I walked over to the shop''s owner and asked, "How much is that bike?"


    The owner was a middle-aged man with a way for words. At first nce, he immediately knew that I wasn''t the type of person he would find trouble with.


    With a respectful smile, he said, "You have good taste. This is the best model we have here. The V4 is one of the best bikes in the world. Not only is it powerful, but it''s also highly flexible in its controls. You''ll have a good time track-racing or even just biking in the streets."


    He talked non-stop, which annoyed me tremendously.


    "I asked you for the price. Stop bbering," I spat.


    "Oh, okay." The shop owner beamed and told me the price.


    I furrowed my brow at the numbers, but I wasn''t going to negotiate with him.


    The execution of my n had reached a critical juncture, so that bit of money didn''t matter. I ced the stack of cash I prepared on the table with a heavy thud.


    "It''s a deal," I said. "I have two conditions, though."


    The shop owner''s eyes gleamed with delight at the sight of the cash. "What is it?"


    I told him, "First, this bike belongs to me right away. I don''t want to go through any procedures at all. Second, you can''t tell anyone about this. Pretend like it never happened."


    Staring at him with an icy re, I warned, "You''ll pay dearly if I find out that you make a slip of the tongue."


    The shop owner nodded eagerly with a gleeful smile. "Don''t you worry. My lips are sealed. What you do with this bike has nothing to do with me. You have my word that I''ll leave no trace of your purchase." Satisfied, I nodded, grabbed the keys from his extended hand, and left without sparing him a second nce.


    The next thing I needed to do was to meet Madison at the appointed location. It was a secluded plot of barrennd that was quite some distance away from the city. There weren''t many people around the opennd. Not a single soul could be seen within a few miles of the ce.


    I rode my bike up the winding mountain road. The sun cast its rays mercilessly on the ground, and the


    nts in the area wilted from the heat, making the ce seem all the more deste.


    On both sides of the road, there were shrubs and weeds that stretched as far as the eye could see. I could see the rolling hills in the distance, their ridges like the skarp edges of axes, fear-striking yet breathtaking.


    I took in the vast and bleak scenery through the visor of my helmet and told myself. Zach, I''m using my own way to protect you. I will save you no matter what it takes. It doesn''t


    matter if I lose my life in the


    process. I''m happy as long as you''re


    safe."


    I couldn''t hold back my tears at the thought. My tears blurred my vision, and I blinked hard to stop myself from crying even more.


    No. I couldn''t be weak. I had to be the most ruthless and cruel person in the world for Zach.


    The tears left stains on my face after they dried, and my hair danced in the wind as though it was a war g fluttering, prepping me for battle.


    Two hourster, I arrived at my destination. It was an abandoned factory, the buildingpletely in ruin. In the deste yard, there was nothing but overgrown weeds.


    I killed the engine and parked the bike, dismounting it. The sound of my boots hitting the ground echoed


    in the area. d in a sleek, ck, form-fitting suit made entirely of leather, I exuded an air of authority.


    I didn''t remove my helmet. The visor covered most of my face, leaving only my chin visible.


    I walked confidently toward the factory. Pushing open the door, a musty odor assaulted my senses.


    Everywhere I looked, there were decaying, broken-down machines. They were rusty, and covered with cobwebs.


    From a corner, the faint sounds of rats scurrying about reached my ears. It was nauseating and repulsive. "Ms. Wiley, you''re here," said a voice from the shadow. It belonged to a woman.


    Narrowing my eyes, I turned my head toward the sound.