Knock, knock, knock!

“Oh, it sounds like they’re here.” Charlie chirped, standing up from his seat. “Looks like I stalled for long enough.” He turned to Claudia, who had finished cleaning the bat. “Oh Claudia, would you kindly get the door for me?”

Claudia nodded and trudged over to open the door. Two men wearing black and white suits with sunglasses stepped forward with a shiny silver suitcase in hand.

“Welcome.” Charlie greeted. He stepped aside and showed them Richard and Mindy, still furious and tied up. “I brought them here as promised. Now, where’s my reward?” One of the authority figures gave the boss a suitcase. Charlie opened it up to check the contents inside. His grin grew wide upon seeing it. “Yes, this is it!” He closed the case and tipped his hat. “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”

“Wait, how about we stay in case something bad happens?” Claudia suggested.

“Hmm, I doubt that’d be the case, but I should take that into consideration.”

The duo in the suits walked closer to Richard and Mindy and pulled out some guns. They signaled to each other, as they crept towards Mindy, wielding a spark gun in the hand. Mindy’s head still laid low as she stayed silent and didn’t react to them approaching her.

“No, don’t you lay a finger on her!” Richard thundered.

Mindy raised her head, snapping out of her thoughts. She tried to get away by squirming and screaming, but nothing worked.

“I said leave her alone!” Richard shouted out.

The ropes around his body got thinner as they slowly broke apart. An aura grew around him as his body changed form and shape. Everyone else took a step back as Richard transformed into the form of an Usukui Puru. The two guys in suits turned to face him and readied their weapons, while Richard went into a defensive mode.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Mindy questioned. “You should save yourself!”

“No way am I leaving you behind!” Richard exclaimed. “Don’t let the others get you filled with self-loathing and doubt, you’re better than that!”

Mindy’s eyes widened upon hearing that speech. Instead of continuing to spend her time self-loathing, she should focus on her present and let her current actions define her. Then again, Mindy didn’t have much time, considering the predicament she’s in. She then smiled and nodded. Richard wanted to be there for her, despite mistreating him in the past. She’ll need to push that past her and take care of the situation they found themselves in.

“You’re right.I am better than that. Let me join you!” Mindy closed her eyes and had a similar transformation before turning into an Usukui Puru, breaking free from the ropes.

The two prepared to fight off the authority figures. Richard and Mindy used their stretching abilities to outsmart the authority figures and punch their daylights out. Charlie reached over to grab the taser when the creatures blocked the exit. He aimed it at Richard and pulled the trigger as electricity jolted through his body, but it didn’t affect him. Richard wore a smug smile as he cast lightning from his fingertips, hitting the closest appliances near Charlie as they fell to the ground and combust into flames.

Charlie’s body froze as he let go of the suitcase and fell to the floor. Richard and Mindy marched towards him with stern looks in their eyes, prompting their ex-boss to back himself to a wall, trembling in fear.

“No wait, I’m sorry, please don’t hurt me!” Charlie cried, covering his head and shaking.

“Begging for your life to be spared...” Mindy rolled her eyes. “Man, talk about pathetic.”

“Yeah, you said it,” Richard added. He pointed at Charlie. “As for you, give us back the capsule right now.”

“Uh, sure thing!” Charlie exclaimed. “Here you go!” He pulled out the blue capsule and tossed it into Richard’s hands.

“Thanks,” Richard said, as he put the item away.

“Um, can you leave now?”

“Gladly, but first...” Richard cracked his knuckles and swung his arm, punching Charlie in the face.

The force knocked him across the room and hit him against the wall, hard. He fell to the ground and blacked out as well.

When Charlie came to, Richard and Mindy vanished from the room. The authority figures, who awoke earlier, contacted someone from their phones. A hologram composed of Mayor Maxie appeared before them. Charlie rubbed his head and got up to confront him while Claudia waited on the sidelines.

“You. What happened?” Maxie questioned.

“What do you mean?” Charlie asked, trying to keep a straight face.

“Don’t play dumb with me! You were supposed to bring them to us, and you let them escape!”

“Those guys must’ve told you.” Charlie hissed as he sneered at the two authority figures. He turned back to the Mayor. “It wasn’t my fault; your troops could’ve done a better job at keeping them secure!”

Maxie appeared to be offended by that statement. “How dare you talk back to my employers like that! You’re the one who told me you’d have it all under control!”

“It’s not my problem. You tasked me to bring those two here, so your employees could handle the rest. I got my reward, so I don’t have to handle your dirty work anymore.”

“Why, you rotten traitor!” Maxie turned to the authority figures. “You two, take care of this incompetent fool!”

The men saluted and stormed over towards the traitor. Charlie grew protective of the suitcase and took steps back until he backed himself up to another wall. One of them snatched the briefcase away. Charlie ran to try and grab it again, causing the other agent to kick him in the stomach. He clutched his stomach and writhed in pain. The two in the suits made another swift kick at him again, this time, out of the window. He screamed at the top of his lungs as he fell all the way down.

Claudia covered her mouth as she ran over to check on the now broken window. Her eyes widened as she fell to the floor and sobbed, covering her face.

“You know, I don’t see why you worked for that guy,” Maxie commented. “You should be grateful that you won’t have to put up with that man anymore. What you deserve is better pay, work, and respect. Why not work for me instead? We can make the world a better place if—”

“No.” Claudia interrupted, her tone growing cold. “I work for Charlie, no one else. If you think you can make the world better by harming others, then I don’t want a part of it!” She snatched the suitcase back and leaped out from the window, catching the others by surprise.