Chapter 3

A dozen gun barrels swung up at once, all aimed straight at Frederick’s head.

My father’s face went pale with shock.

“Frederick!” His voice was shaking. “Don’t do anything stupid! Let him go!”

“Dad, Mom.”

The sharp glass dug deep into his palm, and blood dripped to the floor. Even so, he acted as if he felt no pain.

His voice caught as he said, “Growing up, my brothers have always looked out for me. Today, it’s my turn to look out for this family.”

Bennett’s eyes welled up, and his voice came out hoarse. “Frederick, are you out of your mind? You’re only twenty-two! Your whole life’s ahead of you!

“If the Clack family goes down, I’m going down with it!

“Let me take your place! Get back here right now!”

The remaining brothers lunged forward too, desperate to swap themselves in for their youngest brother.

“There’s no time!” Frederick gritted his teeth and stared at Bennett, his eyes glistening.

“Get everyone out of here! Go, now!”

Hearing that, my mother’s legs gave out and she collapsed to the floor.

The six brothers shot to their feet, tears in their eyes, and shouted his name.

“Frederick!”

Joanne clung to me, sobbing so hard she was about to pass out.

“Well, this is interesting.”

William chuckled. He neither struggled nor begged for mercy. He did not even order his bodyguards to shoot.

Instead, his eyes lit up with delight.

“I figured this was going to be a boring little slaughter. I didn’t expect to see such a touching little struggle.”

He said excitedly, “This hunting game just keeps getting better and better!”

“Save the speech!” Frederick tightened his grip, the glass pressing hard against the side of William’s neck.

He snarled, “Do you want to find out who’s faster? Your bodyguards’ trigger fingers, or your throat opening up?”

Then, he turned to us and shouted, his voice hoarse, “We’re running out of time! Move!”

Tears welled up in my father’s eyes. To keep everyone alive, he swallowed his anguish and shoved my mother hard toward the back.

“Get Joanne and Sylvia out first!”

Tears streamed down my mother’s face as she stumbled and grabbed Joanne’s hand and mine.

Just as we were about to leave, a bullet slammed into the floor right beside my mother’s feet.

The marble shattered.

My mother’s legs gave out from terror, and Joanne screamed. The sudden gunshot nailed everyone in place.

William laughed, his voice low. “Did I say you could leave?”

The moment he said it, lethal red dots appeared on every single member of the Clack family, right over their vital points.

Outside the door came the synchronized click of sniper rifles being chambered.

“Go on, do it, you useless piece of trash,” William said, his voice soft.

He looked at Frederick tauntingly and even leaned his neck further into the glass shard.

“Don’t hesitate. Half an inch deeper and you’ll cut right through my carotid.”

Frederick’s hand shook violently.

“Why are you shaking?” William smiled, sick delight on his face.

“Scared, are you?

“Let’s see what’s faster, your hand or my snipers’ bullets.

“The second I bleed, your parents, your brothers, and your sisters will all get their heads blown open instantly.”

Frederick fell apart. His nerve caved in an instant. His grip on the glass went slack, and the bloodstained shard dropped to the cold floor with a sharp clink that sounded like defeat.

William sighed. He raised a hand, almost bored, and dabbed at the blood on his neck where the glass had grazed him.

“I gave you your shot at being a hero. Too bad you didn’t have it in you.”

He turned and looked down at Frederick, crumpled on the floor in defeat.

“You Clacks are all useless! This pointless little show is over.”