CHAPTER 34: BRUTAL WEB

He heard voices from outside as he opened his eyes— Scarlet’s and another. His hands were tied behind his back on the chair with his mouth covered.

What was that about?

He struggled a bit with the rope, making muffled sounds as he tried to talk

"Oh, my... He’s awake" Scarlet walked towards him.

"I didn’t say to bring him here" the person’s voice cut through as they stepped inside— a young man.

He glared at her as she walked towards him. What the hell was this?

"You said to find his secrets— what better way than to deliver him to you?"

She winked as their eyes met— mouthing a word he couldn’t make out. That stupid grin on her face pissed him off.

To tear that face and make her suffer. He growled, struggling with the rope once more. Fuck.

"A simple matter, and I have to step in— how pathetic. And you call yourselves the Shadows" he clicked his tongue, walking towards a table at the edge of the room.

Trent watched as he whistled, wore a glove and picked some things.

"I think you’re enjoying this, though" she chuckled, walking towards the other edge of the room.

"I’ll let you have your fun"

"Of course— You’ve done your part, though lacking"

Trent looked at his hands— torture devices?

"Hello, Mr. Ackerman" he chuckled. Like a hyena that caught his prey.

"Pardon the rude invitation, you just happened to have something that’s mine"

What? Something of his? Trent turned towards Scarlet. She was whistling while scrolling through her phone.

Did they betray him?

Shit.

He struggled once more with the ropes— fruitless.

"Don’t bother yourself" the man laughed, "Oh... Forgive me"

He pulled the tape from Trent’s mouth, jumping backwards.

"There you go..."

Trent spat out the saliva gathered in his mouth,

"Scarlet!!!"

"Hello, Boss" she chuckled, not even looking up.

"That’s a rude behavior for a guest, Mr. Ackerman— You should be focused on the host"

Trent turned to him. Who the fuck is this bastard?

"Who are you?"

"Ah... My bad" he replied, curtsying,

"Renard Toffle— your honor to meet me"

The fuck? My honor to meet— what’s with the curtsy?

A psycho?

What shitty life...

"I don’t remember knowing you, Mr Toffle" he shifted his body uprightly.

"That’s the issue— and that’s what we’re about to correct" Renard dropped the things he held and placed his hands on his face.

Trent glanced at Scarlet,

"Has the web untangled me?"

A line from Diamond Man and Madam Web.

She looked up from her phone and chuckled,

"We don’t have all day, Mr. Renard"

"Right" He clicked his tongue and picked the tools up.

"Aren’t you curious about what you have that’s mine?" He laughed, standing up.

"I don’t—"

"My Life" Renard cut him off.

What? He looked up at him. What’s this bastard on about?

"And he acts like he doesn’t know" Renard held his chest, looking at his face.

"You’ve stolen my light" he placed a hand on his forehead and one stretched out.

"My spotlight— my life" he winced, trembling.

Scarlet chuckled watching him— what a crazy dude.

An enjoyable expression on his face too...

"That’s a crime against the Universe, Mr. Ackerman"

Trent stared at him, dumbfounded by the bullshit he was saying.

Definitely a psycho.

Fuck.

"I–I don’t understand you, Mr. Renard"

Renard fell silent for a while,

"Alright" he cleared his throat, "Let me tell you a story"

No, please. Trent turned to Scarlet again. She turned her face away as their eyes met— she was enjoying this.

"There was a hero— sent by the universe to be loved— a business sensation. He excelled and was as bright as the stars—"

Scarlet cleared her throat, interrupting him, "Time, Mr. Renard"

He growled turning back to Trent,

"I’m that Hero— you’re the villain in the story. And I’ve come to get my light back"

"Y–Your light?"

"Stocks... That’s my light. You’ve stolen my gifts of trading and I want you to tell me how to get it again"

Trent blinked. What?

"And I’m going to make you talk" he chuckled in a low, dangerous tone.

"Before that..." Scarlet interrupted again.

He threw one of the tools towards her in anger, "Shut up!!!"

He gritted his teeth— eyes filled with anger.

"I have to do this because you’ve failed at such a simple task— keep quiet"

She chuckled, picking what he’d thrown up and turned to him,

"The codes"

Her tone made him flinch,

"12895" he muttered immediately.

"Thank you" she replied, walking towards them, "You can go on" she handed the tool back.

He gulped as he watched her walk towards the door.

Trent struggled to loosen the rope as all these happened— it was coming undone slowly.

He kept his eyes peeled on Renard to avoid suspicion.

Renard exhaled, running his hand through his head.

"Bitch..." He murmured.

"You—" he walked closer to Trent, raising his head up with the tool in his hand.

"The villain doesn’t deserve a complete set of teeth— no need to smile" he laughed softly.

"The Web never lets go"

Trent turned to her immediately. Renard growled, furiously, turning back.

Trent bent his head down as she raised her gun and shot.

He raised his head slowly as he heard a thud— Renard.

"Stupid bastard" she huffed, tucking the gun away.

"I’m waiting in the car, Boss. Untie yourself" she chuckled, blew a kiss and walked off.

He trembled as he felt the heat of Renard’s blood on his skin.

"Definitely booked the wrong train, Trent" he chuckled, mockingly as he loosened the rope.

________

"Slower than I thought" she glanced at him as he slid into the passenger’s seat.

"My phone" he muttered,

"What? You’re not—"

"My phone. Now"

She brought out his phone and handed it, watching him in silence.

He looked at the time as he collected it. 7:21 pm. 8 hours since he left the house.

"Hello" he spoke into the phone as it connected.

"Hey, what’s up?" Marie answered,

"Xander said you went to the supermarket— that’s a lot of time"

"I went to Theo’s. We’ve been with Mikhail. We can’t go to a gala without a beautiful car" he chuckled.

"...We already have beautiful cars"

"A Rolls Royce— Luxury. That’s more like it, no?"

"Of course" she scoffed, "Get some snacks on your way back"

He looked at the phone as she hung up.

Next

"Hello, Cap"

A bit loud— music on the background

"You busy?"

"Not really— my nephew’s over"

"Alright" he sighed, "If She calls, tell her I’ve been with you and we were with Mikhail. Please"

"The wife?"

"Yeah..." He scoffed, "It’s complicated. Tell Mikhail that I want to buy a Rolls Royce. I’ll give you 5% commission for the price"

Theo fell quiet for a while,

"As long as it’s not dangerous... Alright, Cap. Cut down on the women— you’re married"

"I’m not—"

Scarlet chuckled, loud enough for Theo to hear.

"Right..." He scoffed.

He glanced at her and cut the call.

"I need to take my car"

"He—"

"I don’t care what you have to say— just take me back" he leaned back on the seat.

She looked at him. He definitely wasn’t in the mood for an explanation.

"Alright"

He stepped out as soon as she drove him back to the place and walked towards his car, not even glancing back.

He picked a hand towel from his car and wiped the stains from his body.

"You" he turned to a man that was about to enter his car.

"Hundred dollars for your shirt" he stretched the cash.

The Man glanced at him and the cash and immediately took his shirt off, exchanging it for the money

"Want the pants too?"

"No— Thank you" Trent replied, sliding into the driver’s seat.

He drove to the supermarket, got some snacks and headed back home.

________

"Welcome back, Sir" Mia greeted as he walked in, stretching for the bag.

"Thank you. Don’t worry about it"

His phone buzzed as he walked off— Mikhail.

PHANTOM SERENITY. 3 MILLION.

Great. He typed back,

ALRIGHT. HAVE IT READY TOMORROW.

"You’re so early" she looked at him, blowing her hair with the dryer as she walked in.

"I’m sorry" he glanced at her,

"Do I get some food from the ingredients?"

She looked at him, quietly for a while.

f r\eeNovelBin.c(o)(m)

"I’ll tell Mia to bring it up— I was about to watch a movie"

"Why don’t we have a movie night?" He chuckled, raising the bag up.

She exhaled, sitting on the bed. He smelled like blood— couldn’t hide that.

"Dangerous games" she muttered.

"What?"

"D–Danger games" she smiled, "that’s the name of the movie"

"Let me get myself cleaned up and we can start"

Her phone buzzed as he was about to step into the bathroom.

"Anton" she said, glancing at the screen.

"Hello"

"Is the twerp there?" Anton’s voice cut through— No greetings.

"Yeah" she glanced at him

"Good. We’ve got a problem"

Fuck. Now what?