The month after school ended, slipped away like sand through their fingers, each day passing faster than the last. It was as if they were racing against time, trying to hold on to the fleeting moments of a life they knew was about to change forever.

The goodbye, which had once seemed distant and unreal, now loomed over them like a shadow, growing darker with each passing day. But in their shared silence, they all understood, this was the last chapter of a story they had written together, and they were determined to make every page count.

Tom and Alex spent those weeks doing everything could think of. They sat through countless movies, the glow of the screen casting a soft light on their faces as they laughed, joked. Sometimes they just sat in comfortable silence, simply enjoying the presence of one another while they scrolled on their phones.

They also did some hikes through forests and along cliffs enjoying the fresh air that the city couldn't ever provide. They even indulged in the innocent joys of their childhood, spending entire days at amusement parks, where their laughter soared with the roller coasters, their screams mingling with the wind. Eating an unimaginable amounts of junk food that they could find selling, sometimes leaving them sick the next morning.

And then there was Kyra. She was the steady presence who had grown to understand them better each day, even when their antics bewildered her. They dragged her along on their adventures, her initial scepticism quickly replaced by her own brand of joy, as she realized that these moments, these ridiculous, unplanned moments were all to be gone in a matter of days.

Every day felt more precious than the last, each moment soaked in the bittersweet awareness that they were nearing the end. The nights became longer, conversations deeper. They spoke of their dreams and fears, of the futures they couldn't quite imagine yet. But underneath their words was an unspoken understanding: the world was about to pull them in different directions, and they were holding on to the present with all their might.

The night before their departure, they gathered for one final celebration. It wasn't planned, but somehow it felt inevitable. They stayed up late, crammed into Alex's living room, the atmosphere thick with nostalgia and unspoken emotions.

They played back videos from old times, the sound of their younger selves filling the room. The voice of innocent before the dark side of life hit them right in the face

The night was filled with laughter, but beneath it was a sadness that none of them could shake. They were saying goodbye not just to each other, but to the version of themselves that existed only in each other's company. As the hours crept by, the reality of the morning's farewell began to weigh heavily on their hearts.

When dawn finally broke, it brought with it a quiet stillness, a sense of something ending. As they packed their bags, the finality of it all hit them hard. The echoes of their laughter, the shared secrets, the sense of belonging, they were all being carefully packed away, tucked into the deepest corners of their minds where they would be cherished forever but never truly lived again.

Tomorrow, they would step into their futures. Tom to his next adventure, Kyra to Singapore, Jack to the States, and Alex, to a future that was still uncertain, still undefined. But for now, they held on to what they had shared, the memories that would bind them together no matter where life took them.

And as they said their goodbyes, with hugs that lingered just a bit longer, with eyes that glistened with unshed tears.

Kyra was the first to leave. As they reached her gate, Alex felt his heart tighten. This was real. She was leaving, and soon, they'd be on opposite sides of the world. They stood there, facing each other, neither wanting to be the first to break the silence. When they finally embraced, their lips crashing against each other, it was with a desperation they had never shown before, as if trying to hold on to every moment they'd shared.

When they pulled apart, their foreheads rested against each other, her breath mingling with his. "I'll come and visit, spy boy," Kyra whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She tried to smile, but it wavered, her eyes betraying the tears she refused to shed. She leaned in for another kiss, soft, lingering, and full of unspoken promises.

As she turned to leave, her hand slipped from his, and Alex felt as though a part of him was walking away with her. He watched until she disappeared, a hollow ache settling in his chest.

Next was Tom. Their hug was just as tight, but there was a different kind of sorrow between them, a sadness tinged with nostalgia for all the times they had shared. Tom tried to keep it light, cracking a grin even as his voice wavered.

"Good luck, mate," Tom said, his voice rougher than usual, his grip lingering on Alex's shoulder.

"Yeah, don't go falling off a cliff or something," Alex replied, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

It was a poor attempt at humor, masking the pain he felt knowing that his best friend was about to disappear into a different life. They exchanged one last look, a mix of understanding and sadness, before Tom turned and walked away. Alex watched him until he could no longer see his friend, the reality of their parting hitting him like a punch to the gut.

Jack, always the steady presence in his life, was next to him in an instant, her hand resting gently on his shoulder. "We have to go, Alex," she said softly, her voice filled with a mixture of pride and sorrow that tugged at his heart.

As they boarded their flight, Alex felt the full weight of what was happening. He was the last to leave London, but it felt more like London was leaving him. The city that had been his home, his battleground, was fading away beneath the plane's wings. He stared out the window, watching the landscape shrink, feeling a profound sense of loss.

Sitting next to Jack, who had been more than a guardian—almost like a sister—he felt a bittersweet mix of comfort and despair. They were moving toward something new, but what they were leaving behind felt irreplaceable. The friendships, the love, the shared experiences—all of it was now behind them, and the future felt uncertain, full of possibilities but also daunting in its emptiness.

As the plane ascended into the clouds, Alex couldn't help but feel a tear slide down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, glancing at Jack, who was looking out the window, perhaps lost in thoughts of her own. The bond they shared, strengthened by everything they had endured together, was the only thing keeping him grounded. Yet, he knew that even this was changing—Jack had her own life waiting for her across the ocean.

The reality of their separation hit him hard. He was on his own now, truly and completely. The life he had known, the people he had cared about, were scattering like leaves in the wind, and he was left to navigate whatever came next, alone. The plane's engines roared, drowning out the quiet, but the ache in his chest remained, a painful reminder that the world he knew was gone, and there was no going back.

As they landed 10 hours later Alex Jack parents were there waiting for him

Jack and her parents left him in his dorm, even staying behind to help him unpack, then it was time for their goodbye hug. She would only be a few hours away, but Alex lived with her for 6 years so even if it was for a few hours Alex would still notice the difference.

She left and Alex was Alone, for the first time since Scorpia he was Alone.

He checked his phone both Kyra and Tom had already landed, sending him messages that everything was ok.

1 month Later

Alex never thought he would Like the college life so much, he felt free no longer being held by the weight of the past.

He fit right in, and quickly enough he made plenty of friends, not one as good as Tom. The girls also lined up for Alex, the famous international British student with an accent that brought them to their knees. They were all immensely disappointed when they found out he had a girlfriend, not only that he was a loyal one.

It was the birds that woke Alex up, outside of his dorm was a tree, the leaves were already falling a sign that autumn was already approaching. A couple of birds had made that tree their home, building a nest and even laying a few eggs, of course at the break of dawn they would always sing their favourite song to Alex.

Alex brushed his hand against his face pushing back the cover of his bed. He sat up grabbing his phone to see all the photos Tom had sent him.

Tom had already left Portugal for its neighbour Spain apparently Tom's brother wanted to complete the European tour.

He sent his own check up back before throwing his phone to the side.

He looked at his empty roommate bed. He had quickly come to learn that his roommate didn't use the dorm that much, he was the party type of person so he usually crashed at the nearest party.

Alex was ok with that if that meant he ended up having the room to himself.

Alex finally rose from the bed, the sheets tangled around him like remnants of a restless night. His muscles protested as he stretched, the familiar aches a reminder of the strain he had put his body through lately. He moved mechanically, pulling on his running clothes, the routine still foreign after the long break he had taken.

Running had once been his escape, a ritual that brought clarity and focus. But after his uncle's death, that drive had evaporated, leaving a void that he had struggled to fill. It wasn't until the birds' relentless singing at the crack of dawn broke his sleep, day after day, that he finally gave in and decided to lace up his shoes once more.

The morning air was crisp and biting as he stepped outside, the world still shrouded in the quiet calm of dawn. This hour was his sanctuary, a time when the streets were deserted, and the only sound was the steady rhythm of his own breathing. The first rays of sunlight were just beginning to streak the sky with a soft, pinkish hue, the day still hesitant to break. A light breeze carried the scent of autumn, a reminder that the warmth of summer had passed, replaced by cooler, shorter days.

As he started his run, the familiar path unfolded before him, always the same he took every morning. But today, something felt off. It was subtle at first, a twinge of unease that settled in his gut as he noticed a van parked on the street, right at the beginning of his route. It was an inconspicuous vehicle, yet its presence felt wrong, out of place in this neighbourhood full of students. The dark, tinted windows seemed to absorb the light, giving nothing away.

Alex tried to shake it off, pushing the thought aside as he picked up his pace. It's just a van, he told himself. But a sliver of doubt had lodged itself in his mind, and no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, it clung to him.

He didn't wear headphones when he ran. It was a habit drilled into him by his uncle, always be aware of your surroundings, never let your guard down, before Alex thought he was referring to the cars, but now he knew that there was a second meaning . Alex had taken that lesson to heart, especially now.

The silence was his companion, the sound of his footsteps on the pavement, his steady breaths, and the occasional rustle of leaves the only things that filled his ears. This was usually a comfort, but today, it only heightened his awareness, sharpening his senses to every detail around him.

As he rounded the final corner of his route, out of the corner of his eye, the van appeared again, parked on the side of the street as if waiting for him. His heart skipped a beat, a surge of adrenaline making his pulse race. It was the same van, he was sure of it. The position, the angle, even the way it seemed to blend into the shadows, all of it screamed danger.

Alex slowed to a near halt, bending down to tie his shoe as an excuse to take a closer look. His eyes flicked to the van, scanning for anything that might give away its purpose, but the dark windows offered no answers, only questions. Was someone inside, watching him? The thought made his skin crawl.

Stop it, he commanded himself, trying to quell the rising panic. You're imagining things. It's just a van, just a coincidence. But the logical part of his brain was losing ground to the instincts that had kept him alive in the past. His uncle's voice echoed in his mind, a constant reminder of the dangers that once surrounded him. There's no more Scorpia, no more assassins lurking in the shadows. It's over. Isn't it?

But the fear gnawed at him, refusing to be silenced. The van hadn't moved, hadn't followed him, but the fact that it had appeared twice was enough to set every nerve on edge. Alex felt his pulse in his ears, his breath quickening despite his efforts to remain calm. He stood there for a moment longer, feeling the weight of unseen eyes on him, the heavy sense of being watched.

He forced himself to stand, his legs feeling unsteady as he resumed his run. His thoughts raced, each step taking him further from the van, he couldn't let himself relapse to the days where he jumped at every shadow, where every man dressed in black suddenly was Yassen.

But what if it wasn't just paranoia? What if someone really was watching him? He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being hunted, that the van was more than just a random vehicle. It felt like a ghost from his past had materialized, dragging with it all the terror he thought he had left behind.

As he finally reached the front door of his building, Alex glanced over his shoulder, half-expecting the van to be there, creeping closer, or maybe someone chasing him, a gun in his hand looking at Alex with a sick grin that Alex already saw in so many faces.

But the street was empty, the van gone as if it had never existed. Yet, the fear remained, lodged deep in his chest. He knew it was probably nothing, just the paranoia of his past rising to the surface.

But as he stepped inside, locking the door behind him, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that his past wasn't done with him yet. The shadows were lengthening, and something, or someone, was out there, waiting for him to slip, or maybe they were waiting for Alex to see them slip.

He took a deep breath looking at his empty dorm, no assassin was there to kill him. his phone pinged with a notification, making him fish out of his pocket. He cursed to himself, he had let a simple Van invade his thoughts so much that now he was late. He wondered it the trauma of the past would always control his life, it had been just one year, but Alex felt like it had ruined his life.

He took a quick shower, a cold one. The iced water clearing his mind, forget the van, forget the past he said to himself over and over taking deep breaths each time. Alex got out of the shower shivering, but at least his racing heart had come down to a healthy pace.

Franticly he dressed the first thing he saw that ended up being a random hoody and a pair of jeans before he grabbed his bag and ran out of his room. He couldn't help himself, as he got out of the dorm building, but look at the same street where he saw the van parked, it wasn't there. He breath out a sigh of relief, it was just a van, no one his spying on him, no one his lurking in the shadows waiting for when he his not looking to jump out.

He ran the rest of the way to building his class were, entering just behind his professor

"just in time Mr. Rider, you should consider joining the Track team" his professor told him

"Sorry, I lost track of the time, Sir"

"of course, no harm done, just take a seat"

Awkwardly Alex scanned the room for an empty seat, finding one next to the window. he took out his pen and paper listening attentively to the lecture, taking care to write his notes, he didn't want to let his grades slip and risk losing his scholarship, he like it here and didn't want to lose what he had now.

An hour in, Alex got that feeling again, he stops writing in the middle of his sentence, every part of him was screaming to look outside, to look out of the window, but he didn't want to, he wanted to hold on to the peacefulness, to the normality. He raised his head; the van was parked outside.

A chill ran down his body, the sense of uneasiness returning, it was the same one, there was no denying it, same colour, same dent on the side, same license plate. His eyes were locked on the vehicle, he didn't know what to do, in reality it was just a car that Alex had seen in random places, it could be just a student like him. Not everything he saw was out to kill him, not everything had to be with spying. he took a deep breath, breath in, hold it, breath out, repeat, just like his therapist taught him.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that everyone was already leaving, the class was over, he looked back at his half-written notes closing the book with a sigh, it would be a long day.

Alex couldn't function the rest of the day, he tried to forget, and he did eventually but there was always a feeling that something wasn't right a felling that told him to run and never come back, but he ignores it, because why wouldn't he? Why would somebody chase him, Scorpia was over, they arrested everyone, well everyone aside from Yassen, but Alex doubted that the man would chase him, no Yassen had probably retired.

As the day finally dragged to an end, Alex, could finally relax, shutting the door to his room, feeling the exhaustion settle deep into his bones. He collapsed onto his bed, the mattress barely softening the weight of his fatigue. Dinner was a distant thought, his body craved rest more than food, he couldn't even imagine himself crossing the campus to the dining hall. Instead, he grabbed his phone, seeing a message from Jack. A brief spark of normalcy in an otherwise chaotic day.

He checked the time. Jack should be home by now. Alex was about to call her, his finger hovering over the screen, when a sharp knock echoed through the room, shattering the fragile peace.

His brow furrowed. Who could it be at this hour? He rolled his eyes, assuming it was his roommate remembering he did have a room but probably too forgetful to bring his key again. With a groan, Alex tossed his phone onto the bed and reluctantly pushed himself up to answer the door.

"Did yo—" The words caught in his throat as his hand froze on the doorknob. Standing in the doorway was not his roommate, but a man dressed in a stiff, ill-fitting suit that strained against his bulk.

His shirt buttons looked ready to pop, and a sheen of sweat covered his forehead. Everything about this man screamed out of place. He wasn't an operative; he was too fat, too unremarkable. Yet, Alex's instincts screamed at him that something was wrong.

"Alex Rider?" the man asked, his voice deceptively polite, a smile stretching his lips but never reaching his eyes.

Alex's senses sharpened, every nerve tingling with a familiar unease. He didn't recognize this man, but the way he carried himself, the way he looked at Alex, sent a chill down his spine. Something about this situation was off. "I'm from the financial aid office," the man continued, his tone smooth, rehearsed. "We need you to come and fill out some paperwork regarding your scholarship. It seems some of the information is missing."

"Yeah, sorry," Alex replied slowly, his mind racing, trying to connect the dots. "Can't this wait until tomorrow? It's rather late."

The man's smile didn't waver, but his eyes, those cold, calculating eyes, narrowed just a fraction. "I'm afraid not, Mr. Rider. It's quite urgent."

Urgent? Paperwork? Alex's gut twisted into a knot. Paperwork was never urgent, especially not at this hour. His suspicion deepened, instincts honed by years of danger flaring up like warning sirens.

"Right… Just give me a second. I need to save some work, I wouldn't want to lose it," Alex said, forcing a laugh that sounded hollow even to his ears. He didn't wait for a response. He closed the door, his heart hammering in his chest.

Without a moment to waste, Alex dashed to the window, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts. He flung it open, the cool evening air rushing in as he scanned the area outside. His eyes locked onto at the van parked at the far corner of the lot, its dark, tinted windows reflecting the dying light of day. His stomach dropped, it was the same van that had haunted him all day, but this time it didn't stand alone two men, dressed in black, were leaning against it talking to each other.

A sickening realization gripped him, they were here for him. He had felt it all day, the eyes watching, the unease that had gnawed at him, but he had brushed it aside. Now, there was no denying it. The man at his door was just a distraction, a lure to drag him into a trap without raising to much alarm.

He couldn't go out the door. That path was cut off. His only escape was through the window. Alex threw one leg over the sill, his foot finding purchase on the sturdy branch of the tree just outside.

He glanced back, one last look at the door, half-expecting it to burst open any second. With a deep breath, he began his descent, every movement calculated, every step deliberate. The branches creaked under his weight, the bark rough against his palms. One slip could send him tumbling to the ground below, but he didn't have time to be careful. He was on the second floor, close enough to the ground to survive a fall, but far enough that a bad landing could mean a broken ankle, or worse.

The sounds of the campus evening drifted up, laughter, conversations, the distant hum of traffic. All of it felt surreal, disconnected from the tension twisting inside him. He reached the midpoint of the tree, his movements swift but cautious, inching lower and lower. The branches rustled ominously, and for a moment, he feared they might snap, sending him plummeting. But he pushed through, sliding down until his feet dangled just above the ground. He let go, dropping the final few feet, landing with a soft thud on the grass.

There was no time to catch his breath. As soon as he touched down, he heard a sound from above. He looked up, heart pounding, to see the man who had been so polite just moments ago now staring down at him from the window. His face was hard, all traces of the fake smile gone, replaced by a grim determination. The man barked something into his phone, his eyes locked onto Alex like a predator sighting prey.

Alex's adrenaline spiked, his body acting before his mind could catch up. He bolted, racing through the shadows, weaving between buildings and ducking into the crowd of students still lingering on campus. His mind was a whirlwind, every sense on high alert. He couldn't let them catch him. He wouldn't let them. The men from the van were now moving with purpose, their heads swiveling as they scanned the crowd. Alex saw them too clearly, they were hunting, their eyes slicing through the sea of faces, searching for one person. For him.

He yanked his hood up, pulling it low over his face, hoping to obscure his blond hair that stood out like a beacon in the twilight. He kept his head down, blending into the groups of students, his pulse thundering in his ears. He couldn't risk being seen, couldn't risk being caught. He moved with the flow of the crowd, edging closer to the van, his heart pounding in his chest, each beat echoing the urgency of his situation.

His mind raced as he approached the van, that the man abandoned, It was reckless, insane even, but he needed answers. Who were these men? Why were they after him? He kept low, using the fading light and the crowd as cover, until he was right next to the vehicle the man now behind him. He paused, crouching beside it, his breath coming in quick, shallow bursts. His fingers trembled as they found the handle, and he eased the door open, his muscles tensed, ready to spring. If someone was inside, he would have to fight, fight hard and fast.

But the van was empty. The silence inside was almost deafening after the rush of adrenaline. Alex quickly rifled through the interior, his eyes darting to the front seats, the dashboard, the glovebox. His hands moved quickly, searching for anything, any clue that could explain why they were after him.

The glovebox popped open with a soft click, revealing a cluttered mess, papers, a pair of sunglasses, a switchblade. Alex's heart skipped a beat. He grabbed the blade, his fingers tightening around the handle, the cold metal a small comfort in the chaos.

He was about to close the glovebox and slip away when something caught his eye, a photograph.

It was half-hidden under a stack of papers, but as soon as he saw it, his blood ran cold. He pulled it out, his hands shaking. It was a picture of him. A recent one, taken without his knowledge. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. If he had any doubts before, they were gone now. These men were after him, specifically him, and they knew exactly who he was.

"Hey!" A shout pierced the air, sharp and urgent.

Alex's head snapped up, his heart leaping into his throat. The two men from the van had spotted him. They were sprinting towards him, their expressions dark and determined. Alex cursed under his breath, shoving the photo into his pocket as he scrambled out of the van. There was no time to think, only to act. He gripped the switchblade, pulling it open with a flick of his wrist. The blade glinted in the dim light as he drove it into the front tire with all his strength. The tire deflated with a hiss, the air escaping in a rush.

"Stop!" one of the men shouted, but Alex was already running, his feet pounding against the pavement as he sprinted away from the van. He knew they would chase him, but he couldn't let them catch him. He tore through the campus, turning down side streets and alleys, his breath burning in his lungs, his legs screaming with the effort. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing the men in pursuit, but they were falling behind, their footsteps growing fainter with each twist and turn.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Alex ducked into a narrow alleyway, pressing himself against the cold, rough brick wall. His chest heaved, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His heart was still racing, the adrenaline coursing through his veins, but he forced himself to listen, to strain his ears for any sound of pursuit. But there was nothing. Only the distant hum of the campus.

He had lost them. For now.

His hands were trembling, the fear and adrenaline mingling in a dizzying mix. He reached for his phone, desperate to call someone, anyone who could help. But his pocket was empty. A cold dread settled over him as he realized, he had left it behind. Back in his room, where it was no use to him now.

Alex slid down the wall, his breath still coming in shallow bursts, his mind racing. This wasn't over. It would never be over. He had thought he could leave this life behind, but it had followed him, hunted him down.

Alex didn't know what to do. He was in a foreign country, alone, with dangerous men chasing him, men he knew the police would be powerless against.

The familiar weight of fear settled in his gut, but he pushed it aside. He couldn't afford to panic. His best chance was to get back to his dorm, grab his phone, and warn someone, anyone who could help. He dusted off his pants, took a deep breath to steady his nerves, and stepped out of the alley.

But before he could take more than a few steps, everything went wrong. It happened so fast that his brain struggled to catch up. Two black vans screeched around the corner, tires squealing as they boxed him in, cutting off any escape route. Panic surged through him, but he kept moving, trying to find a way out. Suddenly, a powerful hand grabbed his hoodie, yanking him backward with enough force to knock the air from his lungs.

"There you are," the man growled, his voice low and menacing. Before Alex could even register what was happening, half a dozen more men poured out of the vans, surrounding him in a tight, suffocating circle. Six men, just for him. Whoever they were, they weren't playing around.

Alex's survival instincts kicked in, the fear sharpening his senses, his mind racing to find a way out. He didn't waste a second. Pivoting on his heel, he swung his fist with all his strength, aiming straight for the man who had grabbed him. His knuckles connected with the man's jaw with a satisfying crunch, and the man's grip loosened as he staggered back. Alex took the opportunity to break free, but the odds were stacked against him.

Another man lunged at him from behind, trying to pin him down, but Alex spun around, driving his knee into the attacker's gut with a powerful strike. The man doubled over, gasping for air, but before Alex could capitalize on his advantage, another pair of hands grabbed his arm, yanking him off balance. He stumbled, his foot slipping on the uneven pavement, and that was all the opening they needed.

A strong arm wrapped around his neck from behind, pulling him into a vice-like headlock. Alex's breath hitched as the pressure increased, cutting off most of his air supply. They weren't trying to kill him, but they were doing everything they could to immobilize him. He could feel the blood pounding in his ears, his vision beginning to blur at the edges, but he refused to go down without a fight.

Gritting his teeth, Alex twisted his body, trying to get enough leverage to land a hit on the man holding him. His muscles burned with the effort, every movement a struggle against the overwhelming force pressing down on him. He managed to land a glancing blow on the man's ribs, but it wasn't enough to break free.

"Hold him!" the leader barked, his voice strained from the effort of containing Alex's relentless struggle.

The rest of the men closed in, their hands like iron clamps on his arms and legs, pinning him down with brutal efficiency. Alex thrashed, kicked, tried to break their hold, but it was useless. They were too many, and he was completely outmatched. Panic flared again, hotter and more intense this time, as he realized how dire his situation had become. He was completely at their mercy, and he didn't even know who they were.

One of the men produced a white cloth, moving with the practiced ease of someone who had done this countless times before. He pressed it over Alex's mouth and nose, the sickly-sweet scent of chemicals filling his senses. Alex's heart raced as he recognized the chloroform. He held his breath, panic spiking as he desperately tried to resist. He knew what was coming, but the inevitability of it only made his fear more acute. He struggled harder, his body jerking violently as he tried to shake them off, but it was no use. The men's grips were unyielding, and the chloroform was too strong.

The world around him started to shift, the colors bleeding into one another, the sounds of the street dulling to a distant hum. His thoughts became disjointed, scattered like leaves in the wind. He tried to focus, to keep his mind clear, but the chemical fog was relentless, seeping into every corner of his consciousness. His lungs burned as he fought to hold his breath, but his body betrayed him, drawing in a deep, involuntary gasp that filled his chest with the toxic fumes.

A wave of dizziness crashed over him, and his vision tunneled, the edges of the world going dark. His strength ebbed away, his limbs growing heavier, no longer responding to his frantic commands. He could feel the fight slipping out of him, his resistance crumbling as the drug took hold. His knees buckled, and his body sagged, the men's hands the only thing keeping him upright.

The last thing he saw before the darkness claimed him was the man's cold, expressionless face, and then everything went black. His mind plunged into oblivion, the world of light and sound disappearing entirely as he was swallowed by unconsciousness.