RAFE'S INTERVENTION

Derek slid into the back seat of his car, exhausted.

“Take me home,” he instructed curtly.

Minutes later, the car pulled into his penthouse. Derek stepped out and strode into his bedroom, tugging off his suit jacket and loosening his tie.

“Shawn is such a fool,” he muttered with a sharp exhale.

Just then, his phone began to ring. He glanced at the screen; Unknown Caller.

A chill crept down his spine. He hesitated, then answered.

“Hello, sir,” a frantic voice whispered. “We’re being attacked at the company. I sneaked away to make this call, sir they’re…”

A sudden gunshot echoed through the line.

The voice cut off abruptly, followed by a heavy thud. Static filled the call.

“Hello? Hello!” Derek shouted, his heart pounding, but there was no response.

Just as he was about to end the call, faint shuffling sounds came through, then a low, unfamiliar voice spoke.

“It seems we arrived too late,” the voice said calmly. “This is the second time you’ve escaped, Derek. I promised you, the third time will cost you your life.”

The man let out a chilling laugh before hanging up.

Cold shivers raced down Derek’s spine.

“How could they? What the hell do they want from me?” he muttered.

He rushed out of his room and down the stairs, finding his bodyguards already alert and armed.

“You all, get prepared,” he ordered sharply.

“Jake, Ray, Jom, Red, and Sid guard my bedroom door. The rest of you, stay on high alert,” he instructed before heading back inside.

Once in his room, Derek dialed the police.

“My office is under attack by unknown armed men,” he said urgently. “They’re after lives. Please, save my workers.”

“Yes, sir,” the dispatcher replied. “Officers are on their way. Please remain calm and stay hidden.”

“Please don’t let anyone get killed,” Derek begged before the line went dead.

Attacking in broad daylight?

He checked the time on his phone: 4:00 p.m.

Just then, his phone buzzed again: it was Shawn.

“Why is he calling me?” Derek muttered. “If he hasn’t found Rafe, I have nothing to discuss.”

He answered the call.

“Hello, sir?” Shawn’s voice came through.

“Have you found him?” Derek asked coldly. “If not, hang up now. I don’t have time for this.”

“Yes, sir. We’ve found him,” Shawn replied. “He’s at the bar.”

“He’s at the bar?” Derek repeated, his eyes widening.

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m on my way. Don’t try anything stupid,” Derek warned before ending the call.

He quickly slipped his suit back on, grabbed his phone, and stepped outside. His bodyguards followed closely as they entered the vehicles and sped off.

As they drove, Derek noticed two cars trailing behind them.

Gunfire erupted.

“Take another route!” someone shouted.

The car Derek was in swerved sharply, separating from the others but still the two vehicles followed closely behind, bullets raining against the metal.

“Aren’t we at the bar yet?” Derek asked urgently, crouching low.

“Almost there, sir,” the driver replied.

Suddenly, the car jerked violently and screeched to a halt as smoke rose from the tires.

“Sir, the tires are blown, they shot them!” the driver announced.

“Damn it,” Derek cursed.

He stepped out quickly, two bodyguards shielding him. Without warning, a bullet tore into one guard’s leg.

“Ahh!” the man cried. “Go! Mr. Derek!”

Derek and the second guard ran, but another shot rang out, striking the guard in the stomach, he collapsed instantly.

Derek spotted a narrow path leading away from the road, unknown where it led, though it seemed dangerous, but his only option.

He sprinted down the path, lungs burning, until the bar came into view. A fence stood between him and the bar.

“There he is!”

“Get him!” The attackers yelled, pointing at him.

Under pressure, Derek climbed the fence and jumped down into the bar’s compound. He landed hard, his face striking a stone. Blood spilled from his forehead, but he forced himself up and ran.

Security rushed toward him.

“Thief!”

“Intruder!”

Then they recognized him.

“Sir!”

“Lock the gates! Everyone stay alert!” Derek ordered before rushing inside.

Inside the bar, Rafe was calmly attending to customers. Derek wiped the blood from his face quickly, masking the chaos he had just escaped.

“Welcome, sir,” Rafe said as Derek walked to his usual seat.

Shawn hurried over.

“Sir, we finally got him back. He seems to have learned his lesson. He hasn’t caused any trouble since…”

“Bring him here. Now,” Derek cut in coldly.

“Yes, sir,” Shawn replied and walked away, whispering something into Rafe’s ear.

Rafe lifted his gaze, locking eyes with Derek, then approached.

“Sit down,” Derek commanded.

“Sir, I’ll…” Rafe began but pause as the doors burst open.

Masked men stormed in, firing their guns. Screams filled the bar as customers fled in panic.

“We need to run,” Derek said, grabbing Rafe’s arm but Rafe stood his ground.

“Let’s see what they want,” he said calmly. “Who knows? They might want to patronize us.”

The masked men surrounded them.

“How may I help you?” Rafe asked confidently.

In response, the men raised their guns.

“Hands up,” one of them ordered.

Derek and Rafe slowly raised their hands.

The man stepped forward, attempting to handcuff them, but Rafe reacted instantly. He slammed his elbow into the man’s jaw, seized his gun, and pressed it against his head.

“Now I have one of you,” Rafe warned. “Don’t move, or I blow his brains out.”

The masked men stepped back as another figure approached; taller, calmer, and his face also hidden behind a mask.

He took off the mask but had another eyes mask as his lips curled into a smirk.

Without hesitation, he raised his gun and fired.

Pfft! Pfft!

The man Rafe was holding went limp, collapsing lifelessly to the floor.

Derek froze in terror.

This masked monster had just killed his own man without blinking.

“If this is what he does to his own… what will he do to us?” Derek muttered to himself.