Nobody could imagine the feeling.
After ten years in a concrete cell, alone with only his thoughts and the hum of fluorescent lights, Joseph Cassian finally stepped out. He stood before the high, razor-wired walls of The Bastion, breathing air that tasted of exhaust, rain, and freedom. This was the city that had once been his home, the city that had betrayed him, the place where his own blood had turned against him to save their skins.
"My car is over there. Follow me," Olivia Risa said, gesturing toward a sleek, dark vehicle parked near the exit gate.
Joseph didn't move. He just stood still, staring straight ahead at the horizon. The sun was setting, casting long, golden rays across the pavement.
"Joseph?" Olivia asked, her voice softening. She knew this moment would be overwhelming. It wasn't just about being outside; it was about the sheer weight of time. Ten years. A decade where the world had spun on without him. It was 2010 when he was dragged away in handcuffs; now, in 2020, everything had changed. Technology, fashion, politics, the very rhythm of life.
"Let's go..." Joseph whispered finally. He took a step forward.
It felt light. His entire body felt weightless, as if gravity had forgotten to claim him. He felt the warmth of the sun on his pale skin, the rough texture of the asphalt under his cheap shoes. In that moment, standing between the prison gates and the free world, he made a silent promise to himself, etched into his soul:
He would never go back.
They walked to the car, and it was the first thing that stopped him cold.
What is this? he thought, staring at the vehicle. He recognized the brand logo, but the shape was alien. Sleek, aerodynamic, devoid of sharp angles. It looked futuristic, like something from a movie he'd never seen.
"Ten years, Joseph. A lot of things change," Olivia said with a small, nervous smile as she approached the driver's side.
For Joseph, even opening the door was a puzzle. There were no handles. Just smooth metal.
"Push the button on the key fob, and the handle pops out," Olivia instructed, rolling down the tinted window. "Think of it as... a spaceship."
Joseph pressed the button. With a soft click-whir, a flush handle extended from the door. He pulled it open and slid inside.
His mind nearly blew apart.
He knew what touchscreens were from old magazines in the prison library, but this interior was another level. A massive digital dashboard dominated the console, glowing with maps and data streams. Buttons were replaced by sensors. The leather smelled new, expensive. It felt less like a car and more like a cockpit.
But amidst the technological marvels, one question burned brighter in his mind. Something stranger than the lack of door handles.
"Why are you alone?" Joseph asked, turning to look at her.
He was deemed the most dangerous mafia boss in the country's history. The "Triple Nine" monster.
And yet, here she was, sitting next to him with no backup, no escort, no armed guards.
Olivia hesitated. The truth was complicated. Her bosses had screamed at her to bring a full tactical squad. "Nobody knows the truth about him," they had warned. "If he gets released, who knows what happens? He could vanish. He could kill. He could summon an army."
But Olivia had insisted on coming alone. Partly because she doubted the horror stories, hoping it was all a misunderstanding as he claimed. But mostly, she suspected this release was a setup. The Justice Ministry had published the list of pardoned inmates publicly. Joseph Cassian's name was at the top, bold and glaring.
It was bait.
The government wanted to see what would happen when the world knew the "most dangerous man" was walking free. How would the remaining gangsters react? Would the underworld rise up to finish the job? Or would they bow?
"I believe your story," Olivia said, meeting his gaze, though her eyes flickered with uncertainty. "That your family set you up. That you have no connection to the crimes." She paused, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Well, maybe I'm still guessing. But don't worry. This car has trackers. My phone has trackers. If anything happens, they will know immediately."
It was a lie, or at least a half-truth designed to comfort him. She knew she was part of the experiment. She feared that today, something bad was going to happen. Not because of Joseph, but because of his enemies.
"Oh, and you mentioned your eyes hurt," she added quickly, reaching into her bag and pulling out a pair of dark, polarized sunglasses. "Put these on."
Joseph took them. The gesture was small, but it mattered. In a world of protocols and surveillance, it was the first act of genuine care he had received in a decade. Even if she was an agent, even if she was using him, she had shown kindness.
"Buckle up," she said. "Off we go."
Joseph clicked the seatbelt. The engine purred silently, electric and powerful. They rolled out of The Bastion's gates, leaving his home of ten years behind.
As they neared the city center, Joseph stared out the window, bewildered. The skyline was different. New skyscrapers pierced the clouds, glass towers reflecting the sunset like mirrors. Roads were wider, smoother. Street signs bore names he didn't recognize. Old landmarks were gone, replaced by parks and modern complexes. It looked unbelievable. Otherworldly.
"Lots of changes, yeah?" Olivia asked, glancing at him as they waited at a red light.
"Yeah..." Joseph murmured, adjusting his sunglasses. "The fashion is much better. But the city... it looks confusing. What are those numbers on the buildings? And what happened to the slums? The East Side used to be a war zone."
"When the last government collapsed, a new democratic administration took over," Olivia explained, slipping into lecturer mode. "They changed the system to a parliamentary republic. Vienna was reorganized into 23 distinct districts[1]."
"Districts?" Joseph repeated.
"Yes. Each district has its own mayor and local government. But the whole city is overseen by a Lord Mayor, elected by the people of all 23 districts."
Joseph listened, his mind already working, dissecting the information. He noticed the holes immediately.
"So there are more opportunities for corruption, aren't there?" he asked quietly.
Olivia laughed, a short, dry sound. "Yeah, that's why the National Integrity Authority (NIA) was formed. They work to stop any sign of corruption. They have their eyes on every single dollar the districts spend."
So there is still corruption, Joseph thought, just hidden under layers of bureaucracy. Nice.
"What about the slums?" he pressed.
"The slums in the East were demolished," Olivia said proudly. "The residents were given free housing and job placement programs. Vienna is a great city now, Joseph. Safe. Clean."
Great city, Joseph mused. But gangsters still roam.
With this district system, it was actually easier to go unnoticed. If every district had its own little government, its own mayor, its own police force, the fragmentation created blind spots. One corrupted mayor could turn an entire district into a safe haven for smugglers, money launderers, and hitmen. The NIA might watch the funds, but could they watch the shadows? Could they stop a mayor from looking the other way while a shipment of guns passed through?
He was deep in thought, analyzing the new political landscape, when his observations were shattered.
"You said you came alone, yeah?" Joseph asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the quiet hum of the car.
"Why? You want to escape?" Olivia chuckled nervously, keeping her eyes on the road.
"No," Joseph said calmly. "But we just turned onto a one-lane service road. And behind us, there are two blacked-out SUVs. They've been following us since the highway exit."
Olivia's smile vanished. She glanced at the rearview mirror.
Two large, matte-black vehicles were tailgating them, dangerously close. No license plates. Tinted windows so dark they looked like voids.
"That's not agency," Olivia whispered, her heart skipping a beat. "We have no escort. No sirens."
They were approaching a red light. Three cars were stopped ahead of them, blocking the intersection. They were trapped.
"Open the glove box and give me the radio," Olivia ordered, her voice tightening. She reached for her holster, but the car behind them didn't wait.
CRASH.
The lead SUV slammed into their bumper with brutal force.
The impact sent their car spinning sideways. Olivia fought the wheel, but physics won. They skidded off the road, slamming hard into a concrete light pole on the right.
The world exploded into noise and pain.
The airbag deployed with a violent thump, hitting Joseph square in the face. Exhausted from the sensory overload and the decade of malnutrition, his consciousness flickered and died instantly. The last thing he saw was the shattering glass.
Olivia stayed conscious for a second longer, dazed, blood trickling from her forehead. Before she could reach for her weapon, her door was ripped open.
A gloved hand grabbed her hair. A gun butt smashed into her temple.
Darkness took her too.
It was quick. Efficient.
Not even an hour out of jail, and Joseph Cassian was kidnapped. Along with the agent tasked with protecting him or perhaps protecting the public from him.
Olivia hadn't done her job well enough. Or maybe, the trap was simply too perfect.
When Olivia opened her eyes, the scene was painfully familiar.
A dark, cavernous warehouse. Dust motes dancing in shafts of light piercing through cracked roof panels. The smell of oil, rust, and stale cigarette smoke. She was tied to a metal chair, her wrists zip-tied behind her back.
Surrounding her were men. Gangsters. Rough-looking, armed, wearing the chaotic mix of streetwear and tactical gear that defined the new underworld.
This was a scenario she had trained for. A nightmare she had simulated a dozen times. But experiencing it in real life, with the stakes this high, was different.
And then there was Joseph.
He was slumped in a chair opposite her, head hanging low. Slowly, he lifted it.
His sunglasses were gone, broken on the floor. His eyes were bloodshot red, tearing up from the sudden light and the blow to his face. But despite the pain, he was awake. He was staring ahead, scanning the room with a terrifying calmness.
How lucky I am, Joseph thought, a bitter irony twisting his gut. Fuck my life.
"Cassian, Joseph..."
A woman's voice cut through the silence. Smooth, confident, dripping with venom.
She stepped out of the shadows, heels clicking on the concrete floor. She was elegant, dressed in a sharp white suit that contrasted violently with the grime of the warehouse. She walked up to Joseph, grabbed his chin, and forced his head up.
"Do you recognize me after ten long years?" she asked, smiling into those empty, dark eyes.
Joseph squinted, trying to focus through the blur of pain. The face was older, harder, but the eyes were the same. Cold. Calculating.
"Who the fuck is this bitch...?" Joseph rasped, turning his head slightly to look at Olivia, who was struggling against her bonds.
SMACK.
The woman backhanded him across the face with brutal force.
Joseph's head snapped to the side. Blood erupted from his nose, dripping onto his cheap t-shirt.
The pain was sharp, blinding.
Not even an hour out of prison, and he was already being tortured.
The woman leaned in close, her breath hot against his ear. "Careful, Joey. We have a lot of catching up to do. And this time, nobody is coming to save you."
[1] Vienna- 23 distinct districts. Governed by a Lord Mayor. Each district has its own mayor and local government.