Saturday it was, even though it was a day off on school, feeling bored at home.
Tristan went to the office, and like the usual.
"TIME TO MEET YOUR MAKER, CHIEF!!!"
Ralph jumped in and tried to catch Charles off guard who was pouring a glass of water.
Charles let of to the glass, and miraculously it remained mid air long enough for Charles to deliver 20 hits at Ralph before falling limp on the ground.
After catching the glass and finishing pouring water on it, he slightly raised it.
"Hey, care for a glass, Tristan?"
"No... Thank you..."
Refusing curtly, Aside from Charles, Ryan was in the corner reading a book, the maid Anna was busy arranging the flower pots, it was unusual to
Tristan took a look at the library hoping to pass some time with reading, it's been a while since the city had been peaceful, so a day like this don't come around too often.
He picked out 'Wuthering Heights' by Emily Bronte. It was a novel written by the Bronte Sisters, and is well-known in the literary world.
After taking it, he sat down and started reading the book.
Around an hour into reading, Tristan was getting cozy on his seat while sipping the tea Anna served him. The background noise of the chaotic city became distant to him, his phone vibrated all of a sudden.
Tristan went to check, it was a message from Luna, it didn't have anything long, just one word.
-Help
Tristan wondered why she would send something like this, just as he was about to ask why, she suddenly called him.
"Hello, It's Tristan"
[Tristan!! Help!!] Luna's voice was urgent, and agitated. [We're in the mall! Some guys-]
Her voice was suddenly cut off.
"Luna? LUNA!!" Tristan looked on the screen of the phone, it was still on, he listened to the noise.
Mostly screaming and yelling of some men, Tristan felt something bad was happening to her now.
Just as he was about to ran for the door, a phone call came from Charles, he quickly answered it after confirming the details, Charles turned to him and Ryan.
"Anna, contact any available operators we have, the HCPD request our help"
"What happened, sir?" Ryan asked.
"A Hostage taking took place on the Central Mall"
Tristan's bad feeling had been confirmed, Luna's cry for help was no joke, she was definitely caught up in it with the others.
He clenched his teeth and balled his fist, swearing to himself, no matter what...
--I'll save them.
Inside the Central Mall, around 50 people were taken as hostages, fifteen Therianthopes in black combat uniform armed with M4s surrounded the hostages in the food court.
Luna and the others were among in the circle, sitting down, Mae hugged her knees, Kaoru held Mae like a mother while looking around, Luna was still trying to keep herself from freaking out, Keith also was keeping quiet.
Every moment was nerve wracking, if they so much as irritate one of those armed men, they could all die in an instant.
"don't bully my mother!"
Suddenly, a boy around the age of a kindergarten rushed towards a gun-toting Therianthrope Soldier.
-Oh no!
Luna thought, but they were in no position to stop the boy, who screamed and threw the ice cream he held at the man. That couldn't possibly bring a man down, but it was more than enough to provoke.
"You Braaat!!"
The soldier screamed in rage and kicked the boy – who wasn't even talk enough to reach his waist – in the face without hesitation.
"Ahh, Dale!"
A woman in her twenties, probably the boy's mother, dashed out of the ring of hostages. Her abdomen was large, but she moved so quickly that one wouldn't think her pregnant, and she moved desperately between the boy and the soldier
"Out of the way, woman! Don't but in!!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, he's still just a child! Please forgive us!"
In the midst of this, Kaoru was constantly thinking of what to do, they can't jumped in, but she knew Keith would go otherwise.
She glanced over him, he was raring to jump on and save the kid, if she hadn't caught his hand, he would've done so.
"what are you doing, Kaoru?" Keith whispered "We got to help them!"
"You idiot! If we do that, it's us who will get killed! Don't play the hero now! You'll just die!"
"Even so!"
"Keith!!"
Another soldier looked toward all the noise.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?!"
"This fucking brat got ice cream on my clothes! I'm gonna kill him!"
"What's the matter with you? How many times have I told you not to touch the hostages, dammit!?"
"Shut up! There's a lot of 'em so it won't matter if we shoot one of two!"
After that, the soldier turned around and pointed the muzzle of his rifle towards the boy and woman.
"No, please! Spare us!"
"You people might as well be pigs in our utopia, but you dare even try to dirty me? A superior race?! You'll pay for that with your life!"
He put his finger on the trigger without hesitation, but before the soldier squeezed the trigger, Keith stood up.
"Stop it!"
Gallantly he stood his ground facing the angry soldier.
"Hah?! What you want to die too brat?"
"What you are doing is simply waving your power around!" Keith said "Instead of impressing the weak, shouldn't you be helping them!"
"Hah?! Is this guy shot in the head?"
"He's talking nonsense"
Even so, Keith stepped forward and slid himself between the mother and the Soldier.
The soldier's sneer got more and more amused by his antics.
"What the hell kid? Do you want to be a hero?"
"I'm doing this because I believe it's right! So stop it, this is just going to make things worse, tell me. What do you want to accomplish? By doing such heinous stuff"
"Ha. Ahahahaha!!!" the soldier laughed as he hold his face "Doing heinous stuff? Ah.. this kid is amazing, I get it..."
Hearing him say that, Keith's determined expression softened, it seemed he got through the man just fine, but the smile on man's face disappeared.
"so, you're playing hero, you can go ahead then" The soldier raised his rifle and squeezed the trigger.
Keith collapsed in pain as he held his shoulder, he was lucky enough to still be alive being shot at point blank.
Screams came from the hostages, Kaoru was overcame by fear, Mae held her mouth as she tried not to look at Keith.
"Tristan..." unconsciously, Mae called out the name of the boy he loved.
Luna held her head, praying that help came quick, hoping that Tristan would come and save them, wishing that he called for help.