"Get out of here," one of the guards said, frowning.
Alex didn't waste time arguing. He simply struck out at the guards, sending them crashing to the floor, unconscious. Then he stepped over their prone bodies and strode forward.
"Stop!" another guard called, appearing from another room. Several other men followed him, all eyes locked on Alex. These guards looked even more impressive than the last.
Alex dashed past them, hitting out and knocking them into walls. One after another, they slid to the ground, no longer challenging him.
Soon, the news spread that there was an intruder, and more elite guards rushed to stop him.
These men were armed with knives and guns, and when they saw Alex, they took aim at him. But they were too slow, and before they could attack, Alex dealt with them swiftly, neutralizing the threat.
He hadn't even used his inner power, not seeing the need. Within moments, the hallway was quiet, and nobody was moving.
He strode forward and kicked open the door, quickly stepping to one side.
A gunshot sounded as the bullet passed by the place Alex had been standing and lodged into the wall.
The gunshot was followed by several crossbow bolts, but Alex was safely out of their path, having expected such a move.
He sprang into action, sweeping the room and dropping three people within seconds. Two men raised their crossbows, but Alex was too fast. He ran at them, bringing his hand down hard on their wrists, forcing them to drop their weapons. A cracking noise suggested he had broken at least one man's wrist.
Both men clutched their arms, not daring to attack again.
Ignoring them, Alex kicked away a privacy screen to reveal a large round table where several men and women were sitting. Several bodyguards stood nearby, their guns clearly visible.
Michael's smile was cold as he stared at Alex. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded. Then he turned to look at his guards. "And why did none of you manage to shoot him?"
He looked Alex over, unable to see any sign of injury, and he swallowed hard.
The silence in the room was deafening.
"Alex?" Michael asked. Then he shook his head and laughed. "You're a lucky man. It's just a pity you won't live long."
"What do you mean?" Alex asked, tilting his head.
Michael chuckled. "People who threaten me tend to live short lives," he said. "And I think you're at the end of yours."
As he spoke, three bodyguards took out their guns and pointed them at Alex.
Several women watched, their eyes growing wide as they giggled nervously.
Alex might have succeeded in breaking in, but he was alone, and he now had three guns pointed on him. No one thought this would end well for him.
"You broke our truce when you came after my clinic," Alex said, his expression fierce. "So, now it's time for a reckoning."
"Is it now?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's not how I see it. Do you think the Murdochs are soft?" He frowned and stretched out his hands, revealing two obvious scars. Then he picked up his cigar and took a puff. "There are three men pointing guns at you, so I really don't think you're in control here, are you?"
He stood up. "Guards, deal with this gatecrasher."
But, before the guards could respond, Alex attacked, hitting the men's pressure points and sending pain shooting along the nerves in their arms, causing the guns to tumble from their unresponsive hands.
The guards looked around, but Alex seemed to have disappeared. Several of them realized something was wrong and moved toward Michael to protect him. But Alex shoved them out of the way, reaching Michael first.
Startled, Michael turned to leave, but then he felt a hand wrap around his neck. The pressure grew until he felt his breathing being restricted, and he started to panic.
His guests gaped in horror, some of them crying out.
What's going on?"
"Michael!"
"Stop it! You'll kill him!"
Some of the guests fled, and several of the injured guards tried to intervene, but Alex kicked them away, never losing his grip on Michael.
The guards were all repelled, and they sat on the floor, nursing an assortment of injuries.
Few of them had the strength or courage to keep fighting.
Michael's eyes grew wide, unable to believe Alex had prevailed against three armed men.
"I'd hoped you would have learned a lesson about coming after me," Alex said, flexing his hand. "But apparently, I was too lenient, and you learned nothing. Now you've left me no choice. You must be destroyed."
He thought about how badly injured Celeste had been, and his eyes burned with fury. Michael couldn't be allowed to get away with what he had done. Not this time.
"What do you want?" Michael choked out. "To kill me?" He smiled. "If I die, my father will take revenge by crushing everyone you have ever cared about. You won't risk that."
He didn't believe Alex would dare to kill him.
Alex threw Michael away from him, sending him crashing into a window. The impact cracked the glass, and little fissures spread out, snaking their way across the windowpane.
Just as the window collapsed, Alex lunged forward and grabbed Michael, preventing his fall and holding him there. Michael flailed, panicking as he looked at the street so far below him.
"Help me!" he screamed, his eyes wide with terror. "Someone, do something!"
Alex shook him a little, but he didn't relax his grip.
A few of the women were screaming as they looked on in horror.
Alex leaned closer to Michael and whispered, "Are you enjoying the fresh air? Maybe you'd like to try flying?"
He knew if he let go, Michael would die. They were too high up for him to survive hitting the ground from here.
"Do you have any last words?" Alex asked casually.
Michael panted with fear. "Alex, you can't kill me," he said. "There are too many witnesses, and you'll never get away with it."
"You think not?" Alex asked, seemingly unconcerned.
"Stop it!" a voice called from the door. "Don't hurt him."
A dozen people swarmed in, including a beautiful woman in a red dress.
"Help!" Michael cried out. "This madman is trying to kill me. Do something! Call the police! Please, Miss Marvel."
Miss Marvel? Alex thought, turning to look at the woman.
At the same time, the woman looked at him, and her mouth dropped open in shock.
"Alex?" she asked.
Lindsey Marvel hadn't seen Alex since he had helped the Drake family with their financial issues, but like the rest of her family back in Washington, D.C., she had missed him very much.
She had been tired of living in her father's shadow and inspired by Alex, she had wanted to make something of herself. So, she had moved to Baltimore and opened a club, which had turned into a thriving business that attracted many of the important people in the city.
She knew Alex's relationship with Debbie was unshakable, but she was still thrilled to see him, and she was excited to see where this chapter of her life would lead.