In the dimly lit, worn-out room, the faint sounds of muttering broke the tense silence. Lily’s voice, soft and confused, barely reached Jake’s ears since she was just beside her. "What.... what happened?" She murmured, her head turning slightly as her eyes fluttered open. Beside her, Everlyn groaned, her brows furrowed in disoriented bewilderment. "Where.... are we?"
Jake, who had been silently working on loosening his restraints, tensed. He glanced at them, his mind racing as he assessed the situation. "Stay quiet," he whispered sharply, but neither Lily nor Everlyn was fully aware of their surroundings yet.
As the fog of unconsciousness lifted, the reality of their predicament hit them like a tidal wave. Both women’s eyes widened in horror as they took in the sight of the decrepit room, their bound limbs, and the group of thugs scattered about the area. Panic flashed across their faces, and Everlyn’s lips parted, a scream threatening to escape.
"Don’t!!" Jake hissed urgently, his voice cutting through the moment like a knife, his glare silenced them immediately, their fear redirected to the grim determination in his eyes. "Stay calm. I’m almost out of this," he muttered, his fingers working frantically against the restraints.
But the momentary quiet was shattered by a guttural laugh. One of the thugs, a burly man with a scar on his left cheek, turned towards the group with a wicked grin. "Well, well," he drawled. "Looks like the ladies are finally awake."
Another thug, this one lanky with a cruel glint in his eyes, chuckled darkly. "Since they’re up, why don’t we have a little fun with them before the boss gets here?"
"Sounds like a good idea!!"
"Am up for it!!"
The suggestion sent a ripple of sinister laughter through the group as they began to move towards Lily and Everlyn. Fear drained the color from the woman’s faces as they instinctively shrank back in their chairs.
"Stay back!" Lily’s voice trembled, but the thugs only laughed harder, their leering expressions growing more predatory.
Jake’s eyes burned with rage as he gritted his teeth. "Almost there..." He muttered under his breath, his efforts to free himself becoming more frantic.
Just as one of the thugs reached out toward Lily, Jake’s restraints suddenly snapped with a sharp crack. His body surged forward with a speed born of fury and adrenaline. Before the thug could even register what had happened, Jake’s fist drove into his throat with brutal force, crushing his windpipe in an instant.
The man crumpled to the ground, lifeless, as the room fell into a stunned silence.
Jake turned to the remaining thugs, his eyes blazing with a cold, unrelenting fury. "Anyone else want to try?"
The thugs hesitated, their confidence faltering as they realized the tables had turned. Lily and Everlyn, still pale but now emboldened by Jake’s actions, watched in silent awe as the room shifted from a place of despair to one charged with the promise of vengeance.
–––––
"Is it this place" Hutton suddenly muttered in a hushed tone as he gazed upon a worn out building not too far away from him and the others.
The worn-out, incomplete building stood in eerie isolation, its crumbling walls and shattered windows giving it a haunting appearance. Hutton, Bob, Kenneth, and Veronica crouched behind a cluster of debris nearby, with Kenneth carefully studying the blinking dot on the tracker in his hand. "He’s in there," Kenneth confirmed in a hushed voice, his tone tense. "But it’s heavily guarded."
Bob scanned the perimeter, noting the numerous thugs stationed around the building’s entrance. "We need a plan," he said firmly. "Rushing in will get us—and them—killed. We need to take this carefully, piece by piece—"
But before Bob could finish, Hutton rose to his feet and began walking toward the building with a calm, deliberate stride.
"Hutton, what the hell are you doing?" Bob whispered harshly, panic creeping into his voice. Kenneth and Veronica stared in stunned disbelief as Hutton ignored them entirely, his steps steady and purposeful.
"What is he thinking?!" Veronica hissed, her tone a mix of exasperation and concern.
"I don’t know," Kenneth replied, eyes narrowed. "But we better be ready to back him up."
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By the time the three of them collected themselves, Hutton had already reached the two guards stationed at the entrance of the decrepit building. The guards, rugged men armed with batons and rifles slung over their shoulders, straightened up, their expressions a mix of confusion and suspicion.
"Can I go in?" Hutton asked casually, his tone almost polite.
The guards exchanged glances before the larger of the two stepped forward, scowling. "Who the hell are you? And what do you want?" he barked.
Hutton sighed, his gaze dropping momentarily as though the question had physically tired him. "Let’s not make this complicated," he said softly. "I just need to go in."
The second guard sneered, stepping beside his companion. "You think we’re just gonna let some random guy waltz in here? Introduce yourself or—"
Hutton’s head tilted slightly, cutting the man off with a resigned expression. "So, you’re going to make this difficult. Fine."
Before either guard could react, Hutton’s hand shot forward, almost lazily, and a faint golden light pulsed through the air. The guards froze, their expressions twisting into shock and fear. In an instant, their bodies collapsed to the ground, lifeless, without a single sound.
Bob, Kenneth, and Veronica stared from their hiding spot, wide-eyed. "Did… he just…" Veronica muttered, unable to finish her sentence.
Kenneth exhaled sharply. "That’s Hutton for you."
Hutton dusted his hands as though the act required the smallest effort, then turned back toward the others, his voice calm and composed. "Well? Are you coming, or am I doing this alone?"
Bob groaned, rubbing his temples. "Unbelievable," he muttered before signaling for Kenneth and Veronica to follow. "Guess we’re doing it his way now."
The group emerged from their cover, hurrying to catch up with Hutton as he stepped inside the building, his presence radiating an aura of quiet but lethal determination.
In another part of the building, there was a room which was dimly lit but well-kept, a stark contrast to the worn-out building surrounding it. Fernando lounged in an elegant leather armchair, sipping a glass of wine with an air of calm detachment. The polished wood floor and faint scent of expensive cologne created a veneer of refinement amidst the chaos outside.
His peaceful moment was interrupted by hurried footsteps and the door of the room suddenly flunged open as one of his subordinates entered, visibly flustered. "Boss!! There’s a situation," the man said, trying to catch his breath.
Fernando raised an eyebrow in displeasure, setting his glass down on the small table beside him. "Go on," he said, his tone sharp yet measured. "What’s this situation you speak of?"
The subordinate swallowed hard. "Jake—he’s broken free! He’s overpowering the guards one by one."
Fernando’s expression didn’t change, but his fingers tapped lightly on the armrest. "And?"
"There’s more," the man continued nervously. "A group of intruders just arrived. They’re making their way through the building without resistance. They’ve taken out the outer guards and are heading straight for us."
But before the thug could speak even further, His body suddenly erupted in a violent burst of blood, scattering crimson droplets across the elegant walls.
Fernando didn’t flinch though as his gaze remained fixed on his wine glass, now stained with a few drops of blood. He casually picked it up and wiped the rim with a handkerchief. And not long after, he sighed as his demeanor was unshaken. "It seems the performance is reaching its climax."
From the shadows of the room, two figures stepped forward, their presence commanding. One was tall and lean, with sharp, calculating eyes that seemed to assess every detail of the room. The other was broader, his imposing stature radiating quiet strength.
The taller figure smirked as he looked at the spot where the thug from earlier exploded before he spoke with an amused tone. "Maybe in your next life, you will learn how to respect your boss"
And right after that, he began adjusting his gloves as he addressed Fernando. "I’ll handle Jake. Let’s see what he’s capable of."
The broader man crossed his arms, his tone confident. "I’ll take care of these newcomers. If they’ve come this far, they’re asking for trouble."
Fernando nodded slightly, his smirk growing faintly. "Good. Show them the consequences of interfering with the Pedri family. And if you see a guy with a light brown hair amongst the new group, please do well to bring him alive"
"No problem" without another word, the two figures disappeared into the shadows, their movements so swift and silent they left no trace.
Fernando leaned back in his chair, lifting his glass once more. Taking a slow sip, he allowed himself a quiet chuckle. "So, Hutton," he murmured, his tone filled with anticipation, "you’ve finally entered the stage. Let’s see how well you play your part."