Episode 50 — Iron Workers & Wild Animals

Episode 50 — Iron Workers & Wild Animals
“Screech…”
The sound of a red car braking echoed in front of Kenny’s Luxury house. It had a wide drop-off area with a staircase that looked like something from a mafia palace.
A man stepped out of the car and began walking the steps.
“This way, sir… Mr. Kenny is already waiting inside,” said one of Kenny’s bodyguards.
The man walked into the house.
“Kenny...... oh Kenny. My busy property tycoon friend!”
“Oh, you’re here, Michael… Lemme hug you.”
“Finally you’re relaxing a bit! I told you, life’s not just about control! Sometimes, you need to ease up. Fire a bullet or two!”
Michael’s laugh boomed through the air, loud and careless, filling the living room before he even took off his shoes. Rae lifted her face from the book she had been reading all afternoon in the corner of the room.
The sun was slowly setting behind the tall windows, casting golden light across the space. But that voice, that rough and full of dominance voice, broke the peace like a cold slap to the face.
Rae placed the book down gently. At the doorway stood a tall man with a large frame, wearing a half-buttoned shirt and a flashy oversized watch.
Michael....
Behind him, Kenny followed. He looked more relaxed than usual, or at least, pretended to be.
Michael glanced at Rae only for a second before turning back to talk to Kenny as if she wasn’t even there. Rae remained standing, watching him silently. There was no awe in her eyes, no curiosity. Just cold observation that asked for nothing in return.
Rae’s thoughts:
“Maybe his body’s strong... and his eyes seem made of iron. But the coldness isn’t from attitude, it’s from not caring....”
Kenny led Michael into the main lounge with wide sofas and expensive rugs.
“How are you, Michael? You doing alright? And Angelina too?”
“We’re doing fine, thank goodness. I was just thinking where to take Angelina this weekend. How about your villa up in the hills?”
“Huh? What for? There’s nothing up there…”
“Oh, you know… the usual things. A bit of hunting, barbeque, drinks, talking about those annoying European investors who love to act holy. How’s that sound?” Michael asked, pulling out a small bottle from his jacket pocket.
Kenny glanced at Rae. There was a short pause.
“Wanna come along?” he asked eventually. His tone was light, almost teasing. “You might want to see a world not usually open to activists like you.”
Rae raised one eyebrow, not replying immediately. In her mind, she knew this wasn’t a simple invitation. It felt like… a test. Maybe a trap.
“Fine,” she said flatly. “As long as I don’t have to cook.”
Michael laughed again, this time patting Kenny’s shoulder.
“I love girls like her. Sharp. But they know when to talk and when to keep quiet.”
Rae gave a littlel smile. She knew that wasn’t a compliment.
“Alright then, let’s get ready. I’ll call Angelina, so we can pick her up on the way and head straight to your villa, Kenny,” said Michael.
Kenny nodded. “Okay. We should get ready too, Rae. Bring your thick jacket. It gets pretty cold up there.”
Rae nodded. And began preparing....

Luxury cars rolled down the road that evening. The traffic was thinning out, and city lights began to replace the fading daylight.
Inside one of the black SUVs, Rae sat silently. In front of her, Angelina. A woman in a bright red dress wearing heavy perfume, kept checking her makeup in the mirror, even though it was already perfect.
“Michael says the place is amazing. I only came because I was bored at home. And the spa in that villa is supposed to be better than any hotel downtown,” Angelina muttered without turning around.
Rae didn’t answer. She only watched Kenny sitting in the front seat, leaning his head against the window. Quiet. Distant.
In the other car ahead, Michael was on the phone. His voice came through the vehicle’s internal radio.
“…foreign money’s easier to handle now. Just give them good wine and girls who know the roundtable codes. The rest is all about the presentation.”
Rae closed her eyes for a moment. This world… was far from the streets she once marched on. But maybe that was exactly why she had to be here.
“Ugh… the way these people do business is disgusting,” Rae muttered silently in her mind.

They finally arrived at Kenny’s villa.
His bodyguards quickly moved to secure the area, spreading out around the house and the nearby grounds.
The villa stood high on a hill, surrounded by untouched forest. With glass walls and a modern wooden structure, it looked like the kind of secret retreat the wealthy used when they wanted to feel “closer to nature”, but only just enough.
Night was falling when they sat down at the huge dining table. The food was rich and colorful, served over a marble surface that was far too shiny to be called casual.
“I once handled an underground project for a weapons dealer from the north,” Michael said, laughing as he sipped his wine. “We hid half a ton of steel under the foundation of a five-star hotel just to cover up illegal deals. Now that same place hosts peace conferences. Sweet irony, huh? Hahaha.”
“Hahaha… You really are a psycho, Michael,” Kenny replied, almost like it was a compliment.
Angelina laughed softly, then turned her face toward Rae. “Are you Kenny’s girlfriend? Or… one of his social projects?”
Rae looked at her for a moment. Her lips curved into a faint smile.
“I’m not sure yet myself....”
Kenny didn’t say anything. He simply took a sip of his drink and bit into a small piece of bread. His expression was calm, almost bored. But their eyes met for a second, and Rae could tell he was watching her reaction.
Rae’s thoughts:
“They call this power. But it feels more like a circus. Everyone wants to be a lion, but no one dares admit they’re the clown.”

The next morning, dew still clung to the grass as they got ready to hunt. Rae wore a warm jacket Kenny had lent her before. She didn’t know how to handle a gun, and she had no interest in learning. Still, she went.
Michael carried a rifle that looked far too serious for a weekend hobby. Angelina wore expensive boots that belonged more on a runway than in the mud.
“You’re not scared of the forest, Rae?” Kenny asked softly as they walked side by side.
“I’m more scared of the cities you build, Kenny.” she replied, without a smile.
Kenny chuckled. “Hahaha… Fair enough.”
They moved onto a narrow path through the trees. The forest was tall, damp, and quiet. Angelina took selfies with trees in the background, while Michael kept talking about the deer he’d seen the evening before.
“I think I’ll get one with nice antlers this time. Would look great in my lounge,” he said.
Rae didn’t speak. But her steps began to slow. Her breath grew shallow. This forest… it felt like a different world. The sound of branches cracking, birds calling, and distant hums made reality feel far away.
Cold sweat began to slide down Rae’s temple.
“You okay?” Kenny turned to her.
“I… I can keep walking....”
But her vision was starting to blur. Her steps grew unsteady. Then suddenly, a voice from the distance made everyone stop.
“I see it! Behind the bushes!”
It was Michael’s voice.
“Okay, I’ll go for this one myself. You guys can keep walking,” he said.
They split up. Michael went deeper into the woods alone. He looked back once, watching the others walk away, and then turned his focus toward the deer.
He crouched behind some bushes…
Peered through the scope of his rifle.
“Hmm… I’ve been after one like you for a while. This time, I won’t let you walk away.”
One second…
Two seconds…
Three…
'BANG...... !'
A loud gunshot rang out.
Birds flew off in every direction.
The ground seemed to tremble.
Then....
'THUD!'
Something fell. Limp.
But it wasn’t a deer.
RAE COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND.....
Her rifle slid from her hand.
Everything around her went dark.
“RAE!”
Kenny’s voice came from somewhere far, though he was already running toward her.
Rae’s last thought before everything went black:
“This world… isn’t about who’s strongest. It’s about who dares to sacrifice… for truth.”
And then.....
Darkness.

To be continued…