The moonlight bathed the villa's manicured gardens in a serene glow, the only sounds the gentle rustling of leaves and the occasional chirp of crickets. Inside, Arwen sat by the expansive living room window, engrossed in a book Alex had purchased earlier that day. Alex, seated nearby, sipped tea with a faint smile on his lips.
A sudden disturbance in the stillness caught Alex's attention. The faint rumble of an engine grew louder, accompanied by the crunch of tires on the gravel driveway. A black van screeched to a halt outside the gate, its sliding door already opening before the vehicle came to a full stop.
Alex's expression hardened. Without hesitation, he flicked his wrist and froze the uninvited guests in place.
Time for them halted mid-motion. The van's occupants, seven men clad in black tactical gear and armed to the teeth, were suspended in action, their faces grim with determination. Alex rose from his chair, his calm demeanor unshaken as he stepped outside.
He moved toward the frozen intruders, his eyes scanning their equipment. Each carried high-grade assault weapons, tranquilizer darts, and devices designed for quick subduing. One held a tablet displaying an image of Arwen, showing it to the burly man beside him.
"Targeted," Alex muttered under his breath.
Touching the burly man's temple, Alex delved into his mind. Memories unraveled like a thread: orders received from Victor Alaric, details of Arwen's capture plan, and the promised payout.
"Hmm? Courting death," Alex said, his voice cold and murderous.
He moved swiftly, confiscating their weapons and placing them harmlessly in a nearby pile. Then, with a flick of his hand, the group was wrapped in an energy shield, transferred to his ring world, and thrown onto a barren planet.
Leaving the villa cloaked in his protective magic, Alex teleported directly to the mercenary base. The sprawling compound was hidden within an abandoned industrial site, its exterior giving no hint of the sophisticated operations within.
He appeared in the command center, where several monitors displayed live feeds from the villa. Mercenaries bustled about, unaware of his presence. Alex froze time once more, the scene turning silent as he examined the room.
Pulling memories from various individuals, Alex pieced together the hierarchy of the mercenary organization. At its center was their leader, a grizzled man named Marcus Kane, known in the underworld as "The Enforcer."
Alex found Kane in his private office, seated at a desk cluttered with maps, dossiers, and weapons. Kane's frozen visage revealed a man accustomed to power and violence, his rugged features marked by scars.
Alex placed his hand on Kane's forehead, extracting every detail about the mercenary's operations. He saw their network of illegal arms trading, human trafficking, and assassination contracts. Each revelation fueled Alex's disdain.
"Trash," Alex said coldly.
With a gesture, he disassembled every piece of technology in the compound, rendering the base useless. He then teleported the mercenaries, including Kane, onto the barren planet inside his ring world.
Victor Alaric's penthouse displays ostentation, its floor-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view of the city. He sat in his leather chair, savoring a glass of Scotch, when Alex materialized silently in the shadows.
Victor froze as Alex stepped forward, his tall figure casting a long shadow from the dim lighting behind him.
"You sent mercenaries after me and my wife," Alex said, his voice calm but carrying an edge that made Victor's blood run cold.
Victor tried to compose himself, though sweat beaded on his forehead. "I… I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered, reaching for a pistol under his desk.
Alex raised an eyebrow. "It's a futile struggle," he said expressionlessly as Victor aimed his gun at him.
With a bang, the bullet pierced through the air, aimed directly at Alex's temple. From Alex's perspective, the bullet moved extremely slowly, but he didn't bother catching it. Instead, he let it hit him; it deformed on impact as soon as it touched his skin and slid to the floor.
With a flick of his fingers, Victor froze, unable to move a muscle but still conscious. Alex probed Victor's mind, confirming his involvement. He saw Victor's obsession with control and his arrogance in thinking wealth made him untouchable.
"You've built an empire on the suffering of others, not to mention all the lives you ruined." Alex said coldly. "You're truly vile."
Victor's eyes widened in terror as Alex raised his hand. In an instant, Victor's body began to dissipate like ash, from his toes up to his neck. He wanted to scream and beg, but nothing would come out of his mouth.
He watched in horror as his body disappeared, leaving only his head floating. Alex used Victor's communication lines to transfer all his money from his bank accounts to several charitable organizations. All his illicit operations were systematically erased, leaving nothing behind. Finally, his head turned to ash and dissipated.
When Alex returned, the villa was as peaceful as he had left it. Arwen looked up from her book, sensing his arrival.
"Is everything alright?" she asked.
Alex smiled gently, sitting beside her. "Everything is fine now."
Arwen tilted her head, studying him. "You seem different, like a storm that's passed."
He chuckled softly. "Perhaps. Should I confess that my wife's beauty was coveted, and I went out for a bit to discipline them?"
Arwen smiled and put the book down. She approached Alex, settling on his lap and hooking her arms around his neck.
"So, I should thank my dear husband?" whispered Arwen, as their lips met in a deep kiss.
As they settled back into their quiet evening, the world outside carried on, unaware of the swift justice Alex had delivered in the shadows.