Both began descending the same stairs Andreas had climbed to reach the bank's rooftop. The adrenaline from the escape still coursed through their veins, but the silence between them grew heavier with each step they took. The city still vibrated in the distance with neon lights and the constant hum of flying cars, but inside the building, only their footsteps and ragged breathing could be heard.
Finally, Andreas broke the silence:
—And… what’s your name? —he asked in a more relaxed tone.
The gray-haired man took a few seconds to respond, as if evaluating whether it was worth sharing.
—Dedrick… Dedrick Weiser. —His voice was rough, as if he wasn’t used to introducing himself.
Andreas nodded slightly before Dedrick returned the question with curiosity:
—And you?
—Andreas.
Dedrick raised an eyebrow, expecting something more.
—Andreas… what?
The young man lowered his gaze for a moment, feeling a sharp pang of discomfort in his chest.
—I don’t know… —he murmured with a hint of frustration.
Dedrick looked at him strangely.
—You don’t remember your last name?
—No… —Andreas replied, frowning, feeling an inexplicable sense of shame.
Dedrick was about to keep asking, but noticing Andreas' expression, he decided to drop the subject. There was no point in digging into something that clearly wouldn’t bring pleasant answers.
When they finally reached the ground floor, the cool night air hit their faces. They walked in silence to where Andreas' vehicle was parked, its neon reflections flickering on the damp asphalt.
Dedrick let out a low whistle upon seeing the car.
—Nice car.
Andreas gave a small smile.
—Heh… thanks. What about yours?
Dedrick crossed his arms confidently.
—It’s parked nearby.
A brief pause settled before the gray-haired man spoke again:
—And where do you live?
—I have a building. I managed to buy it… we could use it as our base. —Andreas spoke with a slight excitement, though he tried to hide it.
Dedrick nodded seriously.
—Good.
Without exchanging more words, both got into their respective cars and drove away from the scene without anyone stopping them or linking them to the heist. The city continued its nocturnal rhythm, illuminated by enormous holographic billboards and the constant activity of urban life in 2110.
After several minutes of driving, they arrived at Andreas' building, a skyscraper that stood out for its dark, unlit facade. They entered the underground parking lot and turned off their engines.
Dedrick got out of the car and looked around with a neutral expression, but with a certain air of disappointment.
—Damn… this place is empty.
Andreas let out a nervous laugh.
—I didn’t have money to furnish it. I could only afford the building itself.
An uncomfortable silence settled between them.
—Well… now that we have a fortune, we should buy some things, don’t you think? —Dedrick said as he stretched with a yawn.
Andreas nodded, and without wasting time, both went out again to buy what was necessary. They spent several hours acquiring furniture, appliances, and decorations. When they returned, the building no longer felt desolate. The lights were on, there were comfortable sofas, a large screen, filled bookshelves, and a well-equipped kitchen. The emptiness had been replaced by a warm chaos of new objects.
Dedrick and Andreas settled onto the massive living room couch. Andreas held a plate of food in his hands, while Dedrick held a bag of pills. He took a small handful and popped several into his mouth.
—Want some? —he asked, extending the handful toward Andreas.
The young man immediately shook his head.
—No, thanks.
Dedrick shrugged and kept taking the pills as if they were candy.
—So… —Andreas said, setting his plate aside—, do you have something in mind for our next heist?
Dedrick smirked before getting up and walking to the window. He looked out at the city from above, the floating car lights resembling fireflies in the night.
—Yeah. —He paused before turning to Andreas—. Tomorrow night, we’re meeting someone. He’s well-known in the underground mafia circles.
Andreas narrowed his eyes.
—And who exactly are we meeting?
Dedrick shot him a mysterious look.
—You’ll see.
The next day, with their weapons reloaded and ready for whatever Dedrick had planned, they took their cars and drove to the outskirts of the city. As they advanced, the bright, futuristic metropolis gave way to a much darker district, where security was scarce and the law was practically nonexistent.
Finally, Dedrick stopped on a worn-out street filled with burned trash and figures wandering like specters under the dim streetlights. Addicts, vagrants, and thugs with empty gazes lurked in the shadows, watching the newcomers.
—Follow me. —Dedrick stepped out of his car without hesitation.
Andreas followed cautiously, observing the thick gray mist that cloaked the streets like a ghost. They stopped in front of an old building with a flickering LED sign that read: "Dreams and Paradise."
Dedrick looked up.
—It used to be an art school. Now it’s the headquarters of a criminal organization.
Andreas frowned.
—How do you know that?
Dedrick let out a sarcastic laugh.
—Because I used to work with these idiots.
Andreas felt a chill run down his spine.
—While we’re here, you’ll do as I say. These guys are ruthless. Don’t piss them off and stay quiet.
Andreas nodded.
They approached the door and knocked. A man in a black suit opened it without a word, letting them in.
The interior wasn’t what Andreas expected. It was clean and orderly, almost like a business office, but the atmosphere was suffocating. Guards in black metallic armor stood firm, their intimidating gazes and ready weapons making it clear that this place was far from safe.
—I wouldn’t stare too much if I were you —Dedrick whispered.
Andreas quickly lowered his gaze.
They took an elevator to the top floor. When the doors opened, the sight before them made their blood run cold.
A dark-skinned, burly man with a scar on his cheek was brutally beating a crying woman on the floor.
—You useless bitch! You can’t do anything right! —he shouted, kicking her again.
Andreas felt a mix of rage and horror, but Dedrick remained stoic. When the girl was dragged out of the room, Kraft, the man sitting on the "throne," shifted his attention to them.
—Tell me… who the hell are you and what do y—... Dedrick…
The gray-haired man smirked coldly.
—Hello, Kraft.
—Kraft? —Andreas whispered, leaning slightly toward Dedrick so only he could hear—. Is that his name?
Dedrick barely turned his head, his expression remaining impassive as he responded in the same low tone:
—No… it’s just a nickname.
Andreas frowned.
—Why?
Dedrick sighed, crossing his arms thoughtfully before answering:
—I once saw him destroy a wall with his bare hands… and he also killed a man with a single punch.
A shiver ran down Andreas’ spine. He looked back at Kraft, who was still settling into his large leather chair with the arrogance of a king on his throne. Suddenly, the nickname made a lot more sense.
Kraft turned his attention to Dedrick and let out a mocking chuckle before speaking.
—And what do you want here? Didn’t you say you couldn’t keep doing this anymore? —his tone was condescending, almost entertained by the presence of his old acquaintance—. That you wanted to start over…
Dedrick clenched his jaw. He took a deep breath, as if he hated every word he was about to say.
—Some things changed… I need to get back into this and… —he sighed again, heavier this time— I wanted to know if you could give me and my friend Andreas a chance to work with you.
Andreas felt a sting of discomfort upon hearing his name in the request. He didn’t like the way Dedrick had pulled him into the equation, but there was no turning back now.
Kraft smirked.
—I don’t know… what if you run off again chasing one of your delusions?
His tone made it clear that he knew Dedrick better than the latter would have liked to admit. Andreas glanced at his companion and noticed how his jaw tightened at the remark.
Dedrick scoffed but didn’t argue. He knew it wasn’t worth it.
—This time, I promise no delusions, okay? —he replied in the most convincing tone he could muster, though it was obvious he hated saying those words.
Kraft studied him intently, as if trying to read his mind. For a moment, he seemed to debate whether to reject or accept the offer. Finally, he exhaled forcefully and nodded.
—Fine. But no delusions.
He emphasized the last word, making it sound like a warning. Then, his gaze landed on Andreas, who stood firm beside Dedrick.
—And you… you better not try anything.
His tone turned threatening, almost rumbling through the room. But Andreas didn’t flinch. He simply nodded coldly.
The next few hours were hell.
Dedrick and Andreas were put to work inside Kraft’s facility, assisting with weapon packaging and overseeing human trafficking operations. Women were moved from one place to another, some with handcuffs on their wrists, others with chains around their ankles. Some cried silently, others didn’t even have the strength to do so.
Both walked through the warehouse corridors without looking around too much. At least, Dedrick didn’t. Andreas, on the other hand, couldn’t help but turn his head slightly when they passed by the cages.
And that’s when he saw her.
A girl with short, dark hair.
She was sitting on the floor, clutching the bars with her hands, as if the metal was the only thing keeping her upright despite being on the ground. She wore black pants and dark shoes. A black jacket was draped over her shoulders, unzipped, revealing a short black top that accentuated her slender frame.
At that moment, their eyes met.
A shiver ran down Andreas’ spine.
Her expression was hard, but in her dark eyes, there was something else. Something Andreas didn’t expect to find in a place like this. A flicker of hope.
She didn’t say anything. She didn’t move her lips. She just looked at him, waiting for something.
Waiting for him to be her salvation.
Andreas swallowed hard and looked away, forcing himself to keep walking with his gaze down.
“Not my problem.”
But the image of her was burned into his mind like a scar.
Hours passed, night fell, and the tension in the air grew heavier.
Kraft was having a meeting with several associates from different parts of the city. From where he stood, Andreas could hear fragments of the conversation—plans for expansion, for dominance, for more trafficking of weapons and people.
He reminded himself that stealing and killing weren’t exactly honorable things. But robbing a man like Kraft? That was a different story.
And then, Dedrick appeared.
—Time to start our own siege.
Andreas turned his head and saw Dedrick approaching with a grin. In his hands, he held a pair of heavy-duty bolt cutters.
—So what was your plan, then? —Andreas asked, knowing that Dedrick had never truly intended to stay in this place.
Dedrick smirked mischievously.
—I’m going to steal whatever this idiot has in his safe. I know he has one, so we’ll have to break the chains protecting it.
But Andreas barely heard him.
His mind was still on her.
On the girl with the empty stare… yet full of hope.
His fingers tightened around the bolt cutters. He couldn’t leave her here.
He took a deep breath.
—Whatever… I’m starting to hate this place. We better move fast.
Dedrick’s grin widened.
—That’s the spirit.
Without wasting another second, they moved silently toward the room where Kraft had first received them.
The real betrayal was about to begin.