I Want to Die, But I Am Immortal
Chapter 42: The Rescue

Chapter 42: The Rescue

The Rescue

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Adam closed the door to Sophia’s room. The lock clicked into place. He then moved to Anastasia’s room and secured her door as well. A new resolve cold and sharp as a shard of ice had settled deep in his heart.

His descent down the stairs began his movements now a blur of controlled speed. This time, his mind echoed a quiet storm of calculation, I have to end this loop completely.

His sprint was underway. His footsteps were so light so silent they made almost no sound on the wooden floor. He moved like a ghost through the house. His body was imbued with the skills of the very assassins he was now hunting.

The new stats had made his movements incredibly fast. He reached the end of the corridor in a matter of seconds.

The three masked men were visible. They had just stepped inside the shop. There was no hesitation. He burst from the corridor a whirlwind of motion. He reached Sophia’s mother just as she was turning to face the intruders.

His arm wrapped around her waist. He pulled her back from the counter. He threw them both to the side into the relative safety of the corridor. They rolled on the floor his body shielding hers.

Their momentum carried them to the far end of the hallway near the stairs he had just descended. Cover had to be taken even if just for a moment.

The sudden explosive move was a success. The three assassins who had been focused on their initial target were completely surprised by his speed by his audacity.

They fumbled for their weapons their professional calm momentarily shattered. They were surprised. They were confused. In this business surprise was a deadly thing.

The lead assassin raised his hand a silent signal for his partners to halt. They stood there. Their pistols were now drawn their aim steady. Their focus was on the corner where Adam and Sophia’s mother had disappeared. A slow cautious advance began their professional training taking over once more.

He held Sophia’s mother on the floor behind the wall. She was in a state of complete shock. She was about to scream to ask who he was what was happening.

But before a sound could be made his hand clamped over her mouth silencing her. His other hand came up a finger to his lips in a universal gesture for silence. He stood up pulling her with him his grip firm almost forceful. He began to drag her up the stairs.

There was no time to explain. There was no time to tell her who he was what was happening. The only thought was to get her Sophia and Anastasia to safety.

Sophia’s mother resisted. She struggled against his grip her eyes wide with a new kind of fear. She did not understand what was happening. All she knew was that a strange masked boy had just appeared in her shop.

Now he was dragging her upstairs away from her children. I can’t go up, her mind screamed a mess of panic. My daughters are in danger. She tried to pull her mouth free from his hand to scream to warn them.

He saw the resistance in her eyes the panic on her face. Frustration grew inside him. "I don’t have time to explain," he hissed a low angry whisper. "But I’m not your enemy. I’m trying to save you. Those men are here to kill everyone."

His words his tone the sheer intensity in his eyes finally broke through her panic. Her struggling stopped. The resistance left her body. She stared at him her eyes wide with a new understanding.

His hand moved away from her mouth. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs his movements now urgent and desperate. Sophia’s mother still in a state of shock followed without another struggle.

They reached the top of the stairs. He turned to her. "Don’t worry," he said his voice a little softer now. "I’m in Sophia’s class."

The statement seemed to confuse her even more. She was about to ask another question when the frantic pounding on Anastasia’s door started again. A look of deep concern crossed Adam’s face. He pulled Sophia’s mother with him down the hallway and unlocked Anastasia’s door.

The little girl burst out of the room her face a mixture of anger and fear. When she saw the masked figure standing next to her mother her anger turned to pure confusion. "Who are you?" she demanded her voice a high-pitched squeak. "Mom who is this?"

Adam looked at her his expression grim. "I don’t have time to explain everything," he said his voice sharp and commanding. "Just do as I say."

His tone his intensity frightened Anastasia into silence.

He then turned and unlocked Sophia’s door. She stepped out into the hallway her face pale with worry. When she saw Adam standing with her mother and her sister her eyes went wide with a new kind of fear. "Mom? Adam? What’s going on?"

Seeing that Sophia knew the masked boy her mother and sister were even more confused.

Adam looked at Sophia his gaze steady and direct. "Get your mom and your sister into your room and lock the door," he said his voice low and urgent. "They’re here."

He did not have time to explain everything. He hoped that Sophia would understand the gravity of the situation that she would be able to handle her family.

Sophia heard his words but her mind jumped to a different conclusion. She thought he was talking about her bullies about Andrew and his friends. She thought they had come to her house to hurt her.

"Hurry!" Adam urged his voice now a sharp command.

Sophia her heart pounding in her chest nodded. She grabbed her mother and her sister. She pulled them into her room.

"Sophia what is it?" her mother asked her voice filled with a desperate confusion. "What’s happening?"