The atmosphere changed the moment Carlos showed up.
He gave his wierd smile.
The kind that meant something bad was about to happen.
Rufus slowly turned toward him.
Blood dripping slightly from his nose.
Breathing rough.
Carlos tilted his head slightly.
Then.
SNAP.
His fingers echoed through the empty hallway corner.
Immediately
Henry and Kelvin came from his back and charged Rufus.
Kelvin got there first.
A vicious punch slammed into Rufus' jaw before he could fully react.
His head snapped sideways.
Rufus turned sharply
but before he could retaliate.
Henry smashed another punch into his ribs.
Rufus staggered backward hard.
Trying to regain balance.
Carlos simply watched.
Smirking.
Then calmly said:
"…He's one of my own."
A pause.
"…Nobody touches him except me."
The statement was twisted.
Possessive.
Violent.
Rufus wiped blood from his mouth slowly.
Then laughed.
"…Actually.....I don't care."
His eyes sharpened.
"…Nobody messes with me either."
Carlos smiled widely
"Oh, you will regret this."
Then suddenly
Rufus grabbed Kelvin first
and hurled him directly into Henry.
Both crashed together violently.
Before they could recover
Rufus lunged.
A brutal punch dropped Henry instantly.
Then
he jumped.
KNEE!
Straight into Kelvin's face.
Kelvin hit the ground hard.
Rufus landed
spun
and drove a savage punt kick directly into Kelvin's head.
The sound echoed sickeningly.
Maria gasped.
Even Buck, still bleeding on the ground, looked shocked.
Henry staggered up angrily.
Ready to attack again.
But Carlos simply lifted one finger.
Henry froze instantly.
Rufus breathed heavily now.
Blood dripping down his face.
Then he looked directly at Carlos.
"…What?"
A crooked grin formed despite the blood.
"…Want some for yourself?"
Carlos slowly rolled his shoulders.
Then adjusted his sleeves calmly.
"…Please."
A pause.
"…Don't make this boring."
Rufus approached Carlos and swung first.
A vicious right hook.
Carlos leaned sideways smoothly.
MISS.
Carlos swung back wildly
Rufus ducked.
MISS.
Then,
BAM!
Rufus landed the first clean punch directly across Carlos' cheek.
The hallway went silent for half a second.
Carlos slowly turned his head back.
Touched the blood at the corner of his mouth.
Then smiled.
That terrifying smile again.
Carlos then threw another punch but Rufus dodges but before he could strike back a stomp kick smashed into Rufus' leg instantly.
His balance collapsed immediately.
Before he could recover.
A straight right hand directly to the nose.
Blood exploded instantly.
Another punch.
Then another.
Then another.
Rufus stumbled backward helplessly now.
His nose visibly broken.
Blood pouring down his face.
Carlos didn't stop.
He drove a round house kick into Rufus' ribs.
Followed by another punch.
Then another.
Then another.
Each one sounding worse than the last.
Rufus dropped to one knee coughing violently.
Carlos looked over his shoulder casually.
"…Buck."
Buck froze slightly.
Carlos smiled.
"…Care to join the party?"
Then he looked at Henry and Kelvin.
The three slowly stood up together.
Grinning.
Like wolves circling wounded prey.
Rufus looked up breathing heavily.
Still trying to stand.
Still refusing to stay down.
And that only made them enjoy it more.
Then,
they swarmed him.
Pure Brutality
Kelvin kicked first.
A brutal boot to Rufus' ribs.
Henry followed immediately.
Punch after punch to the face.
Carlos grabbed Rufus by the collar and slammed him into the wall.
Then drove a knee into his stomach.
Rufus folded instantly.
But before he could fall
Buck punched him across the jaw.
Rufus hit the ground hard.
And they kept going.
Kicks.
Punches.
Stomps.
No rhythm.
No mercy.
Just violence.
"STOP!"
Maria rushed forward desperately.
Trying to pull Carlos away.
But Carlos shoved her aside effortlessly.
"…Move."
She grabbed Henry's arm.
"…You're going to kill him!"
Kelvin laughed breathlessly.
"…That's the point!"
Another kick landed into Rufus' ribs.
Rufus barely even defended himself anymore.
Blood covered the floor beneath him now.
Tears streamed down Maria's face.
She looked around desperately.
Nobody nearby dared step in.
Then suddenly—l
she turned and ran.
Fast.
Desperate.
Terrified.
A few minutes later
footsteps thundered through the hallway.
Marco.
Hugo.
Andre.
Esmeralda.
Sonia.
Misheal.
Anastasia.
Maria led them desperately around the corner.
Then they froze.
Rufus barely looked conscious anymore.
Face swollen.
Blood everywhere.
Trying weakly to push himself up while Carlos stood above him.
Anastasia's eyes widened instantly.
"…Rufus…"
Her voice cracked completely.
"…RUFUS!"
She ran toward him immediately.
Devastated.
Terrified.
Meanwhile Marco froze in horror.
Misheal covered her mouth.
Even Esmeralda's expression hardened instantly.
Anastasia knelt beside him trembling.
Maria stood frozen.
Buck was breathing heavily, bruised and bleeding.
And standing in the middle of it all.
Carlos.
Calm.
Satisfied.
Blood stained his knuckles and sleeves.
Yet the smile on his face looked almost childishly happy.
Then slowly
he raised one bloodied hand.
And grinned.
"…We didn't do this."
Silence.
Then suddenly
he burst into loud laughter.
Wild laughter.
The kind that made everyone uncomfortable.
Henry and Kelvin laughed nervously behind him while Buck looked away awkwardly.
Carlos finally turned and began walking off casually like nothing happened.
But then.
"Stop."
Anastasia's voice.
Cold.
Shaking.
Carlos stopped.
Slowly turning around.
The moment he faced her
SLAP!
The sound echoed violently through the hallway.
Everyone froze.
Carlos' face turned slightly from the impact.
But he didn't react immediately.
Anastasia's eyes burned with rage and tears.
"…You animal."
She raised her hand again
But this time
Carlos caught her wrist instantly.
Hard.
Then
SLAP!
He returned the hit even harder.
Anastasia stumbled sideways from the impact.
Maria gasped.
Marco stepped forward instantly.
"…YO!"
Hugo moved too.
"…You piece of shit—"
Even Esmeralda started moving forward furiously.
"…Carlos!"
But suddenly
a hand caught hers.
Andre.
He held her wrist firmly.
Stopping her.
Esmeralda turned immediately.
"…Andre let go."
But he didn't.
His eyes remained on Carlos.
And Carlos smiled slowly.
Like he had been waiting for him to arrive.
Marco pointed furiously at Carlos.
"…You think you're tough because you jump people?!"
Carlos smirked lazily.
"…No."
A pause.
"…I know I'm tough."
Hugo jerked forward.
"…You're gonna pay for this."
Kelvin laughed instantly.
"…Pay with what? Don't tell me you are that stupid?"
Henry cracked his neck slightly.
"…He touched one of ours so he got what was coming for him."
Anastasia slowly stood back up beside Rufus.
Her face red from the slap.
But her eyes
pure hatred now.
"…If anything happens to him…"
Carlos interrupted immediately.
"…Something already happened to him."
Silence.
That line hit everyone.
Hard.
Carlos slowly walked closer now.
Not aggressive.
Calm.
"…Now listen carefully."
His eyes moved across all of them.
"…Nobody saw anything."
Marco scoffed angrily.
"…And if we talk?"
Carlos smiled wider.
"…Then things get worse."
A pause.
"…Much worse."
Even Hugo went quiet at the tone behind those words.
Because Carlos wasn't bluffing.
Not even slightly.
Carlos' signalled his boys and they all walked toward the staircase.
Then the hallway became quieter when he approached Andre.
Because both of them had been watching each other the entire time.
Carlos tilted his head slightly.
"…I'm happy."
A pause.
"…For the first time, we understand each other."
Andre's face remained unreadable.
"…I don't like your methods."
Carlos chuckled softly.
"…Methods don't matter."
A pause.
"…Results do."
Andre's eyes narrowed slightly.
Carlos stepped backward slowly.
Still smiling.
"…You'll learn eventually."
Then Carlos turned and walked off.
Henry and Kelvin followed immediately.
Buck hesitated slightly before following too.
The hallway remained dead silent after they disappeared.
Only Rufus' weak breathing could be heard.
Anastasia slowly knelt beside her brother again.
Hands trembling.
Maria looked devastated.
Marco punched the wall angrily.
Hugo cursed under his breath.
And Esmeralda
slowly turned toward Andre.
"You should have gotten involved."
Andre turned to her fully now
"This wasn't my fight."