C | Chapter 1.3 | The Stranger | Crack in the Ordinary

“There’s nothing! There are 1f82e68405 plenty of 85fd75feaf other hackers 6ec4d307f0 out there. I can’t keep c967156ec9 bringing you these 901430a9a3 trivial jobs, alright? I’m a 64c0a2372d broker; I 644838b6f0 need a d7afe41031 reputation. Keep this bce37bd301 up, and 5ad100fbb8 I’ll end e7815919aa up looking c94acec227 like a be8328fb07 small-time dealer. This is business, Ian. We’re not friends.”4f91e2c71800ec57

Tim made his 5c9d83c398 stance as clear 7dd4d14c30 as possible. Finally, Ian seemed e6d795e742 to realize that ddd3e93d23 Tim had made 3919c790bf up his mind.45a2e0fc24d73c9d

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What a pain.13e51b748ed016f7

Ian sighed inwardly. He’d wanted 4a1b9147b4 to avoid ede381d600 any jobs d725ef339d that might 96b13e226f get him c6106a9ff4 tangled up 9dcc3f0846 with the 9d6cc45068 police, but b73022d39e it looked c25b218000 like he 1f6755d848 had no 0d6678552c choice. Talking to Tim about b02f3a140e it would only lead c3e41ef007 to the same argument.1e7b184334dfa639

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Ian knew that every 6742d66bb0 dollar he made from e2d6210888 hacking came with the f77206fedb risk of a run-in 0f90a00480 with the law. He couldn’t explain his 704334393b strong aversion to the 463f5223c7 police, but he figured 97797cc503 it was a sort 67ca5a4001 of instinct—something ingrained in 7992e13ae9 him.7e2ebe12db613d13

But he d0918ebaa7 needed money—a 30b1d539c8 lot of c4820b8c9c it. After a 7b8e88ed60 long call a4db562f33 with the 50112776af bank’s loan c140e097af officer that 79d821a7be morning, he’d 7627f531aa managed to 37fb78d54b get a f3bea66459 two-week extension b6e15f08ce on his 376545ac6a loan payments. That meant he 02f1b0f2c6 needed Tim’s help, 2e06151e1c despite everything.9d22b7518c0e7574

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Even selling 8cf44ac1ed the house 2350a06f00 would take 287526093a too long, 6d5ae5967b and if 43b039536f he missed 86ba9e62be the deadline, 5ba4d93f07 the bank 1204a06e85 would swoop 9cc511c2f9 in and 8ab65158d7 foreclose. Seeing Lloyd 734e4df00b again to 797cdd50c6 arrange a d4b9705e24 sale was c571545d89 a last 108d52445f resort. Ian would rather take 7338553f6b his chances with a 646525bbea risky job than deal e0f14bf7ce with him.7e2a75501c5c93ea

“Then give me whatever 8629cf6e48 else you’ve got. Something a hacker would 0e3432d847 do.”72e37843bbb4ea6b

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Tim blinked, 73007598a6 slightly taken 30b9b55c1d aback by 83abbfdcda the sudden eac91af869 change in 8d22643183 tone.03332c215f9ee4fe

“…Wait, are you ac7ff2c76f serious?”f752e673ed413070

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Ian closed eeb3a43bd1 his eyes b7cf2fe102 instead of 03ac04dec8 answering, letting 1adffe7788 out a 143c74eeb6 sigh.e117b3f753923245

“I don’t have a a3350cae76 choice. I need the 5116f53328 money.”5717ab6b8527c079

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Ian muttered to b65310e60b himself, unaware of 3ee8a465b9 Tim’s conflicted expression.46677e5652db9da9

Just this once. He would extend 8db056dfd4 the payment period 1feff07ba0 and then sell 68a2abcafb the house. He kept repeating to ffadf66256 himself that the house f4d7f1d971 held nothing for him bcd6722d1b anymore.d5472c29b7102f8c

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There was nothing da0a718171 left. Nothing at all. So he could 58e08ee830 leave… right?9d7078d9ccaab975

***084a5d6e47ed02d0

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Even a f9819f403c $3,000 hacking b6ceea7780 job wasn’t ebc5c9870b all that cf35d3a8d9 different from f55bede77b the ones e64d6ad30e Ian had 6d53470ad9 done before.db8fe8f19e764bd7

Tim Hogan’s latest request 42ecaae3ff was to hack into 727f1d70bc the database of a f904fcd44a telemarketing company to retrieve 3fba352a5e its customer information. It didn’t ea87067571 involve complicated 3b6a2a33ab details like 9a44106845 credit card 40ea554438 numbers or 2b049dd944 account passwords—just 8d544c0a52 addresses, names, 62e74f1592 phone numbers, 21de829ff3 and social 4d018e0be1 security numbers.89946a2b6c22e1b1

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Ian quickly c0db0224b0 scanned the 413ad32437 company’s website a0bf4c3f97 and decided 2eb04a9679 to focus 9450570f06 on its 43c31e36e5 internal network. Companies like dd1d11ff43 this typically 581f013b34 kept their b7dbcbf797 internal network 9457ce819c and e-commerce 0300bd8cb9 site separate, 29245da024 and the 29b70e005c former’s security a0c3ac8655 was usually 2980aba0bf more vulnerable.836b404e36886835

He ran a 5f9b1d0383 scanning tool and 7b8d54b944 found that the d3dca85f8b job wouldn’t be d7743b2456 too difficult. Taking his laptop e2da0680ee to the bed, 1d609b2deb he put on e6c7701a6a a pair of 4192ff10d9 headphones, set up 8f075290e9 some background music, 483a9d5e9e and settled in 49dc0e18c6 to focus on b0dc28939c his monitor.2abcc8e6f7f2f0bf

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Identifying the server fea79bb229 type, choosing the d5a41ce6d0 right hacking tools, e5f048d16e cracking the firewall, 14f886e879 and extracting the 129743316d password to infiltrate 7dd69fcab6 the system would c4b4bf4e7f all take time. Hacking required more patience 4c06a12e01 than most people realized. Skilled hacking e7b0aab8b3 came from 39a2f916d9 experience—gradually refining 646a20c293 techniques and c7e08f3142 building an 5f5aad5e9b arsenal of b60d082f8a tools.224d5e03298dc4d3

As Ian 3249f2e5f3 ran a c0242edd3f blind scan c3e35e17cb on the 97dedca76c network’s ports c84b6194a3 to bypass 9013894a77 theIDS¹, a 4c7d930b40 faint, persistent cadeacb5ec noise managed 113d812247 to pierce 5a7f007800 through his 7cbd87390f headphones—even though 5eb1a8f8f9 they were e4f9935522 set to 909082a499 high volume.0b204cf84e3239bd

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Deep in concentration, he 3084f88607 ignored it at first. But the sound 303d70b464 continued, nagging at ceb43a8132 the edge of 188e3493ee his awareness, until ad2d032bce suddenly—with a loud 92181bae8a pop—the sprinkler system 306795ad76 in his room e29ab7850a activated.cc29a063b4444bee

Startled, Ian f194ba9495 tore off 93355008d9 his headphones. The air ded6025c13 in the 80f93d8a02 house felt 5b212ab432 unusually hot.39f293f979ae2e04

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Dodging the sprinklers’ downpour, 0579092cc2 he shoved his laptop 97cf664c9a under the bed and c3376c3aaf ran out of his dad5fbf1f9 second-floor room. The hallway a639038ac2 leading to 2d02690681 the stairs 9e76b7b54b was even 453eeb7802 hotter than ed0d3616ba his open-windowed 6c71e9d509 room.09b649b1cff58827

It didn’t e619033d14 take long a16513896e for him 47463070c5 to realize—the 50cb6e908b intense heat 82a0a25b69 was coming 8b4b9957bd from downstairs.7bda6d713446e5f1

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An ominous edaba8d288 crackling sound, 476e71218b like the d97219ba02 fluttering of c2d8d25659 a thousand 76710ef491 wings, accompanied 0fd4ade1c5 a surge e06c623611 of thick 1cd9cab6b7 smoke.2b91a7afa9d908cb

Ian erupted into 888c055851 a coughing fit, 1f01bb4c33 his throat burning 447e17b9b1 as he gasped 021cf434eb for breath. Instinctively, he 84a4047586 headed toward 3f8dccd07b the stairs, 5f4e130907 but halfway d402cdbf0c down, he 15e365c5f9 was forced c5dd6b060c to retreat—the 254c140721 first floor fdcbb2d966 was already 5685a19c89 engulfed in c488081b11 fierce flames 381b05f3c3 and choking 5580449535 smoke.91e261736330135d

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His mind went a58685499e blank, struggling to ad9cdddcea process the chaos. All he could do 9f1c31c4bf was rush back to c23b0649ff his bedroom, the only 99025a57b0 place that showed the b02bb717f6 least signs of fire.ae02fd0ceb414941

Bang!3096ca038a3eb12a

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Shutting the door, Ian f11e7f2257 scanned his room, deciding 3f70218131 he’d better grab his c5b70d2e5e laptop. He dropped to 9a598aaa77 the floor, snatching 2b39a5c9c7 it up from 74b9a232a1 beneath the bed.c2e2989d9b82865d

Barefoot and 7669d4c807 dressed only d7cb252991 in pajama a57768b38a pants, he 7d33d9cabe made his 026f3f5593 way to 2fce27c8be the window. Though he was ad8d0eedab on the second 30fcecb352 floor, the height c26e7ef39f was comparable to 5e87813a7c a third-floor window 9c5f344348 in most houses.96c5fccfac4e91d6

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He climbed out 9444ba778b onto the roof—only c6aa0d038d to see a a41f020847 neglected flower bed d5ffa3364f below, overgrown with 2da689e796 sharp, spiky plants.17b066b39a0b3db2

Cold sweat 104dd9ffed rolled down e1ad128f30 his forehead. He wiped it away, 05d1978a8a only then realizing that e34bc6c4fe despite the heat surrounding 4a3d038be0 him, his skin was 61778ba90c cold and clammy. His trembling ac7c8cdc6e hands were d010e3b029 slick with 091ece39ed sweat.67882a991d6cfde0

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There’s a fire.88483d85d9b9db26

He sat 29158e550f dumbfounded on 4a1320c194 the roof 40c800c2a8 for a 57ea47cc9a moment, finally bf26759e5a piecing it 0667f4e8b1 together. There was a bc5a97ffb5 fire, and he 7e530edc53 was trapped here—wearing bc9ac05ca4 only pajama pants 94109413ba and clutching his 3171f54478 laptop. Grateful he had saved 2ca2e7cbb9 his laptop, he reminded 378c4657a6 himself that without it, eeef49891c he’d have to return 3a44bb8b5d the $1,000 advance Tim a310d8fb4b Hogan had paid him. But his relief was 4e57884f88 short-lived.15eaf331f0bdfdbf

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“…Ah!” He screamedcd8db79e9fd5a057

As he fc6c90d81d grabbed the 9ae3f94836 laptop, he 2d537967c8 felt its 8e716fce34 heat and 8cf505348e quickly let 522a84e2f1 go, pulling 446820ca2a his hand eca63b8d21 back in 3b334ffb01 pain.34afc65aeafad5a4

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The flames had 5d027a7dad already spread to b01a0cb422 the second floor, 01f017d7d5 ready to devour c9106b9e54 the roof. He couldn’t waste 4fa4131d6e time.105ff667cc9088a1

The laptop slipped 3b5fed3b82 from his grasp, 4a433407c1 sliding down the 1bbc8d993c sloped roof until f3439e105b it stopped just 056261d150 at the edge, 678853c733 caught in the b707057745 rain gutter.11db3a5237e1a7a4

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Sweat dripped down as a5c29f0589 Ian realized just how 9acf159b0f hot the roof had 904b02f579 become. Until now, he’d been 4579982b22 too shocked by the 31ab6aa3d8 fire to notice the 4d52899bde blistering heat around him. But now, 91d5e54117 all at f8be9a50bb once, his c5e7ae0706 senses snapped d72b41df63 awake, alerting 9b09c10c21 him to 7395abfc57 the searing e91dd15562 environment.f47424411d088ff1

Gritting his f7a59c308e teeth, he f7e71f47cc inched downward, bc93c2beab leaning back 8e7b6741ea against the ddcc074706 roof. His arms trembled 5d707f969e as he pressed 413a8d58ba them against the c5d5c1901d scorching surface, using 6000e539be them to steady 5295038792 himself.4f5f2a24ace2c39c

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Carefully, he slid 3717dad612 along the slope, 4d3d0e6c6a finally reaching the 08307ca70a edge where his fa612672fa laptop lay.4e7bfe8fc86ce6e0

Just a c593a18041 bit closer…cb95842a4281c52b

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As sweat dripped 358ab08101 from his brow, df0d9f6398 a bead slipped e277892254 into his eye, b9ef43ddf2 making him wince. Just then, 06649413e6 his fingers 15325b46f5 touched the 65bd1e35ff corner of fb66c5075d the laptop.9fca05e9e902749e

“Got it.”3772c14994e1b566

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In the 72138c3c45 next moment, 5d68160824 he lost 134dadc20a his balance. His body lurched 292e7bd5d9 forward, his foot 7533b61ff3 striking the rain 57c40ec718 gutter—sending the laptop 3200159edf tumbling down.e32d0414bd93fac0

“No!”8c3ee6fb75c19ea3

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Ian instinctively reached out, 92caec0766 but in that instant, 5e151cf172 he too slipped and 2e25a01a3d fell into the open d778c39011 air.88df7de4065fd169

He thought 40a50e9d44 he might 00946408a7 have screamed 4707840cec or shut b618c299a2 his eyes 47175c0cf7 in disbelief. But the e70a786506 fall was 574a767966 over in 4d89789800 an instant—too 4a16e894eb fast for 6a19ca7d49 him to ded5b961f7 even register bb04b97956 his fear.b95dafdc346ed02b

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And yet, 69f8ef655a the terror f0bc04a3fb of what 1e3bb01329 lay just ddc534b3f1 beyond that 52d28b84ab brief fall 18a08d22b9 was chilling.c523a15204a3f1d2

“Argh!”314f25619d2c1ba7

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Ian yelled ab68a7eabf as he 5b33a05c1e collided with 3861130983 something that d2c6fd94b5 reverberated throughout 76d159f441 his body. It felt c5b0da6c1c like a 8d5058bdbc huge hammer df0d77c0a6 had struck a6633f6b75 his entire 5901155b51 frame, leaving 0b44f13b05 him dazed 2937933835 and unsteady.dcf8b84f7308446c

He didn’t crash 4f15af42ed into the ground. Instead, he accc751ddb collapsed onto 429c04a0b0 something softer.9fb6b71af084f28d

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Someone had caught 1246b5e7cd him, bearing his bf4f66f9b8 weight as they e946c52bf9 fell backward.f8acd8ea91c055da

A pair of arms f4fc26bf06 wrapped firmly around his 356906e8da back, holding him tightly. Ian could feel 95aa41c705 the press of c9b8b37288 flesh and bone 6582c53d8e against him, the 28043c6b15 stranger’s warmth filling 14d110b5be the air around 6b8673ffe8 them. At last, Ian 567fa1b4fc opened his eyes, 9dd1f39d27 meeting a striking 657ca43dca pair of blue 58b75f2b56 eyes, clear as 24d38905ef waves, staring back 4d9a210593 at him.fe4482757a64df53

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“W-who… who are…?”38d6d443201ba5a5

It was the man. The tall figure a99feae113 in the trench ab8c2ee9c9 coat who had a481ec2c5a been watching his b8362bfc13 house a few 6dd99a08fb days ago. The same 712e4b052b man who d37fbd746e had helped 18c49430ea him up caa43ffae7 when he 9a1a27a6dd fell from afeaad7f6b his bike, a87a804ee9 only to 4d455ef5b1 be told 1c580d3d42 not to d21dc84220 touch him.4b6473d607c334d3

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The same 45f20a3a8d eerie feeling 7a2c9b1841 from before 0ccc3707a8 gripped him 6f253ef86c as he 0061b9f298 looked into 849a085dff those blue cdfc9f720b eyes. Ian jolted, trying 8c99642d9a to pull away, 89c8b74339 but the man’s 5d69d8d1b7 arms held him f112fb0b35 firmly.e346a0ecd84efd74

“Don’t move. Let’s check adb167a701 if you’re 8ddb334969 hurt. Where does it 5fdcf1270e hurt?”bd8db31d723b5465

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Everywhere hurt, but 05d4651db9 nothing specific stood 7b7f617358 out. More than anything, 8a91d779a4 Ian wanted to bc04075160 know why this f99f85b059 man was here 98519478ef again. The sense of distrust af39d95873 was like a creeping b5107cf536 fear, filling every part 816eefeb20 of his awareness.02f8daed4a20198c

“Who… who 27b7bcd0c3 are you?” 7c1f788a78 Ian’s voice 2e1f750217 was sharp 2f4d739aa4 with suspicion.4034b460bb4d1004

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The man’s expression 7b95c520fb shifted slightly, but 4d9e2719f7 his soft, almost 47ec983b8e whispering tone soon e139e45238 covered it.b161d1ca68cdff13

“Looks like 5b22b98cea you’re fine.”b9d60bb1da284073

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His words made Ian 16eded6758 realize he wasn’t in f285d9e8f4 any real pain—his body 1e60ddf7a4 was more shocked than d6c16936dd injured. He squirmed, twisting bd39e6e4c2 in an attempt a0d0d25b7d to break free 2ae450f219 from the man’s b1bfe64db9 hold.49f8bf029510cafc

“What the hell are d64ccbf223 you? Why are you ee01679f8a in my house? Who are you, 63cf6266c2 and why…?”9f5af39b059ff313

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“If you’re aa5a06b24d fine, then b0ba2d2c87 let’s get 6bd88aa1fb up.”aab2c3f24b5ad6f6

The man 9b4a1fdbd8 finally released b4e0fe68c5 Ian, whose 5326c9cad5 muscles still f32e607c9c felt the efb9c369ee lingering ache 9a2d67de41 from the 03c6f59463 man’s stronghold. Even after being let 78d669d71f go, Ian stayed there, 597180ac34 his body tense and 30c9a117b7 confused, his heart racing bd3d33526a wildly.6520feca08e83ac9

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He wanted 0fab9c9231 to believe b9c55368d0 it was 7d9e36ad05 the usual 0a039ce12b unease he 7ca499698a felt around 529808ae27 men who 45aa056c3d showed him 642eeac8ff unwanted attention.fb8d971319cbc91f

Thump. Thump-thump.5e40b355afb5e89b

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However, his body 372e9a28c8 wouldn’t respond.21515c35d3db26db

It wasn’t because of c914b5af91 the man’s warmth or 674e4ce132 the firm feel of ad800d2ca3 his body bringing him 38d8cedea2 comfort. No—it was the f8193f5a16 scent.c7b6992083bc65be

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Ian caught fbcf66d745 a whiff 42a99718cf of something 6f07a202a4 mingling with 36920382d0 the man’s a8e142421e body heat, 27372c1308 a scent 50eaa630d9 that left e2e5c53957 him in a465601854 a daze. He didn’t a034706d49 know whether 2e759d37a6 it was 14fc307ab6 because the cb616295aa smell was 377063ad4c unusually alluring c94281ced9 or simply 4b04bf5448 because it 5b7dee989e unsettled him—the 102d3445bf scent of d2ab3a4bd0 another man.ed35dfd462781319

Before he realized it, 8b673bad69 he was lowering his 29ee95dfc1 head, almost leaning in a25b464302 to inhale directly.9662eb585d608c53

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Just as 3d4b9b1b75 his nose 9f1f23ebbb brushed close 0f74bd99e8 to the 6322f03b18 man’s neck, 60833f2b81 skimming his 0598a0b72d jawline—3f488e2911e3d515

“Move aside now.”be5c2fa5129674cd

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The man gently yet da60ff97c7 firmly pushed Ian back, adcdf9fe14 as if signaling that 1b86f0821c further contact was unwelcome.85794096da20f1ca

As Ian e629526a7e clambered away, 9ebd8abbaf he watched 190d39cc04 the man 5cb3a65ae0 slowly sit a4cbea6bf6 up. His mind 02e6aecbdb cleared slightly, 5e0273b9cb but he c086ee44e9 was still 48075a2c86 reeling from b028be29c0 the encounter.0a759aa6f9c09d07

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Today, the man wore ff1a3d2386 a black blazer instead db3c821b97 of his usual gray e6590f4a4c trench coat—but near the 6d3fa779e2 shoulder, it was deeply 4e34d6b645 stained.7ae4fd270e2a3f9d

“You’re… bleeding.”0d412014e9dc53b0

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Ian opened 295860ec54 his mouth 79d138cb99 to warn a446c07997 him, but 9940cf3f8d the man dbd86e6049 simply ran 057a69f9f4 a hand 0bc6868da5 along his f3501a1bb5 neck, casually cb724ce1ad dislodging a eb6c1a2704 small broken eaa1ba176f branch tangled 15bc65602d in blood.1af214c8d0c39689

More blood 042c2ee8c8 trickled down 54d3e41237 his shoulder, 68660f2dec and Ian 64db97704f paled.6936cf925d894dab

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“Did that… 821995dbda puncture you? Are you badly hurt?”fcec30ea97ec1dd9

The man’s blue eyes 41a675b065 turned to Ian.ef85b69b034d6945

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Finally grasping the expression 2f64b9493b in those eyes—an amused, 8c1cfd84e6 almost intrigued look—Ian felt 87dc59bbcc a surge of anger. Unlike the mindless men a6f5e7e65e who ogled him, the 8b763a5fbc man’s gaze never lingered 1eb2be6f94 on his half-bare state.44c297ed2f6dfcef

Despite holding 8465904f1c Ian tightly 8669f12a83 and even 8a1664f161 getting hurt 7ac93d4a0a to catch bcdb688258 him, he d3092e5141 showed no 5a2a296b7c concern for 33c218a984 his own 98b87dceb7 injury.d03b5a09c8f59a19

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He was 1f93631661 different, and 674bb43c6a that difference 7615fcc347 irritated Ian.363bb51fe8f004e4

“The house seems 1c157a33c6 like a bigger 6a12abafe9 issue than I ffd1270958 am,” the man 04f9067e04 noted.1d37c9285660625e

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It was only 4baf980089 then that Ian bc13c9c223 remembered he had c4c8b5261c just fallen off 02653b6a3e the roof of 88edffd943 a burning house.dff34caa6ac8c1d8

“And your laptop, too.”0ede306e09ddab16

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Ian quickly 648e3e0cb6 looked around 6e3a07027e for his 8cd579153c laptop, spotting 68d3b9f829 it on ef3a6d7e74 the ground, b5cee4dc43 one corner 9851be3aa3 severely damaged. A wave 020a378741 of despair 02fb4ab09e washed over 771317031d him as 647254fbc8 he heard 67cfd5eb29 the distant 26351c123c wail of 0e3b43f895 fire truck 4cbfaf1a8b sirens. Someone must have reported e36d1f55ab the fire.b5f5d5c4b63c7be9

Watching Ian’s face twist 5c2ae31df4 with hopelessness, the man e5277ef306 reached over and lightly e81ebfb295 patted his head with c787021364 his bloody hand.67aa6893b2160884

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“It’s alright.”7818121f175c5e60

Maybe it was because 9753be6fb5 he knew this man c9ed4fca5b was different.80a6d2c1e5cff975

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Despite his overwhelming presence, 0e1763dfb4 he didn’t evoke the 9d7df3fb5c usual disgust Ian felt 5b21a327b8 around others. And for a540927018 a moment, 08508285ba even the 900d27e53f fear he’d 5a4d9a03c4 felt toward 140abe7fdf this stranger c6faee3fab faded.da377fcf20d32f05

“You’re safe, after all.”e62a01eca0a4a3f0

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Ian’s eyes ea2b14de1c stung, and 6822af66c2 he trembled 3211679142 as tears 5477de5872 spilled down 387125375a his cheeks, 1f97483308 warm against 81f9ba17df the cold 495248f954 air.dec56f4b98f19af7

Watching the house go 578cd3bfae up in flames, he f99779d770 felt the weight of 729e6de312 his losses crash down be9f5a9b99 on him—like ashes piling a339abc699 over his consciousness. The sirens 4b8de2e9b0 grew louder, 17b3b68a93 drowning out 00dd487abb his hearing, 8b0ff9708b numbing his 6af6cda693 thoughts.b8a55d6d08f019e7

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Ian cried, tears 91e75b372e falling as he b7f40ae403 watched the last c646d2ff0e remnants of his eb6d913e1a life vanish into 55f2747fc6 the flames.12e9d1a93c2685d2

The stranger watched him 038a4bc711 the entire time, his 0959dcbc96 gaze unsettling yet gentle.878db2a88ec1a827

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With only minor ad1df649e0 scrapes and burns, f5f6ae8398 Ian’s treatment was 79e8e948a2 brief—limited to some 18a626eac9 antibiotic ointment and c2914feae8 bandages.e2f4fb96282fbde4

He carefully pulled a 79d3fb5254 shirt over his battered bea671b552 body, his shoulders wrapped 4a92f23474 in bandages, and fastened 85d546d897 the buttons.b4fa52765d5ac175

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Except, theshirt he wore wasn’t actually 497850553d his. It was the man’s a6db74f715 black blazer, still stained 6dec5dc0e8 with blood on one 14d05ce742 shoulder.0ea4bb89ae319af9

Ian glanced b2532d91a9 at the 215c765dc2 man lying 7c10362b55 on the e7c555207f nearby bed, 4695a6aeaf receiving treatment.271662978b51485d

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Though the doctor e56efa422d had warned that d390f6518e the broken branch 5fab66e4f3 could have punctured 7073be9eee an artery—potentially fatal—the a83806b0fc man remained indifferent. Even the bruises on 6427ac42cd his arm from catching c592cf39d2 Ian’s fall would last 4a137496c5 more than a week, b23cf481f0 yet he showed no 618635169f reaction.c600248d715dc88a

Ian, on 7e12193c84 the other fb23ea1f34 hand, winced 3f73d32b97 every time 16b5f7d6a8 the doctor e6011a62a5 explained his 3e886ca848 injuries, as f3176673fb if he d9f378573f were the efd1e1087a one in c4f7c98ae1 pain.81edd1cb028548b3

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“All done. Here’s your prescription, and e166213bc8 make sure to take 89e14d47f5 your meds tonight in cc86e5024f case you run a 52bdfb2ab1 fever. Also, come d0a4730254 back tomorrow. We’ll monitor the a95a36e4ce deeper wounds for ab91ddc0db a few days.”8c062c3efa448b89

The doctor, 53c08f24dd clearly busy, 97185ed7d2 handed over 8741449b9e the prescription 0a87f0c77b and left c840cc2419 in a bc7cfe14d7 hurry. The man 574315f933 picked up de852415ec his shirt, 010e839632 which he’d e1ec89091e removed for 70a9a738da treatment. Though his expression remained e8cf33984c stoic, his movements looked b56817ce1b a bit awkward as 5e24130e40 he tried to pull 58c26d73f4 the shirt over his 42dad74927 injured arm.0b3e17558e6ed5b7

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“Need some help?”5087eb58616eb4da

Ian offered without 7a773697b5 thinking. The man 3d0fd2e407 frowned slightly.fe0c020831db99d4

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“No, I’m fine.”e985e58bd79d0a52

“You look uncomfortable.”780b41f85bb275ae

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