These men did not come with good intentions. This was Tiffany's first impression. If June could become so flustered by them, Tiffany dared not be lax, especially with the hapless Zoe Stevens standing beside her.
Tiffany immediately said, "Let's go!" Grabbing Zoe, she ran back toward the school campus. However, five shadowy figures moved swiftly, intercepting them in the blink of an eye. A long saber slashed out.
Tiffany pushed Zoe aside, narrowly dodging the blade. She retaliated with a flying kick, but the assailant dodged successfully. Her first strike missed; the assailant's agility was clearly on par with hers. Tiffany then threw a handful of poisonous powder, but the rain washed it away before it could take effect. Strike two failed!
Outnumbered, Tiffany had no choice but to flee. The five assailants, sensing her intentions, attacked even more ruthlessly, seemingly determined to achieve their goal. Zoe, having fallen to the ground, screamed for help, but despite her hoarse cries, no security guard appeared.
Just as Tiffany was surrounded, a pair of headlights illuminated the area, followed by the roar of a car engine. A white Bentley sped toward them! The sudden approach forced the assailants to back away.
In the car, Kenneth urgently called out, "Get in!" His words were followed by loud pops—three of the car's four tires had burst. The luxury vehicle listed precariously on its remaining tire.
Tiffany was incredulous. This man had charged in like a ferocious tiger, only to have his bravado last a mere three seconds! Kenneth, equally surprised, saw Tiffany suppressing laughter and his face clouded. He quickly jumped out. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Tiffany replied, waving him off, though she did restrain her amusement as she rose from the ground. She'd been kicked twice during the fight, but the darkness obscured it. The crisis, however, was far from over. After puncturing the tires, the assailants attacked again, their target clearly Tiffany.
Tiffany shoved Kenneth aside, yelling, "Run! Take Zoe and leave!"
"What about you—" Kenneth began, his expression suddenly changing. He'd heard a cry for help while leaving school and rushed to the rescue without thinking, forgetting something crucial: Melody Princeton was still in the car.
Before Tiffany could question him, the car door opened and Melody's sobs were heard. "Kenny, save me! My foot is stuck…"
"Damn it!" Kenneth groaned, realizing his mistake. He rushed back to help Melody, but it was too late.
Hearing Melody's voice, the assailants exchanged glances, realizing she was also a target. One man roughly dragged her from the car. Melody's cries of distress were a ruse; her foot wasn't stuck, she'd only said so to distract Kenneth, leaving Tiffany vulnerable. The assailants seemed determined, perhaps believing they could successfully kill Tiffany Kelley. To her horror, they immediately turned towards her, and one man hauled her away without hesitation. They were too swift for her to react. Melody screamed in panic, "Kenny, save me!" But Kenneth was engaged with the four remaining assailants, unable to help.
Tiffany remained tense, never letting her guard down, but she was overwhelmed by the assailants' seamless coordination and martial arts skills. Just as a saber was about to strike Tiffany's back, Zoe, summoning her courage, yelled, "Tiffany, watch out!" Dashing forward, she collided with the assailant, but the impact was akin to hitting a rock with an egg. Zoe was sent flying and then seized by another assailant. In an instant, two assailants carried Zoe and Melody away into the rain.
"Zoe!" Tiffany wanted to pursue them, but three assailants blocked her path. From beginning to end, these five assailants had remained silent, their teamwork seamless, suggesting years of collaboration. They were highly skilled professionals, efficient and focused.
Tiffany's face was grim. She gripped her bloodstained blade tightly and charged forward, joined by Kenneth. It was two against three. Within minutes, Tiffany sustained further injuries, and Kenneth, distracted by worry for Melody, fought less effectively, his guilt hindering his focus. A saber hilt struck Tiffany violently in the back.
"Ugh…" she grunted, falling to the ground. An assailant immediately moved to seize her, and the others retreated without hesitation.
At that moment, an arrow zipped across the sky. The assailant instinctively dodged, allowing Tiffany to kick free. The arrow came from Jeremy Cooper, revealing his true capabilities for the first time to Tiffany. In seconds, he severely injured three assailants, forcing their retreat. He didn't pursue them, instead turning to hand Tiffany the small, light bow, Galaxy.
Tiffany stared at the bow, dazed. After a moment, she asked, "Why did they want to kill me?"
"They won't kill you," Jeremy replied. "They'll keep you alive and interrogate you until they get what they want. They'll only kill you if you can't answer or are no longer valuable."
"Isn't that the same outcome?" Tiffany mused.
She changed the subject. "Jeremy, can you do me a favor?" She only used his first name for serious matters, otherwise using the sarcastic "Lord Cooper."
Jeremy's immediate response was, "No."
Tiffany bit her lip, but before she could speak, he continued, "I do things for you willingly and wholeheartedly, not as a favor."
A warm feeling bloomed in Tiffany's heart. She hugged his arm gratefully. "Thank you, Lord Cooper. You are the best!"
Jeremy glanced at her, a faint smile in his eyes. June Spencer finally arrived, revealing that the Kelley family had also been targeted. The assassins had been lurking near Cedar Ridge Villa, but Tiffany's absence prevented an attack. June and Jeremy had already thwarted an attempt on the family.
A chill ran down Tiffany's spine. Her family's safety was her only concern. She was grateful for Jeremy and June's protection. There were more pressing matters, however, and she immediately got into the car to pursue Zoe's captors.