Later that night, Jessy woke in a small, bare room. Concrete walls. A thin mattress.
His body ached from the fight with Reef. Bruises bloomed across his ribs like rotten fruit. He tried to sit up. The room spun.
The next morning, the door creaked open.
Instructor Voss stepped in, a clipboard in hand and that same infuriating half-grin carved into his face.
"Well, well," he said. "You survived."
Jessy blinked.
He noticed a tray of untouched fruits sat by the door cold and forgotten.
Voss chuckled. "Every breath you take in this place is a test, Grey."
He looked Jessy up and down. "You're on the team. But don't get comfortable. Training starts today."
Jessy didn't have the strength to argue. His stomach growled, a low, angry sound.
Voss raised his palm and motioned for him to follow.
Jessy grabbed a fruit while leaving the room, noticing that his room number starts with 7.
'This must be the seventh floor' Jessy thought.
CRUNCH! KLAMB!
"Can't you eat with your mouth closed?" Shouted Voss angrily at Jessy who was walking right behind eating an apple.
But can he be excused? He hadn't eaten in nearly two days.
Heading to the training grounds, the sun barely filtered through the metal grates above the open-air training pit. A stale breeze carried the scent of sweat, rust, and blood.
"Run," Voss barked.
Jessy ran.
"Push-ups."
"Pull-ups."
Jessy jumped for the bar but barely made one before falling.
"Bag work. Ten minutes. No breaks."
Jessy punched. Weak. Off-balance. His vision tunneled.
Mid punching, he collapsed, hitting the ground hard. Stars almost bursting behind his head.
'Pathetic, unlike Mr. Akula, I highly doubt this guy has the potential to become a number." Voss thought as he knelt.
He then slapped Jessy's cheek lightly. "Grey?"
No response.
"Call the doc"
***
A few moments later Tessa came in a hurry with a four-eyed doctor entered with a small team of nurses in tow, he analyzed Jessy's vitals and frowned.
"He's Dehydrated. Running purely on adrenaline. And what's with all these broken rips and bruises on his face?"
"I shall transport him to hospital urgently!"
"Fix him," Voss growled. "But not a hospital. Too many questions."
The doctor raised an eyebrow.
Voss gave him a flat look. The doctor sighed. "Fine. I'll bring in my own team. Quiet. Effective."
And just like that, they started moving Jessy.
As the doctor called out numbers and orders, one of the nurses stepped forward to take a blood sample from Jessy.
Curly blonde hair pulled back in a bun. Bright blue eyes, her name tag read, Lora Johnson.
The same Lora.
She gasped softly, hand pausing near his chest.
"Smelly…?"
On a side note, she did notice that his smell wasn't as bad like it used to be
He was not as stinky as he used to be although he was still a bit though.
Jessy was in a comma so he didn't notice Lora.
Before Tessa could leave the room… Lora asked frightenedly.
"What happened to him?"
Tessa with a nice friendly and welcoming gaze said that he was one of the applicants who wanted to fill the role of bodyguard position announced 2 weeks ago by the company.
However after we finished the interview he slide on the stairs from 5th floor to the 2nd.
Lora looked a bit worried but then she thought,
'Well a typical Smelly move, he is a loser after all! '
"By the way what did he do in that interview?" Lora thought curiously?
"Do I have an obligation to answer this question?" Tessa said with her gaze turning completely cold
"Uhhhh nnn no it's fine "
Said Lora putting on a fake smile
Lora and the other team of nurses started putting needles inside the poor teenager's hurt body to nurture his body with the substances he needs.
***
2 days later…
Jessy didn't seem to get well soon, but something strange happened.
A sudden click rang out as the overhead air conditioner shuddered to life then stilled. The entire seventh floor exhaled a collective groan. Within minutes, the temperature climbed. What had been a comfortable 22°C felt like a smothering sauna.
Lora wiped perspiration from her forehead and tugged at her cap. The other three nurses fanned themselves with chart paper. One shrugged off her jacket, draping it over a nearby chair. Another peeled off her gloves, letting them fall to the floor. The third peeled away her coat, revealing a damp T-shirt.
He was sweating too and his temperature kept rising drastically.
He suddenly opened his eyes but he didn't give any reaction he kept looking around but not a single movement
Coverd in bandages and connected to the heart rate device he thought to himself.
' As expected! No way they are going to leave me die. It's just too inconvenient for the them also if they really wanted someone for a bodyguard position they wouldn't make everyone go into this hell… what are they trying to pull?'
He smiled a bit knowing he survived
until …he saw Lora he immediately gained consciousness back
Jessy's heart rate on the screen went racing!
This was the first time him seeing a girl wearing such clothes, let alone his crush!!
Do you think he's about to leave earth? Said one of the nurses with a panicked voice mistaking the sudden surge in his heart rate due to him dying
'FOCUS! STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT!!' Thought Jessy with his face turning bright red
"Too bad… the poor girl will be left with no back to be against hers."
Jessy's gaze immediately turned to Lora as if piecing her sole.
Jessy inhaled deeply, leaving the beep of the monitor steadied. He remembered, even bandaged and weak, he had survived worse. Thomas, contracts, and sleepless nights
"Jina… Is?! Goo.." Jessy tried talking but he failed.
"Yes, don't worry about her as long as she's with me."
Reliefd Jessy smiled at her.
And you won't believe who visited her today?" Lora continued.
"…Zain? Mr.."
"Nope! It's Thomas ! He kept asking about you lately in school… it's been almost a week since you last showed up"
Jessy's jaw tightened. The name opened a fresh ache in his chest.
Instead of thinking what might Thomas want from him he thought analytically.
Shutting down his eyes, He now has enough time to formulate a plan to get out of here, but how exactly will I get out of here if this Akula guy has that contract that I signed.
According to the contract as far as I can remember,
I can't leave this building from the moment you sign the contract you are assigned a room and clothes, you get free training free training clothes free food even free yoga classes "man! My life would have been way harder without these yoga classes thank god!" Thought Jessy hilariously laughing at himself.
But this is where the privilege ends. I can't terminate the contract by free will, can't use any of the weapons or machines we take under the company's name for my personal use, can't refuse missions, this word actually stopped me twice while reading the clauses of the contract…yes it doesn't seem like I am going to be guarding anyone in fact it feels like I am going to be a hitman this description suits better.
I can't tell anyone about what I see here what happens inside the building , or else I will have to pay for damages that I bring to the business
His eyes open again, 'Is the police included in "anyone" ? Doubtful but even so…Akula must have his hooks everywhere' Jessy thought.
CURSES!
There's only way to get out of here then!