Chapter 2 - Lucid dream club

Taking a deep breath, Edgar tried to calm himself after the events of last night. Swimming in the middle of the night, he ignored the biting cold to cool his mind, which felt like it was smoking due to the series of problems facing him. The expansive private pool was rippling, indicating its owner was cooling his head. His athletic body and tanned skin were sculpted perfectly thanks to his physical training. After surfacing and grabbing the towel prepared by a servant at the pool's edge, Edgar felt a slight burden on his mind beginning to lift. His phone rang, displaying the name Kingston—his father. Frowning, Edgar answered the call.

"What is it?" he asked tersely. His father must already know about the chaos that almost cost Dr. James his life, which Edgar had managed to prevent quickly.

"I know you can handle it. That's why I entrusted the leadership position in my left wing to you. Don’t get too comfortable; I have a new task for you. Hideko has discovered your identity that I have kept concealed all this time. Many spies will be watching you starting tonight. I will send some of my trusted people to assist you. Come to the Lucid Dream club, there will be an auction for antiques that will bring us closer to dominating the Moscow area." Kingston abruptly ended the call, leaving Edgar even more annoyed by his father's arbitrary behavior.

"You treat me like nothing more than a subordinate, not your own son," he muttered, the hurt in his voice unmistakable. For a long time, Edgar felt he was being exploited by his greedy father, who used his tactical intelligence and combat skills to expand his dark business.

Gathered in a special room of the mansion typically used for strategy meetings, Martin, a 25-year-old Brazilian martial arts expert, introduced himself as Kingston's trusted ally who would assist him on this mission.

"You said 'some,' but you only sent one person. What an asshole of a father" Edgar said, sending a voice message to Kingston before heading toward the Lucid Dream club.

After finishing their plan with Martin, they quickly prepared everything they would take. This time, both aimed to minimize violence, as there would likely be many civilians clubbing outside the private auction, which could jeopardize Kingston's dark business.

The thumping music could be faintly heard from outside the grand building, guarded by numerous large bodyguards. Aware that Edgar was still underage to enter the club, Kingston had planned this in advance. He made a copy of Edgar's data and created a fake ID for his son to facilitate their mission.

Without significant obstacles, Edgar and Martin successfully entered the club. Edgar’s appearance that night gave no impression of a high school student; his tall, athletic build was complemented by a sleek black suit from a high-end brand, and his slicked-back undercut hairstyle exuded masculinity and class. Martin surveyed the surroundings, trying to locate the secret door that would lead them to the special auction room, as per the information Kingston provided.

While waiting for Martin’s cue, Edgar was surrounded by women and omega men, all mesmerized by his looks.

"You’re so handsome, sir. I’ve never seen you at the Lucid Dream before," said one scantily clad woman in a sultry tone, hoping to attract the handsome young man's attention.

"Angeline! Step aside, he’s mine!" shouted an omega man, who appeared to flaunt his chest in a silk blouse that clearly displayed his pink nipples.

"Hi, my name’s Dima," he said with a sweet smile, extending his hand to Edgar, who looked slightly bothered by the crowd. To avoid trouble, Edgar restrained his emotions, pretended to care about his surroundings, and returned Dima’s handshake warmly, causing the omega man’s heart to flutter.

Suddenly, chaos erupted when Angeline, feeling neglected, accidentally bumped into Dima, causing him to stumble backward. Edgar, witnessing this, immediately focused on two other omega men who seemed ready to intervene in the altercation. The tension eased when some club bodyguards approached, but amidst the commotion, Edgar sensed a wave of negative energy enveloping the room.

"This doesn’t look good," Martin whispered, alert to the threat.

After managing to enter the secret auction room, Edgar and Martin were promptly seated by the staff and given special plates to place bids on the auction items.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the annual Lucid Dream auction. We will present the finest items you won’t find anywhere else. Only select individuals can enter this venue, and rest assured about your privacy, as your safety and confidentiality are guaranteed one hundred percent," the MC announced in a boring tone to Edgar’s ears.

Inside the secret auction room, there were three curtains behind which the items for auction were hidden. As they observed the auction event, the first curtain opened, starting with an unexpected item when three men dressed entirely in black approached Edgar and Martin ominously. "You shouldn’t be here," one of them said threateningly. "They must be sent by Hideko," Edgar and Martin thought in unison.

Without further ado, Martin responded with a quick move, successfully tripping one of them to the ground. In a reflexive moment, dodging another attack from two men, Edgar seized the opportunity to turn and kick the second man in the stomach, who seemed unprepared. The screams from onlookers erupted, adding to the chaos in the room. Martin took over the fight, and Edgar skillfully pulled a small knife from his suit pocket, prepared for any possibility. One man managed to grab Edgar's chin and forced him to look up, but Edgar deftly placed the knife's edge against the man's throat. "Don’t try anything," he whispered in a low voice, ensuring the ruckus did not escalate further.

"Alright, everyone, we’ve reached the climax of the event! Get your thick wallets ready to secure the best items at tonight’s auction," the MC shouted, pulling back the red cloth covering the glass tube. Edgar was taken aback to find Dr. James inside the glass cage. His eyes widened in disbelief at what he saw.

Dr. James was trapped without a stitch of clothing, his omega physique exposed. He had a slender waist, curvaceous hips, and a slightly fuller chest than the average man. His face was adorned with light makeup that made him look stunning that night. Meanwhile, behind Edgar, the commotion continued as several men tried to approach only to get caught up in a struggle with the relentless Martin.

Thin wisps of magenta pheromones, an incredibly rare sight, emanated from Dr. James’s body, trapped within the glass cage. All the guests stood spellbound; omegas like this occurred only once in every ten million births.

"Now, let me explain briefly. The omega before you is the rarest. If you manage to mate with this omega, your offspring is guaranteed to become a dominant alpha. Besides being beautiful, this omega is extremely intelligent and possesses a high intellectual level. Now, I will set the price…" Before the MC could finish his sentence, Edgar confidently raised his plate.

"Twenty billion dollars!" Edgar shouted, instantly grabbing the MC’s attention and causing the entire audience to gape in disbelief at the outrageous price he offered.

"Thirty billion dollars!" a voice echoed from a distance, as a young man around 26 years old, with blonde hair and an athletic build, entered through the door, making Edgar even more frustrated. It was Jonathan, the heir to a real estate company and also Kingston’s rival.

"Wow, I didn’t expect tonight’s event to be attended by wealthy and influential individuals from around the world. Thirty billion dollars! Does anyone dare to raise the price? If not, then I declare this auction won by Jo—" Before the MC could finish speaking, Edgar’s loud voice interrupted.

"Fifty billion dollars!" The room fell into chaos, with everyone shocked that someone would buy a slave for such a high price.

"Deal! This omega slave is sold for fifty billion to Mr. Antonio!" Edgar registered his name as Antonio at the auction, successfully winning Dr. James.

With the situation evolving into further chaos, Edgar felt his breath quickening. The tension escalated as Martin stirred up more chaos by releasing more pheromones, causing all the men to become agitated, culminating in an even larger fight. Amidst the turmoil, Edgar needed to quickly retrieve Dr. James and escape before everything became too dangerous.

The accidents and conflicts inside the club transformed a glamorous night into a brutal brawl, and Edgar knew he had to act fast; otherwise, all his efforts would be in vain. After successfully winning Dr. James, Edgar quickly sought a way out of the chaos engulfing Lucid Dream. The screams and noise from the fighting grew louder, creating an ominous atmosphere that made his blood boil. Martin, showing no mercy, battled against two larger men, utilizing the martial arts techniques he had honed well. Every movement looked agile and calculated, but Edgar knew it wouldn’t last long. He had to think quickly.

"We need to get out of here," Edgar said, moving closer to Martin, who was pushing one of the men against the wall, making him stumble before collapsing helplessly.

"Agreed," Martin replied, breathing heavily. He shifted his gaze to Dr. James, still trapped in the glass cage, and frowned. "But what about that omega? We can’t leave him here!"

"I’ll free him," Edgar asserted, staring determinedly at the cage. He quickly moved, sprinting towards the glass enclosure, ignoring the chaos surrounding him.

Everyone in the room was distracted by the ongoing fight. Edgar spotted a key hanging from a guard's waist who was involved in the brawl. When the guard fell due to Martin’s attack, Edgar hurriedly grabbed the key. In a swift, unexpected motion, Edgar managed to unlock and open Dr. James's cage. "Dr. James! Let’s go!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm. Dr. James stumbled, looking weak, but when he saw Edgar, it was as if his energy returned. "Edgar?" he asked, his voice confused. "You’re here?"

"Yes, there’s no time to explain! We have to leave now!" Edgar grabbed Dr. James’s hand and ran towards the exit, followed by Martin, who was still fighting off angry attackers.

However, they were slightly late. A large man suddenly appeared in front of them, blocking their path. His face twisted with rage, and there was no other option but to fight.

"Over here!" Martin shouted, diverting Edgar's and Dr. James's attention as he leapt at the man. This action bought them a little time to escape.

Edgar didn’t want to get too involved in the fight, but it seemed there was no other choice. With swift movements, he closed the distance to the man and kicked as hard as he could towards the man’s knee, causing him to fall with a pained grimace. However, the man didn't seem willing to give up easily. He clutched Edgar's arm, trying to pull him back. In an instant, a wave of pain shot through Edgar as the man applied more pressure. Using his sharpened instincts, Edgar jabbed his elbow into the man's side, once, twice, until the man finally released his grip and slumped down weakly. Edgar didn’t wait any longer; he grasped Dr. James's hand and continued running.

"Left!" Martin shouted, pointing to another emergency exit that was more accessible. Edgar nodded and followed Martin, trying to distance themselves from the increasingly chaotic crowd.

After successfully escaping the club, they found themselves in the chilly night air. The sound of police sirens grew closer, making Edgar think quickly. He couldn’t stop; they had to get further away from that place.

"Hello?" an urgent voice came from Edgar’s phone. It was Kingston, calling again. "Edgar! Are you okay? What’s happening?"

"Yes, we’re in trouble!" Edgar replied, his voice full of worry as he ran. "We just freed Dr. James, but there are many people chasing us. We need a pickup vehicle, now!"

"I’ve contacted the driver; he will be waiting for you at the back road. Hurry there!" Kingston advised, trying to give directions.

They ran, their hearts racing, until they saw a black sedan parked behind the building. Edgar waved his hand, ensuring the driver saw them.

"Over here!" he shouted. They all sprinted towards the car, and Edgar quickly opened the back door for Dr. James, who looked tired and confused.

Once everyone was inside, the driver sped off, leaving the noise and chaos behind them.

"Why were they capturing you?" Edgar asked as the car sped quickly, trying to break the heavy silence.

Dr. James took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself from the traumatic experience he had just endured. "They… are part of a larger human trafficking network. They were going to sell me to people who… you know, for very nefarious purposes."

Edgar bit his lip. "I promise, I won’t let them capture you again. You’ll be safe with me."

Martin nodded, looking more serious. "We have to report this to the authorities and dismantle this network. We can't continue our lives if they are still out there."

"Yes, but we have to be careful," Edgar said, reflecting on everything that had happened. "They might already know who we are and what we are doing."

Dr. James looked at Edgar, gratitude shining through his face despite still appearing frightened. "Thank you, Edgar. I… don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t rescued me. I owe you my life."

-

In a dark room far from their reach, a muscular man watched the footage of the events at the club on a large screen. His face was cold and filled with hatred. "They've disrupted our plans," he said seriously to a tattooed man beside him. "We can’t let this continue."

"Don't worry, we still have other ways to trap Kingston and his little dog," the tattooed man replied, a sly smile spreading across his face.

"I can set up a stronger trap, and when we catch them, it will be more torturous than before."

The muscular man nodded in agreement. "Yet again... we can't let them escape. I have a plan."

-

As the black sedan sped through the dimly lit streets of Moscow, a sense of urgency dominated the atmosphere within the car. Edgar, still reeling from the chaos of the night, threw a glance at Dr. James, who sat beside him, his hands trembling as he processed the trauma of being trapped.

“Just breathe,” Edgar encouraged, reaching out to place a comforting hand on Dr. James's shoulder. “You’re safe now. I won’t let anyone take you again.”

Dr. James met his gaze, the flicker of fear giving way to gratitude. “Thank you, Edgar. I—I was so scared. I didn’t think anyone would come for me,” he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Before Edgar could respond, Martin, in the front seat, swiveled around. “We need to lay low for a while. If Kingston's rivals caught wind of what happened tonight, they’d be out for blood. We also can’t underestimate Hideko; he won’t back down after this. We’ve disrupted his operation, and he’ll retaliate.”

Edgar nodded, his heart racing. The fight back at the auction still played in his mind—the chaos of violence and the desperation he felt when he saw Dr. James in that glass cage. “We have to figure out our next move. If they come for Kingston, they’ll come for all of us.”

Dr. James looked pale, leaning against the window, but his resolve began to strengthen. “Then we need to take the fight to them. We can’t just hide!”

Edgar's chest is constricted at the thought of involving Dr. James in this retaliatory plan. “I can’t let you put yourself at risk again. You’ve just escaped danger!”

“Edgar...” Dr. James began, a spark of determination lighting up his features. “I can’t stand by while people like them operate freely. I’ve seen the effects of their actions,” he motioned toward the bristling city, “and I want to help whatever way I can.”

Edgar sighed, torn between his instinct to protect and the undeniable connection they shared. “Then we do this together,” he finally conceded. “But I’m calling the shots.”

Martin nodded in agreement, glancing out the window. “We’ll need to go back to my place for a bit. We can set up a strategy there without putting ourselves in immediate danger.”

The driver veered into a secluded alley, bringing the car to a stop outside a nondescript building that appeared abandoned at first glance. The trio stepped out, the night air biting against their skin. Edgar, focusing on Dr. James's well-being, led him to the entrance, his protective instincts surging once more.

As they settled inside the dimly lit room, it was clear the atmosphere charged with impatience and urgency. Edgar wasted no time in pulling out his phone to contact Kingston.

“Dad, we’re in a safe spot. We need to discuss a plan. Hideko won’t let this slide.”

A crackle of static filled the line before Kingston responded, his voice cool yet authoritative. “What did you expect? You disrupted a lucrative operation. My sources are already on the lookout for you and Dr. James. This isn’t just about you; it’s about the empire I’ve built.”

“Your empire is at risk because of your greed!” Edgar shot back, frustration boiling over. “We could end this with coordinated efforts. We need to strategize on how to dismantle Hideko's network.”

“Bide your time, Edgar. Let’s see how strong Hideko can get. After tonight, motivations shift. Our advantage is in patience,” Kingston said, dismissing Edgar's urgency.

“Patience doesn’t save lives,” Edgar retorted but found himself talking to static as Kingston ended the call. Anger boiled within him.

“Can’t believe I’m stuck under my father’s shadow. Every time I try to break away, he grounds me deeper,” Edgar sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Martin, ever the pragmatic combatant, interjected. “Then it’s up to us to act. We should infiltrate the network and gather intel. If we can find out how deep their connections run, we can dismantle it from the inside.”

Dr. James, standing with quiet determination, added, “I have contacts from my university that could help. If we gather enough information, we can expose this trafficking ring to the authorities. They won’t be able to escape justice.”

Edgar looked at Dr. James, admiration swelling within him. “You’re braver than I thought,” he admitted.

“Not just brave; I can also help you blend in with their crowd. They’ll think you’re just a wealthy patron interested in, well, unsavory auctions,” Dr. James replied with a hint of humor, lightening the tension.

“That could work,” Martin agreed. “We can use your charm, Edgar, and our combined intel to gather evidence. Get inside their ranks and play the game.”

Throughout the night, the trio plotted and strategized, sharing each other's strengths and weaknesses, laying a foundation for the fight ahead. Edgar felt a sense of purpose washing over him, inspired by the trust growing between them.

As the sun peeked over the horizon, casting the room in a faint golden glow, Edgar felt a fierce resolve igniting within him. The fight was just beginning, but with Dr. James and Martin at his side, he knew they could make waves against Kingston, Hideko, and the dark undercurrents of the city.

Back in the shadows, the muscular man from the auction sat before surveillance monitors, frustration washing over him as he replayed the evening’s events. “They messed with us tonight, but this isn’t over,” he murmured. “We’ll trap them where they least expect it. They think they’re clever, but we have our eyes and ears everywhere.”

“The little dog thinks he can turn the tide,” the tattooed man added, leaning back with a smirk. “Let’s lure them into the lion’s den. They won’t see what’s coming until it’s too late.”

The two of them exchanged dark glances, plotting their next move, as the city braced for the impending storm driven by greed, vengeance, and liberation.