Hawk stared at the monitor, watching Echo struggle-one hand on her stomach, the other gripping the gun. Her face was twisted in frustration as beads of sweat dripped steadily from her forehead.
Hawk shook his head. “Working for the boss isn’t easy. Right now, this just looks like punishment, but when the time comes, she’ll realize the benefit. She just doesn’t get it yet.”
Cobra arched a brow, glancing at Echo on the screen. “Maybe she does get it. Or maybe… she just doesn’t have what it takes.”
Hawk frowned slightly, considering Cobra’s words. Maybe he was right. Echo was clever and resourceful, and if she was genuinely putting in the effort to practice, it could mean she understood the point of this punishment. But if she couldn’t hit a single shot, maybe it wasn’t a matter of will-it could just be that she lacked the talent.
What neither of them realized was that hunger had clouded Echo’s mind completely. She wasn’t thinking about the meaning of any of this. All she wanted was to land two shots and get the hell out. Her stomach gnawed at her insides, and for all her smarts, Echo could be downright clueless when it came to some things.
Bang, bang, bang!
The sharp cracks of gunfire echoed through the basement. The shots started fast, rattling off in bursts like popcorn, then slowed to one shot at a time… and now, hours later, it took what felt like forever just to squeeze off one round.
A full day had passed.
Outside, the night carried the scent of grass and leaves on the breeze, while the lights of New York glittered against the dark sky.
Down in the basement, Echo’s arms hung limp at her sides.
She glared at the blank target in front of her, frustration boiling over. Clutching her stomach, she squatted on the floor, pale and exhausted. Every part of her body ached. Her arms were so stiff they didn’t even feel like her own anymore.
She’d focused so hard, given it everything she had, and yet not a single shot had hit the mark. At this rate, Cobra’s warning would come true-she was really going to starve to death in here.
Echo glanced over at the heavy metal door. It would’ve been easy for her to pick the lock-just a flick of her fingers, and she could be out.
But she knew Ryan’s men were probably waiting right outside, ready to toss her right back in. That would be humiliating. She’d never failed to complete a challenge before-not once in her entire life.
She forced herself to stand, but her legs buckled, and she crumpled back to the floor, completely spent.
Echo knew one thing for certain: when Ryan said something, he meant it. If she didn’t hit those shots, she really wasn’t getting out. She’d tried her hardest, but it just wasn’t happening.
The thought of starving to death in that basement made her muscles tense.
Bracing herself against the wall, she slowly pulled herself to her feet. She knew she wasn’t this weak-not the old version of her.
Back in the day, she could go a whole day without food and not bat an eye. Her willpower had been carved out by years of harsh training. As a kid, she’d powered through grueling exercises-so why was she struggling now?
But she wasn’t the same anymore. Her body had taken too many hits recently, and the injuries were catching up to her. She was still recovering, and the relentless training was draining what little energy she had left.
Her arm slipped, and with a defeated sigh, she toppled backward, hitting the ground with a thud.
Lying there, Echo let out a bitter laugh.
When had she become so pathetic?
Not since she was ten years old had she been this wrecked-brought down by hunger and pain. It was embarrassing.
Before she could even catch her breath, a shadow loomed over her. She squinted up into the light, and there he was-Ryan, standing over her with that cold, unyielding expression.
Echo managed a weak, tired smile. “Boss… I got nothing left.”
Her voice was low and rough.
It wasn’t an excuse or surrender. It was the simple truth-she was out of strength.
Ryan stared coldly at Echo for a moment before reaching down and scooping her into his arms.
“You haven’t completed your task yet,” he said flatly.
Resting against Ryan’s chest, Echo gritted her teeth and nodded.
She knew-once Ryan said something, there was no taking it back. There was no point in arguing. She wasn’t trying to make excuses either; she just felt weak, drained of all strength.
But Echo wasn’t the type to back down. Sure, she could beg or act cute when it suited her, but when it came to real challenges, she never gave up. If it had to get done, it had to get done-no exceptions.
Before she could think of what to say next, Ryan suddenly lifted her arm and adjusted her posture.
Echo turned her head, watching him as he supported her body.
“Aim. Focus,” Ryan commanded coldly.
Seeing that Ryan was actually helping her, Echo didn’t say a word. She just gave a slight nod and directed him to shift her position.
Leaning against him, she felt a strange sense of calm settle over her. Whether it was his sheer presence giving her confidence or the steady strength of his chest beneath her, something about it helped her find her focus.
Her racing thoughts began to quiet. With Ryan carrying her weight, she could let go of the frustration, exhaustion, and pride that had clouded her mind. All that remained was the target. At this moment, her gaze locked on the bullseye, and she felt unusually still.
Bang!
The sharp crack of the shot echoed through the basement.
The cold, robotic voice of the scorekeeper buzzed for the first time: One shot, dead center.
Echo’s lips curled into a grin.
“What are you smiling at? Again,” Ryan ordered, cutting off her brief moment of triumph.
Echo immediately wiped the smile off her face. She had one more shot to take. She breathed in, focused, and fired.
Another clean hit-two for two. The machine confirmed it with the same emotionless tone.
“Why couldn’t you hit it on your own?” Ryan asked, lowering her arm and stepping back.
Echo let a bright smile spread across her face.
“Because my mind wasn’t calm enough,” she whispered.
At that moment, the meaning behind Ryan’s punishment clicked.
She hadn’t been calm-her emotions had clouded her judgment. If she’d been able to stay composed, she would’ve seen through the situation with Bill and the others.
She would’ve recognized that Ryan wasn’t stalling-he was refusing. And she would’ve realized that she wasn’t the only one in the world with the same blood type.
Life only gives you one shot-you can’t afford to waste it. That’s what Ryan had been trying to teach her.
Leaning into Ryan’s chest, Echo smiled warmly. “Boss, I get it now. But… I’m starving.”
Ryan saw that bright smile on her face and gave a small nod. Without saying another word, he wrapped his arms around her waist and carried her out of the basement.
Calm-that was the key to everything. If you couldn’t quiet your mind, you’d never make the right decisions.
Ryan had saved her because he knew there had been no other choice. If he hadn’t acted, she would’ve died.
Echo’s motives in trying to save him had been good, but she hadn’t considered all the factors. She wasn’t the only one who could help him.
The people Ryan cared about-he wouldn’t let anyone else hurt them. And more importantly, he wouldn’t allow them to harm themselves. Protecting someone wasn’t about shielding them forever; it was about helping them grow strong enough to protect themselves. Only then could true protection exist.