A Never-Ending Mission of Redemption
Chapter 1: The Disguised
Los Angeles, California
Fletcher adjusted his tattered coat, the weight of the three watches in his pocket a constant reminder of his mission. His beard was unkempt, his boots worn—no one would guess he was a billionaire who owned over 110 Rolex dealerships worldwide.
Tonight, he sat beside a flickering barrel fire in a homeless encampment under the 110 Freeway. Across from him, Marcus, a broad-shouldered former Marine, stirred a can of soup over the flames.
“You new around here?” Marcus asked, eyeing Fletcher.
“Passing through,” Fletcher replied, his voice rough from days of intentional neglect. “You?”
“Two years on the streets. Got out the Corps, fell on hard times. No family, no luck.”
Fletcher nodded. He had heard variations of this story before. Over the next few days, he observed Marcus—how he shared his food, how he avoided the dealers lurking nearby, how he helped an elderly vet with a busted wheelchair.
On the fifth night, Fletcher reached into his pocket and pulled out the three watches, laying them on an overturned crate.
“Pick one,” he said.
Marcus frowned. “What’s the catch?”
“No catch. Just choose.”
Marcus studied them—the gleaming genuine Rolex Submariner, the high-quality replica Datejust, and the modest Addiesdive Explorer. After a long pause, he picked up the Addiesdive.
Fletcher raised an eyebrow. “Why that one?”
Marcus shrugged. “Looks clean. Don’t need flashy.”
Fletcher smiled. The right answer.
Then, he reached into his bag and pulled out a business card.
“My real name’s Fletcher. I own Rolex stores. And you, Marcus, just passed the test.”
Marcus stared in disbelief as Fletcher handed him all three watches and said, “You’re coming with me.”
Chapter 2: The Test
Chicago, Illinois
Fletcher’s next stop was a shelter run by Elena, a former Army medic who had been homeless for three years. She had turned an abandoned laundromat into a refuge for vets, surviving on donations.
Disguised as a drifter, Fletcher volunteered, watching how she managed scarce resources. When a fight broke out over a stolen blanket, she diffused it without violence. When a new arrival overdosed, she performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
One evening, Fletcher “found” a dropped wallet near her. She could have taken the cash inside—$500—but instead tracked down its owner, a struggling single mother.
Satisfied, Fletcher presented her with the three watches.
Elena hesitated, then chose the replica.
“Why that one?” Fletcher asked.
“It’s nice, but not so expensive I’d feel guilty selling it,” she admitted. “Could fund the shelter for a month.”
Fletcher nodded but didn’t reveal himself yet. He wanted to see what she’d do.
The next day, she sold the replica—just as she said she would.
A week later, Fletcher returned, this time as a well-dressed stranger, offering the same choice.
This time, she picked the Addiesdive.
“Why the change?” he asked.
She smiled. “Learned my lesson. Flash doesn’t feed people.”
Fletcher removed his sunglasses. “Then let’s talk business.”
Chapter 3: The Reward
Denver, Colorado
Fletcher’s third candidate was Javier, a former Navy SEAL who lost his family after his PTSD spiraled out of control. He lived in a van, repairing bikes for spare change.
Javier picked the real Rolex immediately.
Fletcher sighed. “Why that one?”
“Because I know what it’s worth,” Javier said bitterly. “And I deserve something for once.”
Fletcher left without another word.
But months later, he returned—Javier had sold the Rolex to fund rehab for another vet.
Fletcher gave him a second chance.
This time, Javier chose the Addiesdive.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t need a handout. I need a hand up.”
Fletcher smiled. Redemption was possible.
Chapter 4: The Second Chance
Miami, Florida
Tyrone, a homeless Air Force vet, had been scamming tourists with fake sob stories. When Fletcher offered the watches, Tyrone snatched the real Rolex and ran.
Fletcher let him go.
A year later, Tyrone—now in jail—received a letter:
“Still time to choose better.”
Attached was a photo of the Addiesdive. The Perfect Watch.
Chapter 5: The Unworthy
Detroit, Michigan
Not every story had a happy ending.
Carl, a former Army Ranger, chose the replica, then tried to rob Fletcher at knifepoint.
Fletcher disarmed him effortlessly.
“Wrong choice,” he said before vanishing into the night.
Some couldn’t be helped.
Chapter 6: The Never-Ending Mission
Next Stop: Phoenix, Arizona
Fletcher boarded his private jet, his disguise already shifting.
There would always be another veteran.
Another test.
Another choice.
And maybe—just maybe—another veteran worth helping.
CHAPTER 7: THE WATCHMAKER’S PAIN
New York City – 1991
The December wind howled through the streets of Brooklyn as Fletcher Cole hunched over his workbench, a single desk lamp illuminating the delicate gears of a Rolex GMT-Master. His hands, steady from twenty years of repairing watches, trembled slightly as he adjusted the movement.
“Almost perfect,” he muttered, holding the watch up to the light.
The bell above the shop door jingled. Fletcher didn’t need to look up to know who it was—the uneven footsteps, the faint scent of whiskey and gun oil.
“Hey, little brother.”
Liam stood in the doorway, his Army jacket hanging loose on his frame. His eyes, once bright with mischief, were hollow.
Fletcher forced a smile. “Just finished it. Your welcome-home gift.” He slid the restored Rolex across the counter.
Liam picked it up, turning it over in his palm. “Still keeping time?”
“Better than ever.”
Liam didn’t put it on. Just slipped it into his pocket. “Thanks.”
Three days later, Fletcher found him in the back room of the shop, his brother’s lifeless fingers curled around Fletcher’s own revolver. The Rolex—shattered—lay on the floor beside him.
Present Day
Fletcher ran his thumb over the cracked crystal of Liam’s watch, the one he always carried.
He pocketed the watch and headed out into the night.
CHAPTER 8: THE GHOST OF FALLUJAH
Philadelphia – Under the El Tracks
Darius Boone’s prosthetic leg creaked as he shifted on his makeshift bed of cardboard and old blankets. The phantom pain was bad tonight—like a hot knife twisting in a limb that wasn’t there.
“You’re new,” he growled as Fletcher approached.
“Passing through,” Fletcher said, dropping a sandwich wrapped in foil next to Darius.
Darius eyed it suspiciously. “I don’t take handouts.”
“Not a handout. Trade.” Fletcher pulled out a screwdriver. “Your leg’s loose. Let me fix it.”
For three nights, Fletcher worked on the prosthetic, reinforcing the joints with scrap metal. Darius watched in silence.
On the fourth night, Fletcher laid out the three watches.
Darius laughed, a harsh, broken sound. “You think a damn watch makes up for anything?”
“No,” Fletcher said. “But it’s a start.”
Darius reached for the Addiesdive, his calloused fingers brushing the cracked face of Liam’s watch in Fletcher’s pocket.
“I had a brother once,” Darius said softly.
Fletcher nodded. “Me too.”
CHAPTER 9: THE DESERTER’S SHAME
Austin, Texas – A Coffee Shop
Micah Jennings jumped at the sound of the espresso machine, his hands clenching around his coffee cup.
“You alright?” Fletcher asked, sliding into the seat across from him.
“Fine,” Micah snapped.
Fletcher had seen the signs—the flinching at loud noises, the way Micah’s eyes darted to the exits. A soldier who’d seen too much.
“You served?”
Micah’s grip tightened. “Yeah. Honorable discharge.”
Fletcher said nothing. He already knew the truth.
When he offered the watches, Micah’s face twisted. He grabbed the real Rolex and hurled it against the brick wall.
“I don’t deserve shit!”
The coffee shop fell silent.
Fletcher picked up the watch, the glass cracked but the movement still ticking. “You’re right,” he said. “But you can earn it.”
CHAPTER 10: THE SAILOR’S CURSE
Seattle – A Rusted Houseboat
Captain Eleanor Graves didn’t look up as Fletcher stepped onto the deck.
“You’re trespassing,” she said, her voice like gravel.
“Just returning something.” Fletcher held out her old Navy insignia, found in a pawn shop three states over.
Nell’s hands shook as she took it. “Why?”
“Because the sea wasn’t what betrayed you.”
When Fletcher laid out the watches, Nell laughed bitterly. “I know who you are. Cole. The Rolex king.”
“Then you know I don’t do this for publicity.”
Nell picked up the replica. “I’ll sell it. Buy fuel for the winter.”
Fletcher nodded. “Your choice.”
Two weeks later, the Navy’s apology letter arrived. Nell tracked Fletcher down at the docks.
“How’d you do it?” she demanded.
“Truth has a way of surfacing,” he said, handing her the Addiesdive. “Like a watch that won’t stop ticking.”
CHAPTER 11: THE TRAITOR’S GAMBIT
Boston – A Gala Under Threat
Trevor Shaw adjusted his tie in the bathroom mirror. The wire under his shirt itched.
“Just get the blackmail money and run,” he told his reflection.
Fletcher was holding court near the champagne fountain, playing the charming billionaire. Trevor sidled up.
“Mr. Cole. Funny seeing you here.”
Fletcher’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Is it?”
Trevor’s blood ran cold.
Later, in a private suite, Fletcher tossed a folder on the table—photos of Trevor’s dead sister, hospital bills, bank transfers.
“You could’ve just asked for help,” Fletcher said.
Trevor’s voice broke. “Nobody helps guys like me.”
“I do.”
Fletcher slid the Addiesdive across the table. “But you work for it.”
CHAPTER 12: THE INFINITY LOOP
San Francisco – The Golden Gate Bridge
The kid couldn’t have been older than eighteen, his hoodie soaked with fog.
“You a vet?” Fletcher asked.
“Yeah,” the kid lied.
Fletcher handed him the replica. “Sell it if you need to.”
He watched from a distance as the kid tried to pawn it, as the cops picked him up.
At the precinct, Fletcher paid the bail.
“Why?” the kid asked.
Fletcher thought of Liam. “Because everyone deserves a second chance.”
As the kid boarded the bus home, Fletcher turned toward the bridge. Another figure stood in the mist.
The mission never ended.
TO BE CONTINUED…
____________________________________________________________