The two guards who had investigated the earlier distraction returned to their post, grumbling about the wasted time. One of them, a burly man with a scar across his cheek, eyed the door suspiciously.
"We should check inside," he muttered. "Just in case."
His partner nodded, already reaching for the handle. The door swung open, and both men froze at the sight of Adrian standing in the middle of the room, caught like a thief in the night.
Adrian's heart dropped. The System's interface flashed a deep, urgent red in his vision, and a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Mission Failed. Termination Protocol will be initiated in 1 minute.]
Panic clawed at Adrian's chest. He barely registered the guards' shouts as one lunged at him, pinning his arms behind his back. The other fumbled for his radio, barking into it.
"We've got an intruder in the office! Repeat, intruder in the office!"
Adrian struggled, mind racing. He had sixty seconds before the System would—what? Kill him? Shut him down? He didn't want to find out.
The guard's radio crackled, and a new voice came through—calm, cold, and unmistakably in control.
"Who is it?" Raphael DiAmmo himself.
The guard replied, "Some guy, boss. He's not one of ours. Found him in your office."
There was a pause. Then, Raphael's voice, tinged with curiosity and grudging respect: "How did he get past all of you? Bring him to the girl. I want to see who's bold enough to break into my house."
Adrian heard every word. With only five seconds left on the System's countdown, the guards received their orders. The System's red interface flickered, then faded to blue.
[Termination Protocol Halted. Apologies, Adrian. Quest outcome changed by external intervention.]
Adrian slumped in the guard's grip, relief and frustration warring inside him. He'd survived—barely.
[DiAmmo Estate Quest: Success. Reward: +1 Skill Point, +40 CP. Total CP: 120.]
He barely had time to process the reward before the guards shoved a rough cloth sack over his head, plunging him into darkness. He felt himself being dragged through the mansion, down stairs and out into the night air. The sharp scent of gasoline and the rumble of an engine told him he was being loaded into a car.
He tried to keep track of the turns, the stops and starts, but with his face covered, it was nearly impossible. Still, the System worked in the background, quietly mapping the route, tracing their path through the city.
After what felt like an eternity, the car stopped. Adrian was yanked out, stumbling as rough hands guided him forward. The air was colder here, tinged with salt and the distant sound of water lapping against wood. The System pinged softly.
[Location identified: Abandoned building, city pier. GPS mapping complete.]
He was dragged inside, the echo of footsteps bouncing off concrete walls. Finally, the guards stopped, unlocked a heavy door, and shoved him inside. The mask was ripped from his face, and he blinked in the harsh fluorescent light.
He was in a cell. And across from him, sitting on a battered cot, was a young woman with tangled hair and wary eyes.
Eleanor Voss.
She looked up, startled, but her gaze quickly assessed him. Adrian raised his hands, palms open.
"I'm not one of them," he said quietly. "My name's Adrian. I'm a detective. I've been looking for you."
Eleanor's eyes widened, hope flickering across her face. "You're… you're here for me?"
He nodded, offering a tired smile. "I am. I'm sorry it took so long."
For a moment, relief washed over her features, but then she frowned, glancing around the cell. "But… you're here. With me. That's not exactly reassuring."
Adrian chuckled, despite the situation. "Yeah, not my best entrance. But I've got a plan."
The System chimed in, its tone almost cheerful.
[New Quest: Escape the Pier. Reward: 200 CP, 5 Stat Points.]
Adrian's eyebrows shot up. "That's a bigger reward than the last one. Guess the System knows how dangerous this is."
Eleanor watched him, confusion and suspicion mingling in her eyes. "Are you… talking to yourself?"
He realized how it must look—him muttering to thin air, reacting to things she couldn't see. He quickly changed the subject.
"Can you tell me how you ended up here?" he asked gently.
Eleanor hesitated, then nodded. "It was a few days ago. I was at my office, working late. A detective came to see me—showed me his badge, said he had questions about a case. We talked until about 6:15. Then he… he sprayed something. Perfume, I think. I felt dizzy, and then… nothing. When I woke up, I was here."
Adrian's mind raced. "You're sure he was a detective?"
She nodded. "He showed me his badge. I can't remember his name, but I've seen him on TV before. He's famous for solving every case he gets."
A chill ran down Adrian's spine. There was only one detective with that reputation. Kane. But Adrian kept that thought to himself. There was no evidence, no witnesses, and no CCTV footage to place Kane at the scene. He couldn't accuse him—not yet.
He updated his case board, the System logging every detail. Eleanor watched him, her brow furrowed as he tapped at invisible screens only he could see.
She shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You really are something else, Adrian."
He grinned, feeling the weight of the moment. "Maybe a little crazy. But I promise, I'm getting us out of here."
Eleanor studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, detective. What's the plan?"
Adrian glanced at the cell door, the guards outside, and the System's glowing quest notification. He didn't have all the answers yet, but he had determination—and now, a partner.
Together, they would find a way out.