CHAPTER 134: CHAPTER 134 - HELLSHOT

As the news flashed images of a burning building, Logan’s world blurred around him.

’’H-huh...?’’

Logan stood up, his mouth wide agape.

’’No... way.’’

The news anchor’s voice echoed through the sound of his pounding heart.

"—no official death count has been released, but emergency responders have confirmed dozens of casualties. Mana residue traces suggest a high-level attacker—"

Everything around him went silent, blood rising to his head as his heart pounded in his chest.

’Silas, Edric.’

Logan bit down hard on his cheek.

’Pull yourself together,’ he thought, clenching his fist as he pulled up his hologram.

He immediately tried calling Edric.

Nothing.

Silas.

Still nothing.

The call failed twice, so he switched tactics and began dialing any board member he could think of who might’ve been near headquarters.

Ping. Denied.

Ping. No response.

As he kept trying, messages from friends began flooding in—notifications piling up in the corner of his screen.

’’Are you okay?’’

’’Logan, are you safe??’’

’’Where are you?!’’

He ignored all of them.

Call after call failed.

"Damn it!" Logan slammed his fist into the wall, the impact sending a thin crack crawling up the plaster.

He began pacing back and forth through his room, taking in sharp breaths as his mind raced.

’Please anyone... answer,’ he prayed.

Minutes passed in a painful silence as all the worst-case scenarios went through Logan’s head.

Just as he was about to spiral out of control, an incoming call popped up on his hologram.

[Caller: Edric]

Logan’s eyes widened, his finger practically slamming into the accept button.

"Edric!" Logan shouted the moment the call connected. "Where are you? Are you okay?"

Loud breathing came through, followed by distant sirens and the echo of raised voices.

"I’m fine," Edric panted. "I wasn’t in the building, thank god."

As he heard of his safety, a wave of relief washed over him.

’’Is Silas okay?’’ he asked, clenching his fist.

"He’s alive," Edric said quickly. "Injured, but alive. He managed to stop a large chunk of the attack, otherwise the damage would’ve been more extensive.’’

Logan let out a breath, but his legs felt unsteady. He dropped onto the couch, eyes still fixed ahead.

After a pause, he spoke up again.

’’What the hell happened? And are there more victims?’’

"We don’t know," Edric answered, voice strained. "They’re still pulling people out of the rubble.’’

’’Whatever happened—hit where your room was, taking a large chunk of the surrounding rooms with it.’’

The line went quiet. Logan stood frozen.

’My room.’Edric’s words echoed through his mind.

’If I had been there...’

A shiver ran down his spine.

The precision of it all.

’’This wasn’t random,’’ Logan muttered, almost to himself. ’’They were aiming for me...’’

"I need to go," Edric said, distracted. "I’ll call you when I know more."

As the call disconnected, Logan stared ahead of him, the weight of everything crashing down on him.

’’My home...’’ he mumbled. ’’My first real home...’’

All his life, he’d lived in trash and chaos. And now that he finally had a real home with people waiting for him... this happens?

Then, without thinking, he opened the flight app on his hologram with shaking fingers.

’Next flight to Denver leaves three hours from now.’

He bought a ticket without hesitation.

All he could think about was going back as soon as possible.

’Three damn hours.’

It felt like a lifetime.

Logan sat on the edge of his couch, elbows on his knees as he stared at the television.

Smoke no longer poured out of the building, making large ice structures clearly visible. Down below, rescue crews moved in one after another.

He glanced at the clock every minute, wishing for time to pass faster so he could go back.

’I can’t sit still,’ he thought, nails digging into his palms. ’But I can’t do anything.’

Pacing didn’t help, neither did clenching his jaw until it hurt.

All he could do was watch the news from hundreds of miles away while his first real home burned and the people close to him searched through the rubble.

An hour and a half flew by.

Just as Logan was about to leave for the bus terminal, he received another call.

’’Edric,’’ Logan said, instantly picking up. ’’Tell me something.’’

Edric sounded more stable this time, but tired. ’’Silas managed to stabilize the scene. Rescue crews have moved in and started the search.’’

He paused. ’’Several casualties have already been found.’’

Logan gritted his teeth, shaking his head slightly.

’’...Anyone we know?’’

’’No, so far it’s only been staff and security personnel,’’ Edric said, voice bitter. ’’They passed away too quickly to even realize what was going on.’’

Logan exhaled deeply, frustration bubbling within him.

A few seconds passed before Edric spoke again. "Silas confirmed it wasn’t a bomb. It was a sniper round infused with metal, fire, and wind mana. Fired from over several miles away."

Logan stiffened, realizing just how much power it took to break through the barrier—and still cause that much damage with Silas right there.

’’Who the hell can even pull that off?’’

’’Silas suspects Hellshot,’’ Edric responded, anger audible from the way he spoke. ’’We don’t have a confirmation yet, but Silas is rarely wrong.’’

Logan’s brows furrowed.

’’And who is this Hellshot?’’

The line went quiet for a moment.

’’He’s one of the top ten ranked assassins,’’ Edric said bitterly. ’’He’s been responsible for many high-profile assassinations with his signature hell bullet over the years.’’

Logan’s mind started putting the pieces together.

’’Hiring someone like that... would cost billions.’’

His jaw tightened. Only one family had both the motive and the money to pull something like this off.

’’The Alvarez family.’’

’’Possibly,’’ Edric said. ’’But don’t jump to conclusions yet. Intel is still being gathered.’’

Edric didn’t say it directly, but his voice made it obvious—he knew the Alvarez family was behind this.

Logan didn’t respond right away.

He just sat there, processing everything that was going on.

His thoughts drifted to the casualties. Staff he’d seen around the halls. Security guards who used to smile at him. And then their families... getting the news, not even knowing why it happened.

A guilty feeling started spreading through him.

’They aimed for me,’ he thought. ’Everyone else just got caught in the blast radius.’

After a moment of silence, Logan spoke up.

’’Make sure we compensate the families to the best of our abilities,’’ he said, voice low.

’’We’ll start with that soon,’’ Edric quietly said.

’’I’ll be back there in a few hours and start helping,’’ Logan said.

’’No.’’ Edric said, his answer immediate and firm.

Logan blinked. ’’No?’’

’’You showing up now won’t change anything. It’ll only make things worse,’’ Edric said firmly. ’’The attack might not necessarily be over.’’

Logan stood up, pacing now.

’’You want me to sit here and do nothing?’’

"Yes," Edric said, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Until Silas or I give the all-clear, you stay away from that building."

With that, the call ended.

Logan stood there, staring at the empty hologram.

Only the noise from the television remained in the background.

He felt... hollow.

’All of this because people want me dead,’ he thought, jaw tightening.

Something snapped inside him. He didn’t know what, but it didn’t feel like it was coming back.

’If they want to go this far, I can do the same.’