The threat at the door

In Jake and Violet's house:

La la la (Violet is singing) Ding dong.

"I'm coming! I think big bro is back. I wonder what surprise he has for me. Ahaha!"
She opens the door.

"Hello, little girl. Have you seen a boy about this tall, wearing black and grey clothes, with a bit of blue? He has a red ribbon around his neck and carries a sword."

Oh no! What do they want with my brother? They just described him perfectly... These four men don’t seem like the good kind. I better do something.

"Umm… no, I haven’t seen anyone like that."

"Oh, I’m sorry, little girl. It’s just that you look a lot like him."

"Hey guys," one of them whispered, "I think she’s messing with us. She looks just like him."

"Okay then, if there’s nothing else, I better get going."
She tries to close the door, but one of the men is faster and stronger.

"You little girl, don’t think you can mess with us just because you look like a stupid little kid," said one man.

"Let’s go inside. She might have pictures of her family—maybe the boy’s in one of them," said another.

Oh no, what do I do?
"Don’t go through my stuff! This is not your home. Get out!" said Violet, scared and afraid.

"Why are you talking back to your elders? Haven’t you learned any manners?" one said as he struck her across the face.

"Boss, I found the boy in one of the pictures!"

"You little liar!" the boss yelled. "You were hiding him! I’m going to teach you some manners. You two—tie her to a chair and don’t let her go."

"Yes, boss," the others replied.

"Let go of me! Get out of my house!" Violet cried.
One man grabbed both her hands, slapped her as he dragged her upstairs, tied her to a chair with tape, binding her wrists and mouth.

"Good job, guys. Now we just have to wait for her brother."

Meanwhile, back to the brother:

"Ooooh, I see the house! I'm always happy when I see our home—me and Violet’s—because I know she’s there, safe and sound," he said, giggling.

He began running toward the house. But as he reached it, something felt… off.

"What is this feeling? No, I can’t think about it now—I need to go inside."

He opens the door.

"Violet, I’m home!" he called out cheerfully.
But something was definitely wrong. Violet didn’t come when her big brother called. He rushed upstairs like lightning and tried to open her door—but it was locked.

"Violet? Is something wrong? Please open the door!"
Violet was taped up and couldn’t speak properly.

"Violet, are you okay?! Open the door, please!"
"Mmmhhmm!" she tried to cry out.

The boss whispered, "Make her quiet. Now."

Out of nowhere, one of the men pulled out a syringe and plunged it into Violet’s neck. Drowsiness hit her like a wave—her limbs went heavy, she couldn’t move, her eyes shut. She slumped to the floor, unconscious.

Jake was trying to break down the door—bam! bam! bam!—until the door crashed down.

He was shocked to see his sister unconscious on the floor, and the man he had met before standing over her.

"VIOLET!"

"Stop right there!" the man shouted. "If you don’t, your little sister won’t have a pulse anymore."

He grabbed Violet, dragged her up to his side, pulled her head back, and placed a knife against her neck.

Jake froze.

"What do you want?! Let my sister go, or I will—"

"Or you’ll what? Kill me? Ha! Don’t make me laugh. Don’t you know your sister’s life is on the line?"
The man smirked.

What do I do? I have to help her. I promised I'd protect her… and now this? I’m useless…
But the man was staring intensely at him.

"I have to say something..."

"So… what do you want?"

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