Patrons' Eyes Only!

               I fucked up, it should’ve never come to this, James thought with gritted teeth during a brief pause. A distant grenade blast nearly ruptured his eardrums; he could feel the vibrations of many more men running in his team’s direction. The spy gestured his teammates’ positions before running to his own within the giant mansion they were infiltrating. James broke one of the second-story windows, making it look as if he had jumped out and escaped, when he actually remained tethered to the ledge just out of sight with his feet propped against the outside wall.                Following a dozen armed Chinese men storming the foyer, searching for James’s men, Meixiu Shao herself strutted into sight. She was an overwhelmingly beautiful, rich, and intelligent Chinese woman who commanded a large portion of New York’s underground heroin traffic. Her family had been rumored to have been in the b...

                  John’s face turned from vaguely irritated to noticeably angry when he saw that his flight was delayed for another full day. As a young professional just above the age of 30, he had jumped on the first opportunity he got to travel to China for teaching college at a reputable level. However, the flight had one layover in Singapore’s famous Changi airport – a beautiful, nature-filled building that was as much of a tourist destination as any other. John was able to enjoy it for a few hours, but at the end of the day, it was still just an airport, and he was nervous about any tardiness impacting his career.                 Luckily, the Changi airport offered luxurious options for passengers to sleep. It’s just one day, John thought, taking in a deep breath. Patience and rationality under pressure were never his strong suits when he didn’t have other peo...

  I                 “S-Sire! You c-can’t be serious…!” A small, dirty elf pleaded before the feet of Lord Alwin Xilvyre, who poised in his chair as if it were a throne. “I-I only took a c-couple coppers off the girl, I s-swear!” Alwin glared down at the elf, remaining silent for several seconds that felt like ages to the beggar. Finally, he spoke in a cool, yet firm voice: “Thievery, assault, and an attempt to escape capture. All of these violations have consequences under this company’s roof. Unless you can cough up several dozen shillings, I’m afraid I have no choice but to force your hand into years of physical labor. Any attempt at resisting will grant you a swift execution.” “B-But sire,” the elf stammered, “we’re of the same blood. I’ve a family to return to. Please, s-spare me…!”                 Alwin stood up suddenly with...