Keifer POV
The car stopped in front of the gate.
In front of us stood a massive mansion.
Tall metal gates.
Security cameras everywhere.
The Watson family estate.
Kaiser Watson
Ci-N whistled.
"Well… this guy lives like a villain."
Felix cracked his knuckles.
"Good. I've been waiting to punch a villain."
Hex stepped out of the car beside me.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
"Jay's signal ended here," he said quietly.
Yuri frowned.
"That means she's inside."
David looked at the tall walls.
"How do we get in?"
Blaster grinned.
"Easy."
He kicked the gate.
The metal lock snapped open with a loud clang.
Everyone stared.
"…Okay then," Rory muttered.
We entered the property.
The mansion lights were strangely dim.
Too quiet.
Too empty.
Hex looked around slowly.
"…Something's wrong."
Ci-N whispered.
"You think?"
We stepped inside the mansion.
The front door was unlocked.
The hallway stretched ahead of us.
Dark.
Silent.
My chest tightened.
"Jay!" I called.
No response.
We moved through the house quickly.
Living room.
Kitchen.
Office.
Empty.
Felix frowned.
"She's not here."
Yuri checked another door.
"Nothing."
Hex suddenly stopped walking.
"…Wait."
We all turned.
"What?"
Hex looked at the floor.
Then at the walls.
Then at the ceiling.
His eyes narrowed.
"…Too clean."
"What?" Ci-N asked.
"This place looks staged," Hex said.
My stomach dropped.
"Trap."
Before anyone could react—
CLICK.
Metal doors slammed shut around the hallway.
Steel bars dropped from the ceiling.
Alarms started blaring.
Ci-N shouted.
"WHAT THE—"
Gas started filling the room.
Yuri covered his mouth.
"Sleepy gas?!"
Hex grabbed my arm.
"Hold your breath!"
But it was too late.
The room spun.
Felix collapsed first.
Then Rory.
Then Blaster.
Yuri tried to stand but fell against the wall.
My vision blurred.
Through the security camera above us…
A voice echoed through the speakers.
Kaiser.
"Welcome to home son."
My fists clenched.
"You coward!"
His laughter filled the room.
"Where is Jay?!" I demanded.
"Oh… you mean the girl you came to rescue?"
My heart pounded.
"Yes."
A pause.
Then Kaiser said calmly.
"She escaped."
Everyone froze.
Hex lifted his head slowly.
"…What?"
Kaiser laughed again.
"Which makes this even better."
My knees finally gave out.
The gas was too strong.
I collapsed to the floor beside the others.
Kaiser's voice echoed one last time before everything went dark.
"Now the heroes are trapped."
"And the princess is missing."
"Let's see how this story ends."
Darkness swallowed everything.