As they reached the bathroom, the once frantic screams shifted into laughter.
"What are you two up to now?" Elise asked, her voice calm, though a hint of amusement lingered. She and the other ladies had reached the bathroom first. I followed shortly behind, stepping into the doorway and taking in the chaotic scene. A busted pipe had turned the bathroom into an impromptu waterpark, with the twins gleefully jumping and spinning beneath the spraying water.
Relief washed over everyone as it became clear the situation was harmless.
"Today is really not a good day for my heart," Mrs. Smith joked, glancing at the two women beside her.
Aunt May, always quick to catch a signal, smiled knowingly and said, "Well then, I suppose I'll crack open some red wine. Heard it's good for the heart."
"Ryan, get the twins dry," Mrs. Smith instructed, her voice firm but caring. "They'll catch a cold if they keep playing in there. The party hasn't even started yet. And Jared, sweetie... see if you can fix that pipe. I can't have the main bathroom flooding on party night." Her gaze fell on Aunt May, who, like always, was quick to offer an assist.
"Jared, while you're at it, give the medicine cabinet and the mirror a wipe-down," Aunt May added, a slight twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
I exchanged a glance with Maya, offering her a smirk before passing the tape and scissors back to her. "Looks like we've got work to do."
"And so do I," Ryan muttered, handing Derek a pack of deflated balloons. "Hey, you two, get out of the bathroom now," he called out to the twins, his voice a mix of exasperation and authority.
Maya and Derek returned to their decorating, and after a few more minutes of frantic balloon-tying and dodging splashes of water, Ryan finally managed to coax the twins out of the bathroom. As they reluctantly exited, I peeked inside, turned the valve, and shut off the water.
The sound of the rushing water ceased, leaving an oddly calming silence in its wake. Ryan, dripping wet, turned to me with a wry grin. "You couldn't have done that earlier? Now I'm soaked."
I shrugged, looking back at the now-quiet bathroom. "It's your house… you're supposed to know how to handle these things. Now, go dry off before Aunt May has me cleaning the floor."
As I stepped inside to inspect the broken pipe, my mind momentarily wandered. In my previous life, I had lived a much different existence. Hiding in the shadows, surviving by my wits. That life had taught me how to handle tasks like plumbing and electrical repairs with an ease that surprised most. In no time, I had the pipe fixed.
But just as I was finishing, I heard something that made me freeze. A low, hushed whisper—voices drifting through the thin walls. I paused, pressing my ear against the cold plaster. They were speaking about the most unsettling of things: Detective. Kids. Kidnap.
A cold shiver ran down my spine. Instinctively, I dropped my tools and quickly left the bathroom. I noticed a crate of water bottles tucked against the wall near the back door. 'The Smiths must have brought them for the party guests... I'll take one just in case.' I grabbed a bottle and slipped out the back door, avoiding the main house to stay out of sight.
As I cautiously approached the narrow alley behind the house, I kept low, ducking behind dumpsters for cover. The voices grew clearer, and my eyes narrowed as I spotted two figures moving stealthily near the back fence. Their dark silhouettes were easily missed in the gloom of the alley, but I had the advantage of surprise.
They were speaking in hushed tones, unaware of my presence. One man's voice carried frustration, "What are we going to do? The female detective is inside. She might be armed. We can't lure any of the Smith kids from here... Boss said we need to be quiet."
The second one scoffed. "Quiet? Forget that. We rush in, guns blazing. Kill the detective first, and the rest will be good hostages. We'll take whatever we want after that. None of this would have happened if you hadn't messed up."
"I messed up? It was you that said that the guy in the lab is harmless. How would I know that he would suddenly jump me from behind while I was peeing and then run away. He didn't show any sign of being forced into being there for nearly a month."
"Stop Yapping now you idiot. Your lucky that boss didn't just put a bullet through you when he heard of this. Let's get the hostages and drop them off at Hell's Kitchen like boss told us to." an annoyed expression stayed on the man's face as he berated his colleague.
"Ya...taking them to Hell's kitchen is another problem. Its not our area to begin with and haven't you heard someone is brutally beating all the underworld gangs in Hell's kitchen." a sense of fear was looming over the man's face as he remembered the condition of those who were beaten by this so called vigilante in Hell's kitchen.
"Those were all small fries. No fucking vigilante has the gall to mess with an organization like us. Now let's go...we will kill those who resist and take whoever is weak. Remember except the detective's kid no other is needed alive so don't hesitate to take a shot."
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. They were planning something terrible—something that involved Detective Elise and the Smith kids. I couldn't let them go through with it and it was all related to the guy we bumped at the school's parking. I also heard them talking about a vigilante beating up thugs at Hell's kitchen. I am sure they were talking about Daredevil. Obviously he isn't known by that name yet.
Without hesitation, I acted. Water—controlled and silent—began to move. Two streams, as though guided by invisible hands, shot toward the backs of their heads. They never saw it coming.
The first goon looked back, his eyes widening in confusion just before the water streamed into his nostrils. His companion turned, also taken off guard. I didn't let up. With a small flick of my wrist, the water rushed into their airways. The pain was immediate, and they stood frozen, their breath quickening, their bodies trembling in panic.
"Get out of here... let's go to the car," one of them wheezed, stumbling away, clutching his throat.
It didn't take long for them to falter, both struggling to breathe, their vision clouded with the effects of my makeshift attack. I let them retreat, moving quickly toward the alley's exit, trying to escape without alerting anyone. I knew they wouldn't be able to chase me down, not with the water still clogging their airways.
Once I was sure they were gone, I discarded the empty bottle, slipping back into the house unnoticed. I quickly made my way to the bathroom, where Aunt May was standing outside, a cloth in hand, her eyes scanning the hallway.
Damn. Of all people, it had to be her.
"Hey, Aunt May... the pipe's fixed," I said casually as I walked past her.
She turned at the sound of my voice, her face lighting up with recognition. "Oh, there you are. I came to check how much you'd managed to do, but you were nowhere to be found."
I held up the empty bottle, offering an innocent smile. "I was thirsty, so I stepped out. Don't worry, the leak's fixed."
She glanced at the now-dry pipe and nodded, "Good. I came to give you this to clean the mirror, but it looks like I'll be doing that myself." She dangled the cloth teasingly, a knowing smile on her lips.
Her attention shifted momentarily, and I couldn't help but notice the difference in how she treated me compared to Peter. There wasn't much of an age gap between us, yet she seemed to see me as an adult, while Peter was still the child in her eyes. It wasn't favoritism—it was something deeper though her motherly instinct towards me had never faltered. I couldn't quite figure out why, but it intrigued me. In my past life, I had never had a sibling, and I had no frame of reference for these kinds of familial dynamics.
**
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