Prior to the kidnapping.
on evening,
" Brother pleassseeee..." stretched long plead of shout resounded.
" Come one lucas, You gotta eat healthy food as well."
" Like what?, Vegies?"
" Exactly vegetables, Noodles is good once a month. No matter what you say I'm not taking you out again." Jensen firmly straighten his brother out of necessity, lucas didn't budge as he showed him droopy cute and pleading eyes but it did nothing to Jensen.
So lucas tried his next trick,
" Brother nolan, I'll eat vegetables as well. Please help me here." His puppy gaze compelled nolan to look at jensen but he couldn't bring himself to say anything convincing. Nolan knew the boy's demand were simply wrong.
Nolan knew jensen was barely holding this much in place with all his effort, he was on rope's end just by eating out once and now his younger brother was asking him to run out dry. It was lucas's childish ignorance, Neither jensen nor nolan could blame him for that, But they had to educate him politely about this sensitive matter.
' If only I could've brought my wallet when I came.' Nolan sighed, Unable to fullfill lucas's demand.
" If brother eren would've been here, He would surely help me."
Lucas's word struck like sharp needle, especially to nolan who seemed to be in fierce competition with eren over lucas's affection.
His face Instaly turned sour over lucas's comment.
' That's it, I'll be in debt if need be but I gotta earn this.' Nolan was ready to beg fredo if that's what it took for lucas to get a bowl of noodles but his thoughts instantly died with crisp of sharp cutting sound.
Jensen's hand wipped lucas to floor with a slap, surrournding turned dead instantly untill lucas broke into tears. His cheeks reddened, eyes watered and body shook like a leaf, ready to collapse.
" Heyy.. what are you doing?" Nolan eyed jensen in fierce anger as he hurridly kneeled down to lucas, caressing his cheeks gently and shushing him down.
Jensen clenched his fists into disappointment, in himself. His financial condition was not good, and many other troubles had been going but he did not ever expected himself to direct those emotions toward lucas in this manner.
He had never expected himself to be this pathetic and unsightly.
Hesitation and regret in his eyes atleast convinced nolan that he didn't had such intention but deed was done and there was no undoing it. Giving him an understanding nod, nolan picked lucas in his arms and walked out of their shabby room.
" I guess it's just you and me, lucy. Hey stop crying or I won't take you." Nolan purposely raised his voice so that jensen would hear.
Lucas tried so that tears would stop but it didn't, he burried his face on nolan's shoulder as sobbing made his body jerk repeatedly.
Jensen couldn't leave them so he followed them as well, two step behind with face down in self loathing.
And in few minutes of walking they were already at the shop. Ofcourse to recieve them warmly, fredo was already standing close, as he had seen them walking here. Though there was lot of crowd around, he made effort to appear personally. He put the work aside for a moment.
" Please come this way sir." He gestured them to follow without making it look special, he knew it would attract way too much attention if nolan was recognised. So he wanted to take him to back of his shop silently.
Lucas, jensen and nolan followed quietly to the back, where a young woman was hawking pan skillfully while adding ingredients of all sorts.
Michael was sitting on the chair, tied. So that he would not be in danger in this work environment. Her working mother was skeptical.
" Hey rach, Look who came here to to visit us.."
Rachel turned annoyed but soon her expression shifted to utter shock, she didn't believe when last night her husband described what had happened. As usual she was skeptical about it. Especially now that it was easy to forge a photo using digital means.
But now fredo had proved himself right, nolan richards was standing before her in real. She wasn't fan of UWC or any sports for the matter, she had her hands full with handling responsibilities. But she had heard of nolan's name, that's how much influential he was.
She was distracted enough that high flames slighly overcooked the noodles, sting of strong smell allerted her into panick. She hurridly cut off the flames and cleaned her hands off her already dirty appron, realising her mistake she cleaned them off with water this time.
" Take your time." Fredo joked while her wife dried her hands with napkin, removed the apron and did what little action she could think to make her hair and face look presentable.
" Don't rush her fredo, There is no greater sin then disturbing women when they're doing make up." Nolan joked, rachel shrugged with a polite smile and bowed in greeting.
" welcome to our shop sir Richards."
" Miss rachel you're making me look like an outsider, I mean fredo and I are good friends now. You don't have to be so formal with me." Nolan wanted to lighten the mood, afterall he had no money to offer right now.
" Please sir, I may not know much about UFC or your nickname but I know how famous you are, that alone is reason enough for me to not be impolite." Rachel noticed that with nolan, another two people had come.
Shabby looking young man who stood holding responsibility above his shoulders and the boy who was playing with Michael. And Michael enjoyed his company.
" Nice to meet you as well." jensen smiled awkwardly with a nod,
" Yes, Likewise."
" Rach, This is jensen and his little brother lucas."
Rachel nodded in polite smile,
" Hey little guy why don't you take Michael outside to play."
" I can?" lucas beemed in joy but looked at his brother and asked doubtfully.
" Sure you can." Rachel answered, though real approval came from his brother who smiled out of courtesy. Lucas untied the seatbelt and grabbed michael in his arms, running outside with unsteady steps. Lucas was small and handling a kid was still much difficult task.
" Be careful lucas."
" I will." Lucas answered almost instantly with heavy chest.
" Fredo why don't you take our guests outside, I'll prepare something fast." Rachel was already grabbing the ingredients.
Fredo also lead nolan and jensen to a quite dark place outside, to avoid attracting the attention but then they heard a commotion outside.
" Let the kids pass moron."
" You're the one blocking."
Door was clogged with dozens of people pushing each other yet managing to not get shoved in, and despite being overly excited they carefully gave lucas a space to walk.
" It's really him, I saw him. The champion."
" Really?, I doubt it."
" Why would he come to this place?"
" He's here isn't he?, then shut up."
" He was so handsome."
" I know right, only saw a shadow but still, it looked badass., I knew it then and there."
All sorts of comments and suscipions flew in the air,
" Look he's here."
" See I told you."
" Sir, sir, Huge fan. I watch all your fight."
" Shut up you haven't seen one."
" Oh fuck off."
" Sir, Please take a selfie with me. My kid loves you."
Nolan was not surprised, This was usual for him but jensen was taken aback. He never realised magnanimity of nolan richards, and now he saw glimpse of it.
Fredo ran ahead, holding the crowd back with his giant build. Though it proved to be difficult with just himself.
" Relax guys, I'll autograph you, take pictures with you and even hug you but please don't make this difficult for my humble shop owner friend here." Nolan clapped as if reprimending kids with stern but polite smile.
But his smile vanished in an instant, then came a sudden violent outburst. His eyes sharply glared at distance.
"Hey hey...Let me throught..." He shouted, pushing through crowd. He swiftly tunneled his way through crowd while people grabbed him against it.
" Fuck, Let me go."
" Let me go.." Crowd simply thought this as his unwillingness to entertain their whims and demands, some were disappointed while most were afraid that he'll vanish. And so they all spared no effort in obstructing his way.
But nolan was an experienced fighter, he knew how to escape even in desperate situation. Nolan jumped high as he managed to hurridly bring himself outside the crowd and shop.
He saw a black van, No lights on and it's lustreless steel appearance seemed to merge with darkness of the world. It would've been impossible to notice it, especially when street light had somehow been cut off but nolan's night vision and keen senses cought it almost instantly.
He jumped out And ran, feeling anxious from what was unfolding before him.
Numbers of masked men came to his face, seemingly jumping out of darkness, Nolan was too absorbed in black van to notice that they were all around the crowd. They wore black fully body suit with black mask which made them seem uniquely stealthy in darkness.
Nolan didn't waste any second analysing, instead he chose direct confrontation.
Nolan jumped and knee kicked the one who was heading straight in his range, knocked the one who was his left with high kick. The one the right kicked before nolan could balance himself but nolan dodged, barely. And position himself while grabbing the kick and intercepted it with spinning kick.
Nolan wasn't injured and so far his swift moves made his enemies rethink their action.
Of course this did no appease Nolan in slightest, instead he was more annoyed by this sense of uneasiness. Nolan's eyes searched for lucas and Michael, They were missing. Nolan knew exactly who was responsible and what they had done.
' They must be in van, I gotta hurry. ' he also knew that if van accelerated then it would be difficult to catch it and that was eating him even more.
Nolan ran with all his might, augmenting his legs that gave him exlosive speed. He didn't clash head on with obstacles of masked enemies, instead swiftly bypassed those who were slow and only grazed those who were able to hinder his pursuit, enough to ran away without wasting much time. Nolan was relieved by the fact that though he was outmatched, his enemies didn't had any weapon.
' I'll save them' Nolan made a dedicated note to himself, and asserting his will with a punch knocked out the masked men who was guarding the backdoor of van.
Nolan felt relieved seeing both Michael and lucas inside the van, unconscious but breathing. He also noticed other two girls in similar state, unconscious and kidnapped.
' What is happening?' He had many questions, like how was this happening in such open? Who was responsible?, Were they targetting specific age group? And why?
But he had no time, his hands snatched Michael swiftly without harming him or any other. And that was his limitation, he could take only one before he was once again attacked. Nolan dodged, and in doing so he was pushed far from van.
Entourage of incoming attacks forced nolan to put the distance, as he was unable to respond with Michael in his arms. He barely avoided their attacks, Now with Michael it was getting increasingly difficult.
" If done loading the boy then let's go." Old, deep voice spoke. He was standing beside the van, watching over the situation .
One of the masked men closed the door that Nolan had opened and knocked it twice, to his signal van roared in life, ready to depart.
The one standing beside the van glanced before getting on front seat,
" Kill them all." That deep voice came late, Yet it invoked deep emotions within masked men. As if his words triggered their rage and chaos.
Influx of frenzie broke their momentary stillness, they were ready to lunge at anyone, And this time with thin steel swords that had swirl out of their rings, this made Nolan sweat even more.
The masked man who had caused this chuckled, his excited laugh was last of h before he left, leaving nolan unsettled.
Chaos had unfolded, frenzied maniacs jumped to kill anyone they could and their first target was nolan.
'This is bad? ' Nolan took another few steps back, dodging imcoming attack to keep Michael safe in his arms. This gave rest of masked men to attack civilians, and those of closest met their end without any sympathy.
Nolan was being attack, everyone around him was being attack with impending death. Lucas was taken and he was unable to stop them, that was weighing on him even more.
' No, I can save them, I can save all of them.' Nolan gritted his teeth and ran to fredo, who was not yet in any immediate danger.
Nolan had one intention, to get to majority of civilians who had cornered themselves at fredo's shop and his quick thinking helped him gain that upper hand, his speed allowed him to reach them In no time. Fredo was standing before the civilians, his face hardened in act of resistance but such facade crumbled instantly as he saw Nolan carrying Michael to him. He hurridly pulled Michael in his arms, his eyes teared and heart relaxed a bit.
" Lucas?" Nolan looked at jensen who looked deathly pale, worried for his younger brother. And Nolan. Couldn't say one word to his gaze filled with expectations.
" Give me your phone." Nolan searched thought fredo's pocket, not minding his manner in regard to desperate situation.
" What?"
" GIVE YOIR PHONE DAMN IT AND INFORM THE POLICE OF KIDNAPPING." Nolan snitched his phone and hurridly turned on the gps.
' Not like they can't track me without gps.' ofcourse he still needed to be sure, Putting his phone away.
Nolan looked at crowd. They were disheaveled, cowering and tumbling steps back with visibly pale faces.
" DON'T FEAR, CULTIVATORS BEHIND ME AND REGULARS BEHIND THEM. GRAB ANYTHING THAT CAN BE USED AS WEAPON." nolan watched as scenery of charging men before him unfolded. They were sneering under their masks, running playfully as they searched for their first pray among the crowd.
Most thought of avoiding nolan, as he was someone of high skills. While stupid ones charged at charming hunter, ignoring the lambs, unable to recognise threat he possessed despite being outmatched.
And some very smart masked men grouped a formation, To make an efficient and capable cavalry to deal with charming hunter. They were definitely the smartest, Shamelessly using numbers, uncaring for madness but still heading in chaos.
And nolan was at disadvantage, Despite his alarming order, majority were unable to pull themselves together. They had never dealt with situation like this, this was obvious. And nolan knew it as well.
" DO NOT FEAR, REMEMBER GOD YOHAN IS WATCHING UPON US." Nolan took his stance, slighly croutched to dash ahead, Behind him those who were cultivators, only few handfulls and that too orange and Red rank, Gathered as group with knife and kitchen forks as weapons.
And behind them were mundane who showed similar shaken up expression with nothing left to weaponise but their clenched fists. Fredo had given Michael to rachel and she was running inside the shop as his order, while fredo stood beside Nolan. He was one of the cultivator after all.
This moment lasted in uncanny anticipation before chaos descended.
Masked men were onto them, Their numbers less than civilians but their individual superior strength and skill made them far deadlier.
" KILL'EM ALL." Nolan shouted no regard for his position in real world, he didn't care for what this would show of him later on because that future mattered if he survived and there was no way he was gonna get out of here without being cruel.He reasoned that killing them was essentially saving one self, and he shouted his lungs out to adhere those who weren't keen to realise that.
Nolan noticed an incoming slash, two more succisive from side to cut him apart if he dodged, so instead of dodging he grabbed the assualtee and disarmed him with not so gentle twist of arm, Taking his advantage away and using it against him. And with a sword in nolan's hand, he swung it diagonally from hip to shoulder, Killing him without any resistance. Blood drenched the sword and slid down in force of gravity. Dead man fell with no sentient in his eyes, Blood spreading under his dark clothing.
Nolan had yet to pour mana into that weapon but so far, he was saving his reservoir in case he absolutely needed it. Right now, he could deal with them with cultivated strength of green rank and with weapon in his hand, it had become an easy task. The two slashes that were ready to cut him, cut only air as he dodged it with a jump and that was followed with deatly strikes that killed his enemies.
Nolan always followed this strategy, gaining an optimal position before attacking. He dodged and slashed, he was no master of swords but luckily his opponents weren't either. Nolan was a green rank cultivator but to be more precise, he was an experienced warrior with fast pacing of hand to hand combat for living. despite being out matched by numbers, to him enemies only looked bunch of thugs with no proper co-ordination and skills. He was an force of specialised training, not only fast but sharp with proper finesse even if he was a novice swordsman. He decapitated another one as he cut his way on borderline of civilians.
Civilians were engaged in unfair collision, While nolan was surrounded by masked men who kept him occupied, Those of free runners masked individuals had taken liberty to make themselves home with party of blood.
Civilians cultivators stood no chance even as defence only to stall for time before nolan eventually came to their rescue, they were brutally murdered. Their death was like a thundering declaration of evildoers to everyone, that their death was nothing but apparent.
Fredo was lucky, His giant build gave him an inch of advantage but that too fell short before the length of sword and yellow fank strength of enemy.
Fredo held on his position before the mundane, swinging his big knife frantically. His strength was short end but his giant build coupled with whistling of swinging blade made him an target to be wary off. Not only he was imposing but intimidating with focused eyes on his enemies.
Ofcourse he knew it in his heart that he was just lucky, and afraid that his time was running out with every sword getting more and more closer. Multiple thoughts of death frightened him but faces of his son and wife filled him with courage. He turned his fear into rage and unleashed it.
He was a madman, ready to sacrifice his life to buy seconds worth of time before nolan came to their rescue.
And his struggle payed off, Nolan swiftly danced through battle as he decapitated enemies left and right and finally to fredo who had maintained a strong humonoid barrier for mundanes. Of course that barrier had been severally damaged, multiple cuts were open on his body as he held on for mere few seconds to save others, but those were longest few seconds of his life, seconds of eternity.
Masked individuals who were only interested in chaos had took their attention off Nolan, they didn't notice that not only he took care of those who were in his way but also cleared out lone maniacs who were too busy being absorbed in killing civilians and drinking their blood.
And once their attention came to realisation, it was already too late. Nolan had taken the advantage back with unwavering eyes and bloody sword. Leaving last of enemies in despair. Nolan was no sadist, he didn't enjoy killing for torturing but making a statement of their fear filled him with pride. He wanted to let the world see this, even more so he wanted remaining masked men too see their imminet future of defeat and death but nolan had no such luxury. This was no ring match or show for him to perform, besides he still needed to save lucas and the others.
Maybe this thought might've lasted only a breath in his mind, he didn't falter or hesitated before finishing every one of his enemies.
Nolan glanced only once, his gaze noticed blood of his enemies but also of those innocent civilians whom he couldn't protect, and not beating himself up for this tragedy, he ran. Running straight towards the way van had disappeared, he could vaguely make out the tire marks and followed it in pursuit.
His green rank speed allowed him to easily chase the track of alleys in which ordinary vehicles had difficulty to speed through no matter how unceremoniously one could drive, especially a van that was typically larger than ordinary four wheeler.
Nolan could easily bypass the chaos of crowd on several location where van had caused an accident, crushing them under the tire without any mercy. Nolan briefly shouted out the objective to save those, to call for help of ambulance and to notify higher authorities of this chaos but he was short stranded in time as well. That was all he could do before following the path.
And eventually he reached outside the alleys of residential area,
' Damn it, Highway will give them clear route to speed.' He was right, And chasing them had become difficult with so many vehicles racing through speeding zone.
Nolan was about to climb on high, to see if he could luckily find the van but before he could act on his luck based idea, he heard an explosion on his right.
He had no doubt of it's authenticity,
' They are luring me into this.' He didn't hesitate, grabbing the first taxy he could find.
" You're nolan richards, sir Huge-"
" Yeah yeah, I'm chasing this van so let's go." Nolan sat on front, and eyed the driver who seemed very young to be a driver, barely out of his teens. And the adult life had already taken his toll on this young vampire as well, just like jensen.
Despite not fully understanding what nolan was doing, he chose to follow his not so pleading request without saying any further.
" I don't know the way so be prepared to swing around." Nolan pointed towards the direction from he heard the explosion.
" but that way is to the huge noise." clearly feeling fear for what he was being asked to follow.
Nolan gritted his teeth before he sighed,
" Listen kid, Someone has been kidnapped and I need your help to save him so please just drive, I'll pay you whatever the price."
" Oh no sir." The kid was afraid but his hand just moved on it's own, stepping up the gear and accelerating with full speed.
" If it's you sir then I'm sure you can save him."
It pained nolan hearing those words. He was unable to save those at sight of incident and he was clearly unable to stop lucas from getting kidnapped.
This faith that young driver has shown was a painful reminder of his failure as well as weighting responsibility.
Nolan had no words of courage to offer, just stern gaze toward front where he was headed.
Young driver was slowing down, Noticing that it had became increasingly more difficult with more and more cars coming his way with obviously disarrayed traffic regulations, as if they were running away.
Ofcourse young man hurridly and closely drove though this disturbances, engaged in exhausting obstacle racing he had no time to feel the anxiety and fear.
And getting closer they noticed smoke rising into distance.
" It's jammed up ahead sir."
" what's your name boy." Asked nolan,as if ignoring young driver's struggle.
" Huh..It's peter luciano."
" Well Peter I don't have money at hand so-"
" If this car can't get any further, then please feel free to jump out anytime sir."
Peter didn't avert his gaze from the road, cars were flying at his face left and right. He was on rush of racing, hardly paying attention to anything, not that he could pay attention anything but driving.
" But I'm gonna get you there."
Nolan nodded, though afraid that this boy had ran onto adrenaline. Nolan too could see when a very close call of straight collision was barely evaded and this started to happen more and more often.
Ofcourse in unlucky scenario were to occur, peter would be the first one to feel the full brunt of its consequences, afterall he was just a mundane vampire with no superhuman body capable of withstanding that level of impact unlike nolan.
Nolan wanted to stop him, but he was desperate.
" Sir look ahead." Nolan saw a clear way up ahead, with every car now behind them.
" Holy shit." He didn't mind his manners, overjoyed by ethe fact that atleast one hurdle had been cleared.
But this also made him aware of this sudden clear path, filling him with negative thoughts he wanted to avoid. But they had already become reality.
Another massacre, this one even more devastating. Several vehicles had exploded along the road, making it clear that it was working of those masked men using explosives as luring signal.
And just up ahead were all had came to halt.
Nolan noticed that not just one but hundreds of such black van were ahead of them, parked outside the central plaza.
" Those vans." His eyes widened in horror, the realisation of scale of this terrorism frightened him.
" It seems they're inside , Should I?" peter was ready to barge in, afterall he was unaware of how much the the danger level had increased.
" No, Stop. I'll be going in alone." nolan gulped as he got off, fear making him sweat even more.
" Get away and get moving, This people are dangerous and inform the authority."
" Yes sir." Peter would've argued but he knew how fible he really was, that was self awareness.
Peter drove away as he was instructed, and only saw a shadow of nolan being vanish inside the giant gates of Central Park.