The neon lights of the bustling city reflected off the rain-slicked streets as Jax made his way through the crowded sidewalk. His tall, muscular frame and intense green eyes drew a few curious glances, but he paid them no mind. Years of staying under the radar had taught him to blend in, even with his striking appearance.
Jax's phone buzzed in his pocket. A text from his old friend, Marco:
"They know. Run. NOW."
His heart rate spiked, but outwardly, Jax remained calm. He'd always known this day might come. Without breaking stride, he changed direction, heading for his apartment to grab his go-bag and disappear.
As he approached his building, something felt off. The street was too quiet, the few people around seemed tense. Jax's instincts screamed danger.
He made it to his floor, every nerve on high alert. As he reached for his door, he sensed movement behind him. In one fluid motion, Jax spun around, his hand outstretched. A bolt of crackling energy shot from his palm, catching his would-be attacker square in the chest and sending them flying backward.
"Not good," Jax muttered. So much for staying inconspicuous.
He kicked open his door, only to find two more hunters waiting inside. They wore the distinctive dark uniforms of the Powered Containment Unit, their faces grim and determined.
"Jax Rainer," one of them called out, "by order of the Global Security Council, you are to be detained and transferred to the Sanctuary Facility. Come quietly, and no harm will come to you."
Jax's lips curled into a sardonic smile. "Now, why don't I believe that?"
The hunters moved in tandem, one firing a high-powered taser while the other rushed forward with restraints. Jax's body hummed with energy as he absorbed the taser's charge, redirecting it back at the approaching hunter. The man went down hard, convulsing.
The second hunter, a woman with short cropped hair, proved more of a challenge. She wielded some kind of energy-dampening weapon, forcing Jax to rely on his physical combat skills. They traded blows in the confined space of his apartment, furniture splintering under the force of their fight.
Jax managed to get the upper hand, slamming the woman against the wall. "Who told you?" he demanded.
She glared defiantly. "Did you really think you could hide forever?"
A noise from the hallway told Jax more were coming. He needed to move. Fast.
He made a dash for the window, using his power to shatter the glass. Just as he was about to leap, something sharp pierced his neck. The world began to spin, his limbs growing heavy.
As consciousness slipped away, Jax's last thoughts were of regret. He should have run sooner, should have been more careful. Now, he was headed to the one place he'd spent his entire life avoiding.
The last thing he saw before darkness took him was the gleaming skyline of the city he'd called home, knowing he might never see it again.
When Jax would next open his eyes, it would be to a very different world – one where his powers no longer made him unique, but instead threw him into a dangerous game of survival and politics he never wanted to play.
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Under the Iron Fist
Fantasy(Updates Every Wednesday) In a world where people with extraordinary abilities are feared, a vast facility known as the Sanctuary has been created to contain and control these powerful individuals. This sprawling city-like prison is governed by the...
