They arrived at the gas station by the road. Inside, a middle-aged clerk was just sitting at the counter. While picking out some food, Lena said, "I wonder if we made the news? Should we check?" Meanwhile, Sard was checking the chargers in the store but couldn't find one compatible with his phone.
When they got to the counter with their items, Lena reached into her pockets but paused. "My wallet isn't on me, it must have been left at the hospital," she said anxiously. Fast immediately checked himself too and added, "Mine isn't with me either." Sard stepped in and said, "I'll handle it, don't worry," and paid for everything. Both of them thanked Sard.
They went outside and sat on the steps right in front of the store. Fast was eating with such intense hunger and such huge bites that Sard and Lena stopped eating for a moment and watched him in shock. This brief and comedic silence was broken by a dark figure gliding out from the shadows.
Sard's attention locked onto the approaching figure. Seeing the man coming toward them, he stood up and warned the others, "Stay alert." Fast and Lena immediately sprang to their feet as well. When the man in the black jacket and hood stepped under the light, he slowly lowered his hood; his messy black hair and the horizontal scar across the bridge of his nose were revealed.
The man looked directly at Sard, who stood in the middle of the group, and said, "Sard... It must be you."
Sard was momentarily surprised to hear his name but immediately hardened his expression and took a defensive stance. Fast followed suit, getting into a combat position, while Lena took two steps back.
Sard, without taking his eyes off the man, asked, "Who are you?"
The man replied with a mocking smile, "Just a worker doing a job he enjoys for the money."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Fast snapped.
The man turned his gaze to Fast and pulled a coin from his pocket. "Heads or tails?"
Fast swallowed hard, seeing the intense tension on Sard's face. "Tails," he whispered.
The man flipped the coin into the air. A sadistic excitement appeared on his face as the coin spun. He caught it mid-air and slapped it onto his arm. Seeing the result, his smile widened with excitement. He looked at it himself and said, "Tails... You're lucky." Then he added, "My name is Rayde. I'm a contract assassin."
Sard joined his hands together and extended them forward like a weapon. At that exact moment, Fast asked, "How did you find us?"
Rayde simply pointed his finger at the security camera above. Fast and Lena looked up at the camera; Sard, however, kept his aim steady, his eyes fixed on Rayde without flickering for even a second.
As blue energy began to pulse at Sard's fingertips, Rayde wagged his finger. "Not now. I want to play first. Besides, this is a gas station, Sard. You wouldn't want to blow this place up with everyone in it."
Sard clenched his teeth and let the energy fade. Just then, the man from the store came to the door and called out, "Hey! What's going on out there?"
The three of them turned their heads toward the man for a split second. When Sard looked back, Rayde had already vanished like a shadow.