C2 John Wick (Patreon)

(A/N: I changed the location from California to Washington DC and the fathers High Table name from The Elder to The Councilman.)

Hadrian Pierce sat alone in his bedroom, donned in bandages, as he didn’t know how to explain his lack of injuries from today’s incident, the weight of his predicament bearing down on him.

His body and mind were exhausted from the crazy day he’s had, but now his gaze was steely and determined.

He knew he had to find a way to escape his from this hellhole, to break free from the cycle of abuse that had plagued him for far too long.

‘I’m an old man for god's sake! I refuse to be beaten by some crazed kid who failed at being a father!’ He thought venomously.

With a deep breath, Hadrian opened his laptop and began searching for boarding schools and student exchange programs.

In his point of view, Hadrian had three ways to deal with his father.

First, he could report his abuse to the police, which was rather risky as this was the world of John Wick.

Around every corner was a highly trained assassin, ready to bend their knee to the will of the High Table. And the High Table likely has people in the police force, or maybe even controls it to a certain degree.

‘Yeah, that wouldn’t work...’ Hadrian shook his head, knowing that this route would only bring him another beating, which might really end in his death this time around.

Second, he could pack a bag and try to run away, though once again, there are assassins at every corner.

‘I probably wouldn’t make it down the street before getting caught.’ Hadrian threw that option away as well.

Leaving him only one way out.

He could apply for every boarding school and exchange program and hope for the best.

‘The only way that I can get out of here is if that bastard lets me...’ Hadrian thought, feeling powerless all of a sudden.

A frown marred his face, finding that he didn’t like this feeling.

In all of his 75 years of life as James Evans, Hadrian has never felt more powerless and weak than he did now.

‘I refuse to feel like this ever again!’ He swore that he would do everything in his power to keep this feeling far away.

Resolute in his decision, Hadrian’s fingers danced across the keyboard, clicking through websites and filling out applications.

He poured his hopes and dreams into those forms, praying that one of them would be his ticket to freedom.

...

..

.

Days turned into nights as Hadrian tirelessly applied to every opportunity he could find, checking his email almost constantly for their replies.

He knew that getting accepted would be his only chance to convince his father to let him go.

As the acceptance emails trickled in, he carefully evaluated each option, weighing the pros and cons of different schools and programs.

Though most of all, he searched for whatever would take him farthest from this hellhole.

Finally, he found it!

A foreign exchange invitation from a prestigious school in Osaka, Japan.

(A/N: No, he’s not going to Japan for any anime or whatever. If you watched the newest movie, you’d know that there’s a certain hotel in Osaka.)

‘This could work...’ He thought.

Hadrian's heart raced with anticipation as he printed out the letter and held it tightly in hand.

This was his golden ticket, his one shot at escaping his father's clutches.

Summoning all his courage, Hadrian made his way to his father's study, the letter tightly grasped in his hand.

When he arrived, the armed guards standing outside merely nodded at him as he stepped past them, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. *knock knock*

“Enter!” His father replied, sounding as cold and distant as ever.

‘Here goes nothing...’ Hadrian wished himself luck as he opened the door and stepped inside.

The room was dimly lit, and the air was heavy with the scent of tobacco. His father, Nathaniel Pierce, better known as the Councilman of the High Table, sat behind a massive oak desk, surrounded by stacks of paperwork.

Clearing his throat, Hadrian approached the desk, holding out the invitation. "Father, I've received an invitation to a prestigious school in Osaka. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I was hoping you would consider letting me go."

His father glanced up from his paperwork, his gaze cold and unforgiving.

Without a word, he snatched the letter from Hadrian's hand and quickly scanned its contents. A disdainful smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

With a dismissive wave, he threw the letter back at Hadrian. "Pack your bags and leave immediately," he commanded, his voice laced with indifference. "Make sure you don't bring shame to our family."

Hadrian felt a mixture of relief and disbelief wash over him.

He had expected resistance, a fight to convince his father, but it seemed as though fate had smiled upon him.

Suppressing his excitement, he forced a calm facade, his face betraying none of the joy he felt inside.

Barely managing to stifle a smile, Hadrian quickly backed away and left his father's study. He didn't dare give his father any reason to suspect his true feelings.

With determination coursing through his veins, he made his way through the opulent halls of the mansion, commanding the household servants to pack his bags and ready one of the private jets.

-Later that day-

Outside, a team of highly trained bodyguards, his father's men to be exact, awaited Hadrian. No doubt, they would follow his every move, protecting his well-being as they always do.

After all, the heir to one of the 12 families that sat at the High Table can’t be seen as weak. Even if his father hates his guts, he still had to keep up appearances.

‘And they’ll no doubt report my every move back to my father...’ Hadrian eyed them suspiciously before opting to simply ignore them for the time being.

He could figure out how to handle them later.

Hadrian's heart pounded in his chest as he realized the gravity of his escape.

He cast one last look at the grand mansion that had been his prison, hoping to never return. ‘I guess this is goodbye...’

With a mixture of trepidation and hope, Hadrian stepped into the back of a waiting car. And as the engine roared to life, the mansion grew smaller in the rearview mirror.

He settled into his seat, his mind racing with possibilities and dreams of a better future.

Living in this world wouldn’t be easy, but for the first time in a long while, Hadrian felt a glimmer of hope and a chance at a new beginning.

——————————————

Nathaniel Pierce stood in front of a grand window overlooking the front of his massive estate, his cold gaze fixated on the scene unfolding below.

His son, Hadrian, stood by a row of black SUV’s parked in the long driveway, his luggage neatly arranged by the servants of his house.

Once everything was packed into the cars, and the guards were ready, the sound of multiple engines roared to life, filling the air with a sense of decisiveness.

This departure, however, was not one of warmth or sentiment.

Nathaniel harbored no love for his son, only an all-consuming anger that simmered within him like a bubbling volcano.

As Hadrian's car began to pull away, traversing the elegantly paved driveway, Nathaniel's cold eyes remained fixed upon him.

His sons piercing blue eyes bore a haunting resemblance to his late wife.

It was a cruel twist of fate that Hadrian had inherited a few of his mother's features, a constant reminder of the woman who had been taken from him so prematurely.

Feeling no remorse, Nathaniel's lips curled into a scornful sneer. The bitterness in his heart eclipsed any speck of paternal care.

To him, Hadrian was nothing more than a living embodiment of his own sorrow and the tragedy that had befallen him.

Blaming his son for his wife's death had become a twisted justification for everything that he’s done up until now and would continue to do in the future.

The silence surrounding the mansion was palpable, broken only by the distant sound of the car engine’s fading into the distance.

Nathaniel turned his back on the departing vehicles, his leather shoes tapping on the wooden floor paced through the mansion.

A servant, lingering nearby, dared to speak, "Sir, shall I make any arrangements for your son?"

Nathaniel turned his icy gaze towards the servant, the disdain evident in his voice as he replied, "No. Let him go. It doesn’t matter where he ends up. The farther away, the better."

As the servant retreated in fear, Nathaniel continued his solitary walk through the vast corridors of his oversized and opulent home.

The emptiness echoed within him, mirroring the void that had consumed his heart long ago.

He chose to embrace the anger rather than confront his own pain, perpetuating a cycle of resentment that threatened to engulf him entirely.

In the stillness of his lavish home, Nathaniel allowed himself a brief moment of relief. The burden of his son's presence had been lifted, at least for now.

It was a bitter victory, a hollow triumph. Yet, in his twisted perspective, it was the only respite he could find amidst the ashes of a broken past.

With each step he took, Nathaniel retreated further into the darkness, his heart consumed by a rage that refused to be quelled.

And even with his son gone, the haunting memory of his wife’s absence continued to gnaw at him.

A/N: 1595 words :) How is it so far? Any good?