The Questioner System (Ask Me Anything)

Chapter 12: Escalation

The next morning, the air in Adam's apartment felt heavier than usual. Karen's article was scheduled to go live in less than 24 hours, and Adam knew the storm it would unleash. Jared Mercer would come at him with everything he had.

Adam paced the length of his apartment, glancing nervously at the system interface, which remained silent since its last ominous warning. He had to prepare for Jared's retaliation, and he had to do it now.

"Alright," Adam muttered, his voice filled with resolve. "Let's get started."

The system's response came, its bold text stark against the screen:

Adam clenched his fists. A bounty? This wasn't just about Jared's men anymore—any thug looking for quick cash could come after him.

He needed to act fast.

Adam frowned. A rival of Jared's? The system had never mentioned them before. He made a mental note to dig deeper into this mysterious ally when he had time. For now, it was his best shot.

---

Packing what little he could carry, Adam left his apartment just as dusk began to settle over the city. The streets were busy, filled with people heading home or out for the evening, and Adam blended into the crowd as best he could.

He followed the system's directions, taking a winding route to avoid anyone tailing him. Finally, he arrived at the address: a nondescript, run-down warehouse with a single light flickering above the entrance.

Adam approached cautiously, knocking three times as instructed. A slot in the door slid open, revealing a pair of sharp, suspicious eyes.

"Who are you?" the man behind the door demanded.

"Black Dog," Adam said, his voice steady.

The door opened, and Adam stepped inside. The man, tall and broad-shouldered with a weathered face, closed the door behind him.

"Follow me," he said curtly.

---

The safehouse wasn't what Adam had expected. It was a surprisingly well-furnished space hidden behind the dilapidated exterior of the warehouse. Comfortable seating, stocked shelves, and surveillance equipment filled the room.

"You're the one Jared's hunting, aren't you?" the man asked, his tone neutral but his eyes piercing.

Adam nodded. "Who are you?"

"Name's Victor," the man replied. "I work for Leon Vargas. Jared's little empire has been stepping on Leon's toes for years. If you're causing Jared problems, that makes you useful to us."

Adam hesitated. He didn't trust Victor or this Leon Vargas, but he couldn't afford to be picky. "I just need a place to lay low for a while. I'm not looking to get involved in anyone else's war."

Victor smirked. "You're already involved, kid. But don't worry. As long as you're here, you're under our protection. Just don't bring trouble to our doorstep."

---

Adam spent the night at the safehouse, but sleep didn't come easily. His mind replayed the events of the past few days—the intercepted shipment, the files he had sent to Karen, the escalating danger.

He woke early, the system's glow greeting him like a silent sentinel.

Adam sat back, mulling over the system's advice. Gathering allies sounded simple in theory, but in practice, it meant diving deeper into a world he didn't fully understand.

He didn't have time to hesitate. If he wanted to survive, he needed to adapt.

---

Later that day, Victor approached Adam while he was going through the files on his laptop. "Got a proposition for you," Victor said, leaning against the wall.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "What kind of proposition?"

"You've got dirt on Jared, right? Enough to keep him looking over his shoulder?"

Adam nodded cautiously.

"Good," Victor said. "Leon's interested in making a move against Jared. If you can feed us information, we'll make sure Jared stays too busy to come after you."

Adam's stomach twisted. He didn't want to be anyone's pawn, but he also couldn't ignore the opportunity. "What's in it for me?"

Victor grinned. "Protection, for starters. And if Jared goes down, Leon's got the resources to make sure you disappear—clean slate, new identity, the works."

Adam hesitated, his mind racing. The system had warned him to use Jared's rivalry with Leon to his advantage. This could be the opening he needed.

"Alright," Adam said finally. "But I want guarantees. I'm not sticking my neck out unless I know it's worth it."

Victor nodded. "Fair enough. I'll talk to Leon. In the meantime, you stay put and keep your head down."

---

As Victor left, Adam's laptop pinged with a new email. Karen had sent another message, her tone more urgent than before.

"The article goes live tonight. Brace yourself. Jared's not going to take this lying down."

Adam exhaled, his pulse quickening. Tonight. Everything was about to change.

The system's text appeared once more, its words stark and unyielding:

Adam stared at the glowing letters, his jaw tightening. The countdown had begun. It was time to finish what he'd started.