The members of Caiden''s party ran through the city streets, leaving behind echoes as their feet pounded against the concrete pavement.


    "How much farther is the kid?" Caiden inquired about one of his other soldiers.


    "He should be around 500 meters from here," the soldier responded.


    "Then, get ready for contact," he said further.


    The urgent call hade in: Benedict was still being pursued by the thug that Simone sent to kill him, but they were able to track them down and find them both. However, given that the thug intended to kill the teenager, they could not afford to waste even a second. Caiden, who was leading the search, yelled outmands to his team while the others followed him with determination written all over their faces.


    As they rounded a corner, they saw Benedict in the distance,ing toward their position. Anxiety and fear were clearly written all over his face as he peered over his shoulder to see where his pursuer was.


    The thug was gaining ground, fueled by anger, as the young man had; that already made him waste a lot of time that wasn''t supposed to happen.


    The beating of Amber''s father''s heart quickened as he realized that they needed to take action before it was toote.


    "Spread yourselves out!" Caiden issued the directive with amanding tone. The squad instantly dispersed in all directions, arranging themselves in such a way as to prevent the thug from advancing or escaping.


    The team swiftly fanned out, strategically positioning themselves to cut off the thug''s path. When Benedict looked up in front of him, he instantly recognized Caiden; after all, he was someone he had previously met at the party to which he had apanied Amber and the other people.


    The instant he recognized the man, a sigh of relief spread across his face. He also noticed a squad moving in on the gangster by cing themselves around him in the middle of the crowd and looking at him with their weapons drawn. Of course, panic spread as the people saw armed men.


    Benedict quickened his steps and summoned every ounce of energy he had in order to maintain his advantage over the thug. The man let out a frustrated snarl as he came to the realization that he was losing his grip on his prey, but he was unaware that the soldiers were moving into position as the crowd was generating chaos.


    One of the team members made a break for it as soon as he was in the appropriate position, and he moved quickly to get in the way of the thug''s path. He leaped forward with a burst of agility, but the thug snatched his weapon and sliced at the man, and then a struggle broke out between the two of them. The thug was not to be underestimated.


    In the meantime, Caiden and the others moved quickly to encircle the pair, making a defensive barrier to shield the people who were running away.


    Their attention was riveted on the struggle, and they were getting ready to step in. Despair crept into the head of the thug as soon as he saw that he was encircled. Because he was trapped, it was evident that his life was over. He had enough experience to understand that these were trained men, and they were not weak to begin with.


    The thug tried to break free from the encirclement, but many swords prated his abdomen, and he perished as a result. Desperation and the desire to escape drove his attempt to flee. Despite the state, this city was in—no, this nation—officially, there was no room for criminals, and it was perfectly OK to kill a couple if there was proof of their wrongdoings.


    Caiden went up to Benedict once the situation had been settled and brought under his control, his voice carrying a note of anxiety.


    He looked at Benedict and asked, "Are you OK, kid?" while extending a hand to reassure him. The young man gave a slight nod. His breathing was still bing increasinglyborious, but an expression of appreciation could be seen in his eyes.


    "Thank you, sir." I thought he would never stop chasing me," the young man replied.


    Caiden gave a reassuring smile after noticing that the young boy was not that wounded. "Yeah, I''m aware of it. Everything is over now, and you can rest easy. Rx a bit; you deserve it," Caiden said.


    "Thank you again, sir."


    As the team regrouped and prepared to move on, Caiden nced back at the dead thug. He knew their work was far from over, as some other kids were still missing, but at that moment, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of victory.


    ***


    A spooky scenario was taking ce in the area surrounding the wreckage of the Red Lotus Lounge. The formerly thriving nightclub nowy in ruins, reduced to a heap of charred wreckage and ashes that were still burning. The fire had destroyed everything in its path, leaving behind the charred remains of what had once stood tall and proud.


    As she took in the scene of total destruction, Mikey''s mother stood there with her eyes welling up with tears and a concerned expression on her face.


    Because she had to watch her child battle for his life here, the ce was the stuff of her worst fears. The burned remnants of the building stood as a grim reminder of the horrors that had transpired.


    She was scared for her son since she didn''t even know where he was at the moment and was worried something would happen to him and his friends. However, she was told that Caiden Joyce, Richard Stone''s right-hand man, had taken charge of rescuing the children, but she didn''t know the oue.


    The eyes of Carl, Anderson''s father, were filled with sorrow as he stood next to his son''s lifeless body, his attention locked on the corpse. He was ovee with sadness and rage at the same time, and he clenched his hands tightly.


    The mes were still flickering among the debris, casting an eerie glow across his face and warming his icy visage. He did his best to hold back the tears, his heart heavy with the burden of loss and the pain of realizing that his son, his pride and joy, was no longer with him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Luisa''s mother was in the same situation. Anguish was written all over her face as she stood by her daughter''s side; she was going through Carl''s same experience as her daughter died.


    In an effort to get control over her feelings and calm herself down, she started walking back and forth. The fragments of broken ss and twisted metal crunched beneath her feet were a visual representation of the pieces of her own broken heart. She ran a trembling hand through her hair, her fingers stained with soot, as she searched for any trace of sce amid the devastation in front of her and the many people assessing the situation. She wasn''t alone there but felt like she was falling into a void.


    At the same time, Adam''s brother stood silently, his gaze fixed on the devastation before him. His little brother was gone. Loss and hopelessness hung heavily in the smoky air like a cloud. The mes came dangerously close to consuming his brother''s body, but the ns were able to rescue him just in time to prevent this from happening.


    His friends surrounded him since some of them came to rescue him once they learned he had been kidnapped. They were trying to make him feel better, sharingforting words to soothe his sorrow. However, Frank temporarily closed his eyes, forcing himself to find the strength to hold back his tears and promising to honor his brother''s memory.


    Three other hostages were alive, but the majority of them had perished together with their children on that day. They stood in a circle, expressions of shock and dismay engraved deeply into their cheeks. They exchanged nces, their eyes filled with unspoken sorrow as their children died.


    There was a tangible sense of tension in the air as the Zamora n, Silverbend n, and Montgomery n stood together around Matthew, who had been captured during the whole ordeal. His cries of rage could be heard across the neighborhood as he pleaded for his freedom, but no one paid attention to his cries of distress.


    "You just hold on! When I get my freedom, you''ll be sorry that you crossed me!" he shouted.


    Maria, Carlos, and John, the threemanders of the n''s teams, approached the scene while maintaining strong and unyielding looks.


    "Shut the fuck up, you motherfucker!" Carlos shouted back. It was clear from the tone he used that he was furious.


    "I''ll have my revenge! Every one of you will pay for this!" Matthew barked out like a caged dog.


    "Yeah, yeah, keep dreaming, you psycho!" Maria responded by shouting back at the culprit behind this incident.


    The presence ofw enforcement officers brought a sense of authority to the situation. They approached Matthew with extreme caution since they had received extensive training to handle people with lethal brain crystal powers. They took with them a unique restraint that was designed to counteract and prevent the use of such powers by making mana unable to flow through the neural links and rendering the apprehended helpless.


    Maria, the Silverbend n''s team leader, walked forward while maintaining a forceful but even tone. In a tone that carried the weight of authority, she dered, "We have apprehended the culprit."


    "He is now under our custody," one of the police officers replied.


    Carlos, who was there to represent the Zamora n, was standing next to Maria; his presence was imposing and steady.


    "Don''t let him escape," he said. It was widespread knowledge that manyw enforcement officials were working together with criminals, which contributed to hisck of trust in the police.


    The issue was that they were powerless to change the situation in any way. Caiden asked the ns to keep Matthew alive, as he had questions he wanted to ask the man.


    John, the Montgomery n''s team captain, joined in the discussion, and his voice had a tone of resolute determination throughout the whole exchange. "We trust that you will handle the situation appropriately and ensure the public''s safety."


    "Don''t worry about that," one of the police officers replied.


    The police, skilled in dealing with situations involving people with brain crystal powers, acted quickly. By utilizing the sophisticated constraint, they were able to hold Matthew and prevent him from gaining ess to his power.


    "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! STOP, I COMMAND YOU! I''M MATTHEW MCCONNEL, YOU USELESS PIECES OF SHIT. FILTHY MAGGOTS, RELEASE ME THIS INSTANT!"


    As soon as the restraints were put on him, his power was taken away, and he was unable to cause any further damage or escape.


    "Yeah, yeah, they all say this," one of the officers replied.


    "You think these restraints can hold me? I''ll break free in no time!"


    The sight of Matthew, who had be quiet and was without the air that he usually exuded, came as a jarring reminder of the results that woulde from his actions.


    His yells of defiance were muffled, and he gave off an aura that suggested he was giving up and epting defeat. The Zamora n, the Silverbend n, the Montgomery n, and the police all worked together, and with their united efforts, they sessfully brought him to justice.


    As soon as Matthew was handed over to the authorities, the n team''s captain stepped back, as their objective had been sessfully fulfilled. They acknowledged each other by nodding their heads to each other, understanding the significance of their partnership.


    With Matthew''s apprehension, a sense of relief settled over the scene. The ns and the police had sessfully neutralized a threat, ensuring the security of the remaining hostages and providing some measure of justice to those who had suffered because of Matthew''s actions.