Jayjay's POV
Our footsteps were barely breaths against the floor.
The air smelled like metal, rust, and fear. Every time I blinked, I saw Keifer's face in my head, and it kept me moving.
Keiren was on my back, his small arms around my neck. His breathing was shaky and hot against my ear. Keagan limped beside us, his leg dragging, his jaw tight with pain.
"Almost there," I whispered.
We reached a half-open door glowing with thin light from inside. The plan was simple — pass by and keep low — but then I froze.
Inside, voices. Men's voices. Familiar names spilled like poison.
"Once Keifer arrives," one voice said coldly, "make sure he's dead before he even blinks."
My blood turned to ice.
Keagan's eyes widened. "Did he just say… Keifer?"
I put Keiren down gently and pressed a finger to my lips. "Shh."
Crouching, I peeked through the small opening in the door. Inside stood three men — Victor, Keifer's father, and a masked man dressed all in black.
Keifer's father's voice came calm and smooth. "He's too dangerous. Keifer must not walk out alive."
Victor chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Disfigure him and Adrian . Leave them breathing, but make sure they never shows their faces again."
The masked man nodded. "Understood."
I gasped softly — too softly, I thought. But Keagan's bad leg betrayed us. It gave out, hit the metal barrow behind him, and the clatter was like thunder.
"Someone's there!" a man barked from inside.
Before I could grab Keiren, the door burst open. Rough hands grabbed Keagan and me. I twisted, kicked, but another guard yanked Keiren off the ground.
Victor's smirk widened when he stepped out. "Look who we have here — the little runaways."
Keifer's father's eyes were blank and cruel. "You really thought you could run, Jayjay?"
I glared at him, breathing hard. "You'll regret this."
Victor chuckled. "She's got fire. Maybe we should lock that fire up and see how long it lasts."
The masked man pointed toward Keiren. "That watch on the boy's wrist — remove it. It could be a tracker."
Keifer's father knelt down beside Keiren, putting on a fake smile. "Be a good boy, Keiren, and give daddy the watch."
Keiren's eyes blazed with anger through the tears. "You're not my daddy! You were never one — and you never will be!"
The man's expression darkened. "Insolent brat." He yanked the watch from Keiren's hand roughly, ignoring his pained cry.
The masked man turned to the guards. "If the kid runs, catch him — and if you must, beat him till he stops!"
But Keifer's father raised his hand sharply.
"No," he said, his voice low but firm. "Do not harm him. Just bring him back. It's only Keifer I want dead — not the boy."
For a moment, even Victor blinked at the chill in his tone.
They started dragging us down the stairs. Keiren stumbled, and my heart cracked.
As soon as we reached the ground floor, I slammed my elbow into the guard's ribs and shouted, "KEIREN, RUN!"
Keiren ran — small legs splashing through puddles, the rain outside calling him like freedom.
"Get him!" Victor shouted.
One of the guards slapped me hard across the face. "You'll pay for that, girl."
The masked man stepped close. "Once we catch him, we'll—"
"Don't touch him!" I shouted. "He's a child!"
Keifer's father folded his arms, his voice cold. "It's Keifer we need, not Keiren. Leave the others if you must."
lo ng minutes stretched. The room echoed with tension.
Then — BANG. The door flew open. One of the guards who had chased Keiren flew back inside, crashing into a table. Rain poured behind him.
And in the doorway stood figures I would know even blind — Keifer, David, Ci-N, Yuri, Adrian, and the rest of Section E with a line of bodyguards behind them, drenched but burning with fury.
My breath caught. My eyes widened. My heart screamed — they came.
Keifer's POV
"Two minutes," Ciel said over the comms. "Warehouse in sight."
The rain fell in sheets, drumming on the hood of the car. I gripped the steering wheel tighter, jaw locked.
Every mile we crossed, I imagined Jayjay — bleeding, hurt, scared — and my chest burned.
Behind me, headlights cut through through the rain — David, Yuri, Ci-N, Adrian, and the others following in perfect rhythm.
Then Ciel's voice again: "Keifer, someone's running toward us— small figure, southeast side."
I hit the brakes, swung the car sideways, and jumped out into the downpour.
"Keiren!" I shouted.
He was running toward me — wet, terrified, barefoot — his little face pale and streaked with tears.
When he reached me, I pulled him into a tight hug.
"Kuya!" he gasped. "Kuya Keifer!"
"I've got you," I said, my voice breaking. "You're safe now."
He clung to my jacket like he'd never let go.
I knelt down, holding his shoulders. "Where's Jayjay? Keagan?"
"Kuya ,Jayjay helped me run," he said, breathless. "They hit her, in the stomach… and they slapped Kuya Keagan. They took my watch…"
Something snapped inside me. I stood up, fists clenched so tight they shook.
Then voices — deep, cruel — came from the warehouse entrance. Three men in black coats stepped out.
One of them smirked when he saw me. "So you're the famous Keifer," he sneered. "The one everyone's waiting for."
Keiren's small hand tugged my sleeve. "Kuya, that's the one… that's the one who punched Kuya Jayjay."
The man grinned wider. "Your girlfriend, huh? She's got a nice mouth and shape. Would look better crying under me."
Ci-N stepped forward, eyes blazing. "You've got a death wish, huh? You think saying trash like that makes you a man? The only thing you'll 'ride' is an ambulance."
The man's face twisted. "You shut your mouth, kid!"
Ci-N tilted his head, smirking. "Why? Afraid someone half your size talks more sense? I'd roast your hairline too, but it looks like your barber already quit halfway."
The boys behind us laughed .
But the man kept talking — filth spilling out like poison.
"I'll make that Jayjay girl my personal toy. Maybe I'll even make your brother my servant, have him polish my boots while I teach your girl how to scream."
Something inside me broke clean in half.
I moved before I even thought. My fist cracked into his jaw — once, twice, three times. The sound echoed through the yard.
"How dare you!" I roared. "How dare you say that about Jayjay! How dare you touch my siblings! How dare you even think it!"
The two men behind him tried to grab me, but Yuri and Adrian charged in — fists, elbows, boots. One was down before he could even yell.
The man I had punched stumbled, blood pouring from his mouth. I grabbed him by the collar and hissed right in his face.
"You'll feel what my girlfriend felt. Every pain, every hit. You think you're strong? Try begging."
Then I threw him forward toward the warehouse entrance. "Now lead us in, you bastard."
He stumbled ahead of us, and we followed — Keiren still close to Ci-N, who guarded him like a brother.
Inside, I saw them — Jayjay slumped against Keagan, her lip split, her eyes weak but alive. Keagan's arm hung limp, but he held her up then i kicked the man hard making him fall on a table.
And across from them — Victor, my father, and the masked man, sitting calmly like devils waiting for a show.
For one long heartbeat, I couldn't breathe.
Then I said quietly, "If any of you touch them again… you'll never walk out of this place alive."
Jayjay looked up, her lips trembling, her eyes glistening when she whispered, "You came…"
I took a step forward, voice dark and certain. "Of course I came. I always will."
The masked man tilted his head. "Well, well… looks like the hero finally arrived."
Victor smirked. "Let's see how long he stays alive."
The storm outside roared louder, and in that sound, I knew — this was far from over.