Killer Empire

Chapter 23

EACH BLOW DELIVERED to the punching bag was filled with more power than the last. Soon enough, there was even a dent made in the material from sheer force. Beads of perspiration covered Travis's forehead in a gleaming sheen as he panted. Despite feeling the exhaustion seeping into each crack and crevice of his body, he refused to stop and simply breathe.

He had to use one way or another to let off steam, after all. Both his sisters had become people that he was unfamiliar with— one dead and one a murderer. Tammy's body might still be in the forest, rotting back into the earth for Mother Nature to claim. Meanwhile, Leah had just 'graduated' her training and became the first to kill out of the three of them. Things were no longer what he had remembered them to be and his quaint and unembellished life was nothing more than a far off memory.

Dallas had mentioned time and time again to Travis that it was their job to kill. That was the sole reason they were recruited; to be trained into the form of the perfect lethal assassins. However, Travis couldn't come to face that reality despite the months he had spent within Julius Cain's empire. He didn't wish to submit to the company motto: 'kill or be killed'.

Unfortunately, life was never said to be fair. It had always been that way for both the rich and the poor. The world operated on a give-and-take law. For every loss, something will be gained to replace it, and vice versa.

Previously, he had to forage for food in the dumpsters or sneak loaves of bread off bakery counters just to pull through to the next day. Now, food would be spread out prepared for him by the time he waltzed into the cafeteria at mealtimes.

In exchange for the delicious food to fill his belly and nice clothes to warm his back, Travis had to trade off his peaceful and simple life where the troubles he had were common lice and the unmissable scent of garbage. No matter which life he looked back on, Travis couldn't shake off the danger of death— one by hunger and one by murder. Even more so than before, the two siblings lived on the edge of a knife. One misstep and they would be down in the depths of hell.

As Travis trained in the gym, he was lost in his own world of thoughts. All noises were drowned out, mindless chatter from others reduced to mere whispers that couldn't even form coherent sentences in Travis's ears. However, a crackling voice that buzzed louder than any other still managed to grab his attention, causing him to stop his practice to listen in on what Julius Cain had to say to the masses this time.

"The Battlefield Arena matches will be postponed to next week due to some... maintenance issues. For the next few days until then, missions will go on as usual," Cain's voice said through the intercom. He then continued, "Nathaniel Jerald, Devora Evans, Travis Lane, and Dallas Rokos are to report to my office immediately. That is all."

♕♕♕

"I'm sorry."

Now that Leah's match was over and secured and there were no longer any excuses Nathan could come up with to postpone his apology, it was high time he apologized. He had been thinking of it for quite some time. It was only natural for Devora to be upset. After all, he was her partner and friend, a person that was supposed to keep no secrets from her. Yet, a source of distrust had come in-between their budding friendship. As a man, Nathan felt the need to take a step back and apologize for it. It was only right.

"What?" Devora spat, glaring as she chewed on an apple she had picked up from the cafeteria.

They hadn't been exactly fighting but their cold war was freezing and blizzardy. Anyone within a ten-mile radius could feel that something had been off between the two of them for the past few months.

"I should've apologized sooner. I'm sorry for keeping it a secret from you. My family, that is. But I can't apologize for keeping in contact with them. That was my choice to make despite the dangers."