Vyan stood still. Every muscle in his body locked in place as the three masked men faced him from the entrance. One held Elian tightly, a gun pressed to the boy's head, while the other two lingered like shadows.
Then, suddenly, one of them broke formation and darted toward the kitchen.
A beat of silence.
Then a sharp shriek pierced through the air. It was clearly Samantha.
Followed immediately by a loud thwack. The sound of something hard colliding with flesh and bone came.
Soon, a body hit the floor.
It was too quiet after that.
Amy whimpered in Vyan's arms, instinctively sensing something was terribly wrong. His hold on her tightened, shielding her trembling frame as he turned her face inward and gently cupped her head with his hand.
"Shh, it's okay, baby," he whispered. "Close your eyes for a bit. Dada will take care of everything."
