The man looked up at her, puzzled. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

    4.83%

    London descended the stairs, gesturing frantically, first pointing upstairs, then outside, and finally mimicking a “jumping down” motion with her hands.

    The man thought for a moment, then his face fell. “Are you saying they escaped?”

    London shook her head and pointed upward.

    The man had no idea what was going on and, in a panic, dashed upstairs. The boss had just ordered him to keep a close watch on the captives, but now, barely two hourster, he’d already lost track of them.

    It was already dark outside. If those two bolted out in a panic and got into trouble, Hamlin sure as hell wouldn’t bail him out the way he would for his

    own son.

    With that realization, the man bolted upstairs.

    Just as London had said, a makeshift rope of bedsheets was tied to the stair railing by the second–floor windowbi, /i/bstretching all the way outside and

    fluttering in the cold night air.

    The man cursed, then roared at London, “I told you to keep a close watch on them! What the hell were you doing? If the boss finds out about this, we’re both dead today!”

    He dashed to the window and looked down.

    As he leaned out to look, a low voice spoke behind him, then he felt something press hard against his back through his jacket.

    “Don’t make a sound,” Brian growled in a low voice, “Or I’ll stab you.”

    Brian’s voice carried a deadly snarl. Though he was barely in his teens, the man had no doubt about the murderous intent behind his words.

    He slowly raised his head, careful not to provoke Brian. “Got it. I won’t move,” he said quietly.

    He nced around furtively from the corner of his eye, realizing London was already in cahoots with them.

    The man, unwilling to back down, threatened, “Think carefully, London. Your daughter’s still in the hospital, her treatment isn’t finished yet.”

    Realizing he was threatening her with her daughter, London shrank back fearfully, a gasp escaping her lips.

    Brian curled his lips into a smirk. “You’re not even a gangster, but you sure know how to threaten people. Do you know who I am? I’ll handle her daughter’s illness, send her abroad for treatment. Now you can shut up and stop worrying.”

    Feeling the object press harder against his waist, the man went rigid, stiff as a board, and immediately mped his mouth shut.

    He was just hired help, not worth risking his life over this job.

    He would’ve never thought that timid, mute woman London would actually betray him.

    Maxine stepped out of the room. Using the rope London had found, she bound the man’s hands and feet, then gagged him with cloth and tape.

    Once she was done, Maxine pped her hands. “All donei,/i” she said.

    Brian, who had been behind the man the whole time, finally stepped forward. That was when the man saw what had been threatening him was a bpen/b.

    bTo /bhis shock, it was the very pen he had casually left on the desk when showing them around the study earlier.

    The man, realizing he’d been duped, began thrashing violently. Brian narrowed his eyes, stuffed the pen into his pocket, and said coolly, b“/bbStop /b

    09:09 bFri/bb, /b27

    struggling. I’ll be keeping this pen as a souvenir.”

    Maxine turned to London, concern in her eyes. “It’s not safe for you here anymore. Come with us.”

    bIf /bthat man ratted her out to Hamlinter, London would definitely face retaliation.

    Knowing the roads outside weren’t safe, London shook her head and gestured for them to go on without her, signaling that she would stay behind.

    Maxine understood her concern and whispered, “We’ll bring the police back once we get out.”