The sleek black car, a silent predator on the streets of Arigyo Town, glided away from Blake's humble neighborhood. As soon as he was inside, the blonde woman, whose pheromones he had so crassly complimented, instructed the driver to head to the designated coordinates. The two burly men, her 'bodyguards' or 'comrades' as she later called them, sat in the front, their immense frames filling the passenger and driver's seats. In the back, Blake found himself sharing the plush leather with the mysterious woman. The car's interior was unexpectedly opulent, a stark contrast to his own meager belongings and the run-down apartment building he had just left. The scent of new leather mingled with the faint, unsettling metallic tang he now associated with these powerful, secretive individuals.
"Firstly, let me introduce myself," the woman began, her voice a calm, soothing melody that seemed to melt away the lingering tension. "It must be a bit unnerving not knowing whom you are speaking to. My name is Lina, and I am an advisor of the Ranker Association. I will oversee what will be happening to you over the course of actions."
Hearing the previously cold, sharp woman speak in such a serene tone, Blake felt inches of his nervousness dissipate. Was this truly her? She seemed like a completely different person, her earlier menacing aura replaced by an almost professional calm. He found himself relaxing, a foolish sense of comfort settling in. 'At least she's polite,' he thought, pushing down the gnawing sense of unease that still lingered beneath his excitement.
"So," Blake began, attempting to sound more confident than he felt, "about this operation. Why didn't you choose strong Rankers to scout the portal? Surely they would be more suitable." This was the question that weighed most heavily on his mind, the central anomaly of this incredible invitation. 'Hopefully I'll get an answer,' he wished internally.
Lina offered a small, enigmatic smile, her deep blue eyes reflecting the flickering lights of the passing city. "Hmmmm, let me see what's the best way to put it. Well... basically, we need individuals who suit a certain criterion, as only they can effectively navigate that particular portal. You just so happen to be someone who suits this criteria, and most other Rankers do not."
Blake frowned. He could fill in criteria that other Rankers couldn't? That sounded like straight nonsense. None of it made any ounce of sense to him. He was a suckerfish, the epitome of 'nothing special.' How could he be uniquely qualified for anything related to the powerful Ranker world?
"Could you please elaborate on what these 'requirements' are?" Blake asked carefully, making sure not to come off as rude or too impulsive. He wanted answers, but the subtle shift in Lina's demeanor, a brief tightening around her eyes, warned him against pushing too hard.
"Unfortunately, that is outside my jurisdiction range right now. You will find out when you enter the designated area," she replied, her tone still calm, but now with an underlying firmness that left no room for argument.
"BUT!" Blake started, a desperate plea forming on his lips. The sudden shift in Lina's expression, however, cut him short.
"I said you will find out at the designated area!" she stated sharply, her voice losing its soothing quality and hardening into a razor edge. A dangerous aura, palpable and cold, consumed the car, making the very air crackle with unspoken threat. Blake immediately reeled in his protest. She seemed like quite a flippant woman; nice when she wanted to be, but also as sharp as a blade. Blake did not want to get on her bad side. 'Women sure can be scary,' he thought, a cold sweat pricking at his hairline. 'It's only a short wait anyway, I'll find out in due time.' He tried to reassure himself, clinging to the image of 'free money' and a 'dream job'.
The black car continued its silent journey, leaving the more populated areas of Arigyo Town behind. The towering, brightly lit cyber-skyscrapers of the city gave way to a more desolate landscape. The journey felt longer than he expected, each minute stretching into an eternity of growing unease. Blake pressed his face against the tinted window, watching the urban sprawl gradually thin out, replaced by industrial complexes and then, finally, by forgotten, overgrown lots. The rain began to fall, a soft drumming against the car's roof, adding to the grim atmosphere.
Soon enough, the car began to slow, approaching a remote area. Looking at it carefully, Blake's heart sank. It was an abandoned building, or what looked like one. It was nothing like the gleaming, high-tech Ranker Association building he had pictured. Far from it! The contrast couldn't be any more obvious than night and day. In front of Blake was a disheveled structure that looked to be on its last legs, its rusted metal siding and cracked windows a stark opposite to the super high-tech institute he had expected. Sweat beads started dripping down his forehead. Was this really the Ranker Association he was dealing with?
'Nonsense,' he desperately tried to rationalize. 'These people clearly looked professional and high class. Look at the car they brought him in, this must be some kind of discreet, temporary outpost.' With that shaky logic, Blake proceeded to calm himself down, or at least tried to. 'Maybe they made a directional mistake, let me ask just to make sure,' he thought, his voice barely a whisper.
"Are you sure this is the right direction?" he asked, his voice betraying his mounting anxiety.
"Oh yes, this is the area," Lina stated, a chilling grin spreading across her beautiful face. Her blue eyes glinted with an unsettling amusement.
Suddenly, a truly terrible feeling washed over Blake. Before the car fully stopped, his hand shot out towards the door handle, his mind screaming in alarm. If this sketchy place was where they were taking him, they were definitely not the Ranker Association. Who were they then? Maybe, they were kidnappers. 'If so then I need to escape,' his primal instincts shrieked.
Just as he was about to press the release, to fling himself out of the slowing car and make a desperate break for it, an imposing aura, heavy and oppressive, slammed into him, paralyzing him to the spot. It felt like an invisible weight pressing down on his chest, stealing his breath. Then, a firm grip, surprisingly strong, grasped his shoulder. It was Lina. Her delicate fingers felt like iron clamps. Blake screamed out in pain, a sharp yelp of agony.
"Now, now, where do you think you're going?" Lina purred, her voice a low, dangerous whisper that sent shivers down his spine. She intensified her grip on Blake's shoulder, causing a surge of searing pain to travel down his body, making him gasp. "Good boys should listen now, shouldn't they?"
"This is kidnapping, a felony, it's against the law!" Blake shouted out at the top of his lungs, his voice raw with fear and outrage. He struggled against her grip, but she was impossibly strong.
"Hey, that's not very nice," Lina stated playfully, her smile widening. She was clearly mocking him, relishing in his anguish. "Didn't I tell you that once you entered the car you would have to do the task we requested? I don't see any lie in that. A true man sticks to his word."
'Who knew such a beautiful chick was a deadly vixen,' he thought, a grim realization settling in.
"True man bullshit!" Blake lashed out in fury, his voice cracking. "You lied to me first, saying that you were the Ranker Association!"
He was angry at them, yes, but even more so at himself. Of all things, he had been tricked and taken captive. What an embarrassment. He hadn't questioned the email much, hadn't bothered to check its validity. What a fool he had been to get so caught up in the concept of becoming rich quickly. He was too naive, too desperate. However, regretting it served no purpose now. He was already too late.
What did they want from him anyway? He had no money, no influential relatives who would pay a ransom. "What do you want? I have no money or influence!" he pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation.
The lady smiled, a cold, predatory curve of her lips. "I've already told you, Blake. We've got a little task for you. Not the sharpest tool in the box, are you now?" Her eyes gleamed with a chilling amusement.
It was then that the car was pulled to a halt. Lina's iron-tight grip had still not let go of Blake's shoulder. It was like it was permanently attached to him. Instead of letting him go, Lina used her strength to drag the young boy out of the car. Blake tried to shake her off and resist, but it was all futile. Soon enough, Blake found himself in the dilapidated building, pushed into the middle of a circle containing five other individuals.
All five of them seemed to be desperately in distress as well. Perhaps they had been tricked and coerced into this trap just like him. Every single one of them held a distraught look on their faces. Surely, they were all regretting their actions, just like him.
Blake's face contorted in disgust. 'Just what have they got planned for us? I doubt it's any good.'
"Great, the last one has appeared!"
Blake turned around to see a big, burly, bald man with a dragon tattoo on his head. Plastered on his face was the evillest of smiles. One look, and you could tell that he was bad news. 'Who are these people? What are they going to do to us? Am I going to die?' So many questions buzzed through Blake's mind, each one more terrifying than the last.