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I Am Mustafin

Chapter 3 | 3 | Branded

Word Count: 2185    |    Released on: 03/08/2024

iting for the alarm to be raised, for rough hands to grab me. But i

my G

n it. I can't. My legs move of their own accord, carrying me past the man. I

way. The streets blur around us, my focus narrowed to the path ahead an

ow myself to slow down. Beside me, Marcus exhales hea

playing the encou

e didn'

.

oked right into his

it's from the encounter with the man or the nervous cashier, I can't tell. But I

I don't want to make him wo

d part

ambling to come up with something-anything-to distr

" I blu

fusion momentarily replacing

steady my voice sounds even to my own ea

s tone laced with a

ut flat, emotionless, and I can'

utters, and we laps

by Talos' authority will soon get around to him. It's a story known to many in the underground community-a t

erstand. He'd been friends with my parents, had witnessed thei

n't help but wonder if the reason they were caught was because they abandoned me. Maybe they tr

blam

it hole, a loud alarm cuts through the

ls, his voice barely audib

ll too often when I walk on edge o

7:4

my voice laced with ur

. Out of the corner of my eye, I see men dressed in black

t remains closed until 12PM the following day. It is a crime to stay in the sector of a Ring that you don't belong

e exceptions. They're j

orest. But as we come closer, my heart sinks when a pair of soldiers begin walking

one of them ca

dy coiling to sprint. "Stop," I hiss

f, my own mov

anic. S

est. The palms of my hands break in light sweat, my knuck

d?" one of them asks, hi

until I turn to look at his fellow soldier and I notice the intensity in his

my voice fails me. My tongue fee

not a hint of hesitation in his voice.

We're going

the soldiers regard us. Then, miraculously,

than

s me dizzy. We turn to leave, our calm exter

a few steps when a se

You, in th

" I whisper to Marcus, my voice

like my fate. The one who called me back locks his arms

he asks, his tone leavi

ke I'm under a microscope. I know by now he's noticed my ambig

forcing my voice

skepticism dripping

hard to breathe. And then, the words

e the

om and capture, I realize that everything-Briannah's lif

e, I catch a pair of soldiers crossing the street, their boots rhythmically hitting the pavement a

oulder to see Marcus disappearing aroun

dicine is safe.

nstinctively to my face, fingers grasping the frame of my shades. The soldier h

e's

. I exhale shakily, the cool evening air making my feverish skin b

the concrete. But the sound is quickly drowne

g alarm cuts through the air, and suddenly the street is bathed in a deep, pulsing re

athing. Ahead, I spot three more soldiers in black uniforms running straight for me. I make a sharp left, bare

I tuck and roll as I land, the impact knocking the wind from my

No,

ottweiler charging to

the cool metal rungs. But I'm not fast enough. The dog's teeth sink into my boot, tearing through leath

my ankle. As I reach the roof, the deafening whir of helicopter blades fills

to run. And with no

wed by a sharp, shooting pain up to my knee. I land hard o

t up! Get up! You

step, my injured ankle gives way. The fight drains out of me as I limp a

' emblazoned on its side in stark white letters. Before I can react, someone grabs a fistful of my hair,

as handcuffs click shut. I'm thrown into the truck, landing hard on my injur

limbs grow heavy, my thoughts sluggish. As the truck lurches into motion, I fight

. Do not f

oniously. My feet drag across unfamiliar ground as I'm half-carried into a blindingly

rface a shock against my skin. I try

.. I can

vulnerable. Despite the paralysis induced by whatever g

ng on? What are

ds that make my blood run co

n,

iating

g flesh, the cruel laughter of my tormentors, and m

and the breath from my lungs is ki

make i

ctly for the side of my head and my neck pops. This time, the familiar ringing in my ears sound

confirms as the echoing sound receding f

cus

.

He did

g that the last thing that I did was save my friend'

ling me away. But as I allow myself to slip away, another thought crosses my

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1 Chapter 1 | 1 | X2 Chapter 2 | 2 | Under Watchful Eyes3 Chapter 3 | 3 | Branded4 Chapter 4 | 4 | Hope in Desperation5 Chapter 5 | 5 | Chains of Custody6 Chapter 6 | 6 | Through Tinted Glass7 Chapter 7 | 7 | Desperate Measures8 Chapter 8 | 8 | Conflicted9 Chapter 9 | 9 | The Master's Domain10 Chapter 10 | 10 | A Game of Survival11 Chapter 11 | 11 | A Dangerous Proposition12 Chapter 12 | 12 | The Master's Pawn13 Chapter 13 | 13 | A Forbidden Request14 Chapter 14 | 14 | Silent Rebellion15 Chapter 15 | 15 | Breaking Point16 Chapter 16 | 16 | Cold Embrace17 Chapter 17 | 17 | Fragile Truce18 Chapter 18 | 18 | Power Play19 Chapter 19 | 19 | Of His20 Chapter 20 | 20 | Game of Secrets21 Chapter 21 | 21 | A Seat at the Table22 Chapter 22 | 22 | Game of Control23 Chapter 23 | 23 | Tequila Poolside24 Chapter 24 | 24 | A Silent Conspiracy25 Chapter 25 | 25 | Sunrise26 Chapter 26 | 26 | A Quiet Sunday27 Chapter 27 | 27 | Shattering Truth28 Chapter 28 | 28 | The Edge of Submission29 Chapter 29 | 29 | A Fine Line30 Chapter 30 | 30 | Righteous Punishment31 Chapter 31 | 31 | A Fragile Promise32 Chapter 32 | 32 | Illusion of Control33 Chapter 33 | 33 | A Calculated Power Play34 Chapter 34 | 34 | Under His Watch35 Chapter 35 | 35 | Dangerous Accusations36 Chapter 36 | 36 | A Shadow of Doubt37 Chapter 37 | 37 | Worth Dying For38 Chapter 38 | 38 | My Confession39 Chapter 39 | 39 | The Morning After40 Chapter 40 | 40 | Moment of Clarity41 Chapter 41 | 41 | The Binding Oath42 Chapter 42 | 42 | Moments of Vulernability43 Chapter 43 | 43 | Love and Duty44 Chapter 44 | 44 | Silent Scream45 Chapter 45 | 45 | Darkest Hour46 Chapter 46 | 46 | A Prison of Pain47 Chapter 47 | 47 | Pills and Promises48 Chapter 48 | 48 | Healing Scars49 Chapter 49 | 49 | To Protect My Innocence50 Chapter 50 | 50 | Crumbling Walls51 Chapter 51 | 51 | Reckoning52 Chapter 52 | 52 | Growing Pains53 Chapter 53 | 53 | Solace of Silence54 Chapter 54 | 54 | A New Path55 Chapter 55 | 55 | Beneath the Surface56 Chapter 56 | 56 | The Perfect Image57 Chapter 57 | 57 | Power in Silence58 Chapter 58 | 58 | The King's Gambit59 Chapter 59 | 59 | The Power of Deception60 Chapter 60 | 60 | Lasting Promises61 Chapter 61 S2 | 1 | Gathering Storm62 Chapter 62 | 2 | Edge of Oblivion63 Chapter 63 | 3 | Mask of Anger64 Chapter 64 | 4 | Fading Reflection65 Chapter 65 | 5 | The General's Welcome66 Chapter 66 | 6 | Beneath the Mask67 Chapter 67 | 7 | A Choice Unmade68 Chapter 68 | 8 | A Question of Faith69 Chapter 69 | 9 | Where Shadows Meet70 Chapter 70 | 10 | Delicate Balance71 Chapter 71 | 11 | Intoxicating Promises72 Chapter 72 | 12 | Out of His Shadow73 Chapter 73 | 13 | Where Loyalties Lie74 Chapter 74 | 14 | In the Shadow of Power75 Chapter 75 | 15 | Midnight Confessions76 Chapter 76 | 16 | Queen and Pawn77 Chapter 77 | 17 | New Eyes78 Chapter 78 | 18 | Shadows on the Path