Chapter 17: Damsel in Distress

Assistant Ella and a group of individuals did their best to fend off the chaos, but it still left the boss, Kelly Gray, in shock. Someone had pinched her hard, leaving a yellowish-brown mark on her otherwise pristine work jacket, which emitted an unpleasant odor.

Kelly Gray, hailing from a privileged background, had never encountered such a situation. She was terrified, her face drained of color, fearing she might be overwhelmed at any moment.

Suddenly, a strong male voice rang out from behind, "Come here, quickly!"

Kelly Gray turned to see a young man, dressed in a tight T-shirt, rushing out of the Hulk Mansion accompanied by a few others.

Bruce assisted Martin in creating a path, allowing Martin to reach Kelly Gray.

Martin pushed aside the individuals trying to approach him but was met with more coming his way. He grabbed Kelly Gray's arm with one hand and a brown-haired woman in her forties with the other, urgently shouting, "Move quickly!"

Kelly Gray hurried into the Hulk Mansion, and Martin shielded them as they returned. Taking advantage of the crowd and chaos, he discreetly scratched the left side of his neck with his right hand, reaching around the back of his neck.

As a group of people entered the clubs gate, Kelly Gray, terrified, yelled, "Close the door! Quickly, close that damn door!"

She prioritized her own safety over her colleagues still outside.

Once all their people had returned, Martin and Bruce secured the door, locking it from the inside.

"This is madness, they're all out of their minds."

Five more individuals followed suit. Rachel, aged 40, was trembling, exclaiming, "These people are absolutely insane."

At this moment, Martin inquired, "Is it too chaotic outside? Would you like to stay here for a while?"

Sirens blared outside, and a significant number of APD officers arrived.

However, Kelly Gray showed no intention of leaving; she turned to Martin and said, "That's fine." Her eyes fell on the bar and the liquor cabinet. "Could you pour me a glass of liqueur?"

Bruce fetched six glasses and poured some peach liqueur.

Martin produced a small pack of wet wipes, distributing one to each person. After handing one to Kelly Gray, he stood beside her, opened the final pack, and cleaned his neck.

Kelly Gray wiped her hands, scratched various parts of her body, smelled the unpleasant odor on her coat, discarded it, and then heard the sound of gritting teeth.

She turned around and saw three bloody scratches on the young man who had saved them.

"Thank you," Kelly Gray said, composed now, "Is the injury serious?"

Martin smiled, "It's just some scratches; I'll be fine. In reality, we should be thanking you for protecting us."

This man's good looks and eloquence, combined with the fact that he was injured while saving her, left a strong impression on Kelly Gray.

Ivan approached, examined Martin's neck, and cursed, "Who did this to you? I'll turn them into a bloody mess!"

Martin wanted to kick him but refrained, taking note of it silently, and replied, "It was chaos; I didn't anticipate anything like this."

Bruce handed a trash can to Ivan and instructed him to dispose of the used wipes and empty the trash, admonishing him not to act foolishly.

Kelly Gray, having consumed half a glass of wine, regained her composure and asked, "Why were you targeted?"

Martin told her the truth, "This afternoon, a group of people suddenly gathered outside the club."

Kelly Gray furrowed her brow, deep in thought.

Martin selectively revealed, "I know Mr. Andrew, who is acquainted with you. Mr. Andrew told me that if I ever noticed any threats against you, I should immediately inform him. So, I called Mr. Andrew."

Kelly Gray remembered Andrew, an old employee from her company.

Martin winced as he adjusted his neck, "I'm sorry, I didn't anticipate things would..." 

Kelly Gray waved it off, "It's not your fault. The path to equal rights has always been arduous."

Martin agreed, "Yes, indeed. We didn't provoke anyone; these stubborn and irrational individuals initiated the attack."

Rachel, who was on the other side of the porch, returned at that moment and suggested, "The APD has the situation under control. Kelly, would you like to go outside and take charge of the situation?"

Kelly Gray hesitated when she heard the suggestion of going outside.

However, expressing her reluctance was not an option. Aside from Rachel, there were several regular members present.

Opting out might affect her ability to lead, a fact that secretly irritated Kelly Gray, making her wonder if Rachel's suggestion was deliberate.

Martin, astute as ever, made some deductions and decided to speak up, "I would recommend against going outside. The recent conflict has resulted in many of our brothers and sisters being detained by the APD. You're the backbone of our group. If you get detained by the police, who will take the initiative to secure their release?"

Coming from an outsider, these words carried a different weight than if Kelly Gray had spoken them herself.

A companion of Rachel on the porch chimed in, "Absolutely, there are numerous members detained by the APD, and we can't allow them to spend a night in detention."

Kelly Gray regarded Martin with newfound appreciation and inquired, "Is there a back door to the club?"

Martin confirmed, "Yes, there's one in a quiet alley."

Kelly Gray swiftly dialed a number on her phone, saying, "I'm at the Hulk Mansion on Clayton Street. I need two cars sent over immediately to the back door."

Rachel remained silent.

Taking the evening's events into account, Kelly Gray rose from her seat and approached a more secluded area. She nodded at Martin and proposed, "Let's have a private conversation."

Martin followed her to the other side of the stage.

Kelly Gray asked, "What's your name, and can you handle the situation?"

"I'm Martin Davis, but you can just call me Martin."

"All right, Martin. This incident tonight will have significant repercussions." Kelly Gray intended to steer public opinion, stating, "The media will be interviewing you later. Do you know what to say?" Martin responded with conviction, "You're protecting the Hulk Mansion, defending innocent people, acting out of necessity to protect the establishment, and forced into a position of self-defense."

He underscored, "You're heroes!"

Kelly Gray remained composed, saying, "Excellent. Keep that in mind."

Martin assured her immediately, "I'm always on your side."

"Let me introduce myself." Acknowledging Martin's importance, Kelly Gray handed him her business card. "My name is Kelly Gray."

She stressed, "Before speaking with any reporters, be sure to notify me. I'll arrange for someone to assist you."

Martin inquired, "Will reporters be interviewing tonight?"

Kelly Gray confirmed, "I'll arrange for them to arrive as soon as possible."

Soon, a reporter's car pulled up at the club's back door, and Martin and Bruce escorted Kelly Gray and her group away.

With no one else nearby, Bruce remarked, "I underestimated you. You managed to play out the classic hero saves damsel in distress cliché."

Martin shrugged, replying, "Clichés exist for a reason - they work."