Hawaii is a wonderful string of islands that has always been viewed as a perfect vacation spot. Except, what happens when the islands' beauty and source of wealth are exploited by criminals? Criminals capable of stealing your free will and getting a...
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The man was a monster in blood-colored clothes that left a streak of crimson and brown whenever he moved. A talent for violence honed by years of training in a brutal city and the perpetual weight of enormous expectations. Even after being pumped full of narcotic toxins, he was overpowering the small group of Helix thugs.
Yet, even as he disarmed and dismantled their weapons, more arrived to back them up. It became clear just how serious this operation was for them as dozens of men started climbing up from the stairwells and escalators. For Carman to fight against the hypnosis, he had to rely on instincts and let go of any thoughts other than fighting. But more and more of his mind was shutting down and falling asleep.
Watching the fight grinded against Ryan's nerves, but it also gave him a chance to watch from a distance. He noticed that no bullets had been fired even though many of the gunmen were armed. He puzzled over the reason they avoided trying to shoot until a shout rose over the grunts and cries.
"Just keep the older one back! I'll get the rest!" a thug broke free from the melee and charged for Ryan. He held a handgun in one hand and a pair of handcuff in the other. He approached carefully, unsure if Ryan was alert enough to attack, but he knew what he was doing. He spoke softly as if talking to a child who should be sleeping. "There, there, little monster. Just hold out your hands slowly for me. Nice and slow," he cooed, but it was working. The words echoed in the hypnotic fog and all Ryan could do was strain his arms as his hands extended.
As the thug came close enough to reach out the handcuffs, Kyle shouted from under the table, "Just attack him!"
Obeying Kyle's command was far easier than the previous ones. Instead of clashing with Ryan's desires, it resonated with them. It was a command that he wanted to do, and it came from someone that he trusted deeply. Unfortunately for the thug that walked right into striking distance, that resulted in a fist slamming straight into his chest. The echoing punch was cringe-worthy, bringing him down instantly.
From the floor where he lay groaning in pain, he shouted, "The other tall one can still move too. Go for the children! Take them and go," he croaked.
Suddenly, the real targets of their mission became clear. This whole trap was never meant for Kyle. The Helix shouldn't even think he's still alive. Yet, they were still being held back by the law enforcement, specifically their father. The coupons were only sent to the twins and the trap was only sprung after they were used. This trap was just for them.
Now that the situation was clearer, Ryan rethought the situation with all of the clarity his mind could still muster. The helix probably wanted to capture at least the twins alive and use them as hostages, but they weren't sure that the compulsions would work on the family. This kind of trap would never work on the detective, but they counted on it working against his children. From the look of it, Carman was getting sloppy. His viscous combat techniques were being replaced by shouting and hurling enemies around with overwhelming force.
"Kai! You need to shut those sprinklers off somehow. Carman won't be able to keep this up for much longer and I need to protect the twins." Each word still took an annoying amount of concentration to get out, but the message got out in time. Kyle rolled out from under the table and broke out running for one of the opposite stairwells.
Ryan looked away from the commotion and turned to the half-conscious twins. They had done well to keep their heads up, but their eyes were closed tight. He snapped his fingers beside Kiara's ear, but she was unresponsive. "Come on, sis. Open your eyes!" he growled suddenly, and her eyes shot open. Next, he flicked the back of his little brother's head, "No more sleeping, it's time to get up." Both twins rose to their feet, but they were shaky at best. He couldn't expect them to fight grown men.
Before he could come up with a plan, a shout from the nearby brawl stole his attention. The Helix had surrounded Carman like a SWAT team, and three of them had managed to slam him into the ground. Carman was screaming senseless curses and snarling madly at thugs trying to restrain him. "You want a monster? I'll show you a monster! I'll show you all!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. The hypnotic drug was overcoming him, even if he didn't realize it.
Ryan acted quickly, grabbing the thug he'd already knocked down by the leg. He raised the leg up with both arms and spun around with it in grasp. Using the spin's momentum, he hurled the man into the crowd of Helix with all of his strength, and watched it crash into two of the grunts. "I've always wondered what it would be like to go against an entire military unit. I guess you guys will have to do."
