Chapter 14 – Sabotage

Mr. Hartono walked briskly towards Maree Park, he was already late. “Hopefully my men will be able to keep it up,” he said, thinking of the factory. He had a feeling that they wouldn’t be able to.

He saw the Protector sitting on a park bench, he was fidgeting and looked like he was about to leave. It was starting to get dark and Mr. Hartono felt the cold wind blow against his face, and clutched his coat tighter. He walked up to the target and looked around for Rye. He saw someone move in a bush nearby. “Rye I’m counting on you and your men, don’t let me down.” He’d told him before leaving for the factory.

“I won’t sir, and I’ll let you know I’m there,” He’d replied.

Just before he sat down next to the Protector someone bumped into him and looked into his eyes. It was Rye, and he was here.

“Hello Mr. Hartono,” the Protector greeted him in his thick Russian accent. “How have you been?”

“Good. Now down to business…” Mr. Hartono stopped. If Rye had bumped into him then who had been in the bushes?

“What is it Hartono?” the Protector inquired.

“Oh nothing,” Mr. Hartono shook his head, all these inane worries. What was becoming of him? “Why did you want to see me?”

“I have something to discuss with you.”

“Yes?” Mr. Hartono responded, what was that rustling behind him? He hadn’t given the signal yet.

“I am not happy. You see my life has become one of killing and cold heartedness. I suppose it has been all along, but I’ve only just realised it lately.” The Protector explained.

“We all have some troubles with the position we are born into, but it is our destiny, old friend,” Mr. Hartono was becoming paranoid, and he couldn’t listen to this incessant babble any longer. He was about to give the signal when a loud boom came from the lake. Mr. Hartono and the Protector stopped talking and both looked down towards it.

The distraction had worked and now Amy and Brant had to jump the two sitting on the bench. They came up from behind and started to strangle them, the two immediately struggled.

“What’s happening?” the Protector yelled out in alarm.

“I don’t know,” Mr. Hartono coughed. He was feeling dizzy, “Rye, where are you?”

The Protector wasn’t in quite as bad a position as Mr. Hartono and he managed to fling Brant over his head and make him fall awkwardly onto the gravel path in front of him.

Chelley and Callie approached the Protector, just as Mr. Hartono passed out.

“Help!” Amy cried out from behind him. Some men in dark clothes had grabbed her; it looked like there were five in all.

“Amy!” Callie called to her in distress. That moment's distraction was all the Protector needed, he made a motion with his hands and Callie flew backwards and starting rolling down the bank towards the lake. Chelley just watched in horror.

Brant got to his feet again and headed towards Amy, trying to save her. But the men pulled out rifles and pointed them at him. He was no match for them so he put his hands on his head and fell down to his knees in surrender.

Chelley tried to use her power against the Protector, but he was too strong for her and she too was pushed back down the bank like a rag doll.

Heath and Cindy were the only ones left and they were about to get up to confront the Protector when something unexpected happened. The men who had captured Amy and Brant started shooting at the Protector. A few bullets connected and he fell to the ground, dead. The men who had shot him searched his body and found the statue.

“Cindy quickly! We can’t let them get the statue.” Heath ordered.

They rushed to their feet and started running towards the men with the statue. It was dark and hard to see and to make things worse it started raining. Cindy saw Heath pull out a gun from his pocket and take aim at one of them. He hit him in the leg. The other men noticed them and started shooting too. “Get down!” Heath yelled at her. They hit the ground at the same time. “Cindy you have to use your power!” Heath told her.

“I can’t,” she said, “I’ve tried but I can’t!”

“Cindy I know you can… ah!” He screamed. He’d been shot.

“Heath!” she shouted.

“Don’t worry about me, use your power!” he pleaded while clutching his arm.