He closed the door behind him and began rifling through the cabinets in a frantic rush, his eyes sharp and searching.
Guns… ammunition… equipment.
Then his gaze fell on what he had been looking for:
A silencer-equipped pistol, loaded and ready.
He grabbed it without hesitation, not questioning why it was ready, and tucked it under his jacket, whispering to himself with deadly calm:
"I'll take care of this pest, Julian, before he does."
Then he left the room quietly, unnoticed… or so he thought.
•••
In Bella and Amory's guest room…
Bella sat on the couch, phone in hand, her tone warm, like a mother who knows when to comfort and when to tease.
"Valentina… tell me, how are you? And how was your latest performance in China?"
Valentina's voice came from the other end, tired but brimming with excitement:
"Tired… very tired. But I'm excited, I can't deny it."
Bella chuckled lightly:
"Endure it. You're famous now, and that was your last solo show for a while. After this, Lucien will organize things, and Yuki and Henry will return from their break."
Valentina sighed and asked:
"And the mansion? Any news?"
Bella's tone shifted slightly but remained calm:
"Nothing noteworthy… except the last party, Mr. Smith's death, and Mr. Bruce, whom I told you about… he's been acting strangely lately."
Valentina said simply:
"Maybe fatigue. There are many celebrations, and he's no longer young."
"Perhaps…" Bella said, then added in a lighter tone:
"I also met a little boy… seven years old, named Jackson, though I call him Jax. He's sweet… and annoyingly stubborn."
Valentina laughed:
"Don't even think about adopting him. I know you-you like something, nothing will stop you except your morals."
Bella burst out laughing, holding her stomach:
"I was seriously thinking about it! How did you know?"
Valentina replied with sarcasm:
"Because I've spent a lot of time with you, and I know you better than you like to admit."
Bella smiled:
"Small… but clever."
They chatted a little longer… then the call ended.
Bella sat scrolling through her phone, playing a video.
Suddenly-there was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
The door opened, and little Jax appeared.
"Bella!"
"Jax!"
He closed the door behind him, ran to her, climbed onto the couch, and hugged her tightly.
"Why didn't you come visit me today?"
Bella giggled, holding him close:
"I was going to, but the morning got away from me."
A warm silence formed between them… something like the bond between a mother and a spoiled child.
Jax suddenly lifted his head and looked at the phone.
"…Wait! This singer…"
He leaned closer, staring at the screen.
"It's Valentina, isn't it?"
Bella smiled slowly.
"Yes, Jax… it's her."
She tilted the phone slightly toward him:
"This is Valentina Romano, the first young woman to join my company… and today she's a global name."
She paused, then added warmly, with pride in her tone:
"And she's also… one of the closest people to my heart."
The full scene appeared on the screen.
A vast stage.
A massive audience screaming in wild excitement.
Valentina's back was visible as she stood center stage,
wearing a loose, long white shirt that flowed with her movements,
her toned arms visible,
baggy jeans adorned with dangling metal accessories,
sneakers,
and her long wavy orange hair cascading with each step.
She wore singing headphones, moved with confidence,
and the dancers behind her synchronized perfectly with her rhythm.
Then-she turned.
Her face appeared on screen.
A beautiful young woman with sharp, clear features,
yet angelic, calm expressions,
light blue eyes shining under the lights,
long thick lashes,
a subtle shimmer on her lips as she sang.
She smiled…
happy.
present.
alive.
She began dancing in a Popping & Locking style,
precise, articulated movements,
her body controlling the rhythm as if it were part of her.
With the final note,
she raised her hand high,
looked directly at the camera-
and a blinding white light exploded.
…
…
The scene then shifted to another location.
In a Paris neighborhood, inside Lucien's family home…
Lucien was getting ready to go out after a period apart from his friends, having returned from Bella's apartment on the first day she and Amory went to Versailles.
He wore a dark blue T-shirt with the words "I am the sun" in a lighter blue,
over it a white jacket with a hood,
slightly loose blue jeans, and blue sneakers.
His younger sister, Sophie, entered, wearing comfortable home clothes, her blonde hair tied in a ponytail.
"Where are you going today?"
Lucien answered while finishing his outfit:
"I'm going to the amusement park with my friends."
Sophie sighed and said seriously:
"Did you tell your manager… or Miss Bella?"
Lucien paused, and Sophie's gaze at his silence seemed to say: "Huh?"
"You're famous… of course you have fans, and if they see you, they won't leave you alone."
"Do you watch K-pop?" she added with a half-sarcastic smile.
Lucien nodded, calmly sincere:
"I'm new to fame, and I have fewer fans than you think."
Sophie raised an eyebrow, as if to say: "Really?"
Lucien sighed and continued:
"Alright, I'll do what I must now…"
Sophie smiled and spoke in a strict manager-like tone:
"Call whoever handles your schedule, tell them your time and place of exit, so they can come and protect you from overzealous fans."
Lucien protested:
"But… that will take time… and I didn't tell them in advance, I'll waste my friends' time."
Suddenly, Sophie's eyes flared:
"I don't want to see you dead or kidnapped! You'll do as I said… or I'll tell our mom myself!"
Without waiting, she ran screaming to their mother, leaving Lucien frustrated and annoyed.
He sighed in despair. When he finally decided to call, there was a knock at the door.
He knew his friends had arrived.
He grabbed the phone, hid his face under a mask, pulled the hood over his head, and ran out without Sophie or his mother noticing.
He reached the bottom of the stairs and heard his mother shouting his name. He dashed, waved to his father watching a cooking show.
Immediately, he ran out of the house and saw his close friend Louis standing in front of him.
- Before Louis could greet him, Lucien grabbed his hand and pulled him, running toward the friends' car.
Louis got in first, then Lucien followed, and they closed the door quickly.
"Gaspar, hurry!" Lucien ordered.
Gaspar didn't wait for further instructions; he slammed the accelerator, and the car sped away from Lucien's home, Lucien's heart pounding from the small chaos Sophie had left behind.
Lucien took a deep, calming breath, surprising the other four in the car. Louis looked at him curiously:
"What happened?"
Lucien smiled:
"My sister Sophie told me to check with work before leaving… imagine if they embarrassed me there and told me what to do!"
Julian laughed in surprise, replying theatrically:
"So you watch celebrity life to learn? Or… do you watch K-pop?"
Lucien sighed, remembering Sophie's words, and said sarcastically:
"Almost… yes, that's exactly what she said."
Then Louis chimed in theatrically, sitting between Lucien and Julian:
"What does Lucien need? Guards? He has us, his friends, doesn't he?"
Julian nodded sarcastically, and Gaspar, driving, raised his eyebrows smiling, while Étienne, sitting in the front seat, stayed silent, bewildered by his friends' "stupidity."
Louis raised his voice again:
"Then we must protect our friend Lucien!"
Julian and Gaspar agreed loudly:
"Absolutely!"
"Yes, no room for error!"
Lucien laughed from the heart, watching his friends' enthusiasm, while Étienne sighed quietly in the corner, staring outside:
"Lord… give me patience for all this stupidity…"
The sleek red car continued smoothly down the road toward the amusement park, their laughter and chatter filling the cabin, each one excited for the adventures ahead.
•••
They arrived at the amusement park.
Lucien, Louis, Gaspar, Étienne, and Julian stepped into the bustling park, packed with people. Lights sparkled everywhere, and the air was filled with the mixed scents of sugar and popcorn.
Lucien hid his face beneath his mask, pulling the hood of his jacket over his head, trying to remain unnoticed.
"Come on, guys, let's start the adventure!"
shouted Louis, his orange hair gleaming under the lights, his mischievous grin cutting through the atmosphere.
"Let's see who screams first on the roller coaster!" Gaspar laughed as he led the group toward the first ride.
Étienne, as usual, frowned:
"No… I don't want to ride…"
"No running away, my friend!" Louis shouted, grabbing his shirt and dragging him along with everyone else.
"Be part of the thrill!" Julian shouted theatrically, smiling.
They stood before the massive roller coaster, cars spinning, stars dangling and twinkling in the lights.
"Okay, who sits with whom?" Louis asked, subtly pointing to the ride's cars.
Louis chose to sit with Gaspar in the front row, laughing together.
Lucien sat in the middle with Étienne, trying to calm him:
"Don't worry, you won't fall. Mostly…"
Julian sat in the back with Jax, waving to the crowd, shouting at the top of his lungs.
The car launched at high speed, wind slapping their faces, Louis and Gaspar's screams mingling with those of children and adults.
Étienne turned his head nervously:
"Ah… I'm never doing this again!"
Lucien laughed, trying to keep himself composed:
"Focus, breathe… now enjoy it!"
After a minute of flips and sudden drops, the ride ended. Everyone was panting and laughing, faces flushed with excitement.
Louis, enthusiastic:
"That was really fun!"
Lucien, Gaspar, and Julian agreed, while Étienne tried not to fall from the dizziness.
"Next, the carousel!" Louis said excitedly.
They moved to the carousel, horses moving on a giant rotating platform, music blasting in the background.
Julian ran straight to his favorite horse and called out:
"Come on!"
Lucien chose a horse next to Étienne, who sat hesitantly:
"I don't know… this looks boring."
"No! I promise, it's simple." Lucien shouted, laughing at Étienne's scowl.
The music started, the horse moved up and down, and everyone laughed.
Louis tried to raise his hands; Gaspar laughed and lifted him up:
"Don't forget to live in the moment!"
Étienne held the pole tightly, looking down:
"Ah… I don't like heights…"
Everyone laughed at his exaggerated reactions, even as they ran on the ground after the ride ended, gasping from laughter.
Next, they headed to the bumper cars, a crowded area with the sounds of collisions and screaming players.
"Time for chaos!" Louis shouted, driving his car into Julian's.
"Julian! Don't just laugh, watch out!" Gaspar shouted, trying to avoid random collisions.
Étienne sat next to Lucien, trying to avoid driving:
"Ah… this is a moving disaster…"
Lucien laughed:
"Look! Don't be boring, enjoy the chaos!"
Everyone screamed, laughed, and collided joyfully, and even Étienne started to smile despite himself.
After that, they went to the spinning swings, which lifted them high into the air.
"Get ready!" Louis shouted, raising his hands as the swing started spinning, Gaspar beside him:
Gaspar screamed, his face glowing with laughter:
"This is amazing! I feel like I'm flying!"
Étienne held the chair tightly, whispering to himself:
"Lord, make this quick…"
Lucien and Julian laughed and screamed simultaneously, the wind tossing their hair, breaths overlapping.
The ride ended, everyone panting, faces red with excitement and laughter.
As they got off, Étienne clung to Lucien's arm from dizziness, and Lucien kept pace, helping him while chuckling at the sight, while the others ran to the next ride.
After all the excitement, they headed to the Ferris wheel, where they could sit, relax, and see the city from above.
"Finally, a moment of peace!" Gaspar said, leaning back in the seat.
Louis smiled, pointing upward:
"But remember, we can't sit more than five minutes before the next ride!"
Étienne lazily turned his head:
"Please… just a minute…"
Lucien sat between Étienne and Gaspar, watching the twinkling lights, smiling:
"This is fun… I'm glad you're with me."
After the wheel stopped for a few seconds before continuing, a short silence fell, broken by Gaspar leaning slightly toward Lucien:
"You know? If you hadn't come with us today, it wouldn't have been this fun."
Louis nodded in agreement, casually:
"True… we're better when we're complete."
Julian, moved, tried to hold back his crocodile tears, saying:
"I'm really happy we're reunited after your absence."
Lucien chuckled apologetically, scratching his head in embarrassment.
Étienne smiled lightly and nudged Lucien's shoulder playfully:
"Don't get used to it too much, but… having you with us changes the vibe."
Lucien laughed quietly, looking at each of them:
"That's enough for me."
The Ferris wheel resumed its rotation as they stayed silent for a moment, not because they had nothing to say, but because they were comfortable together.
After a long day full of rides, laughter, and screams, they all sat in a small café in the park, drinking colorful juices.
"I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight!" Louis said, laughing.
"I just need a shower…" Étienne said, chuckling slowly.
"We'll never forget this day!" Julian shouted, raising his cup.
Everyone raised their cups, laughing together, enjoying their perfect day at the amusement park.
Inside the men's restroom of the amusement park…
The five of them were busy with their own tasks.
Lucien washed his hands quietly, pulled a scented napkin from the dispenser, then stepped back:
"I'll wait for you outside."
He exited and leaned against the nearby wall.
He took a deep breath… then another.
The area in front of the bathrooms was unusually empty.
He looked around, then-
slightly removed his mask.
Finally… real air.
Only seconds passed before the sound of a door opening.
Lucien looked instinctively…
But it wasn't the men's door.
The women's door.
Two young women emerged.
They froze in place.
Exchanged glances… then looked back at him as if they had seen a ghost.
Lucien tensed, immediately turning his head respectfully:
"Sorry…" he muttered to himself.
But instead of walking away…
they approached.
One of them, her voice trembling with excitement, said:
"Excuse me… are you… Lucien Moreau?"
He turned to them, paused for a fraction of a second, then replied calmly:
"Yes."
They both screamed:
"Oh my God!!"
Lucien blinked in surprise:
"…?"
The second one quickly said:
"Can we take a picture? We have nothing for you to sign… just a picture!"
He hesitated.
A quick glance around.
Then he smiled spontaneously:
"Alright."
They approached him, pulled out their phones, and took a picture… then another.
Lucien leaned slightly to match their height-his height always gave him away.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"You're even nicer than we imagined!"
"Glad to meet you," he said, waving at them with a smile.
They left quickly, whispering excitedly.
Lucien exhaled, laughing lightly to himself:
…It's not so bad to be recognized.
At that moment, his friends came out.
"Why are you smiling like that?" Louis asked as he approached.
"Don't tell me you're plotting something," Julian added.
"No, just… I met some fans." Lucien said as he adjusted his mask while they walked.
"Fans?"
"It's over, see? No drama," Gaspar said, laughing.
But…
On their way, Lucien began to notice raised phones.
Lenses.
Flashes.
He told himself:
I'm wearing a mask…
It's fine.
Then-
"Aaah!! That's him!!"
A sharp voice from behind.
They all turned.
Two girls, their faces excited in a… terrifying way.
One of them pointed at him with a trembling finger:
"That's Lucien Moreau!!"
Time froze.
People turned.
Phones raised.
Whispers turned into screams.
"Wait…"
"Is it really him?"
"It is!!"
Lucien felt his heart drop into his stomach.
Then-
The ground shook.
They looked ahead.
A full crowd was running.
Signs with his name.
Pictures of him.
Hysterical screams.
"…No," Étienne muttered in a deadpan voice.
"This is a nightmare," Gaspar murmured.
"Run," Louis said immediately.
Lucien didn't wait a second.
He ran.
He ran with everything he had, twisting, dodging, trying to survive,
Terror filling his chest.
"This way!!"
"Don't stop!"
His friends followed immediately,
The crowd behind them growing,
And the city-which minutes ago had been a place of fun-
Had turned into a real chase zone.
It wasn't heroic…
Nor organized…
Just pure chaos.
Lucien ran, glancing over his shoulder every two seconds, nearly tripping on his hat, bumping into balloons, dodging a popcorn cart, automatically apologizing to a child who didn't understand why a masked guy was sprinting next to him like the world was ending.
"Sorry! Sorry!"
"Louis, where to?!"
"I don't know, just run!"
Behind him, the crowd screamed with hysterical excitement:
"Lucieeeen!"
"Stop for just one second!"
"Photo! Just a photo!"
A photo?!
Lucien thought as he almost slipped on the wet ground near a water ride.
They're running like they're going to eat me!
He ran around the spinning swing ride; the chairs soared above his head.
Julian screamed as he ran behind him:
"This isn't a movie! Why does it feel like one?!"
Gaspar, panting but joking:
"At least… it's better than boredom!"
But the laughter vanished quickly.
Louis looked at Lucien's face.
The panic wasn't acting.
His breaths were short, shoulders tense, eyes searching for an exit… not a joke.
Louis shouted:
"Gaspar, this isn't funny."
Étienne, panting, said unusually sharply:
"Stop running after him."
"What?!"
"We're making it worse. Go to security. Now."
They exchanged a single glance.
Enough.
"Lucien!" Louis shouted.
"Run… we'll get security!"
He didn't even hear them.
The sound in his ears was louder than anything.
His heartbeat.
His breaths.
The screaming people.
He turned suddenly, ducked into a narrow side corridor…
Then a back alley between two service buildings.
He stopped abruptly.
Hiding behind a metal container, hands over his mouth so no one could hear him.
The crowd passed.
One…
Two…
Ten…
Dozens.
They didn't notice him.
They kept running, screaming his name, thinking he had turned the other way.
Lucien collapsed, sitting on the ground.
Silence. Then…
Everything came at once.
His hands shook.
His breathing faltered.
It felt like his chest suddenly shrank.
What happened?
Since when?
I just came out for fun…
He shut his eyes tightly.
Fingers pressed against his knees.
"Breathe…" he whispered to himself.
"One… two… three…"
Air in.
Air out.
He remembered Sophie's voice.
Her warning.
Her laughter an hour ago.
This is new.
But it didn't kill me.
He opened his eyes slowly.
Raised his head.
He stood.
Meanwhile-
At the security center.
The guards looked at the screens in confusion.
"What's all the commotion?"
"Is there a fight?"
Louis, Julian, Gaspar, and Étienne rushed in.
"We need help immediately!"
"There's a crowd chasing our friend!"
"Who?" one security guard asked indifferently.
"Lucien Moreau."
Silence.
The guards exchanged looks.
One of them straightened instantly.
"…What did you say?"
Louis repeated clearly:
"Lucien. Moreau."
The chief stood immediately:
"Move."
"Disperse the crowd."
"Close the side passages."
"Bring him here immediately."
"No injuries."
"No scandals."
Back in the alley:
Lucien walked slowly, hat adjusted, mask in place, moving like a shadow.
He no longer ran.
He was now escaping with his mind, not his body.
His breaths returned gradually.
His heart still raced… but under control.
I'll get out of here.
I'll be fine.
He continued down the alley, unaware that security was getting closer,
Unaware that today-
Was his first real encounter with what it truly means to be famous.
And as Lucien went deeper into the narrow alley, the sounds began to change.
No longer the fan noise or distant ride whistles; a low, broken voice… almost pleading.
"Please… forgive me…"
Lucien stopped suddenly.
Hesitated.
Logic screamed at him to keep running, but curiosity-and that human instinct he hadn't abandoned-pulled him a step forward.
He approached slowly, cautiously, until he reached the mouth of a deeper side alley… and froze.
A man sat on the ground, back against the wall, hands slightly raised in a desperate surrender.
In front of him stood a masked figure, wearing a tight black suit like a secret agent-flexible, practical, with no adornments…
Except faint glowing blue lines pulsing softly in the darkness, like veins of light.
And he wasn't alone.
Next to him, another figure in the same suit, but with red glowing lines, aimed a weapon steadily at the seated man.
No trembling. No hesitation. Just cold focus.
The third…
Was completely different.
Squatting atop a metal trash container, knees bent outward, hands resting on the edge like a bird watching its prey.
Yellow lines pulsed lazily, and his gaze-even through the mask-conveyed almost sarcastic boredom.
Clear without explanation:
The blue-lined one is the leader.
The red is the executor.
And yellow… the observer who doesn't care.
Lucien held his breath.
His heart pounded violently, making him feel like even his voice would give him away.
He considered retreat-but any movement now could echo.
Regret struck him late: why didn't I keep running?
Then the speaking began.
The blue-lined figure spoke in a calm voice… a calm more dangerous than a scream:
"Asking for forgiveness now? After everything you've done?"
He started listing.
Illegal deals.
Bribes.
Destroying entire families without the law touching them.
Each word delivered precisely, unemotionally-like a final indictment.
The man on the ground wept, shaking his head, repeating that the law hadn't condemned him, that he "got out clean."
But Lucien-despite his fear-understood the bitter truth:
This is not a victim.
This is someone who slipped through because the system failed.
A chill ran through Lucien's body.
Not just fear… but moral confusion.
Who are these people?
And why do they do what the world couldn't?
He pressed himself further against the wall, trying to shrink, to disappear.
He knew at that moment that he had entered a place no ordinary human should see.
Inside him, only one thing was clear:
Tonight-from fans… to the chase… to this alley-
had changed everything.
And what he saw here…
he would never be able to forget.
The red-lined figure stepped half a step forward, tilting his head slightly, his tone coldly mocking.
"Do you know?"
He said it as if telling a light joke,
"Your end today… will be far gentler than the ends you've given to others."
The man on the ground tried to speak, to justify, to cling to any word-
But he wasn't given the chance.
Three shots in quick succession.
Fast. Precise. Without hesitation.
Lucien didn't see the details… and he didn't need to.
The silence that followed was enough to make him understand that everything was over.
The gun used was unfamiliar.
It didn't look like police weapons, nor like the ones he'd seen in movies.
It was something else… advanced, strange, almost soundless-which made it all the more terrifying.
The red-lined figure exhaled deeply, as if finishing a heavy task.
He smiled behind his mask.
He raised his hand, meeting the blue-lined figure's palm in a light hi-five, as if they'd passed some test successfully.
The yellow-lined figure shook his head lazily from atop the container:
"All this… for one person? Overkill."
The red-lined figure almost responded sarcastically,
But the leader-the blue-lined one-spoke decisively:
"The job is done. We move now."
At that sentence, Lucien felt something like terrified relief.
They would leave… they wouldn't notice him… just don't move.
He froze, barely breathing.
And when the three turned and stood straight for a moment, Lucien's eyes caught a detail he'd never seen before.
On their chests… symbols.
On the blue-lined one: a tiger, glowing with blue stripes.
On the red-lined one: a fox, pulsing red.
On the yellow-lined one: a crow, shining yellow.
Symbols… not just decoration.
Lucien was confused.
How would they leave? This alley was the only exit…
He began muttering to himself, almost crying from tension, his chest tight, hands trembling.
Suddenly-
A sound.
Like engines… jet-like, deep, unnatural.
The sound rose quickly, then faded upward.
Lucien lifted his head in shock-
They were gone.
No trace…
Just light vapor dissipating in the air.
He stared for seconds, then lowered his head and exhaled shakily.
It's over… it's over…
But his relief wasn't complete.
A quiet voice… came directly from above:
"Don't scream."
Blood froze in his veins.
He lifted his head slowly-
And saw him.
The blue-lined figure… squatting atop the wall, staring directly at him.
Lucien screamed involuntarily and flinched backward, dragging himself on the ground trying to escape-
But another shadow moved in front of him.
The red-lined figure appeared in the alley, calmly cutting off his path.
No way out.
No escape.
And Lucien realized at that moment…
he was no longer just a passing witness.
The yellow-lined figure leaned against the wall with clear laziness, arms crossed, head tilted slightly as if watching an entertaining show.
"Apparently, we've been scaring people more than necessary."
He said it sarcastically, glancing quickly at Lucien trembling.
The red-lined figure let out a short laugh, devoid of amusement:
"No, he's just weak. Look… he's about to collapse."
He stepped forward, curiosity evident.
But the blue-lined leader didn't laugh.
He descended calmly from his perch, his voice firm:
"Enough."
The other two stopped immediately.
The blue-lined one advanced slowly toward Lucien, measured steps, non-threatening… at least on the surface.
He extended his hand.
"Stand up."
Lucien looked at the outstretched hand, his mind in chaos.
Part of him wanted to run, another part froze.
And in a fleeting moment-he remembered the shots.
He remembered the silence.
He remembered the man on the ground.
He slapped the hand away.
The blue-lined figure stepped back slightly, surprised, but not angry.
Before anyone could say a word, a sharp metallic sound rose-
The red-lined figure had aimed his advanced weapon directly at Lucien's chest.
"Enough playing around."
Lucien froze in place, breath quickening, eyes wide.
But-
"No."
The blue one said it in a low voice, deadly in its calm.
He placed his hand in front of the weapon, pushing it aside.
He turned to the red, eyes glinting behind the mask:
"The boss won't be happy if we kill an unarmed kid. Understand that."
The red clenched his jaw, clearly unconvinced.
The yellow shrugged indifferently:
"Waste of time anyway."
Lucien didn't feel safe.
Not for a single moment.
The calm… was worse than the threat.
Instinctively, he pushed the blue one with a sudden burst, closing the distance, then charged at the red-
pushed him with all his strength.
He didn't wait for their reaction.
He ran.
He ran like he never had before.
Behind him, the sound of heavy breathing.
The blue exhaled slowly, disappointment clear:
"He could have just stood still…"
The red shouted angrily:
"Run! I told you-"
The blue interrupted immediately:
"Catch him."
He paused, then added firmly:
"But do not hurt him. No matter what."
Red and yellow exchanged glances, then nodded.
Obedience… or a performance of it.
In the alley, Lucien ran, heart pounding violently, thoughts scattered, lungs burning-
but one idea was clear:
Survive.
Lucien ran as if the entire city were behind him.
Breaths broken, feet striking the ground with a familiar rhythm-
This rhythm wasn't unfamiliar to him.
Behind him, the scene… more chaotic than it should be.
"Slow down! I mean-stop!"
The red shouted, jumping over a trash container but stumbling slightly.
"Please, we don't want to kill you!"
The yellow said in a bored tone, as if asking someone to stop running in a store aisle:
"This is the worst chase in chase history."
He added, jumping lightly, steadier than red, but far less enthusiastic.
Behind them, the blue one ran steadily, watching Lucien's steps closely.
Then he sighed… a long sigh, full of resignation.
"Impressive…"
He said quietly.
"Runner."
He looked at red and yellow:
"Notice his steps. Distribution of breath. He doesn't run randomly."
Red panted:
"Are you kidding?! There are three of us!"
Yellow, dodging a narrow wall:
"I told you from the start, I don't like chasing humans."
Lucien-
was actually ahead.
He turned sharply left, jumped over a short ledge, slid between two narrow pillars barely wide enough for his body.
"Oh, no no no!"
Red shouted, stopping suddenly.
"This isn't fair!"
Yellow jumped smoothly over them:
"Move, you're blocking the way."
They continued running, but the distance began to close…
Not because they were faster-
But because the alley was narrowing.
Lucien ran without noticing, heart pounding, focus entirely on escape, until-
He stopped suddenly.
Ahead:
A tall wall.
The alley ended.
He spun quickly, eyes wide.
The three were approaching now, steps slowing, not running… just walking.
Red raised his hands irritably:
"Sport's over."
Yellow sighed, leaning against the wall:
"Finally. I was about to sit on the ground."
The blue-lined figure took only one step forward, voice calm but commanding:
"Running is over, Lucien."
Lucien swallowed, back pressed against the wall, chest rising and falling violently.
He didn't know what to do now…
But he knew one thing:
There was nowhere left to run.
He braced his back against the wall, raised his hands slightly in an unconscious gesture, voice shaky but sincere:
"Please… hear me. Let me go. I swear I won't tell anyone what I saw."
A short silence followed.
The blue exhaled, a slow sigh like a belated confession, then said quietly:
"We never intended to kill you, Lucien. If we did… you wouldn't be standing now."
Lucien trembled at the words, but held himself together.
"Then… why am I here?"
Before blue could answer, the red-lined one chuckled with clear sarcasm:
"Because you're too curious, and that usually…"
He stopped suddenly.
One sharp look from the blue-lined figure-from beneath the mask-
was enough to make the red-lined one fall silent immediately, grudgingly, turning his face away in annoyance.
"I said: no."
Blue said it in a low tone, but one that brooked no argument.
And before he could continue speaking-
Lucien's phone rang.
The sound cut through the alley like a slap.
Lucien looked at the screen, confused…
then his eyes widened.
"Miss… Bella?"
He answered immediately, without thinking.
Bella appeared on the screen, smiling, her features bright as always:
"Finally! I was thinking about you. How are you? We haven't talked in days."
Lucien hesitated for a second…
then everything fell apart all at once.
"I… I went out with my friends… and didn't tell the manager… there were fans… they were chasing me… and now I'm in an alley, with three masked people-"
"Stop."
Bella cut him off immediately, her tone shifting.
"Are they with you now?"
He swallowed.
"Yes… they're in front of me."
"Point the camera."
He hesitated for a moment.
Then he did.
The three figures appeared on the screen.
And the moment Bella saw them-
She didn't scream in fear.
She didn't freeze.
She didn't step back.
Instead, she shouted, in that familiar angry voice, as if she had known them forever:
"You! What are you doing?! Are you crazy? Why are you scaring him like this?!"
The three froze.
The yellow-lined one turned instantly, hiding his face:
"…Ah, no. I hope she didn't see me."
The red quickly hid his weapon behind his back, muttering irritably:
"Great. Now we'll be scolded."
As for the blue-
he rubbed the back of his head slightly, his tone completely changed:
"We apologize, Bella. We didn't mean to scare him. The young man saw what shouldn't be seen… we just wanted to talk."
Bella's voice came back calmer, but firm:
"I understand. But that doesn't justify terrifying an innocent person."
Lucien stared at the screen, stunned.
They knew her.
And she… was ordering them.
"Listen carefully."
Bella continued.
"Take him to Odette's palace. Calmly. Respectfully. Without any harm. Understood?"
The three exchanged glances.
"Understood."
Blue said immediately.
And before the call ended, a woman's voice was heard calling from a distance:
"Bella? Amélie is looking for you."
Bella smiled lightly, looking back at the camera:
"We'll talk later, Lucien. Don't worry."
Then she ended the call.
Silence fell over the alley… heavy.
Red finally spoke, impatient:
"Come with us, please."
Lucien shook his head immediately:
"No."
Red sighed sharply:
"I knew it."
And with a quick motion, he threw a small circular device toward him.
Lucien recoiled in terror-
But there was no explosion.
Instead, a faint yellow gas emerged.
"What is this?!"
He said it, but then smelled it.
He felt the ground tilt.
Vision blurred.
His legs betrayed him.
He fell… and the phone slipped from his hand.
"A sedative."
Yellow said calmly as he picked up the phone.
"Just talk."
Blue exhaled, stepped forward, and gently-but unexpectedly-picked up Lucien, carrying him over his shoulder.
"He won't be harmed."
He said it as if reassuring himself.
The three moved together…
with Lucien.
Then-
They vanished.
As if the alley
had witnessed nothing
ever.
•••
In Versailles-
Right in the heart of her famous palace, where luxury is not discussed but imposed-
the party had been going for two full hours.
Journalist lenses flashed incessantly, capturing every detail:
the gilded facades, soft lights reflecting on fountains, guests in their elegant attire as if freshly emerged from a historical painting.
In the background, tables were meticulously set, drinks aligned precisely, conversations overlapping in elegant French.
Servants moved with calculated grace,
and the guards-more vigilant than ever-spread throughout the area with unblinking eyes.
Amid all this,
Bella stood beside Amélie.
They spoke quietly, measured smiles, light comments about guests, arrangements, details unnoticed by anyone else.
Bella appeared composed, elegant, present…
but her mind wasn't fully here.
Not far away,
Mr. Bruce stood among the guests.
His face held a perfect social smile,
but his eyes… were not so.
Fatigue was evident,
and anger?
Buried under layers of careful acting.
He shook hands, laughed, nodded respectfully-
all while his gaze never left a single target.
Mr. Julian.
He stood amid a small crowd, chatting animatedly with an aristocrat and his wife, laughing, waving, seeming… far too at ease.
Bruce gripped his glass slightly.
No clear reason.
No direct incident.
No recent insult.
Yet-
resentment gnawed at him.
Not rational resentment.
But twisted resentment, charged with thoughts that had never been fully his.
Whispers. Hints. Carefully planted mental images.
The psychological conditioning he had endured from the unknown worked silently,
distorting perception,
rewriting hostility from nothing.
He no longer saw Julian as an ordinary man.
But as a symbol of all that must disappear.
He watched him with patient irritation.
Waiting only-
For a moment Julian would leave the crowd.
A moment of isolation.
A moment when he'd be away from eyes… and cameras.
Only then,
he would stop pretending.
And in the glittering Versailles sky,
amid soft music and elite laughter,
evil formed quietly…
waiting for the signal to begin.
The clock was nearing midnight of the party, and the lights began to glow, making the atmosphere more luxurious and enchanting.
Bella noticed Bruce's tension, despite his peculiar smile, and subtly nodded to Amélie, as if to say, "Notice that too?"
Amélie whispered:
"He seems on edge… I don't think it's just the crowd. Is he mentally unstable or what?"
Bella gave a short smile, shrugged slightly as if unsure, then refocused on the surroundings, choosing not to interfere with Mr. Bruce-he seemed insane to her now.
Meanwhile, Julian moved among the guests, laughing, sharing jokes, unaware of the tension surrounding him.
Bruce, behind the crowd, began to step forward slowly, unnoticed.
Hands clasped behind his back, eyes tracking every movement, every smile, every laugh.
Then, suddenly, he sensed the opportunity.
Julian had stepped slightly away from the group, looking at an art display, engrossed, and began leaving the gathering toward the palace gardens after receiving a call.
Bruce realized the timing was perfect-
away from cameras, away from guests' eyes.
And he went after him, careful not to arouse suspicion…
Julian distanced himself from the party's clamor, steps leading him to the garden's back corridors, where light dimmed and sounds softened.
He held his phone, speaking in a warm tone with flirtation, a short laugh escaping now and then-clearly talking to someone close, perhaps his lover.
He didn't know he was no longer alone.
Among the thick trees, Bruce hid.
Body still, breaths slow, eyes unblinking.
At that moment, he no longer saw the party, the palace, or people-
only a target.
He drew his silenced pistol.
Raised his arm without hesitation.
The rage built up over the past hours drowned out the last whisper of reason.
He squeezed the trigger.
Then again.
Two bullets aimed at Julian.
Julian heard nothing but a faint, strange, incomprehensible sound-
his voice on the phone cut off suddenly.
The phone fell from his hand,
and his body stumbled before collapsing onto the grass and gravel, blood spilling onto the ground.
Bruce remained in place for a few seconds.
Watching. Observing.
Then slowly lowered the weapon.
He didn't feel relief.
He didn't feel victory.
Only… a heavy void.
Looking at what he had done, he snapped back in shock, realizing what he had done as he heard the woman's scream from Julian's phone.
The gun slipped from his hand, and in panic, he ran from the scene, unaware of what he had done.
That night in Versailles…
was no longer just a party.
•••
The next day, the last day in the palace, the atmosphere was thick with shock and fear.
Everyone in the palace whispered, questioned, trying to understand how the glamorous Versailles party-supposed to be a symbol of luxury and celebration-had turned into the scene of a double murder.
Mr. Julian was found murdered in one of the palace gardens four hours after the party ended, just like Mr. Smith a few days earlier.
He was quietly buried in the palace cemetery, away from public eyes, while the gun, the possible murder weapon, was sent to the criminal investigation department for fingerprints and evidence analysis.
Everyone was stunned, shocked by the idea that this famous party had witnessed its first murder in its long history.
As for Mr. Bruce, he displayed a facade of sorrow, holding his glass carefully, offering condolences, while inside him, fear boiled.
Fear that he hadn't wiped his fingerprints from the gun, and that someone might discover his role before he escaped forever.
At night:
While preparing to leave the palace early the next day, he checked his earrings meticulously, trying to maintain his composure.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
He looked at the caller ID, and his eyes widened: a familiar number… Julian?!
Shock stopped him in his tracks, his heart racing. He was certain Julian was dead the night before. So who was calling now? Perhaps a family member? Maybe Julian's brother taking something from his personal belongings?
With great hesitation, he answered:
"Hello."
At first, only silence was heard-an unsettling quiet.
Then a voice came-so familiar, Julian's very own voice:
"Come to the Bosquet de la Colonnade now."
Then the line went dead.
Mr. Bruce stood there, staring at the phone in his hand, his heart fluttering between fear and astonishment.
Julian's voice? Calling him after death?
Who was behind this? And what was happening here now?
Bruce exhaled slowly, determined to go there, no matter the cost.
He knew this moment could reveal a lot, but it was also a chance to uncover the truth…
At the Bosquet de la Colonnade:
Mr. Bruce arrived at the Bosquet de la Colonnade, the place shrouded in thick fog that made everything mysterious, night falling heavily on the columns and statues.
Despite his anxiety, he tried to appear calm, though his heart pounded fiercely.
He stood next to the central statue, shining his flashlight in all directions, inspecting shadows and sculptures, trying to make sense of what was happening.
Two minutes passed, and he began to realize something… that he had been manipulated, that someone knew he would come here.
Suddenly, a strong light flickered above a column behind him, partially illuminating the place.
A long, echoing laugh reverberated through the fog, and a shadow appeared in the light, massive, like a terrifying creature with enormous demonic horns-something that seemed ready to devour everything around it.
Bruce shivered, turning quickly toward the source, finding a person standing on the column, the light hiding their features. Yet he noticed the details:
A full suit in dark shiny blue and red, decorated with black hearts and stars.
A long black jacket with golden patterns, a white shirt with a shiny red tie.
A sleek black hat covering the upper half of the face, long wavy white hair flowing silkily.
A white glove on the right hand with a blue jewel, and a red jewel on the left, with what appeared to be a silver skull ring.
He held a black cane engraved with lilies, black leather shoes decorated with red and blue patterns, and a long purple sapphire earring in his right ear.
He moved slowly, as if descending invisible stairs, each step increasing Bruce's fear.
Approaching, his voice calm but full of strangeness:
"Welcome here, Mr. Bruce… I hope you enjoyed the surprise."
Bruce stood frozen, heart racing, eyes fixed on every move of the mysterious figure.
He couldn't advance or retreat, a mix of awe, danger, and deadly curiosity gripping him to learn who stood before him, and the reason for this mysterious nighttime summons…
The figure landed lightly as if his feet never touched the ground, a strange movement that intensified Bruce's fear.
Bruce tried to steady himself, his voice trembling slightly as he asked:
"Who… who are you? And who called me from my friend Julian's number?!"
The person smiled, standing a little distance away, laughing a strange laugh that echoed through the fog after Bruce's words.
Annoyed, Bruce shouted sharply:
"Stop laughing! I want to know who you are now!"
The person stopped laughing, looking at him with curiosity, like an actor on stage:
"Really… you don't remember me?"
Bruce froze, shocked and confused, trying to recall any details.
The person bowed slightly in a noble gesture, introducing himself:
"I am the unknown who threatened you… who manipulated Julian… who toyed with you in the past."
Bruce stood frozen, memories of Julian's murder, previous threats, psychological games flooding his mind.
Anger ignited in his chest, and he shouted:
"You… you were behind all this?!"
The person smiled mockingly, raising his head slowly, speaking in a calm yet firm voice:
"No, I wasn't behind all of it. I only set the bait-and you took it. You did all of this yourself."
Bruce yelled in anger:
"Who are you, and what exactly is your problem with me?"
The person laughed, then said:
"Seems you want to know me better, right? My name is The Nébuleuse, head of the Gray Justice Organization… or rather, I am it."
Then he removed his hat completely, revealing his face…
Bruce's expression shifted from anger to shock, leaving him frozen, his voice trapped in his throat:
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"…Bella?!"
To be continued…