(Listening : Ruelle - Game of Survival)
Once I was on the road, I checked the message on my phone and was about to reply when an incoming call from another number popped up. I put in my earpiece and answered.
"Hello? … Yeah. I just left… What's the address?"
I glanced at the message again, then at the time.
"I'll be there around five-thirty… Okay."
After ending the call, I was considering which route would be fastest when the old forest road came to mind. After a brief hesitation, I changed lanes and made a U-turn.
When I arrived at the destination, I slipped my phone into my pocket and got out of the car. Leaning against the hood, a few minutes passed before a man approached me.
"Got a light, son?"
I handed him my lighter and took out a cigarette myself.
"Thanks."
I nodded, took the lighter back, and lit my cigarette.
"You've changed a lot since the last time I saw you. If you didn't resemble Mr. Serhat, I wouldn't have recognized you."
I turned to him, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.
"You know me?"
"I know both you and Kerem. I used to work with your fathers when you were kids. I came to your houses often for work back then. You were both very young—you wouldn't remember."
I nodded, and he studied my face for a long moment before placing a hand on my shoulder.
"I don't know if it means anything to you, but I'm deeply sorry for what happened to your families, son. All four of them were among the best people I ever knew. They didn't deserve to end that way."
"Seems not everyone agrees with you," I said.
He looked away, toward the sea. As I watched the port workers rushing to finish last-minute preparations, I asked my first question.
"Why did you wait so long to contact us?"
"I thought what happened that night was an accident too. But after I accidentally overheard a conversation, I began to suspect it was more than that. When I started digging, I realized I was dealing with very dangerous people—people who could erase every trace of me the moment they realized what I was after. That's why I had to secure my own safety first. Don't misunderstand—I didn't do this just because I was afraid of dying. If that were the case, I never would've gotten involved to begin with. I protected myself because if something happened to me, the truth would never come out, and all my efforts would be wasted. In the end, it took me four full years to learn what I know now without drawing attention."
I exhaled smoke, frowning.
"Then why risk your life getting involved at all?"
He took a drag from his cigarette and turned to me with a humorless smile.
"You're wondering if I had something to gain."
When I didn't respond, he continued.
"Believe it or not, son, I gain nothing from this. And I expect nothing in return from you for what I'm about to tell you."
His gaze drifted into the distance as he spoke in a somber tone.
"All I can say is this… I owed your fathers a debt. A debt far too great to be repaid with money. And by telling you what I know, I'll finally settle it."
I nodded in understanding, and he began recounting everything he had learned over the years.
When he finished, the sun was already high in the sky, and I was struggling to process everything I'd heard. I knew I'd need time.
He tossed his cigarette to the ground and turned to me.
"Now that you know the truth, my role here is over, son. What you choose to do with this information is entirely up to you. But if you ask me, I'd tell you to stay away from this. I've seen firsthand how dangerous these men are. Even realizing that you know the truth will be enough for them to do everything in their power to eliminate you."
I continued staring at the sea without responding.
Just as he started walking toward the passengers boarding the ship, he turned back as if something had occurred to him.
"That man Kerem mentioned on the phone—the one they call 'the Teacher'… Be careful of him, Rüzgar."
The moment I heard the word Teacher, I snapped my gaze back to him.
"I couldn't find much about him, but there are two things you should know. First, no one's description of his appearance matches. No one knows his real name, age, occupation, or how to reach him. Second, once he starts targeting someone, he never lets go until he gets what he wants. My guess is that he's some kind of hired criminal—but only certain people are able to contact him."
I nodded thoughtfully.
"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for everything. If you ever need anything, you can reach out to us anytime. Kerem and I will help however we can."
He smiled, gripping my shoulder lightly.
"Take care of yourselves. Hopefully, we'll meet again under better circumstances."
As he boarded the ship, I got back into my car and sat there in silence for a while. When I finally started driving, my mind was so tangled that I didn't even realize I'd taken the same forest road again.
Because it was one of the most frequently used port routes, heavy vehicle traffic was extremely dense during the daytime. It was a waste of time for me—but it was too late to turn back.
I let out a weary breath and reached for my earpiece to call Kerem when a honk sounded behind me. I glanced in the rearview mirror, trying to understand why, just as the car accelerated and pulled up beside me.
Before I could react, it swerved toward me. I instinctively yanked the wheel in the opposite direction. The rocks on the other side of the road caused me to lose control, and I cursed heavily as I straightened the wheel and hit the gas.
When I looked back in the mirror and saw the man's half-hidden face beneath sunglasses and a cap—his lips curled into a sly grin—I clenched the steering wheel.
It was the bastard who had hurt Duru.
No doubt about it.
How had he learned the meeting place and time so quickly?
Of all days to take this damned road…
I had more than five kilometers before the next turnoff—far too long to play cat and mouse with a man like that on a winding road. Especially in this car.
When I saw him gearing up to ram me from behind, I sped up—but going any faster would've ended me at the first sharp curve.
Spotting an empty oncoming lane, I didn't hesitate. I switched lanes, slowed down, and with a sharp maneuver, slipped in behind him.
I barely had time to breathe in relief before another car slammed into my rear bumper, jolting me forward.
As we approached a curve, the bastard ahead slowed down. I tried to switch lanes again, but spotted a truck barreling toward me in the distance.
Just as I attempted to move back into my lane, the car behind me hit me again, forcing me fully into the oncoming lane.
Realizing they weren't going to give me a chance to return, I pulled alongside the car next to me and swerved toward it. He veered away instinctively, and I slipped into the gap that formed between us at the last second.
I blared the horn, trying to get the truck driver to notice the situation and steer toward the other side. Thanks to his quick reaction, three vehicles were able to move side by side.
The moment the truck passed, I floored it. As I overtook both cars and returned to my lane, I noticed the icy patches on the road—but it was already too late.
The road was icy, the curve was against me, and at that speed I had only one option left—I turned the wheel toward the embankment rather than be thrown into oncoming traffic.
The next few seconds were a blur of the car flipping and rolling downhill until it finally slammed into a tree and stopped.
As I felt my consciousness slipping away, I tried to reach my phone—but I couldn't move at first.
Gritting my teeth, I made one last attempt to reach into my pocket. The searing pain that shot through my body made my vision go dark.
When I finally managed to open my eyes again, I succeeded in pulling my phone out—only for a hand to reach through the window and snatch it away.
Turning toward the window, I could barely make out the man in the cap through the blood clouding my vision, smiling down at me.
"I'll take this. You won't be needing a phone where you're going, little Rüzgar. That said, I'll give credit where it's due—your driving skills are truly impressive. Anyone else would've ended up under that truck for sure. It breaks my heart to see such talent go to waste."
I tried to murmur something, but when he didn't hear me, he leaned down, bringing his ear close to my mouth. When I managed to repeat myself, he pulled back, grinning, and slammed his hand against the roof of the car.
"See you on the other side, Saint."
As numbness spread through my body and my eyes closed on their own, I whispered softly—
"I'm sorry for leaving you alone, brother."