The Price of Loyalty
The call came at midnight.
No warning.
No explanation.
Just a knock.
Ryan opened the door.
A man in a black suit stood there, expression blank.
"Don Alessandro wants to see you."
Ryan didn't ask why.
He already knew.
The office was silent when he entered.
Dim lights.
Heavy air.
Power.
Don Alessandro stood by the window, hands behind his back.
"Your training is complete," he said without turning.
Ryan remained still.
Waiting.
Then—
"It's time."
The words landed heavier than anything Ryan had faced before.
Not training.
Not practice.
This was real.
Alessandro turned slowly, his eyes locking onto Ryan.
"Your first mission."
Ryan's heartbeat didn't change.
But something inside him shifted.
"A man betrayed us," Alessandro continued. "He thought he could take what belongs to me… and disappear."
A file slid across the table.
Ryan picked it up.
A photo.
A name.
A location.
"Marco DeLuca," Alessandro said. "Former associate. Now a liability."
Ryan studied the picture.
Middle-aged.
Ordinary.
Alive.
"For this world to respect you," Alessandro said calmly, "you must prove your loyalty."
A pause.
Then—
"End him."
Silence.
Ryan closed the file.
No questions.
No hesitation.
"Understood."
Night wrapped the city in darkness as Ryan moved.
Alone.
Focused.
Cold.
The address led him to a quiet apartment building.
No guards.
No noise.
Too easy.
Ryan didn't trust it.
He moved carefully, every step controlled.
Every sense alert.
Door unlocked.
Mistake.
He slipped inside.
The apartment was dim.
A faint light flickered from the living room.
Ryan reached for his weapon.
Steady.
Ready.
Then—
A voice.
"Who's there?"
Marco.
Ryan stepped forward.
No more shadows.
No more waiting.
The man turned—
Fear instantly flooding his face.
"W-Who are you?!"
Ryan didn't answer.
Marco stumbled back.
"Wait—listen! I can explain—"
Ryan raised the gun.
And froze.
For a split second—
He saw something else.
Not a target.
A man.
Scared.
Desperate.
Human.
"Please…" Marco whispered. "I have a family…"
The words hit harder than any punch.
Ryan's grip tightened.
His mind flickered—
Leo.
Blood.
The crash.
His aunt's voice.
"Problem solved."
Something snapped.
Ryan's eyes went cold.
"This world doesn't care about your family."
A single shot echoed through the room.
Silence.
Marco collapsed.
And just like that—
It was done.
Ryan stood there.
Breathing steady.
Unmoving.
No guilt.
No hesitation.
Just… emptiness.
Minutes later, he stepped back into the night.
Different.
When he returned, Alessandro was waiting.
"Well?" he asked.
Ryan met his gaze.
"It's done."
A slow smile spread across Alessandro's face.
"Good."
He stepped closer.
Studying him.
"You didn't hesitate."
Ryan didn't respond.
Because the truth was—
For a moment…
He did.
But that moment was gone now.
Buried.
Just like everything else.
Alessandro placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Welcome to the real world, Ryan."
Ryan said nothing.
But deep inside—
Something had changed.
Forever