CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX:
The Man In Suit
--
Tyler tried his best to not cause any audible noise that may get the attention of the three-armed people
down on the floor. He took his every step on the stairs fast but carefully. It was hard walking without
making any noise because the floor was in complete silence, as if someone muted the whole place, or
it was just his ears malfunctioning.
He arrived at the floor, then he pressed his back on the wall and slowly peeked his head out to see if
anyone was there. No one was. He released the air he was holding for too long inside his lungs and got
back into hiding.
He wanted to get to her, fast, since she has no idea what is happening. But there are many questions
and things that keeps on bothering him: is she still on the floor? Did she safely used the elevator to go
down the basement? Is she gone? Did they catch her?
Tyler furrowed his brows in frustration. “If only I followed her here…”
Then both of them would be caught by the other three because none of them will have any idea that
there are intruders inside the hotel. They cannot leave the hotel that fast in the first place because they
will maybe fight their way here, since it seems like she does not like him to the point of getting
disgusted as soon as she sees his face. And he would be stubborn enough to ask or force a
conversation with her- causing them to even cut their possibility of escaping safely.
His phone vibrated inside his pocket. It brought him back from the disturbing and annoying thoughts he
has. The vibration caused a buzzing sound, in fear of having the people he was wary of hearing the
buzzing, he fished out his phone quickly from his pocket and answered the call.
He lowered his voice as much as he can, “What is it?”
“I just want to tell you that,” April’s shaky voice paused before continuing after a heavy sigh. It was
obvious that she was trying so hard to remain calm. “That, you have to hurry.”
Tyler furrowed his brows, and he had a terrible sinking feeling in his stomach. Suddenly, he felt that his
suit was too tight, and his tie was chocking him. He pulled his tie away from his neck and tried to talk to
her normally. “Why? Did she meet one already?”
“Unfortunately,” she said, frustration was lacing on her voice. “And he has a gun.”
This made his heart almost jump from his chest. He was hoping about her successfully escaping
through the elevator and stay safe and sound, but she was still here. And apparently with one of the
thieves, to make it worst, he is armed with a gun. His mind begun spinning for things he can do to get
to her and somehow knock him out and get her to safety.
“How about the other two??” He asked in hurry.
“About that,” sounds of clicking of the keyboard was heard from the background before it stopped, and
April’s voice is heard again. “They’re coming towards where Althea and the armed guy is, but you’re
closer than them, I think- argh- this is troublesome, if only I did not let my stupid desire about making
the three of you meet, this would not happen."
“You deliberately lead her there?”
“Whatever- Tyler- pick up anything there to try and fight the guy with a gun, okay?”
It sounds ridiculously impossible, but he has no other choice but to find any possible weapon that is
fast enough to fight with a gun aside from a gun itself since he does not have it. As his mind is in a
turmoil while figuring out a suitable situation that will not cause death or any major injury that might
hinder their escape, his eyes- that was darting around- caught a red cylinder-shaped container that
contains an element that tames the raging fire.
“April,” he called out. “You’re looking at our situation through the CCTV’s, right?”
“Of course, what do you think I am- a psychic?” April sounded annoyed but at the same time worried.
“Then, lead me towards her.”
--
It was like her whole body was submerged under an icy cold water- it was stiff but at the same time
shaking. It might be her only imagination, but she can feel her heart beating slowly as she keeps on
drowning on the icy water.
Althea tried to breath- but instead of calming down herself, she can feel her chest tightening even
more. It hurts even just to breath. Her belly begun to ache- her head begun to spin- she was getting
dizzy. She still has her back facing the man who was pressing the cold muzzle of his gun on her
delicate back. Even with the fabric between the two, she can still feel the cold opening of it- the hollow
was like threatening her about the bullets the gun has, it was mocking her about how clueless she is
about when they are coming out to just dig deep in her flesh.
The man, who had his beard unshaved and hair unkept for who knows how long, tilted his head to
looked closely at the woman he held captive with his gun alone. She was wearing a dress that covered
her whole body and was only showing her hands, neck, and face. He raised a brow in wonder but did
not dived further to it. He opened his mouth, “You are pretty stupid, aren’t you? Why is it that you did
not evacuated with the others? Have you not heard? We have bomb. You’re not afraid, eh, gal?”
He chuckled, she remained muted. “That was just a stupid lie, by the way. I can’t believe that those
police fell for it. But- I guess it does makes sense, they can’t afford to make any mistakes since there
are many bigshots here. I heard that woman named Victoria and her son is also here.”
He sighed heavily before grabbing her hair. Althea whimpered; she can feel his nails digging on her
head. His pull was hard enough to pull some strands of her hair from her scalp, but Althea could care
less about that. Her hair does not matter in front impending death. “I thought we hit the jackpot after
coming here, but who thought that the staffs in this hotel is fast enough to hide them. Sigh,”
His face was close to Althea’s neck, so when he sighed, the hot air of his breath traveled to touch her
the skin of her nape. Althea can feel her hair standing to its ends. She unconsciously flinched while her
body is shivering with disgust and fear. She bit her lip to stop her cries from coming out and gripped her
purse, then her mind spun quickly, trying to find a way to escape.
The man noticed her flinched, his eyes landed on her creamy white neck and it glinted maliciously.
"I guess we also found something not bad." He used the back of his hand that was holding the gun to
caress her neck. She flinched away. He gripped her hair more and pulled her head back, then forced
her to face him.
Althea can feel the burning sensation on her scalp, his grip was getting harder and harder. Althea
released the grip of her purse, and it fell on the ground with a thud. She let her hands to clutch on his
hand that was holding her head in place, then glared at him.
She knew those eyes.
Her glare aroused the other, he smiled at her, showing his full set of yellow teeth. Since they were
facing each other, Althea can smell the filthy odor coming out from him.
Althea's face scrunched in disgust, despite the fear for the gun, she spat out. "When was the last time
that you brushed your teeth? Disgusting!"
Her words lit a fire on his eyes. His smile disappeared and it was replaced by anger. His face was
flushing and his jaw was clenching. Althea held back the cry that almost escaped from her lips when he
gripped on her head harder then yanked her head down.
"You-!!!" Althea raised her eyebrows. This fan his anger more. "You bitch!"
He raised his hand that was holding the gun and swung it down to hit her face. Althea flinched and
closed her eyes then waited for the pain of her head and the gun colliding, but instead, she heard a
loud boing before feeling the grip of her hear loosing.
There was a thud on the floor, and the hair that was holding her hair was completely gone. She opened
her eyes in shock and was even more shocked after seeing the armed man lying down on the floor,
knocked out.
Before her brain can even get the gist of what was happening, someone held her arm and yanked her
towards them.
Althea almost yelled when she tripped on the 'corpse' and to stop herself from falling down, she gripped
the other's arm.
But her legs completely collapsed after tripping on her feet again, she cursed loudly in her head and
waited for her knee to fall painfully on the floor, but an arm boldly snaked on her waist and hoisted her
up.
Althea was startled and can only lean her weight to them.
"Ooff-" the other said after recieving her weight. "Careful."
This deep, pleasant, and at the same time cold and low voice carries familiarity to Althea's ears.
Althea pushed him away, but she can't escape complete because of his hands. After some distance,
she can finally see who was this man in suit is.
"Tyler?!" She cried in surprise before furrowing her brows. "What are you doing here?"
His green eyes stared at her, "I don't have time to explain." He looked away and looked towards the
hallway on her back. He gripped her waist tighter. "Let's get out from here first."
"Wait- let go off me! I can walk by myself!" She tried to struggle when he begun dragging her away.
"No," he plainly said. "They're coming."
Althea immediately understood who are they, but still, there's no way she'll run with him clutching her
arm. "I know- just- let go-"
"Hey!" Both of them cursed and it was only Althe aeho looked back. The other two had arrived.
One of them pointed at them and begun his pursue and the other one kneeled next to their
unconscious companion. Althea's eyes buldged when he picked up the other's gun. She cursed again,
and as if they both have a natural understanding towards one another, Tyler immediately knows why
she was cursing and run even faster, pulling her with that speed.
Althea looked back at where they are going and also worked fast on her feet, geting about his hand on
her hand. And both of them fled the scene hand-in-hand.
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