. Under further pressure, he also agreed to officially withdraw the bounty on John Wick's head.
Having achieved his necessary goal—information and a temporary end to the open contract—John Wick was silent for a moment before stepping back.
"This is just a personal vendetta," he stated, then turned and left to hunt Iosef.
Viggo breathed a colossal sigh of relief.
Back at the Continental, having just arrived, Fox checked the information feed. "John Wick's bounty has been officially removed."
Smith nodded, already knowing the outcome. "It looks like John Wick and Viggo have come to terms... for now."
Fox was surprised. "Reconciliation? Didn't you say he needed to eradicate the problem completely?"
She could not understand why John Wick would allow his enemy to live. Smith roughly knew the complex reasons behind John Wick's choice, but he chose not to explain the nuances of the assassin world's rules and debt to Fox.