Counter Attack
The day went by with Julia and Jason spending their entire day inside their room. Later that night, while Julia was sleeping, a hand covered her mouth and a knife was placed under her chin. She opened her eyes in shock but could not see who it was as the room was dark.
"Sssh, a sound from you and this knife will split your throat, do you understand?" came a husky male voice.
Julia nodded, but the corners of her eyes were quickly filled with tears as she trembled in fear.
"Now, you are going to get up from this bed and quietly walk with me out of this room," the man said in the same tone, and Julia nodded.
Julia got up from the bed, placing her feet on the floor with a knife under her chin. She stood up, and the man had the opportunity to get behind her and, still with the knife under her chin, led her to the door. Julia's hands hang loosely on her side as she slightly opens them apart, more like in surrender. Walking past the bedside stand, Julia slowly grabbed the lamp in the dark and hit the man's face with it. He staggered backwards, falling onto the bed, but the knife cut the side of Julia's neck in the process. Although the strength used by Julia was not that strong, the man did suffer a cut on his forehead from the broken shade. Julia headed for the door screaming for help, but the man quickly got up from the bed and grabbed her, stopping her from leaving the room. Jason heard Julia scream and quickly came out of his room, heading towards Julia's room, but he froze in his steps when a masked man came out of Julia's room with a knife to Julia's neck. Jason's eyes quickly move to the blood on her neck and the blood stains on her white sleeping gown. Julia's eyes were filled with tears as they flowed down her cheeks like a river.
"Stay back, or I will split her throat," the man threatened, and Jason moved back but had his eyes on him.
The masked man slowly walked towards the stairs and kept asking Jason to move back, which Jason obeyed but never took his eyes off him for a second. The masked man descended the stairs using his back as he kept an eye on everyone. James was out of his room, and so were Mirenda and Grandpa except for Mrs Haward.
"Stay back, all of you," the man said as he moved towards the door.
The moment he opened the door to exit the living room, he was hit in the head with the back of a gun, and he collapsed to the ground. Peter's face came into clear view as he unmasked the person on the floor. Jason was already down the stairs about to head for the door when Julia ran into his arms. Julia wrapped her arms around Jason's waist and rested her head on his chest, letting out her tears which she could no longer hold back. Jason froze, as he was not expecting such a reaction from her. He hangs his hand in the air, unsure of what to do for a while before slowly hugging Julia back. Jason felt Julia relax in his arms when he put his arms around her. James went back to his room. Mirenda stood with an eyebrow raised and Grandpa drew closer to Jason.
"Who was that?" Grandpa asked.
"I am not sure," Jason replied, his voice gently with Julia still in his arms.
"Boss, what should we do with him?" asked Peter.
"I want answers," Jason replied, and Peter understood what he meant.
Peter lifted the man off the floor, sent him to the basement and tied him up to a chair.
Meanwhile, back in the living room, Julia had now calmed herself down. She quickly moved away from Jason, realizing she was hugging him.
"I am sorry," Julia apologizes. "I... I... I," she tried to explain, but the words wouldn't come out. "I am sorry," she apologized again and ran up the stairs and stopped right in front of her bedroom door, afraid to go inside.
Jason could not react to Julia's apologies. He watched her run up the stairs and once her back was no longer visible, he helped the old man back to his room. Mirenda also left for her room as the show was over.
"Go to her. She is wounded and feeling scared. Don't let her sleep alone," said Grandpa before entering his room. "Jason, go to her," he said, and Jason nodded.
Jason returned to the living room and looked at the stairs thinking about what the old man had said to him, like he had just been given a life sentence. He inhaled deeply and went up the stairs only to find Julia standing in front of her bedroom door.
"Julia?" Jason called out to her, and she was startled but turned to look at him. "Come with me," he said, and Julia slowly walked towards Jason.
Jason led Julia to his room and made her sit on the sofa in his room. He got the first aid kit and attended to her wound. He was instantly angry seeing the knife mark on the side of her neck. He stepped out of the room briefly and returned with new sleepwear which he went to pick from Julia's wardrobe and gave to her to change into. Julia went to the bathroom and changed and returned to the bedroom. She stood at the door upon entering and couldn't move any further. She suddenly came to the realization she was in Jason's room.
"Get some rest," Jason said, put on his jacket and exited the room, closing the door behind him.
Julia, unsure of where to sleep, took the blanket from the bed and lay down on the sofa.
"Open the door," commanded Jason once in front of the basement.
Peter opened the door for Jason, and he entered, followed by four other guards, including Peter. Jason sat on the chair provided for him.
"Wake him up," Jason said.
Peter immediately picked up some substance and took it to the man's nostrils and the man opened his eyes immediately and sneezed twice.
"Now you are going to tell me everything I want to know," Jason said in a calm, stern voice.
"Ha ha ha," the man laughed and looked at the guards in the room with him and chuckled.
"If you are going to torture me to talk, forget it because I am not telling you shit," the man said.
The side of Jason's lip curled up, and he shifted his gaze to Peter. Peter knew exactly what Jason meant.
"How much pain can you endure?" asked Peter and the man frowned, seeing Peter was holding a small container which he opened and what looked like smoke came out of it, followed by a fizzy sound.
"What do you mean?" asked the man, his eyes moving from Peter to Jason and back.
"I am asking, so I give you just to your level," Peter replied.
Another guard took a pocket knife from the table and the man's eyes widened, wondering what they were going to do to him. His eyes shifted to Jason, who had a sinister smile plastered on his face.