"So, is my son going to fight?" Anderson's father asked.
"Indeed, so there is no time to lose," Erik replied.
Before coming to the Red Lotus Lounge, he had the idea of asking the parents to fight to save the others; of course, he mostly cared about Anderson and Mikey.
The problem was that, of the 21 people who got kidnapped, only fifteen were able to fight since four were kids and two were elderly people.
Erik approached Anderson's father and Mikey's mother, who had been sitting in the corner of the room together since they knew each other. They looked worried, but there was a slight tint of determination in their eyes, which was a positive sign.
"Mikey is there too," Erik suddenly said.
Anderson's father and Mikey's mother exchanged a look of concern, but then Mikey's mother spoke up.
"We can't just sit here and wait," she said to Anderson's father, her voice firm. "If there's a chance to save our children, we must take it."
<Bingo!> Erik thought that was precisely what they needed; the problem was that they needed more than two people to solve this situation. He quickly looked at the others but saw the two parents' same determined look.
Anderson's father nodded in agreement. "I may have left the army years ago, but I'll do whatever it takes to save my son," he said. Erik smiled.
"That's the spirit," he said.
"But we have to be careful. We can't just charge in there and hope for the best. There are 41 people in the other room, including Matthew. It's going to be a difficult fight, but we have to try to save them."
Mikey's mother looked at the man intently. "What do you suggest we do?" she asked Anderson's father, Carl.
The man leaned in closer. "I think we should try to mess up this place so that regardless of the situation, we will all be forced to get out of the building sooner or later. Mambas included," he said. "That way, we can also catch them off guard and attack them by surprise."
Erik looked thoughtful. "I have an idea," he said. "There's a storage room nearby that's full of flammable materials. If we can ignite it, it should create a diversion that will give us the opportunity we need."
Mikey's mother nodded in agreement. "That's a good plan, young man," she said. She then looked at the awakener with a suspicious look.
"How come you look so calm despite the situation?" she asked.
"I didn't have a simple life," the young man replied. That didn't really convince the woman, who turned to look at Carl.
"Whatever," the older man said, "the idea is a good one so that we could try."
"Erik!" Gwen said. "Are you sure about this? Setting the building on fire could create more problems. Besides, we can't do much with only two people helping."
"Agreed," Floyd said. "We need the other people's help."
Then they all turned to look at the other hostages. There were a couple of people from influential clans and families, such as the Silverbend clan, in the figure of Adam's older brother.
There was a member of the Zamora Clan, Luisa's mother, and many others.
Erik and Anderson's father approached the group of hostages, who were all former military members or were part of powerful families. They stood up straight at the sight of the two men, ready to take on any challenge.
Carl took charge, saying, "We need your expertise to help us rescue our children. There are 41 of them in the other room, including the leader, Matthew, as the kid just said.
We need to take them by surprise and overpower them. We can't do this alone, but with your help, we can make this happen."
Erik added, "Our friends, your sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters need us. Will you join us?"
Their speech was convincing, but it wasn't like the parents needed much persuasion to agree to help their kids.
Without hesitation, Luisa's mother stepped forward and said, "I'm in. We know how to work together as a team thanks to our training and won't let these criminals get the best of us."
Adam's brother said, "I'll join too. We were trained to handle high-pressure situations. Let's get our family out of there."
One by one, more and more of the hostages offered their help, each exuding confidence and determination.
"All right, I guess you all heard the plan," Erik said.
The others nodded in agreement, ready to put their skills to use. They knew that the situation was dangerous, but they also knew they had the experience and training to handle it.
Amber and Martha thanked them all for their willingness to help. They felt more assured and ready to rescue their friends, knowing they had a team of skilled individuals backing them up.
"But there are some kids and elderly people here. It is clear they can't fight with us," Mikey's mother said.
"Indeed," Carl added. "Let the elderly take care of the children and call the police," he said.
"Yes, Floyd will escort them out and come back here. Will you, Floyd?" Erik asked.
"You can count on me, bro!" the young man replied. He didn't waste time and immediately led the six people out of the building.
There were no more guards around, so the place was relatively safe, but he still kept his guard up since the men in the other room could always hear them.
He also gave his phone to them, and as soon as they were out, an elderly woman called the police. Floyd came back inside.
In the meantime, Erik stood up and gestured for the others to follow him. "I know the way," he said. "I'll lead you to the warehouse and keep watch while you two set the fire," he said to Carl and Mikey's mother.
As they made their way through the corridors, Carl and Mikey's mother kept a lookout for any guards or obstacles in their way. When they reached the storage room, they quickly set to work, piling up boxes and dousing them with other flammables they had taken from the kitchen.
Erik stood watch at the door as they worked, scanning the hallway for any sign of danger. He heard footsteps approaching and tensed, ready for a fight. But it was only Amber and Gwen who had come to see if they were all right.
"We have to hurry," Erik said, gesturing to the boxes. "We're about to ignite the boxes. This will give us the chance we need and will create enough chaos."
Carl and Mikey's mother finished setting the fire, and they all rushed back towards the other room, where the other hostages were held.
As the fire started to spread inside the small room, the air filled with smoke and heat. The flames licked the walls and ceiling, devouring everything in their path.
The sound of crackling wood and burning furniture echoed off the walls as the fire grew stronger and more intense.
The room was quickly engulfed in flames, and the heat became unbearable. The air was thick with smoke, making it hard to breathe. The flames licked at the curtains, which soon burst into flames, sending sparks flying across the room.
The fire quickly spread to the couch and chairs, and they were soon engulfed in flames, sending embers flying everywhere. The red carpet got on fire, the wooden floorboard beneath creaked and groaned under the intense heat, and the flames seemed to be getting closer and closer to the door.
"All right, everything has been done," Erik said. "Are you ready?"
"We are as ready as we can be." Mikey's mother said, and that was true.
The problem was that, aside from the students, no one in the room had weapons, meaning that they only had to fight with their brain crystal powers and fists.
That wasn't a problem for people from the Montgomery, Zamora, or Silverbend clans, but it wasn't true for the others, who had varied powers that weren't all that effective in battle.
The hostages' faces were a picture of determination as they exited the room to help rescue their family. Their eyes were focused, their jaws set, and their shoulders squared, displaying an unwavering resolve.
Their facial expressions were intense as if they were mentally preparing themselves for the battle ahead. There was a sense of urgency in their actions as they quickly began to gather any tools or weapons they could find.
Their body language showed they were ready to take on anything that stood in their way with a fierce determination that seemed to radiate from within. It was their primal instinct to protect their kin from danger.
Some of them tightened their grip on some knives they had taken from the kitchen, while others checked their surroundings to ensure no one would take them by surprise.
They were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead with a determination that was fueled by a deep love for their children, brothers, and sisters and a fierce sense of duty and that would not be extinguished until their family was safe in their arms again.
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