Glass House

Sitting in the spacious hall, Marvel and Gandalf by my side, I held a glass of water tightly in my hands while the maids watched, sensing the tension in the air. I couldn't believe the way I was being treated after everything I had done for Marvel – saving her life, bringing her home, and returning her belongings. The weight of the glass in my hands matched the heaviness in my heart, and I couldn't tear my gaze away from the gun that Gandalf had pointed at me moments ago.

"Marvel," I spoke up, frustration seeping into my voice, "is this how you repay me? I risked everything for you, and now you treat me like an enemy." The maids exchanged uncertain glances as I vented my anger, waiting to see how Marvel would react.

Marvel turned to Gandalf, her voice filled with authority. "Gandalf, he is my guest, and he means no harm. Please put the gun away." To my surprise, Gandalf obeyed her command without hesitation, as if he were merely a puppet under her control.

"Excuse us," Marvel addressed the maids and Gandalf, her tone demanding privacy. They promptly left the room, closing the door behind them. Alone in the hall, Marvel rose from her seat and began to walk around, eventually finding solace by resting on the transparent acrylic crystal grand piano. Her delicate fingers caressed the keys, producing a soft melody that filled the air.

"You haven't touched your water," she remarked, pacing back and forth in her elegant gown.

"Hmm, I have yet to understand why you brought me here, and I am not thirsty at the moment," I replied, my tone still filled with irritation. Marvel knew I had a tough exterior, but she seemed to feel safe around me now that I was not armed. She approached me, standing in front of me and whispering softly, "I believe I can trust you."

"I don't care if you trust me or not. I simply need to leave," I retorted.

"More reason why I want you to work for me," she persisted.

"Work?" I scoffed.

"I am willing to pay any amount you desire. Just name your price," she proposed, her eyes searching mine.

"I don't work for people. If you require assistance, there are plenty of others you can hire," I stated firmly, losing interest in the conversation. As I prepared to leave, I carelessly dropped the glass of water, causing it to shatter on the floor.

"You have no idea the trouble you've gotten yourself into," she warned, her voice filled with concern. "The moment you helped me eliminate those men, you became involved. They were members of the most dangerous cartel in this city, and possibly the entire country. You cannot hide from them, not even the police can protect you. But I can shield you from them. Let's join forces."

With those words, Marvel opened the door, gesturing for me to leave. Her revelation left me stunned, contemplating the dire consequences of my actions. As I stood there, uncertainty flooded my mind.

"From the look of things, the fight has already begun. I didn't help you kill those men back there out of loyalty, I simply took a chance. Unlike you, I don't have a family to worry about. It's you who's in danger, and my advice is for you to start running for your life because you won't come across someone like me again." After delivering these words, she fell silent, realizing the truth of her precarious situation.

"Marvel, you remind me of someone, but that person wouldn't have gotten involved in a gang fight. My suggestion is for you to take whatever remains and run far away..."

"No! Never. You don't understand who you're standing before. Unlike that person you mentioned, I don't run. The McQueens have ruled this entire region for years, and it's because we stand our ground. I won't change that," she said, clenching her fist in stubbornness.

"If you live in a glass house, don't throw stones. He can't find me unless you tell him I helped you kill his men. And you won't do that because if you do..." I cleared my throat, swallowing hard.

"He killed my father and my brother. I made a promise to my father that I would avenge their deaths, and I will fulfill that promise, with or without your help," she responded angrily before storming out of the hall. Just as she was about to leave, we heard a gunshot.

"Did you hear that?" she asked me, and I nodded in response.

Gandalf and ten other men rushed into the room, grabbing hold of Marvel's arm. "What's happening?" she demanded to know.

"My lady, we're under attack. We need to get you out of here immediately," Gandalf informed her. To my surprise, he hurried back and handed me his gun. "You'll need this. Make sure no one gets through that door," he said, his voice trembling, pointing towards the glass door. The maids scattered, running for their lives in every direction.

Marvel had sent the majority of her gang members on a mission, leaving only a few behind who were now heavily outnumbered by the attacking gang. "Take cover!" one of the guards shouted as he sought shelter behind a nearby pillar.

The sound of gunshots echoed through the air, loud and sharp, causing some of Marvel's gang members to retreat and seek safety. I kept my gaze fixed on the door, holding the gun tightly in my hands, still unsure of whether I truly needed it. The thought lingered in my mind, questioning my role in this dangerous situation.

"Hey! Don't shoot at the glass! It's bulletproof. It will take them time to break through," the terrified guard cautioned me, his voice filled with fear. He was visibly on the edge, and I could tell he had a family waiting for him at home.

"And aren't you scared? Well, I have a pregnant wife and a 3-year-old son. His birthday is just around the corner, for God's sake," he replied, his hands trembling and sweat dripping from his brow.

"You shouldn't have taken such a risky job if you didn't want to leave your family behind," I remarked, trying to offer some perspective.

"It's the only way I can provide for them, and these attacks haven't been happening all the time. Ever since the boss died, we've been facing one threat after another," he explained.

"Hmm, don't worry. I've got your back," I assured him, offering a reassuring smile. Despite the chaos around us, I wanted him to feel a glimmer of hope.

"Shhhhhhuu," he exhaled, the gunshots intensifying. The attackers were closing in on the entrance of the building. One of the guards ran towards the door, desperately banging on the bulletproof glass, pleading to be let inside. We chose to ignore him. In front of our eyes, a single bullet pierced through his head, leaving a trail of blood as his lifeless body slowly slid down the glass.

"Jeez," the sight left the guard even more terrified.

"What's your name?" I asked, trying to establish a connection amidst the chaos.

"I'm Thomas," he replied in a tremulous voice.

"Thomas, I need you to go behind that door. I'll try to hold them back from here. But if I can't, it'll be up to you to..." I couldn't finish my sentence as a barrage of gunfire erupted on the door—ratatatatatatatata. The door remained steadfast, its bulletproof nature proving its worth. The masked attackers, well-armed and panting heavily, started communicating amongst themselves, their words inaudible to us.

Thomas ran inside the hall and closed the door behind him, four masked men, fully armed is standing at the entrance trying to pull the door down, one of them brought out a c4 explosive, they are fully prepared, but I am not worried, I quickly dropped the gun on the floor and turned to the table at the corner of the room to pick up a bottle of water, they could see me, but I left them wondering why I had dropped the gun to pick up a bottled water

I poured the water on the floor and stepped backward, immediately I heard a booming sound, and the glass door shattered to the ground, spewing glass shards everywhere, they did not wait for a second before shooting the entire building, I moved my fingers and used the water to form a shield after they emptied their magazine, one took off his mask, his jaw dropped, surprised to see me standing without any signs of blood or bullet wounds

"My turn," I said, bending the liquid into a sword, it took just one swing to separate their heads from their body. I waited if they were more coming but to my disappointment, they were the last

"Thomas!" I yelled but he is too scared to respond

"Thomas! I'm coming in please don't shoot, they are all dead, you can come out from hiding" I opened the door slowly, and he felt relief seeing I was alone

"We are safe now, you should alert the others to come out," I said, he brought out a Radio with so much excitement on his face, but he was not receiving any signal, he frowned his face a little

"They must have gone to the safe house," he said, putting the radio back into his pocket "What happened here?" his eyes widened in shock "How did you cut off their heads with a gun?"

"Everything is possible Thomas, the good news is you are safe, and you will see your family again" I replied, but he doesn't seem to be satisfied with my answer

"Ok, that's all for today, I will be taking my leave now, my regards to your family," I said

"Please tell me your name?" he said with so much enthusiasm, just before I could tell him my name, a call came in from the radio

"Shmm...hello, do you copy?" a voice from the radio

"Are you not going to answer?" I said clueless.

"We don't say Hello on the radio, he was supposed to call out a code name first to identify who is speaking," Thomas said looking frustrated, I took the radio from his hands and replied "Hello!"

The frequency is not very clear, but I could hear him speak" I have your boss with me, and you have 48hours before I kill her, but you stand a chance to save her life only if you can bring back the red diamonds she stole from me, 48hours"

"How do I find you?" he replied "The shipping yard" they are so many shipping yards, how do I search for this particular one? I did not get any response again

Thomas's eyes widened in fear and shock as he listened to the voice on the radio. The situation had taken a dangerous turn, and Marvel's life was now at stake. I could see the worry and desperation on Thomas's face as he processed the ultimatum.

"I think is the shipping and fishing yard"

"We have to save her," I said firmly, my voice filled with determination.

"But how? The red diamonds... I don't even know where she hid them," Thomas replied, his voice trembling.

"We'll figure it out. We need to gather the others and come up with a plan," I said, trying to instill some hope in him.

Thomas nodded, his face showing a mix of fear. We quickly organized the remaining gang members, explaining the situation and the urgent need to find the red diamonds. Time was of the essence, and we had to act swiftly to save Marvel's life.

As the gang regrouped, we began brainstorming ideas and gathering information. Thomas used his connections to gather intel on the whereabouts of the diamonds while I strategized on how to approach the situation. We knew we were up against a formidable enemy, but we couldn't let fear overcome us. Marvel's life depended on our success.

With the clock ticking, It was a race against time, and the stakes couldn't be higher. The path ahead was treacherous, but we were ready to face whatever challenges awaited us.

After telling Thomas my name I left him to continue his search for the diamonds, emphasizing the importance of finding them before the deadline. As I stepped outside, I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts and formulate a plan. The weight of the situation was heavy on my shoulders, but I couldn't afford to dwell on it. Time was running out, and Marvel's life hung in the balance.

I decided to reach out to an old acquaintance, someone who might have information that could help us. I dialed Viki's number and waited anxiously for her to pick up.

"Hello?" Viki's voice sounded relieved and concerned at the same time.

"Viki, it's me. I need your help," I said urgently.

"What's going on? Are you in trouble?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

"I'll explain everything later when I get to you. Right now, I need information on a specific shipping & fishing yard. It's urgent."

Viki paused for a moment, and then I could hear the sound of her typing on a keyboard. She was searching for the information I needed.

"Okay, I found something. There's only one shipping yard and one fishing yard. It's located on the outskirts of the city, near the old industrial area. Just drop by the bar I will feed you with more details," Viki said.

"That might be it. Thank you, Viki. You're a lifesaver," I replied, relief washing over me.

I ended the call and quickly made my way to where I had parked my car. Time was slipping away, and I needed to gather all the information

As I started the car, my mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead. At the moment, I was ready to risk everything for Marvel

With a deep breath, I put the car into gear and drove off.