Chapter 4

The father's hand settled on my shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.

I got it at once and stayed silent.

The motion light out in the hall was still on.

My back pressed flat against the wall, and I could hear my own heartbeat, thud after thud, slamming against my eardrums.

About two minutes passed before that voice came again from outside the door.

This time it had changed its tone, slowing down, coaxing, the way you'd talk a small child into opening up.

“Little girl, can you open the door? I'm a friend of your dad's. He asked me to come check on you two before he left, said I'd bring you something to eat tonight.”

My stomach clenched hard.

Just as I thought. He knew my dad wasn't home.

He knew there was a girl in the house too.

But he didn't know my dad was a cop.

The danmaku blew up instantly.

【Still playing the friend?? The knife handle is already sticking out of his sleeve!!】

【They really think it's just two kids inside, figure a couple of lines will get the door open】

【Dying, they have no clue there are six plainclothes officers behind that door!】

The younger brother stuck half his head out of the closet, mouth already open to ask.

I clapped a hand over his mouth, pushed him back down into the pile of clothes, and made a shush sign.

He blinked twice, said nothing, and shrank back in.

The hall went quiet for a few seconds.

Then the voice came again, less patient now, an edge of threat in it.

“Kid, are you opening up or not?”

I didn't answer.

Another two minutes or so went by.

The corridor fell completely silent, silent enough that I could hear wind pouring in from the fire stairwell.

“Quit pretending! We've been watching for three days. Your parents are never home, it's just you two little brats in there!”

“Open the door nice and quiet, hand over the cash and anything worth taking, and we'll leave once we've got it. We won't touch you.”

He paused, then let out a low chuckle.

“But if we have to pry our way in ourselves, don't blame me for what comes next. I'll sell you off to some old man in the mountains as his child bride, and sell your brother to somebody as a son. Neither of you will ever come back.”

The words were barely out when a dull bang hit the door.

Someone drove a foot hard into it.

The frame shook, plaster dust drifting down the wall.

Right after came the screech of a metal crowbar wedging against the lock.

They'd started prying it open.

The danmaku went wild, characters stacking on top of each other, too fast for me to read.

【Can't take it can't take it! They're forcing their way in!!】

【Every knife is out! The ringleader's up front!!】

【Dying, thought they had two kids cornered, next second they walk straight into a cell!】

【Getting ready to spring the trap! Counting down to a commendation!!】

【Girls my heart can't handle this!!!】

I clenched my fist, nails digging into my palm.

I looked back. On either side of the entryway, two officers were already crouched and ready, like they'd spring out the next second and pin these criminals down.

The one in the kitchen stood sideways against the edge of the fridge, one hand already on the gear at his waist.

My dad stood just inside the master bedroom door, face grim, the weapon in his hand aimed at the front door.

“Crack!”

The lock shattered under the crowbar.

The next second the door was yanked open, and the black-hatted man at the front stepped in with a cold sneer, knife raised.

“You little brats, let's see where you run now!”