Jason glanced at Nathan with a flat expression.

"It means you were about to get dragged somewhere expensive," Nathan replied, already moving toward the staircase.

Jason adjusted his jacket properly and followed behind him. The three women did not attempt to stop him again. Their attention had already shifted toward another group of men who had taken interest in the vacated couch.

The staircase to the second floor curved along the side of the building, guarded only by a broad shouldered staff member who appeared more concerned with keeping drinks upstairs than preventing conflict. The music was just as loud above, though the vantage point offered a clearer view of the main ground below.

As they reached the balcony level, the atmosphere shifted slightly. The crowd was more selective. The furniture was arranged in clusters, and the lighting was dimmer, though still pulsing in rhythm. Several groups were gathered around low tables, bottles of whiskey arranged in the center, glasses half filled and melting ice glistening under shifting lights.

Nathan slowed his pace and nodded subtly toward the far railing.

"There," he said.

Jason followed his line of sight.

Three men stood near the edge, overlooking the dance floor below. They each held short tumblers of amber liquid. One was taller than the other two, with dark hair styled neatly backward, wearing a fitted charcoal shirt with sleeves rolled to the forearms. Another had lighter brown hair parted casually, a slim build, and a clean white shirt tucked into black trousers. The third was slightly broader, wearing a navy blazer over a simple black tee, a silver watch glinting faintly under the lights.

They were not locals either. Their mannerisms were relaxed, though their eyes moved frequently across the balcony, as if monitoring more than just the crowd.

Jason straightened his posture and walked forward with composed confidence. Nathan followed a step behind, hands resting casually in his pockets.

The three men noticed them approaching.

The taller one spoke first.

"Do we know you?" he asked, his tone neither hostile nor welcoming.

Jason stopped a comfortable distance away.

"Good evening," he said calmly. "I was hoping you might help me with something."

The man in the navy blazer exchanged a glance with the one in white.

"With what?" he asked.

Jason reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone. He unlocked it smoothly and brought up Angela’s photograph. He held the screen out so they could see clearly. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Do you recognize her?" he asked in a steady voice.

For a brief second, the three stared at the image without reaction. Then their expressions shifted subtly. Not alarm, not surprise, but a flicker of recognition that was quickly masked.

They looked at each other.

No one answered.

Instead, the taller one set his glass down slowly on the railing.

The man in the white shirt adjusted his cuff and straightened his posture. The one in the blazer shifted his weight slightly and glanced toward the far end of the balcony.

Then, without any verbal response, the third man lifted his hand briefly and gave a small, almost unnoticeable signal.

Within seconds, movement stirred from different corners of the second floor.

Jason lowered the phone calmly and slipped it back into his pocket.

Around them, roughly ten men approached from various directions. Some had been seated at nearby tables. Others had been leaning against pillars or speaking to women. Now they closed in, forming a loose circle.

The surrounding clubbers noticed the shift in atmosphere and began stepping away. Several grabbed their drinks and moved toward the staircase. Others retreated behind furniture. The music continued uninterrupted, and the dance floor below remained unaware of what was unfolding above.

Jason looked around at the forming ring.

"I asked a simple question," he said evenly. "Why avoid answering it and choose this instead?"

The taller man laughed softly.

"There is no need for an explanation," he replied. "We are not telling you anything. And you are not leaving here alive."

Nathan stepped slightly ahead of Jason, a faint smile forming.

"Ten against two," he said. "Are you not embarrassed?"

No one replied.

The circle tightened.

One of the men lunged first, aiming a punch toward Nathan’s face.

Nathan tilted his head slightly to the side, allowing the fist to pass inches from his cheek. At the same moment, he grabbed the attacker’s wrist and twisted sharply. A crack echoed beneath the heavy music. The man cried out and dropped to his knees as Nathan released him and delivered a controlled kick to his shoulder, sending him rolling across the floor.

Another rushed from the left, swinging wildly. Nathan stepped backward, avoiding the strike, and drove his elbow into the man’s jaw. The impact was precise and measured. The attacker stumbled backward into a table, knocking glasses over.

Jason moved quickly toward the outer edge of the balcony, positioning himself near a pillar to avoid being caught in the scuffle.

A third and fourth man attacked simultaneously from opposite sides.

Nathan shifted his footing and ducked beneath one arm while striking the other in the ribs with a quick series of punches. He spun and delivered a backhand to the first attacker’s face, then planted his foot and pushed him away forcefully.

Two more charged together.

Nathan exhaled lightly.

"I guess it is time to do what I am here for," he muttered. "Beating your asses up."

He stepped forward instead of retreating.

One man attempted a low tackle. Nathan lifted his knee at the right moment, colliding with the attacker’s shoulder and halting his momentum. He grabbed the man by the collar and used his own force to throw him sideways into another approaching figure.

A fist came toward his temple. Nathan raised his forearm, blocking the strike, then countered with a sharp blow to the stomach. The man doubled over immediately. Nathan followed with a controlled strike to the back of his neck, dropping him without unnecessary damage.

Jason watched with narrowed eyes.

Nathan’s movements were not frantic. They were efficient and deliberate. He did not waste motion. He avoided every attempt with minimal effort, stepping aside just enough to render attacks ineffective.

Another tried to grab him from behind.

Nathan bent forward slightly, hooking his arm beneath the man’s shoulder and flipping him over his hip. The attacker landed hard against the polished floor, air forced from his lungs.

A man swung a glass bottle toward Nathan’s head. Nathan caught the wrist mid swing and twisted, forcing the bottle to slip from his grasp. He kicked it away before driving his palm into the man’s chest, sending him backward into a cluster of chairs.

Within less than a minute, six were already down, groaning or clutching injured limbs.

The remaining four hesitated briefly, then advanced together.

Nathan stepped to the side, positioning himself so that they could not surround him fully. One aimed a kick at his leg. Nathan shifted his stance and grabbed the ankle mid air, pushing the leg upward and forcing the man off balance. He shoved him into another attacker, disrupting their coordination.

He struck the third in the face with a swift hook, then turned and delivered a controlled blow to the fourth’s abdomen. None of his strikes were excessive. He held back slightly, as if measuring his strength carefully.

Jason felt a surge of disbelief.

He had known Nathan could fight, but witnessing this level of control was different. None of the ten had landed a single clean hit.

The last of the ten attempted a desperate charge.

Nathan sidestepped calmly and tapped the man’s knee with precise force, causing it to buckle. He then pushed him down with a firm palm against the back.

Silence settled briefly across the balcony, broken only by groans and heavy breathing.

Every one of the ten lay incapacitated, unable to rise.

The second floor had largely emptied of spectators. Staff members kept their distance. Below, the music continued relentlessly, unaware of the violence above.

Nathan turned slowly toward the original three men.

They had not fled.

The taller one’s expression had hardened.

Nathan approached them without haste.

The man in the blazer attempted to throw a punch. Nathan caught it easily and bent his fingers backward. A sharp cry escaped as joints strained.

The one in the white shirt tried to retreat, but Nathan grabbed him by the collar and slammed him lightly against the railing, careful not to push him over.

Jason stepped closer now, observing.

Nathan struck the third man in the stomach, causing him to fold forward. He then twisted his arm behind his back until a sharp crack echoed.

One by one, he grabbed their hands and began bending their fingers in unnatural directions.

The taller man gritted his teeth.

Nathan snapped one finger cleanly.

A scream pierced through the balcony.

Jason’s expression remained composed.

Nathan broke another digit with deliberate pressure.

"Tell us everything you know," he said evenly, gripping a third finger and applying force. "Now."

The man’s composure finally shattered.

"Wait," he gasped.

Nathan tightened slightly.

"Speak," he replied calmly.