Mission System: Rescuing Beauties in Distress

Chapter 4 - The Kidnapped Girl

While Andrew trudged through the mountainous desert landscape, Cassie struck up a conversation. “In the beginning, I loathed you for ruining my plan to end my life. But now, I think I will be able to live, so I just wanted to thank you for saving me.”

“I'm just happy that you're okay,” Andrew replied.

In fact, Andrew was also very grateful to her because he discovered a magical system inside him that gave him powers and items. And generally, being in the presence of such a beautiful woman was also a plus. He fantasized about the possibility that they would get together romantically.

Eventually, they came across a road that they hoped would lead out of the park. Cassie told Andrew that she was alright to walk for a bit and climbed down off his back. Andrew glanced at her face and saw that she looked a little happier compared to when he first met her. 

The two of them noticed a parked car on the side of the road some distance away, and Andrew pointed at it. “A sign of civilization! Maybe they will be able to help us.”

“I hope so. I want to get back to the city as soon as possible.”

Andrew encouraged her to quicken her pace, and when they got closer to the car, he started to wave at two people who were next to it. “Hey!” he called out. “Sorry to bother you, but we are stranded out here and would really appreciate a ride back to Phoenix if that's okay.”

The people next to the car quietly watched them approach and remained silent.

Andrew thought that he and Cassie looked a little deranged, so he chuckled. “I'm sorry about how we look. We got lost last night and have been trying to find help ever since...” 

When he got closer, Andrew froze when he saw that the two men were not alone. On the ground at their feet were two bodies covered in blood, with knives lodged into their chests. 

It was a quick realization that Andrew and Cassie had stumbled across a murder scene in the early morning dawn. Andrew was just about to reach for Cassie's hand to get her to run but had a look of pure horror on her face.

“You killed them!” she screamed at the two men.

“i***t! You should have just pretended you didn't see anything!” Andrew growled before he grabbed her arm and began to tow her behind him. He broke out into a run and prayed that Cassie would be able to catch up.

Now that they were witnesses, the murderers gave chase to Andrew and Cassie. They each pulled out a knife from their jacket pockets with a bloodthirsty look in their eyes. 

Andrew's stomach dropped when he realized that he would have to leave Cassie behind if he wanted to escape. This thought also came to Cassie's mind as she shook off Andrew's grip. 

“Run! I was the one who tried to kill myself earlier, so I should be the one who stays behind,” Cassie cried.

Andrew grabbed her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “I'm not going to run away by myself. Whether I live or die, I will be with you,” he vowed.

Cassie started to tear up, surprisingly affected by Andrew's declaration. She had always been affected by emotional moments in scripted shows but now felt that her life had become the stuff of fiction. Caught up in the moment, she gave him a quick hug. “Are you an i***t? We just met last night!”

Andrew smiled. “I risked my life for you the first time I saw you, and when I saw you up close, it was love at first sight.”

For the first time in a while, Cassie was at a loss for words. Their sweet moment was interrupted, however, by an unpleasant sound.

“I didn't know what to make of these two at first, but the chick is kinda beautiful, ain't she?” a man asked.

“You know what, you're right,” his accomplice answered. “How about this: I'll go stay with the bodies, and you kill that man. Then, we can have fun with her before cutting her head off.”

The murderers were right behind Andrew and Cassie, and the way they looked at Cassie made her want to vomit. 

“Andrew, kill me instead. I don't want to be their plaything,” she whispered. 

"Don't be afraid. I won't let them touch you unless they kill me first,” he promised. 

“Wish granted,” one of the men sneered.

A man who was a head taller than Andrew rushed upon him with his blade held high in the air, and Cassie squeezed her eyes shut and screamed.

Andrew quickly did a high kick that knocked the knife out of the murderer's hand before he started to repeatedly punch him. The man was struck to the ground and smacked his head against the pavement, and became unconscious. It turned out that the Bruce Lee card was indeed helpful, and Andrew quickly took care of the other man who was running back to the truck.

It was quite easy to deal with these scum with Bruce Lee's martial art skills. Although the effect only lasted for ten minutes, it just took Andrew five to finish them. He dragged both of their limp bodies back to the truck, where he hog-tied them with a rope he found in the back of it. 

However, it wasn't only roped that he found. There was also a girl tied up there, and Andrew guessed that she had been kidnapped. 

Andrew asked Cassie to stay with the girl while he checked to see if the victims on the ground were confirmed to be dead, which they were.

Cassie started to admire Andrew's “take-charge” attitude and thought that he looked a little attractive when he fought off those men. He began to make her feel secure, and if it wasn't for his actions, she would have been assaulted dead by now.

Cassie approached the girl in the back of the truck and tore the duct tape off her mouth. Immediately, the girl gasped. 

“Don't touch me!” the girl shouted. “There's a bomb attached to my body.”

Both Cassie and Andrew froze at the word “bomb.” The criminals they came across were indeed extreme.

“Cassie, don't move her. Check to see if there is a cell phone somewhere that we can use to call the cops,” Andrew instructed. Neither of them had dealt with a bomb before, so it was best to leave it to the experts.

“Tick tock...” a voice called out menacingly.

Cassie and Andrew turned to see that one of the murderers had regained consciousness. “We had to take care of the chick's bodyguards before we could enact our master plan,” he spat. “We are holding this stuck-up princess for ransom, but it seems like she's running out of time.” 

Nobody knew how he triggered the bomb, which started to make a sound from its position on the girl's waist. There were only ten, no, nine minutes and fifty-five seconds left.

“Don't even think of trying to dismantle it,” the man added. “Even I can't defuse it after it's been set off. After all, Victoria here will probably explode sooner than the timer indicates.” He then chuckled darkly.

Andrew kicked the murderer in the ribs. With no cell phone available, it was impossible to call the police. He looked at the pretty and young girl in the back of the truck and shook his head with regret.