### Chapter 8: The Fall of the Pallet Family
Andy Pallet stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest as he watched the massive convoy of police officers, led by Morvel Fultor, the Head of the Police Department of Aquaria, march toward him. The sheer number of officers, all of whom outranked him, was overwhelming. Panic gripped him, but he couldn't understand why this was happening. What had he done to deserve such a response?
Morvel's face was a mask of fury as he approached Andy. Without a word, he raised his hand and slapped Andy across the face with such force that it sent him staggering backward. The sound echoed in the silence that had fallen over the station.
"You fool!" Morvel hissed, his voice trembling with barely restrained rage. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"
Andy's mind raced, but he couldn't grasp what had gone wrong. "I—I don't understand," he stammered, rubbing his stinging cheek. "What did I do wrong?"
Morvel didn't bother to answer. Instead, he turned sharply on his heel and strode into the station, followed by the thousands of officers who had accompanied him. Andy, still reeling from the slap, could only watch in stunned silence as Morvel made his way to the interrogation room where Lucas was being held.
Inside the room, Lucas sat calmly, his expression unreadable as the door burst open. The room was suddenly filled with the presence of Morvel and his entourage, the tension in the air almost suffocating.
Without hesitation, Morvel dropped to his knees in front of Lucas, his head bowed in deep respect. "Greetings, Warlord," Morvel said, his voice full of reverence. "Morvel Fultor, Head of the Police Department of Aquaria, at your mercy."
Andy, who had followed them into the room, felt his world come crashing down around him. His jaw dropped, his eyes wide with disbelief as he watched Morvel, one of the most powerful men in the country, kneel before the man he had just been interrogating. Lucas Walfez—this young man, who Andy had believed to be a nobody—was the Warlord of Aquaria.
Lucas, maintaining the calm demeanor of the Warlord, inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment. "Rise, Morvel," he said, his voice steady and commanding. "You've done well to come here so quickly."
Morvel stood, still visibly shaken by the gravity of the situation. "How may I serve you, Warlord?" he asked, his tone respectful.
Lucas's eyes hardened as he looked at Morvel. "Exterminate the Pallet family," he ordered, his voice cold and unyielding. "Leave none of them standing."
Andy felt the blood drain from his face. His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor, his body trembling with fear. "Please!" Andy cried out, his voice cracking with desperation. "Please, Warlord, spare my family! I didn't know—I didn't know who you were! It was my nephew, Quinton—he's the one who's to blame! Please, I beg you, show mercy!"
But Lucas's gaze never wavered, and he did not respond to Andy's pleas. He simply turned and walked out of the interrogation room, his decision final. Morvel and the other officers stepped aside, allowing the Warlord to pass without question. They all understood that Lucas's word was law, and to defy him would be unthinkable.
Andy watched in despair as Lucas left the station without uttering a single word of forgiveness or reprieve. He knew in that moment that his family was doomed. The Warlord's wrath was not something that could be escaped or mitigated. The Pallet family would be erased from existence, and there was nothing Andy could do to stop it.
As Lucas exited the station, Morvel turned to his officers, his expression grim. "Arrest every member of the Pallet family," he ordered. "Bring them all in, and do it now."
The officers immediately sprang into action, mobilizing with the efficiency that only those in high command could muster. Andy, still on his knees, felt a cold, creeping despair settle over him. His thoughts raced, torn between anger and helplessness. He knew that this was the end for his family, but the realization only fueled his hatred for Quinton. It was Quinton's reckless actions that had brought this catastrophe upon them. If only Quinton hadn't involved Lucas in his petty schemes...
But before Andy could act on his vengeful thoughts, he was grabbed by two officers and dragged to his feet. His world was crumbling around him, and all he could do was watch as the Pallet family's demise unfolded.
Meanwhile, across the city, Quinton Pallet was relaxing in his home, completely unaware of the storm that was about to descend upon him. His phone buzzed with an alert, and as he glanced at the screen, his heart began to race. The news was broadcasting live footage of the entire Pallet family being rounded up by the police, led by none other than Morvel Fultor himself.
Panic set in as Quinton watched the scene unfold. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his hands trembled as he struggled to comprehend what was happening. How had the Pallet family offended someone so powerful that even Morvel Fultor was personally involved? He couldn't understand it. He had only been trying to teach Lucas a lesson, to show him who held the real power.
But as the reality of the situation sank in, Quinton's instincts took over. He needed to get out, and fast. Whatever had happened, there was no time to figure it out now. The Pallet family was facing annihilation, and Quinton had no intention of being caught in the crossfire.
As he scrambled to pack a bag with whatever essentials he could gather, his mind raced with thoughts of escape. He would leave the country, disappear before anyone could track him down. He couldn't afford to hesitate—not with the full force of the Aquarian police after him.
Quinton fled the house, slipping out under the cover of darkness. He didn't stop to inform anyone, not even his wife, Lily. There was no time for explanations, no time for goodbyes. His only thought was survival.
Back at the Rogers estate, the family was slowly becoming aware of the Pallet family's sudden fall from grace. Whispers spread through the halls as relatives speculated about what could have possibly happened. But before anyone could ask Quinton for answers, they discovered he had fled without a trace.
Lily Rogers, distraught and confused, searched the house for her husband, but he was nowhere to be found. Panic gripped her as she realized that Quinton had left her behind, alone and vulnerable in the midst of the chaos. The realization hit her like a blow—whatever had happened, Quinton had abandoned her to face it on her own.
The chapter ends with Lily standing alone in their empty bedroom, the weight of her husband's betrayal pressing down on her as she tried to comprehend the full extent of the disaster that had befallen the Pallet family.