Ch 272 - Fresh Wounds

Julian stared fearfully at Alex. He wasn't used to being in such a vulnerable position. Usually, he only needed to say his name, and nobody would touch him.

"So what?" he said with a tremor in his voice. "What are you going to do about it? I'm Julian Duvant, and my cousin here is a Steadman. If you touch me, you're dead meat!"

"So, you can just do whatever you want, is that it?" Alex asked and started walking slowly over to Julian.

"I'm warning you," Julian squealed as he stumbled backwards. He was deeply afraid.

He stumbled up against the edge of the bed and sat down on. Feeling with his hands, and never taking his eyes of Alex, he slid over the edge of the bed until he came up against the wall. The girls moved over to the other side, but they didn't dare to get out.

Sensing that he was boxed in, Julian lost the last remnants of his composure. "Please, don't hurt me, man! I was just so angry. I didn't know what I was doing."

Alex had reached the other side of the bed. Chris was standing behind him. He wasn't sure what to do. 

I could probably strangle this guy right here, he thought. I'm strong enough. And he's looking the other way. Now's the perfect chance.

But just as he was about to reach out for Alex's neck, Julian pulled out a pistol from underneath the pillow beside him. He aimed it at Alex and smiled triumphantly.

"I'd almost forgotten that I had this," he said. "Bet you didn't expect that, did you?" He stared at Alex for a few seconds, Enjoying his victory. "Go to hell," he said, and pulled the trigger.

Alex reacted with lightning speed. He didn't have time to register what was happening around him. It was as if he had been taken over by some animal instinct. Julian's bullet hit the wall behind him.

Julian was amazed. Alex moved with such speed that he didn't understand what had happened. When he finally realized, he immediately tried to point the gun at Alex again. But before he could pull the trigger, he saw a flash of light in the corner of his eye. A little knife came flying toward him and hit his hand. He dropped the pistol.

Julian's hand throbbed with pain, and when he finally raised his head, he saw Alex standing over him. He had picked up the gun and was now pointing it at Julian.

Julian was so scared that he couldn't speak nor move. He trembled and fell back onto the bed.

"Would you like to know what it feels like?" Alex asked coldly. 

"No, please," Julian blubbered. 

He knelt down on the bed and pleaded with Alex. "Listen, I was wrong. I'm sorry. Please don't hurt me."

"Get over here!" Alex suddenly shouted to Saul. Saul came over and stood by his side.

"Shoot him," Alex said and gave the gun to Saul.

If he wants to come after me and my friends, Alex thought, let him see what happens if you fail. I'm not Alex Ambrose anymore. My family isn't going to solve my problems. I need to find my own solutions.

Saul took the gun and looked over at Julian. He trembled slightly. "I'm sorry, Julian."

"Saul, don't you dare shoot me!" Julian erupted in desperate anger. "I'll kill you!"

"Sorry," Saul repeated. He raised the gun slowly. He knew that if he didn't do what Alex said, he might be the one who was shot.

Julian was shaking violently. He looked at Chris with pleading eyes. "Chris, please stop him. Come on. He's going to shoot me."

"Saul!" Chris exclaimed.

Julian was overjoyed. His cousin would save him. He looked at Saul. "Put down the gun. You know who he is. If you don't do what he says, his family will hunt you down."

"Julian," Chris interrupted softly. Julian looked back at him. His face looked sad but determined. It didn't look like he's trying to stop Saul. Julian's heart started racing. 

"Get out of the bed," Chris continued. "Stand up and take the shot. If you're kneeling on the bed, it won't be clean. He might hit you in a bad place, and you'll suffer."

He's not going to stop it, Julian thought. He just wants it to be quicker! 

"Cousin, help me," Julian whispered in despair.

"Come off the bed," Chris said and pulled Julian onto the floor. He frowned. "It's no use begging. Just get it over with."

Julian looked over at Alex. "Please, just let me go. My family's important. I'll give you lots of money. Just don't let him shoot me."

Julian's pitiful begging only increased Alex's hatred for him. He turned to Saul. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Saul pulled the trigger. The deafening sound of a gunshot rang out, and Julian cried out and fell to the floor. His right leg was bleeding profusely. He lay there on the floor, grasping his leg and screaming in agony.

"Good. It's settled. I'm leaving." Alex looked at Julian and then turned toward the door. He had done what he came to do, and now he wanted to go to the hospital and see Don.

Saul was standing over Julian with the gun still in his hand. He couldn't believe what he had done. Now he'd have both Julian's and Chris' families after him. 

I have to get out of here, he decided. If I'm caught by the police, they'll arrest me. But if I stay here, I'll be in the clutches of the Duvants and the Steadmans. Who knows what they'll do to me?

He ran out of the villa and disappeared out of the gated community. 

Julian was still lying on the ground screaming, and the two girls on the bed were crouching in the corner. Chris was relieved. He had been smart enough to put all the responsibility on Julian. Otherwise, it might have been him who was shot.

Ignoring Julian, Chris picked up his clothes, sat on the bed, and put them on slowly.

Just as he had finished dressing, a team of security guards came rushing into the bedroom and saw Julian lying on the ground. They were all stunned.

"Call an ambulance immediately!" Chris barked at them. One of them took out his phone and dialed 911. 

"Chris," Julian muttered through his pain. "I did what you asked. And look what happened. Now you must help me get revenge. Find that security guard. And Saul, too. We'll give them back ten times worse."

Chris walked over to Julian and squatted down beside him. He stroked his head gently and stared pensively out the window. "I promise. I'll make him feel worse than dead, and then I'll end it."

Chris had thought about his situation. It didn't matter what Julian wanted him to do. Alex was a skilled fighter, and he had declared himself Chris' enemy. He couldn't allow that.

**

Once he had left the house and walked out of the community gate, Alex hailed a taxi and called Don. Once he found out which hospital Don had been taken to, he hurried there as fast as he could.

He got of the taxi and ran to the third floor of the hospital. When he got to Don's room, he saw that his sister Daisy was there. Don was lying in bed, and his wound had not been treated.

"Alex, you're here. Are you okay?" Don asked. When he saw the peaceful expression on Alex's face, he was relieved.

"Don, how come they haven't taken care of you yet?" Alex asked anxiously. He was worried.

"The hospital said that we didn't have enough money for surgery," Daisy said and touched Don's arm. Her eyes were full of worry. "We barely had enough to pay for this bed."

She stood up, walked over to Alex, and looked pleadingly into his eyes. "Alex, could you lend us some money for Don's surgery? I promise I'll pay you back. I'm still in school, but I can pay you back a little whenever I can. Please help us."

Alex looked into her eyes. He had heard Don talk about how he worked to give her money while she was studying, but she was clearly not helpless. No matter how dependent she had been on Don, Alex could see that she would do anything to pay him back.

"We can't ask him to do that, Daisy," Don said. "Alex is also just a security guard, and he just started working. How could he lend us that much money?"

Alex was deeply moved by Daisy's determination. Without saying a word, he turned around and left the room.

Daisy almost started crying. "What are we going to do, Don? Your wound will get infected." She came over and sat on the edge of his bed, and she looked at him hopelessly.

"It's okay, Daisy," Don said with a smile. "I'm tough. Let's just buy some rubbing alcohol and gauze and wrap me up."

He put on a brave face, but he was dejected. Although he could understand Alex's decision, he couldn't help but feel disappointed. The surgery was expensive, but not ridiculously so. On a security guard's salary, it could be paid back in a few years.

"Okay, then," Daisy said and stood up. "You lie down, and I'll go get what we need."

Suddenly, the door flew open, and someone came into the room. Daisy looked up in surprise. It was Alex.

"Where are you going?" he asked. 

"I'm going to get stuff so we can clean the wound ourselves," Daisy answered.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Alex said bluntly. 

Just then, a doctor and two nurses followed him into the room. "Doctor," Alex exclaimed triumphantly. "Please get my friend ready for surgery."