Richard and Aryan were walking along the road, deep in discussion about Violet. Out of nowhere, a man brushed past Aryan, jabbing him with a needle. Aryan stumbled, his vision blurring, and collapsed to the ground.
Panicked, Richard knelt beside him, yelling for help. Four men appeared and offered assistance.
Richard: "Please, help me take him to the hospital!"
The men nodded, lifting Aryan and guiding him into their car. Richard moved to climb in as well, but before he could, they shoved him away forcefully.
Richard fell to the ground, stunned, as the car sped off.
Richard: "Somebody help! They've taken him!"
His desperate cries echoed, but the car disappeared into the distance, leaving him behind, helpless and terrified.
As Richard stood helplessly on the road, a car pulled up beside him.
Driver: "What happened? Need help?"
Richard, desperate: "Bro, please help me! My friend collapsed, and some men took him in their car!"
Driver: "Get in. Let's follow them."
Richard climbed into the car, his eyes locked on the vehicle carrying Aryan as they weaved through the busy streets.
After a while, the car in front made a sharp right turn.
Richard: "No, no, no! They went right! Turn the car, now!"
But instead of following the other vehicle, the driver continued left. Confused, Richard whipped his head around to protest when he heard the unmistakable click of a gun being cocked.
Driver: "Keep your voice down," the man growled, holding a gun pointed directly at Richard. "Or you won't be able to speak again."
Richard froze, his heart pounding. The man, none other than Mai, stared ahead calmly while maintaining his grip on the weapon.
Mai: "Now, sit back and stay quiet."
Richard sank into his seat, realizing he'd just stepped into another layer of the unfolding nightmare.
The atmosphere was heavy, filled only with the sound of laughter and murmurs as Aryan lay tied up and blindfolded, his head covered by a black bag. He could hear voices echoing around him, distorted by the darkness.
One voice chuckled ominously:
"Haha, I've been waiting for this day. Now, let's put off Guardian Ras' inheritance."
"It's been seven long years of searching."
Another voice, more enthusiastic, joined in:
"Let's have the biggest banquet ever... after killing him."
As the voices echoed in his mind, Aryan felt his strength slowly returning. His body was bound tightly, and the ropes were too strong to break, but he tried anyway.
Suddenly, the bag was ripped from his face. The light made him squint as he saw a man Kai standing before him. It was their first encounter.
Kai's cold eyes stared at him for a moment, then he stepped back.
Kai: "Let me know who captured him. I want to give that person a special gift."
One of his underlings stepped forward, proudly claiming responsibility. With a wicked grin, Kai grabbed a knife and slashed it across the underling's back, leaving a deep mark.
Kai with loud voice "It's so frustrating maintaining idiots like you. I asked you to capture the one who was with him, not him. Take him away. Find the other one immediately."
The underling, shaking, accepted the mistake. The others scrambled to correct the mistake, releasing Aryan and apologizing profusely for the error.
Still confused, Aryan didn't fully understand what was happening. He nodded slightly, accepting their apology, as they led him back to where they had originally found him.
The air was thick with tension as Mai's eyes bore into Richard with unrelenting fury.
"Do you think you can escape from me?" Mai snarled, his voice dripping with venom. "I've been waiting for this moment, plotting my revenge. You made my loved one suffer. Now, it's your turn!"
Richard's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Is he out of his mind? Who is he talking about? What is he saying?"
Richard, still trying to stay calm:
"Who are you talking about, sir? What do you want from me?"
Mai's face twisted with rage. He stepped closer, the gun still aimed at Richard's chest.
"Don't pretend you don't know. I'm talking to you, Guardian of Earth."
Richard's blood ran cold. The words echoed in his ears.
"Guardian of Earth? What is he talking about? I'm Richard, not some guardian!"
He tried to keep his composure, his mind racing for an escape.
"Listen, I'm not the person you think I am. I'm just Richard. Put the gun down and let me go. This is insane!"
But Mai wasn't listening. His voice was low, threatening.
"don't think you can cheat me. Today is your death day. This is where it all ends for you."
Richard's heart pounded in his chest. Was this truly the end? His mind raced through options, but escape seemed impossible. Then, a voice in his head whispered: Wait for the right moment.
Suddenly, the vehicle jolted to a stop. Richard's breath caught in his throat as he realized what was happening.
"What's going on?" Mai growled, his grip tightening on the steering wheel.
Outside, a crash had blocked the road on both sides. Traffic was at a standstill. It was chaos, and Mai's attention shifted to the commotion outside. Richard saw his chance.
His heart pounded in his chest as he glanced at the distracted Mai. In that split second, everything slowed down. Richard pushed himself out of his seat, careful not to make a sound, and slipped through the door.
He hit the ground running, his legs burning as he sprinted through the chaos. Behind him, he heard Mai roar in anger. "No! Get back here!"
But Richard didn't look back. He was running for his life, dodging the chaos of the accident scene.
Mai, realizing what had happened, turned and slammed his fist into the dashboard in fury. His frustration was unbearable, but there was nothing he could do now.
Richard had barely managed to slip, the group of men outside his house, his heart hammering in his chest as he silently approached the front door. He didn't know why they were waiting for him, but he could feel the danger in the air. If they saw him, it would be the end.
With quick steps, he made his way to Aryan's house, feeling a strange sense of relief when he finally arrived. Richard burst through the door, his face pale and filled with fear.
"They're after me," Richard gasped, collapsing into a chair. "I don't know why, but I'm being targeted. They're watching me, waiting for the right moment."
Aryan, Khusi, and Richard exchanged uneasy glances.
"Why would they be after you?" Khusi asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"I have no idea. But I'm not taking any chances. I barely made it out. If they find me, I'm as good as dead."