Kai and his mother strolled through the bustling mall, enjoying the vibrant atmosphere. As they walked, Kai's thoughts drifted to his abilities and how far he'd come. He smiled to himself, feeling grateful for his mother's unwavering support.
"Kai, we've been walking for so long," his mother said, breaking into his reverie. "Where are we headed next?"
"We're going to the jewelry store," Kai replied. "We need to get some things for Kate."
His mother raised an eyebrow. "Kai, she's so small. Does she really need jewelry?"
Kai chuckled. "Maybe not, but we can get some for you instead. You deserve it, Mom."
His mother smiled, and they continued their leisurely stroll. As they turned a corner, Kai's mother suddenly stopped and looked around frantically.
"Kai, where's Kate?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.
Kai's smile faltered. "Mom, don't be like that. Kate's right here with me."
His mother's expression turned stern. "No, Kai, look around. Where is she?"
Kai's eyes scanned the surrounding area, and his heart sank. Kate was nowhere to be seen. He looked down at his hand, expecting to see Kate's small fingers wrapped around his. But his hand was empty.
A sense of panic set in as Kai realized Kate had vanished.
Meanwhile, in a different part of the mall, Kate's eyes widened as she watched a street performer juggle clubs. She clapped enthusiastically, but as she turned to smile at Kai, she felt a hand clamp over her mouth. She tried to scream, but her voice was muffled.
Two men swiftly lifted her off the ground, and Kate's world went dark as they dragged her away.
As Kai frantically searched for Kate, he called out to his mother, "Mom, I don't have Kate with me! I think she's disappeared!"
Kai's mother grasped his arm, her eyes wide with worry. "No, Kai, she can't be! We just got her this afternoon. How can she be gone so soon?"
Kai's face set in determination. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll find her. I promise."
Kai thought to himself, "How could this happen?" With all my powers, all my senses, how could I let Kate slip out of my hands? Have I let my guard down? Have I become too confident?
Kai looked into his mother's mind and heard her thoughts. "Kate, my little daughter, can we find you? I hope we find you. Are we able to find you?"
Kai looked at his mother and said, "Mom, don't worry. I know you're stressing, but we'll figure this out."
Just then, his phone rang. Kai picked up, hesitating for a moment. It was an unknown number.
"Hello?" Kai said, his voice firm.
The person on the other end spoke with a voice changer. "Hello, you're Kai."
Kai's expression turned stern. "Yes, who is this?"
The man replied, "We have your little girl, Kate."
Kai's voice trembled. "Oh, you have her. Don't do anything to her. I swear."
The man demanded, "You want her? Give us twenty million. No cops, no strings, no funny business. You must come alone."
Kai agreed, "Okay, okay."
As he spoke, Kai located the guy's mind and saw his enhanced powers. He saw two men sitting in the back of a black van and Kate sitting beside them. Kai saw where they were.
Kai thought to himself, "Okay, I'll get the twenty million. Just don't harm Kate."
The guy warned, "Don't speak nonsense, child. If you don't want anything to happen to her, just get the money."
Kai dropped the phone, and his mother approached him.
"Kai, who was that?" she asked, noticing his shocked expression. "It sounds serious."
Kai tried to reassure her, "Mom, it's nothing. I'll get things fixed. I think I'll take you home first."
His mother pressed for answers. "Kai, what's happening? Talk to me."
Kai hesitated, "Mom, I'm going to get Kate."
His mother suggested, "We should call the police."
Kai disagreed, "Mom, please, can I take you home and we can talk further?"
They got into the car and drove home.
As they drove, Kai's mother anxiously asked, "Kai, now tell me what's happening?"
Kai took a deep breath. "Mom, Kate has been kidnapped. The guys who took her got my number, and they're demanding a ransom."
His mother's eyes widened. "What? Kai, what are you going to do? How are you going to get the ransom?"
Kai reassured her, "I know some people who can help me get her back."
His mother urged, "Kai, you must get the police involved. They can take care of this."
Kai explained, "Mom, they specifically said no cops. We can't get the police involved."
His mother worriedly asked, "Then how are you going to handle this? These gangsters only want one thing – money. And they can kill without a second thought."
Kai confidently said, "Yes, I know, Mom. But I'm going to get them."
His mother pressed for details. "How, Kai? Just tell me how you're going to save Kate?"
Kai repeated, "I told you, Mom, don't worry. I know some people. Maybe Mister Reginald can help me."
But to himself, Kai thought, "I'm going to use my powers and show them who I am. I'll make them release Kate."
The car fell silent after their conversation. Kai dropped his mother off at home and got back into his car. His mother cautioned, "Kai, please be safe. I don't expect you to do anything... just do something."
Kai reassured her, "Mom, trust me. I'm going to get Mister Reginald involved. I'll get him to help me get information."
His mother nodded, "Okay, Kai. Do that. Please be safe."
Kai drove as fast as possible to his destination. The city was bustling with cars, and Kai's mind wandered to all the memories he shared with Kate. He thought to himself, "Oh, they're going to get it today. They're going to feel my wrath. They're kidnapping, Kate? Oh no, they're going to feel this. They don't know who I am."
Kai arrived at an abandoned factory and saw a black van parked outside. He got out of his car, took a suitcase filled with counterfeit bills, and stepped into the building.
As Kai stepped out of his car and into the abandoned factory, the eerie silence enveloped him. The once-thriving industrial space now stood as a testament to neglect and decay. Crumbling concrete, rusty machinery, and shattered windows bore witness to the passage of time. A faint scent of dust and decay wafted through the air, mingling with the distant hum of the city.
Kai's eyes adjusted to the dim light, and he spotted two men standing before him. The first man, with a menacing scar above his left eye and tattoos etched into his skin, seemed to embody the very essence of intimidation. His rugged appearance and cold, calculating gaze sent a shiver down Kai's spine.
The second man, with his short hair and athletic build, exuded an air of quiet confidence. His eyes seemed to bore into Kai's very soul, as if sizing him up for the challenge ahead.
Kai stood tall, his voice firm as he declared, "I've come here to get a little girl. My name is Kai. I want to speak to your boss."
The first man sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "Ah, you're the boy with the goods. How...convenient."
As Kai's eyes locked onto the man, he sensed a sinister thought lurking beneath the surface. The man was thinking, "This little boy is going to walk into something he doesn't know. He really took the bait. Oh, what a shame for him to fall into our trap. He's going to die soon, and our boss will take the money all for himself."
Kai's gaze shifted to the second man, who was thinking, "Wow, this boy is brave. Does he know our boss? Our boss can't let him go. He won't let him go with the cash in his hand. I'm going to get a big payday. I heard it was twenty million..."
Kai's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with the knowledge that these men had no idea he could read their thoughts.
The first man gestured, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Okay, boy, go inside. Our boss is waiting for you."
As Kai stepped further into the factory, he found himself in a dimly lit room. The air was thick with tension, and the smell of sweat and fear hung heavy. Kate, the little girl, was held captive by two burly men, her eyes wide with terror.
At the far end of the room, a figure stood tall, shrouded in shadows. As Kai's eyes adjusted, he saw a man with a chiseled jawline and piercing eyes, his presence commanding attention.
Kai's voice rang out, firm and resolute. "I have the money here. Let's talk about this."
The man sneered, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Look at you, boy. You came alone? You think you can just waltz in here and demand we release the girl?"
Kai stood tall, his eyes locked onto the man. "Yes, I came alone. Now, take the money and give me Kate."
The man's thoughts betrayed his confidence, revealing a hint of surprise at Kai's bravery. But Kai knew better; he knew the man was thinking, "What a stupid boy. He should have come with bodyguards."