" What's the plan guys?" Leo's anxious voice asked in the other end of the line. Unlike the calmer other three with him., he just couldn't stay calm. Not with the intimidating man and his mean - looking guards now at the car in front of with Stella and his sister, ordering everyone to get out!
" Calm down Leo," Raymond said, his voice not sounding very worried. " We've got this."
" Sriously?!" Leo almost shouted, his worry and anxiety increasing from his voice. " That man is very dangerous!"
At that, Michael and Philip shared a look and an unspoken understanding crossed between them. The silence on the other end of the line with the slight shift in the air they felt from the other end confirmed the other boys shared the same thou-ghts. Before anyone could voice the thought, Leo-na beated them to it;
" Leo....do....do you know something?" Her frigh-tened gaze was on Stella as she asked. A brief moment of silence went by, in which the impa - tint man outside the car's door to Leona and Stella at the back knocked on the window impa-tiently, whilst trying to open the door.
" Get out of the damn car!"
His voice came through the small opening at the top of the windows.
" Yes Leona," Leo's anxiously quick reply came right after the order. " but just a little. We'll talk later."
" Richmond, you and Ray should stay back." Michael said after another shared look with Phi-lip. " Chris, you and Leo should come over." His words were straight to the point and loaded with a natural authority.
" Alright." A chorus of the single worded reply sounded on the other end. No other words added.
" Move back a bit." Philip told Michael after they saw the gates to Richmond 's car open and the boys stepping out decisively.
Obediently, Michael moved back quietly, catch-ing the the man and his three guards who see - med ready to pull out something from under their suits - undoubtedly guns just the previous mo-ment off guard.
" Hey...stop right there....." A guard was shouting when the car suddenly stopped pretty close to it's same other and the doors opened. They quickly walked over with their boss right behind.
However, the very moment Michael and Philip stepped out of the car into view, all four stopped abruptly, their eyes widening. It was then that they really saw the kids involved up - close. Previ-ously in the car, they were a bit far away to actually really see them.
" Boss....these....." A guard began hesitantly, but a raised hand of his boss signaled him to keep quiet and immediately did.
" Remember me Mr. Ridge?" Philip asked with a barely visible smile while closing the door.
" What are you doing here?" The man just referred to as Mr. Ridge asked, his expression a mixture of surprise and displeasure. " Why are you boys with Stella?"
" We should also be asking you that Mr. Ridge." Michael replied calmly and stood a hands length away from Mr. Ridge and his guards. " As far as I know, you - Mr. Ridge have no ties with Stella."
As the conversation was going on, Chris had gotten seared behind the wheel with Leo beside him. Without waiting for further instructions, Chris sped past and in no time at all, the car was almost out of view.
" Whoaa..... Chris! "Leo exclaimed in surprise and excitement, with Leona laughing at the back. "That was great!"
" Thanks. " Chris said, laughing at the awed expressions on the siblings' faces.
From the front mirror, he could see two of the the man's guards trying to get past Richmond and Raymond whilst Michael and Philip blocked the seemingly raging man and the guard with him. With a loud huff, he looked away and con - centra on the toad.
" Do you think they would have trouble with that man and his guards?" Leona asked, referring to Michael, Philip, Richmond and Raymond.
" No, they've got this." Chris answered confiden-tly taking a sharp turn. A smile still on his lips.
"Even if we get Stella away to to the hospital, do you think the man would come find her? Leo asked worriedly, the earlier excitement gone from his face.
" Honestly, I don't really know about that. " Chris replied truthfully." But I strongly believe Michael and Philip will find a way out."
" Owh.... Okay." Leona whispered whilst Leo just nodded thoughtfully.
" Take a turn over there.....after that building, " Leo pointed out seriously. " There's a hospital there. Let's take her there.
" Philip's family own a branch of their hospital a few minutes from here. Let's get her there. It's safer. Even though he didn't get to say it, I'm sure he and Michael would love to have her there. And that man wouldn't be able to steal her away if he tries."
"Oh.....that's great then." Leo said with a satisfied smile on his worried face." Let's just hurry up."
" Don't worry." Chris just told him assuredly. A couple of minutes later, the car took another sharp turn and completely left the slums. Then Chris made a phone call through the car's upda-ted system.
" Hello.... Aunt!" He said cheerfully when the call connected.
" Hey.... Chris!" A very lovely and lively femine voice filled the car from the speaker. " How are you....and all the others doing?"
" Great Aunt, thank you." Chris replied, winking at Leo who raised a brow at his reply before shak-ing his head slowly at his wink and looked away. " I just need your help a little Aunt. Are you at the hospital here in C. C? "
" No, I'm out on a three-days trip in The Bahamas for work related reasons. Why? What's wrong?" The woman asked, starting to worry.
" Don't worry Aunt, Philip is okay. We all are." Chris assured her.
" Oh... That's a relief." An audible sigh could be heard in the car." Then who's not feeling well? "
" A friend of ours. She has a serious allergy and is currently unconscious and....very pale." Chris ex - pained, adjusting the front mirror and looking at Stella with furrowed brows as he spoke.
" Goodness!" The woman exclaimed, sounding very serious and panicky." How old is she? What's her name? "
" She's Stella. She turned sixteen today. " Chris answered.
" It's her birthday today?!" The question came pre-tty loudly.
" Yes, Aunt." Chris answered a bit hesitantly, a slight look of regret on his face." I'm sorry Aunt, maybe I shouldn't have called.... "
" What are you saying son? " The woman asked, slightly Offended. " It's true your friend Stella has reminded me of Hazel. But so what? What is done is done, no matter how much it hurts. It's part of life, we just have to continue living...and talking about living, Stella is in danger of shifting from that! Now stop with the nonsense and tell me where you are! "
Leona let out a laugh at the back but quickly covered her mouth.
" Alright, I'll get everything prepared for your arrival right now. " The woman answered ,calmer.
" Thanks Aunt. " Chris said appreciatively." Don't mention it. And....you boys should take care of.... hey wait!" The woman abruptly paused mid-sen- tence, seemingly remembering something. "Stella...is she Michael's lost girlfriend he's been trying to find since five years back?"
" Aunt...girlfriend?" Chris asked with a hearty laugh, but soon took control of himself as he was driving. " They were much younger then... Aunt. Michael was just a few months after fourteen and Stella was just eleven. They were just friends."
" You silly all-knowing naive kids of recent gene-rations." The woman murmured before continu-ing firmly ; " Do you people even understand the name 'girlfriend'? What's the difference between female and girl? It might be the age or longivity of existence right? "
Chris nodded, but realising she couldn't see him, answered out loud; " Yes Aunt."
" Good, you idiot... " The woman continued. But Leo and Leona both broke into muffled laughter-covering their mouths. Chris playfully glared at Leo beside him but couldn't help but smile."Then a young female human is a girl, and if she's your friend, isn't she your girlfriend? It's the whole ro- mantic or sexual addition that creates the diffe-rence. Do you understand?"
" Yes, Aunt." Chris answered obediently.
"Good, now answer my question. Is she the one?"
" Yes... Aunt." Chris replied with a smile. " We only found out she's in crystal city yesterday and found her a someminutes ago."
" Wow!" This is so great! You know I've been look-ing for her too since you boys told me about her last two years." The woman said excitedly.
Chris laughed and answered ; " Don't mention it. I finally confirmed a little information gathered through my search recently. I'll talk to you boys about it later.Until then, let's focus on getting Ste-lla better. " The woman said, a little seriously.
" Okay.... Aunt, later." Chris answered and the line went off.
" It's sorted. Stella will be very safe there." Chris informed very confidently."
" Thank you." Leo said, then asked, unsurely, seeing a grand modern and traditional - blend hospital an increasing distance nearer ; Is that the hospital?"
" Yes. " Chris replied and slowed down as they got closer.
" Wow!" It looks grander and nicer than in its in-completed state. " Leo marvelled, looking keenly out the window.
" You've been here before?" Chris asked as he turned. and carefully to a space to pack.
" Not really, " Leona answered with a shake of her head. " we only got to see it almost completed last two years, the day we were adopted from the orphanage, we passed here. "
" Oh... Chris whispered, nodding in understan-ding, then said ; " We're here. "
The car came to to a stop and three nurses and two doctors - a man and a woman waiting nearby quickly came over, greeting them respectfully.
" They are here for us?" Leo asked in disbelief even as the answer was staring right back at him, opening the door and going out.
" Yes," Chris answered quickly, getting out of the car. " You can call it perks if being wealthy and privileged. Though it sometimes gets uncomfor-table for some of us." He closed the door behind him.
By then, the nurses and doctors were urgently on their jobs, wheeling a still unconscious Stella away into the hospital with Leona close by like a shadow.
" The woman you called told them we were coming " It wasn't a question, but an observation Leo made as they followed Leona and the medical stuff into the hospital.
" Yes." Chris confirmed. " She's Philip's mother and a part owner of this and some other hospi-tals. "
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Meanwhile on Michael and his team's side, things had heated up and escalated into a fight. But the losing side was most definitely not their team. Mr.Ridge and his guards realized the boys were not to be underestimated. Then he scolded him-self for being stupid. What was he expecting?
Even though he only knew Philip and Michael's backgrounds as being from the Reef and the Baron family respectively, he didn't know the other two boys. Just that they were siblings from their looks. Being in contact with a lot of influen-tial families, he knew a half of them make their children, especially the male's go through special fitness and skills trainings. How much more po-werful and wealth families like the Reefs and the Barons?
Looking at his beaten up guards in anger and embarrassment, he knew he had to back up to save the little pride he had left.
" That's enough!" He snapped at his guards who were just following his order, like he was scol - ding stubborn willful kids. They immediately sto-pped, breathing heavily.
" Good for you." Raymond said with a scoff, looking at a dusty footprint on his white shirt from when a guard had kicked him unexpectedly just before Mr. Ridge had called for the stop. He had various ways of retaliating playing in his head.
"It definitely doesn't look good right now for you ....Michael said tauntingly." It will be called you and your guards bullying High School Students. Just imagine the headlines."
" I just wanted to resolve this quietly, but you boys made things difficult." Mr. Ridge said defen-sively, trying to stay calm.
" By taking Stella forcefully away?" Philip asked through clenched teeth.
" What even gives you the right to think of taking her away? " Richmond asked, brushing off dirt from his shirt angrily. " That's kidnapping you know?"
" No it's not!" Mr. Ridge said fircely, glaring at them." Because Stella is betrothed to my family!"