MY PERFECT BODYGUARD 2 CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR INFERNO

 Linda, Emma, and Nina sat at the dining table, each lost in their own thoughts. Emma's restless tapping on the ground made Nina feel a bit uneasy.

"Hey, could you please not do that? It's disrupting my thought process," Nina requested, causing Emma to stop.

"Sorry about that," he apologized.

After a long moment of contemplation, Emma turned to Nina. "Hey, now that your thinking process isn't disrupted, mind sharing with us what you've been thinking about?" he asked.

"Haha, funny," Nina mimicked, rolling her eyes. "You really have to tease me?"

"Clearly, I didn't. You're the one making that up. I just asked a simple question," Emma replied innocently.

"Oh, a simple question, is it? Coming from you, I know you're just doing it to get back at me," Nina retorted.

Sensing the tension rising, Linda intervened. "Can we please not argue now? I mean, Gideon is with Richard, and we don't know what his next move might be. So, arguing should be the last thing we do right now," Linda said firmly, prompting Nina and Emma to compose themselves.

"One thing's for sure, if Gideon wants to torture Richard, he won't do it in the company. He'll go to his lair or something," Emmanuel speculated.

"So, we need to find out where that lair is and strategize a plan to break Richard out while staying clear of danger," Nina suggested.

"Does anyone come to mind who might know where he's taken Richard? Someone who would be kind enough to give us a direction?" Nina asked Linda.

"Well, there's only one person who would be that helpful, and that's Victor," Linda replied.

"Hey, didn't you hear nina say 'nice enough to tell us'? I think Victor is far from nice after he led us right into a trap," Emma argued.

"I know, but he's the only one with the best chance of giving us information nicely," Linda reasoned.

"You just love pushing me out of my comfort zone, don't you?" Emma retorted.

"Do you have anyone else in mind? I'm all ears," Linda asked as Emma fell silent.

"No, Victor it is," they agreed as they prepared themselves and gathered some weapons for protection.

As Richard regained consciousness after being taken by Gideon, he found himself in a prison cell, untied but unable to stand on his feet. Despite having the bullet removed and receiving treatment, he still experienced intense pain. 

With great effort, he rose gently onto his feet, limping from the discomfort. A security guard nearby noticed his awakening. "You're awake?" the guard remarked, then added, "The boss needs you now." 

Without hesitation, the guard opened the cell, tied Richard up again, and dragged him down to the basement once more.

As he was dragged down to the basement and tied tightly to a chair, Gideon emerged once more. "Why haven't you ended me yet? I've made it clear that I'd rather die than work for you," Richard said, his voice weak from pain.

Gideon leaned in, his eyes piercing. "Have you heard about our history? How we've conquered in the last ten years, how people have feared and respected us? This fraternity is the best you'll ever see. It guarantees you protection for you, your family, and the next generation. You have great potential, Richard. Usually, it takes ten years to become my five-star general, but you don't have to go through all that. All you have to do is say yes," Gideon offered.

He paused, his tone softening. "Remember, you have a family, a mother, and a sister. It would be a shame to leave them in this cruel world knowing full well that you had a choice."

"How dare you drag my family into this?!" Richard exclaimed angrily. "The same family you almost destroyed?"

"I've seen your history, how you kill people because they didn't do your bidding, how you take out their children like it's nothing. You have destroyed families. Your men and you have a lot of blood on your hands, and you think you're a great empire?" Richard continued, his voice laced with disgust.

"All I can see is someone foolishly using power on anything. I don't see greatness; all I see in this fraternity is fear," Richard concluded firmly.

"I'm usually not someone who takes the law into my hands, but this time I think I will," Richard declared. "Laura, activate the bomb," he commanded, as the artificial intelligence responded after a few seconds.

"Bombs deployed and activated. All buildings are about to explode in 300 seconds," Laura announced.

Gideon was in shock and anger. "What did you do?!" he demanded, pulling out his pistol and pointing it at Richard. "Stop whatever games you're playing, or I'll put a bullet in your skull."

"Well, if you shoot me, I'll use my last breath to tell Laura to remove the 300 seconds and blow up all your headquarters. I mean every nook and cranny of this place," Richard warned.

"You're bluffing," Gideon retorted.

"Why not stick around and find out?" Richard challenged.

Immediately, one of the buildings in Gideon's fortress exploded, causing screams and chaos as men ran for their lives.

"200 seconds," Laura informed.

"I will come back for you, and when I do, I will destroy you," Gideon threatened.

"Don't worry, I'll come for you first," Richard promised.

Gideon raced out of the basement and ordered his men to run for their lives. Another building exploded, and the Falcons scrambled to safety, fleeing in cars and vans.

Victor was locking up his house to go out when he suddenly found himself confronted by guns and arrows wielded by Nina, Linda, and Emma.

"Woah, slow down," Victor exclaimed, raising his hands in surrender. "Oh my God, you guys made it away from Gideon. I'm glad you're okay," he added.

"Do you think we're here to crack jokes with you?" Linda retorted, her double-barrel shotgun aimed at his head.

"What do you want?" Victor asked, trying to keep calm.

"First, open the door. We need to talk," Nina commanded. Victor complied, allowing them inside and taking a seat as instructed.

"Now, explain to us why you would set me up to Gideon for good after everything I've done for you," Linda demanded.

"I know it's hard to believe, but giving that company to Gideon was the best thing. As long as you're the CEO, people will be coming for you. They'll never let you rest. I mean, where on earth have you heard of a teenage girl being the CEO/owner of a multi-billion dollar company? It's crazy," Victor explained.

"I never complained. I think I was doing just fine with the company," Linda countered.

"No, you didn't. I mean, you never did," Victor replied cryptically.

"Is that why you set me up with Gideon?" Linda questioned, her tone laced with disbelief. "I mean, Gideon was going to kill you. He saw it as a great idea, the only idea. I was the one who brought up the idea of you signing it to him. That's why he let you go after you signed. I was just looking out for you, Linda, believe me," Victor pleaded.

"Do you know what my dad went through to keep that company, and I gave it away just like that?" Linda retorted, frustration evident in her voice. "And Richard, why did Gideon take him?" she pressed further.

"Well, Richard is the only thing standing between him and the company, not really you. I mean, isn't that clear?" Victor stated.

"I don't understand. How is he the only thing standing between him and the company? I'm the owner, not him," Linda countered.

"Are you really asking?" Victor replied incredulously. "Richard has been a pain in his ass for months now. He's wounded some of his Falcons, displayed a masterclass of strategic fighting, and won in every single one of them," Victor explained. "So it's either Richard joins him and his army, or he kills him. I don't know what choice he will make."

"Do you know where he'll be keeping him?" Nina asked Victor.

"Well, in his fortress, probably. Don't tell me you're going there," Victor responded.

"We don't have a choice," Linda said firmly.

"Believe me, that place is so impenetrable. Trust me on this one; you won't last seconds there," Victor warned.

Emma, who had been on his phone, interjected. "Hey guys, can someone switch to channel 21?"

Victor grabbed the remote and changed the channel. 

"On the morning news, as one of the country's most feared men, Gideon Hopper, the leader of the Falcon Fraternity, has had his fortress exploded bit by bit this morning by a bomb. As of now, the whole fortress is on fire, and according to the fire department, numbers of the injured and the ones killed in the fire are yet to be reviewed. It's Christie on the news," the reporter announced.

Linda turned to Victor, her eyes widening in shock. "Did you just say that Richard is there now?" she asked.

Victor nodded, confirming her suspicion. "Yes," he replied simply.

"Oh my God," Linda gasped, realizing the gravity of the situation.