Shadows from the past

Duke's thoughts swirled with uncertainty, but he knew one thing was certain: whatever the system wanted him to do this time around, it would be far more sinister and alarming than anything it had faced before.

"You should go to the police," Duke muttered loud enough for Nadia to hear.

Nadia scoffed, her irritation evident. "If I go to the police, it won't be to report my sister missing, alright?" she shot back, her eyes flashing with a hint of warning.

Duke turned sharply to face her, his expression wary. "Are you threatening me?"

Nadia sighed, closing the distance between them. "I'm not threatening you, Duke. I need someone to help me get my sister out of those people's clutches."

Duke raised an eyebrow. "And why would you think I'm the right man for the job? The only task I'm deemed good for is what you're currently disrupting me from doing." He gestured to his bike, indicating his delivery work.

Nadia's expression turned to pleading. "Duke, she's my sister..."

Duke cut her off, his tone firm. "More reason you need to stop wasting your time talking to me and go to the police. Why do you need someone else's help when you're clearly capable of handling yourself?" His eyes narrowed slightly.

"You don't understand," Nadia said, her voice laced with desperation. "They'd kill me at first glance. I don't know their strengths, their powers... I'm no match for them."

"And you think I am?" Duke asked, his skepticism evident.

Nadia's gaze locked onto his. "You don't. But you are their weakness, Duke. I saw you. I know the pill chose you. I could have gone to the police, ratted you out, and ensured they'd leave me and my sister alone. But I didn't. I'm not your enemy, Duke. We both want the same thing."

"You're making a mistake, thinking you know what I want or who I am," Duke let out firmly. "For your own sake, I hope we never see each other again."

Nadia's expression turned somber, her eyes filled with a deep understanding. "I know you, Duke. I know you more than you know yourself. I know about the countless times your father physically abused you. I was there, watching from afar, until your last encounter with him." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "And I don't blame you for what happened... the things he did to you were horrible, Duke. And if you help me… I'll tell you what really happened to your parents."

Duke's face twisted in a mix of anger and pain, his eyes flashing with a hint of vulnerability. Without another word, he started his bike and rode off, leaving Nadia standing alone, her words hanging in the air like a lingering shadow.

As soon as Duke was out of sight, a man emerged from his hiding place, joining Nadia on the sidewalk. He took a slow drag on his cigarette, eyeing her critically. "I thought you said you had it under control, Nadia. You said you could handle him."

Nadia's expression turned defensive, her eyes flashing with determination. "He's going to come around. I know he will. He has to."

The man raised an eyebrow, his skepticism evident. "Maybe he's right, Nadia. Maybe you don't know him as well as you think you do."

Nadia turned to face him, her eyes narrowing. "What do you mean? I've known Duke since he was a kid. I know him better than anyone."

The man's gazed intently at Nadia. He stepped closer with his hands still folded in his pockets. "Maybe you knew him, Nadia. But people change. And Duke... he's not the same kid you used to know."

Nadia's face twisted in frustration, her jaw clenched in anger. "You don't know anything about him or our situation. So let me handle this."

The man shrugged with an unyielding expression. "I know enough. And I know you're playing with fire, Nadia..."

Nadia's eyes narrowed, her voice cold and defiant. "You don't know what he's capable of. You don't know what he's already done."

The man's expression turned somber, his eyes filled with deep concern. "Maybe so, Nadia. But that doesn't mean he's ready to face what you're asking him to face. You're pushing him to confront his past, to confront the system, to confront himself. That's a heavy burden, Nadia. And if you're not careful, you'll be in harm's way."

Nadia's face twisted in anger. "You don't understand. I'm not giving him a choice. I'm not asking him to do this for me. I'm telling him. He owes me, and it's time he pays up."

The man's face turned grim, his eyes filled with a warning. "You're playing with fire, Nadia. And if you're not careful, you'll get burned."

Nadia's eyes flashed with anger ready to lash out, but the man just patted her shoulder and continued on his way, leaving her to stare at his retreating form. She clenched and unclenched her fists, struggling to maintain control. "He's going to help me," she muttered to herself, her voice low and determined. "I'll make sure of it. No matter what it takes."