Jake and Samuel stood inches apart in the quiet hallway. The air felt thick as they locked eyes. Samuel took off his glasses with a slow, relaxed smile and tucked them into his shirt pocket.
"Just how long has it been since I last fought? I almost forgot how much I enjoy this part."
Jake kept his hands at his sides, but his muscles were coiled tight. He did not look away from Samuel's arrogant face.
"I don't know what you're doing here in Incheon, Samuel. But it is never too late to walk away."
Samuel did not answer with words. He lunged forward and threw a heavy punch aimed directly at Jake's stomach. The move was sudden and carried the full weight of his massive frame.
Jake reacted instantly. He raised his lead knee to create a shield and caught the blow on his shin. The force of the impact vibrated through his leg, but he didn't budge an inch.
Samuel looked at Jake over their locked limbs. His smile grew wider and more sadistic.
"You haven't changed at all. Still playing the hero for your little friends. But Jake, I am not the Samuel you used to know."
Jake didn't wait for Samuel to pull his hand back. He twisted his hips and threw a lightning-fast straight punch that landed flush on Samuel's jaw.
WHACK!
Samuel stumbled back a few steps. He wiped a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth and stared at his own fingers. Jake stepped forward, his eyes burning with a calm intensity.
"You aren't the only one who has gotten stronger, Samuel. The Big Deal you knew is gone."
Samuel let out a low, guttural laugh. He threw his head back and ripped the buttons off his shirt.
"That's the look! That's the face I wanted to see! Show me everything, Jake! Show me how much that bloodline of yours is worth!"
Samuel roared and hoisted Jake over his head, then slammed him into the ceiling.
CRASH!
Jake bounced off the ceiling and hit the floor, but he rolled backward and was on his feet in a second. He wiped the dust from his shoulder.
"Is that all? I expected more from the real son of Gapryong Kim."
Jake sprinted at Samuel and delivered a flying knee that connected squarely with Samuel's chest.
THUD!
Samuel flew backward and smashed through a wooden door. He gripped the frame, his knuckles turning white as he ripped the heavy oak door off its hinges.
"I'll bury you under this fortress!"
Samuel charged, using the door like a battering ram.
Jake didn't back down. He planted his feet and threw a punch straight through the center of the wood. His fist shattered the oak and hit Samuel's forehead.
WHAM!
Samuel's head snapped back, but he stayed on his feet. He dropped the shattered wood and grabbed Jake's arm.
"Die! Just die already!"
Samuel delivered a series of barbaric headbutts. Blood sprayed from both of their foreheads. Jake took the hits, his expression turning cold.
"I'm not going anywhere. Not until I get Daniel back."
Jake grabbed Samuel's collar and drove his forehead into Samuel's nose. He followed up with a crushing liver shot that made Samuel gasp. Samuel coughed up a spray of red but his eyes remained wide and bloodshot.
"Daniel? You're still worried about others? This is why you'll always be beneath me!"
Samuel swung his fists like iron clubs, hammering Jake's ribs and shoulders. Jake's guard was being crushed. He could feel his bones groaning under the pressure.
Samuel didn't stop. He grabbed Jake by the hair and drove a knee into his face, then threw a wild hook that sent Jake spinning into a row of metal lockers.
CLANG!
The metal dented inward. Jake slid to the floor, his vision swimming. Samuel walked toward him, dragging his knuckles along the wall.
"Look at you. The great Jake Kim, reduced to a punching bag because he's too busy playing savior. Does it hurt, Jake? Does it feel like your chest is collapsing?"
Jake spat a mouthful of blood onto Samuel's shoes. He used the lockers to pull himself up, his legs shaking but holding firm.
"It takes more than a few hits from a crazy person to keep me down."
Samuel lunged, but Jake leaned back and caught Samuel's wrist, twisting it into a brutal lock. He drove his elbow into Samuel's bicep and followed with a spinning back-kick that sent Samuel crashing into the opposite wall.
CRACK!
Samuel slumped against the wall for a second. He looked up, his face covered in blood and dust, but he was still grinning. It was the face of a man who had completely lost his mind.
"I can do this all night, Jake! I'll break every bone in your body and laugh while I do it!"
Jake didn't respond. He stepped forward and met Samuel in the middle of the hall. They exchanged a flurry of blows, neither one backing down, neither one showing fear. The sound of meat hitting meat echoed through the dark hallway.
WHACK!
THUD!
Jake managed to duck a wild swing and delivered a three-punch combination to Samuel's jaw and solar plexus. Samuel staggered, his eyes finally losing some of their focus.
Jake didn't let up. He grabbed Samuel's shirt and drove a final, heavy punch into his temple. Samuel's legs gave out and he hit the floor hard.
The silence that followed was deafening. Jake stood over him, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He looked down at his old friend, who was now staring blankly at the ceiling.
"It's over, Samuel. Stay down."
---
Daniel pulled the handle and forced the massive metal door open. The hinges groaned under the weight of the steel. His eyes widened as he saw a figure standing on the other side with his hand already on the latch.
Jaegyeon Na looked just as surprised. He lowered his hand and stared at the younger man.
"Daniel?"
Daniel stepped out and gave a quick nod. He looked past Jaegyeon toward the empty hallway.
"Yes. I thought more people were coming for the rescue."
Jaegyeon Na shook his head and glanced back.
"They are all caught up with the enemies outside. Let's head back now. We will meet them on our way out."
Daniel nodded and adjusted his position to follow. They didn't get more than five steps before a shadow fell across the floor.
A bald man with thick prayer beads around his neck stepped into their path. He blocked the entire exit and spoke in a deep, guttural tone.
"Where do you think you bastards are going?"
Daniel blinked and looked at Jaegyeon. He didn't understand a word of the Chinese dialect. Jaegyeon had picked up enough broken Chinese over the years to know exactly what was being said.
"Daniel, stay focused. I have heard a lot of praise about your skills, and we are going to need them."
Jaegyeon Na shifted into a fighting stance and kept his eyes on the bald man.
"The enemy before us is the number two of the Dark Crocodile Society. We need to take him down fast before reinforcements arrive. Keep up with me."
Daniel moved into a stance as well. He observed the enemy before him.
"I also have something to say to you. It is an important matter."
Jaegyeon Na gave a sharp nod but didn't take his eyes off the enemy.
"Understood. Tell me after we crack this guy's head open."