Simone and his five men entered the abandoned building, their eyes scanning the dimly lit hallway. As they quietly pushed open the creaky door, they saw a dark interior as the only light source came from the small cracks in the boarded-up windows or roof.
Dusty cobwebs hung from the ceiling, and the floorboards creaked with every step. The air was thick with a musty scent that suggested years of disuse. Moonlight streamed in from the few holes in the roof, casting uneven beams of light on the cracked floor.
The walls were covered in peeling paint, revealing the bare brickwork underneath. The few windows were boarded up, allowing only slivers of light to filter in.
As Simone and his men moved deeper into the building, they could see it was divided into several small rooms.
Each was empty except for a few furniture scraps, such as a broken chair or a rusted metal cabinet, and there were also some with machinery, tools, and empty wooden crates suggesting this place had been a kind of workshop.
The sound of their footsteps echoed through the abandoned building, making it difficult to distinguish the source of the noise.
They cautiously navigated through the maze-like corridors, searching for any signs of the kids.
They found an ample open space when they reached the center of the building. It appeared to have once been a common area.
Simone's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the area. He saw the kids here, so he was sure they were hiding somewhere in the building, but he couldn't find any signs of them on the first floor.
The thug's eyes darted around the room, scanning every corner for movement. His men did the same, carefully checking each room and hallway.
They moved silently, their footsteps muffled by the debris on the ground. The only sound was the creaking of the old floorboards beneath their feet.
Simone gestured for his men to split up and search different rooms. He moved cautiously, his hand resting on the hilt of his knife. He had a feeling that they were close.
Simone couldn't help but feel a growing obsession with capturing Erik after he saw the kid using more than the two powers he should have had. That also meant that he was going to kill his henchmen since he didn't want to share the secret with them once they learned it.
They were loyal but greedy, and he couldn't trust them to stay silent. There was something special about the boy—something that could make him powerful beyond his wildest dreams, and sharing wasn't his forte.
He had already told them he wanted to capture the kid, and it was clear to his men that Simone wanted to learn how to use more powers from Erik.
The thugs had previously noticed that weird phenomenon, which Simone confirmed once they asked him about it. They were curious as to how that was possible while he imagined what he could do with the secret Erik possessed.
He could finally take control of the city and become the most powerful person in the entire nation. The thought made his heart race with excitement.
Simone's eyes scanned the dark interior of the abandoned building, taking in the layers of dust and cobwebs that adorned every surface.
The air was thick with the musty scent of disuse, and the floorboards creaked ominously under his weight.
At that moment, his eyes caught a glimpse of movement from the corner of his eye. He quickly signaled to his men, and they crept toward the source of the movement.
As they turned the corner, they came face-to-face with Erik and the others. Simone's men immediately raised their weapons, ready to take down the kids. But Simone held up his hand, motioning for his men to stand down.
The thugs' leader entered the room in which the kids were waiting without any concern, and he stared at Erik.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" He said it with a smug grin on his face. "It seems like we've caught ourselves some little rats hiding in the shadows."
The kids' faces were a mix of terror and disbelief as Simone and his thugs barged into the room; how they managed to find them was a mystery. They had been hiding, hoping they wouldn't be discovered, but their luck had seemed to run out.
Stella's eyes were wide with fear, her breaths coming in short gasps as she clutched onto Enya's arm for support. Jacob's fists were clenched, his jaw set in a determined line as he tried to hide his fear.
But amidst all the chaos, Erik remained calm. His face was stoic, his eyes flickering with a cold determination as he stared down Simone and his thugs.
Simone noticed this; the contrast between the other kids' expressions and Erik's calm demeanor was stark, and it only served to increase his need to capture the kid, as that meant he didn't fear them.
Despite the fear gripping their hearts, the kids looked to Erik for guidance. They knew that he was their best chance of survival and trusted him implicitly.
As Simone and his thugs advanced toward them, Erik didn't back down or flinch, even as Simone drew closer and closer to him.
The tension in the room was palpable, and it seemed like the slightest wrong move could set off a chain reaction that would be disastrous for all of them.
Gwen glared at the man, her fists clenching and an ashen look on her face. "Get ready to fight!" she shouted, and she and the others went into a fighting stance.
Simone laughed: "Spare me the fight, will you? You couldn't do much before; what makes you think you can do so, no?"
"So, we should just let you kill us without complaining?" Enya interjected, her voice shaking. "We did nothing to you; why are you doing this?"
Simone raises an eyebrow. "It doesn't matter if you did; the boss wants you dead, and since I've already lost a lot of time because of you, I'm upset, to be honest. Is there a chance you will spare me the trouble and stay put?" Then his men went past him and put themselves in a single row, preventing the kids from escaping through the door.
Erik stepped forward. "I don't think we will," Erik said. The look on his face was enough to tell Simone that he wasn't going to give up without a fight. Simone smirked, knowing that this was going to be a fun little game of cat and mouse.
"Hello, Erik," he said calmly, looking at the kids. "I've been looking for you."
Erik didn't flinch. He just stared at Simone, his expression unreadable. "What do you want?" Erik asked. "There's nothing here for you," he added with a cold glint in his eyes.
Simone laughed, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Oh, I don't believe that for a second," he said. "We saw what you did already." Erik's eyes narrowed.
As Simone and Erik were talking, Jacob couldn't help but ask. He had a feeling that something wasn't right.
"What is he talking about?" he asked Erik.
Erik didn't reply; he knew at least Simone noticed his powers and his men likely did too.
Simone took a step closer, his weapon still pointed at him. "Oh, you are going to play the silent card, uh?"
Erik didn't back down. He just stood there, staring at Simone with a cold, steely gaze. Simone knew he was in for a fight but didn't care. He was willing to do whatever it took to capture Erik, as he held the secret to absolute power.
"What is he talking about, Erik?" Amber interjected, too, her eyes shifting from Erik to Simone. Floyd and Mikey looked at each other. It was clear Amber and the others weren't going to say anything, but Jacob, Stella, and Enya would likely do it. Letting them know was a risk.
Simone turned to Amber, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Just discussing some business, little lady," he replied, his tone dripping with condescension. Gwen stepped forward; her arms crossed over her chest. "What kind of business?" she demanded.
Simone's grin widened. "Oh, it is not me you should ask this, but your friend over there, but it is not something you should care about. I said what I said just because I want to let Erik be aware," he said, casting a sidelong glance at the awakener.
The awakener scowled at Simone, his fists clenching at his sides. "You may know, but so what? It's not like you can do the same."
Simone chuckled. "Really? What if that is not true?"
"Well, I mean, I know you can't," Erik replied, but Simone's face twisted in a scowl.
"You are making a bad choice, kid," the thug replied. "I suggest you tell me how to do it if you don't want to suffer," he said, sneering.
The man and his thugs took a step forward, and the tension in the room grew even thicker. The air was heavy with anticipation, and Simone could practically taste the fear emanating from the kids.
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