Karel stood motionless in the doorway, his eyes sweeping across the scene before him. Seven burly men, the thugs he'd ordered to sit on the plush sofas, wore expressions of abject fear.
He sighed, a long, drawn-out exhale, and gestured for them to bring warm water and blankets.
Earlier, he had dispatched Tristan's men to confront the caretaker who had tormented Arthur. Yet, the woman was nowhere to be found.
"What in God's name is going on here? Why are you all in my house?"
A stout, middle-aged woman's voice boomed, shattering the tense silence of the villa. She stormed in, her face a mask of rage as she took in the sight of the unfamiliar men invading her home. Her thick eyebrows arched, and her eyes narrowed into slits.
The woman stopped in front of Karel, who appeared frail, as she didn't dare approach the menacing-looking thugs.
"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?"
She shrieked, spittle flying from her crimson-painted lips.
Karel's jaw tightened, his muscles tensing. He knew, with a chilling certainty, that this woman was the one who had inflicted suffering upon Arthur.
A cruel smile twisted his lips as he issued a command to the thugs.
"Tie this old hag up."
The men moved swiftly, seizing the woman's arms. She fought back with surprising ferocity, screaming and kicking, her wrinkled hands flailing wildly.
"How dare you! Let me go, or I'll call the police! Police!" Her voice was a shrill, panicked cry.
Amidst the chaos, a familiar voice cut through the noise.
"Karel, what's happening?"
Karel spun around to see Arthur standing in the doorway. He raised a hand, signaling the thugs to silence the woman.
They promptly stuffed a rag into her mouth.
Once the woman was silenced, Karel rushed to Arthur, his expression softening.
"Oh, it's just a noisy neighbor. Nothing to worry about"
He gently guided Arthur back into his room.
"Stay here, it's too loud out here."
After locking Arthur's door, Karel turned his attention back to the struggling woman.
"Be quiet"
He hissed, pulling a knife from his pocket "or I'll butcher your entire family and sell your children."
He flicked the blade, the glint of steel catching the light.
The woman's eyes widened in terror, and she swallowed hard, the sound of her dry throat audible in the stillness. Despite her fear, she refused to yield. This villa was hers, and if she could get rid of the blind man, she would have everything she wanted. She could take on this skinny youth.
Karel, growing impatient with her resistance, addressed the thugs.
"Deal with her. Kill her, harvest her organs, and dump the body in the crocodile swamp."
The woman gasped, her eyes bulging, and sweat streamed down her face. As her lips moved, as if to speak, Karel loosened the gag.
"Any last words?"
The woman choked back tears, her voice a ragged whisper.
"Please, have mercy. I'm just an old widow. What about my children?"
She pleaded, her voice thick with tears. "I'll do anything, I promise."
A predatory grin spread across Karel's face. "I'll spare you... for now."
"Leave, and go as far away as you can, so I never see you again. But if I do..."
Karel paused, letting his words hang in the air, making the woman's heart pound in her chest.
Suddenly, she felt a sharp object whiz past her cheek and slam into the wall behind her. The woman gasped, a searing pain shooting through her face. Her body froze, and her eyes widened in terror.
"Don't ever show your face to me again"
Karel said, his voice cold and hard. He wouldn't forgive anyone who threatened Arthur, and he wouldn't take any chances.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Inside was a tracking bracelet, capable of recording sound. He had obtained it through Tristan's connections in the black market, and now he intended to use it.
The old woman's eyes widened in shock, the pain in her cheek forgotten.
"What is this?"
She stammered, staring at the bracelet now fastened around her wrist.
"A gift"
A wide, chilling smile spreading across his face.
"If you dare to misbehave or try to remove it, the bomb in the bracelet will detonate, and those wrinkled hands of yours will be gone."
His words were utterly convincing, his face twisted into a menacing grin. Though he was lying about the bomb, he knew the bracelet couldn't be easily removed.
"Let her go" he ordered the thugs, his voice as cold as ice.
As soon as her arms were released, the old woman fled, stumbling and nearly falling several times. Her high heels flew off, scattered along the path.
Thump!
Karel spun around at the sound of something falling. His eyes landed on a small boy, standing frozen, his body trembling.
Ah, he remembered. This was the boy in the photo with Arthur.
The boy swallowed hard, his body stiff, his face pale. "Is... is Arthur here?" he asked, his voice shaking, though he struggled to keep his words steady.
Karel raised an eyebrow, observing the fear etched on the boy's face.
"Come in. I'll get him for you."
The boy nodded slowly, wanting to approach but hesitant. His small feet shuffled forward, then back again.
Karel sighed, glancing at the thugs still lounging on the sofa, their faces grim.
"You can leave now. Can't you see you're scaring the kid?"
The thugs exchanged glances before rising, their faces sullen at being dismissed, yet acknowledging their intimidating presence. They filed out quickly, leaving Karel alone with the small boy. Karel briefly glanced at the child.
"Sit tight, I'll get Arthur"
The boy watched Karel's retreating back, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly. He remembered the sharp knife Karel had thrown, and it had made him wary of approaching.
Despite his fear, he obediently sat on the sofa as instructed, afraid of further anger from Karel and the prospect of being cut up and tossed into a crocodile swamp. A shiver ran down his spine.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Arthur overheard snippets of the conversation outside. The room wasn't soundproof, and the faint whispers, especially the earlier shouting, were audible. He remained seated on the edge of the bed, trusting Karel's actions.
As long as Karel wasn't in danger, he would stay out of it.
A smile touched his lips as he realized Karel was protecting him, in ways he never imagined. He mused that perhaps he had saved a nation in his past life, earning Karel as a reward in this one. With Karel by his side, he wouldn't give up on his situation.
After all, he hadn't yet given Karel nearly enough.
O0O