Believing the strange word might be an anagram or some kind of clue, the group huddled around the table, trying to crack the code.
John B leaned forward, urgency rising in his voice."Yes. Perfect. Anagram. You need paper."
Sarah scrambled, grabbing a notepad and tossing it to Pope.
Pope, already tense, muttered, "Okay. Here you go." He stared at the word again.
"How can anyone think with that rooster going off?"
John B grinned, half-heartedly."JJ loves the rooster. I love the rooster."
Pope, frustrated, snapped back, "Let me think."
Kiara leaned in, voice sharp."Seriously. Think."
Pope mumbled a few half-baked guesses.
"Dedfiel... Colors? That's dumb. Ritalin? Dreidel? Fiddler?"
Kiara tried to rein him in."Stick to the letters. You're missing one."
But before they could make any real progress, the moment was shattered—Two armed men were approaching the house from a distance.
Ratter and Cruz.
Before anyone could respond, Kage, who had been watching the street like a hawk, froze.He spoke, low but firm:"Guys... someone's here."
Instantly, the group scattered to the windows. A black SUV idled outside. Two figures stepped out—tall, armed, moving with intent.
Kiara, tense:"Guys, is that them?"
Pope narrowed his eyes."Is that Ratter and Cruz?"
JJ groaned."This is suboptimal. John B, I told you. Why does it always—"
Kage cut him off."Shut it. Blaming won't help."
JJ gave a reluctant nod. Kage gestured toward the back."Out the window. There's only two of them. I'll handle it."
John B grabbed his arm.
"Kage, wait—"
Kage pulled back his coat just enough to show the gun holstered at his hip.
"Don't worry. Nothing's gonna happen."
Reluctantly, John B nodded.
Although the window was bolted shut, Kage stepped forward and gripped the frame.
With one firm tug—metal groaning in protest—he wrenched it open like it was nothing.
JJ blinked.
"Seriously? That thing's been jammed for years."
Kage, unfazed, simply said,
"Move."
He hoisted the window higher, then helped the others through one by one with calm efficiency, keeping his eyes and ears sharp for any sign of movement outside.
One by one, the group slipped out the window with Kage's help and made their way to the chicken coop, crouching low among the squawking birds.
Crouched low in the chicken coop, feathers rustling around them, the group stayed silent—eyes locked on the house through the slats in the wood.
Sarah, her voice barely a whisper:
"Guys... he's going to be okay, right?"
There was a long pause before JJ answered.
"Don't worry. He's got a gun… and he was Special Forces."
He tried to sound confident—but his voice trembled, just enough to give him away.
"Two mercs won't stand a chance."
Still, he clenched his fists. Like the others, he needed to believe that.
John B nodded firmly, his voice steady.
"Yeah. My brother's coming back. He'll be fine."
They all went quiet again, watching... waiting.
Outside, heavy boots echoed across the porch.
Ratter shouted,"John Routledge!"
Cruz added, voice rough and impatient:
"Come on out! Where's the compass?"
They entered the House, meanwhile, inside the house, Kage closed his eyes and focused.
The Ear That Sees.
It wasn't just a technique—it was discipline. A way to fight in total darkness by sharpening the sense of sound. Every detail mattered: shifting feet, breath patterns, the brush of a coat sleeve.
He listened.
Two targets. One moved toward the kitchen. The other—heading his way.
Ratter.
Kage moved. Silent. Swift.
Before Ratter could react, Kage slipped behind him and jabbed a series of precise strikes to the pressure points at his neck and shoulders. Ratter collapsed without a sound. Kage caught him mid-fall and eased him to the floor like a folding curtain.
Then—
Cruz, from the kitchen:
"He's not here."
No reply.
Silence.
He paused, then called louder.
"Ratter?"
Still nothing.
Suspicion flared. Cruz drew his weapon, footsteps now faster, heavier. He turned the corner—
And walked right into Kage.
Kage saw the flash of the gun and struck fast. He seized Cruz's wrist, twisted the arm up, and disarmed him in one fluid motion. A quick pivot, a hard throw—Cruz hit the floor with a grunt. Before he could cry out, Kage drove a sharp blow to his temple.
Out cold.
Kage crouched beside the unconscious men, checking their pulses—steady, but they weren't waking up anytime soon.
He quietly retrieved Cruz's weapon, then moved back to Ratter and took his as well. Both guns—unloaded and tossed safely aside. Then he stood, dusted his palms off, and walked to the porch.
He raised his voice just enough to carry.
"It's safe. Come on out. Help me tie these two up."
From the chicken coop, a wave of relief passed through the group. They scrambled out from behind the clucking birds and sprinted toward the house.
Their eyes widened as they saw both men sprawled unconscious on the floorboards.
Pope blinked."How? We didn't hear anything."
JJ, wide-eyed and grinning, shook his head in disbelief."Man... you gotta teach me that."
Kage gave a small smile, then pointed at John B."Get some strong rope. We're not taking chances."
John B, still a bit stunned by the sight, nodded and ran off to grab it.
Within moments, they were tying up the intruders, working fast and tight under Kage's watchful eye. The tension hadn't vanished—but now it was mixed with adrenaline and awe.