Chapter 118 — Reverse Bounty
Somewhere, in an office.
The room was quiet.
The lights weren't fully on—just enough to illuminate the desk.
The man sitting there was flipping through documents.
The phone rang.
He picked it up casually.
"Yeah?"
His movement stopped.
The next second, he straightened.
"Sir."
"Yes, sir."
"Right away, sir."
"Yes, sir."
"I understand, sir."
"Yes, sir."
The call ended.
He didn't hang up immediately. He stayed still for a moment, making sure the line was completely dead, before placing the receiver back.
He stood there for two seconds.
Then turned, walked to another desk, and picked up a different phone.
Underground contract exchange.
The line connected.
A female operator's voice came through.
Polite. Even. Completely emotionless.
"Contract Registry. Please state your request type."
"I'd like to issue a reverse bounty," the caller said after a brief pause. "Two-layer structure."
"Please provide the target name."
"Ethan Rayne."
Keyboard strokes followed—steady, rhythmic.
"Target confirmed—
Physician, based in New York; Head of Rayne Clinic; Recognized neutral medical provider by the Continental;
Non-registered operator."
A brief pause.
"Please confirm: is this the correct individual?"
"Confirmed."
"Please confirm: the target himself is not the bounty target."
"Confirmed."
"Proceeding to first-layer structure," the operator said without changing tone. "Please state the bounty conditions."
"Any registered operative, contracted agent, or individual identified as participating in underground contract activity—
If they cause verifiable physical harm to Ethan Rayne—
They become a bounty target."
"Bounty amount?"
"Ten million dollars."
More typing.
"Is this a one-time settlement, or continuously active?"
"Continuously active."
No extra prompts. Everything remained within acceptable parameters.
"Method of harm verification?"
"Continental-approved verification channels."
"Is a severity threshold required?"
"No." A pause. "Any confirmed harm qualifies."
"Are third-party submissions allowed?"
"Yes."
The typing continued.
"Proceeding to second-layer structure," the operator slowed slightly. "Please state the second bounty condition."
"Target: anyone who kills Ethan Rayne."
"Bounty amount?"
"One hundred million dollars."
The operator paused, pulling up internal files.
"Notice: this amount will automatically trigger a global-level broadcast."
"I know."
"Please confirm scope: only the assassin, or all participants involved in the act?"
"All participants."
"Confirm again: the one hundred million applies per individual, or divided among all?"
"Per individual."
A brief silence.
"This contract carries a risk of excessive payout. A deposit is required."
No hesitation.
"Advance ten billion dollars."
"Are there restrictions on who may claim the bounty?"
"No restrictions."
"Should the protected individual be notified?"
"No." The caller's tone remained calm. "He doesn't need to know."
"Understood."
"The contract will be loaded under 'silent priority.'"
"Processing. Please hold the line."
The operator reviewed the screen, confirmed all details, and pressed print.
The paper slid out.
She stood, handed the document to a woman conducting floor oversight.
The woman scanned it quickly, then nodded.
The document was rolled and placed into a sealed transfer tube on the far side of the room.
A narrow metal shaft—just enough space for a single contract.
The hatch closed.
A button was pressed.
A short, low click.
The document disappeared.
Seconds later—
Deep within the building, in a windowless room—
another printer lit up.
Someone retrieved the document.
She set it aside and began typing.
Lines of terminal commands scrolled across the screen.
When the final character was entered—
she pressed Enter.
The terminal stayed silent for two seconds.
Then a single line appeared:
"Distribution complete."
At the same moment—
Across the world, in different cities, different corners—
Countless phones lit up.
A message from an unknown number. No reply possible:
"High-Priority Notice
Reverse Bounty — Activated
Target: Ethan Rayne
…"
At that instant, the order officially went into effect.
The staff member fed the printed document into a shredder.
The machine hummed softly, reducing it to thin, irrecoverable strips.
The operator's voice returned to its original tone.
"Thank you for waiting. Your order has been confirmed."
The line disconnected.
New York — Continental Hotel branch.
Winston sat behind the bar, reading.
An old book. Yellowed pages. A spine softened by time.
The hall was quiet.
The chandelier's light fell steadily across the page.
His phone vibrated beside him.
Winston closed the book—unhurried.
He picked up the phone and glanced at the screen.
The message was short.
He didn't read it twice.
He simply set the phone back down, the corner of his lips lifting slightly.
As if something had just been confirmed.
Then he reopened the book and continued reading—
as though nothing had happened.
Rome — Continental Hotel branch.
Julius stood by the window, curtains half drawn.
His phone buzzed.
He looked down.
Paused.
Then read it again.
And again.
His brow slowly furrowed.
He didn't act immediately.
Instead, he turned and strode quickly out of the room.
John Wick's room.
The door closed.
Silence.
Julius stood by the table, phone still in hand.
"This is a reverse bounty," he said.
"Yes," John replied. He paused. "This way, no one will dare touch him lightly."
"Why?" Julius asked.
John looked at him.
"You received the notice too. He's to be treated… differently."
"Not to this extent," Julius frowned. "What's his secret?"
"You'll have to find out yourself," John said calmly. "You may not have to wait long."
Julius fell silent for a moment.
"Do you understand what this means?"
"It means," John said quietly, "that the danger around him will disappear before it even gets close."
"Yes," Julius nodded. "But it also puts him in everyone's sight."
"Not everyone," John corrected. "Only the underworld—and those connected to it."
"What do you mean?"
John thought for a moment.
"Maybe… this world has been underestimated."
Silence filled the room.
After a while, Julius spoke again.
"What happens next?"
"I don't know," John said. "I only know that some people don't want him harmed."
He paused.
"For now… they'll observe."
"To see whether this world—follows its own rules."
(End of Chapter)