BXBX NOVEL Chapter 82 Reaction Time
The Tower Bar in San Diego was an impressive sight. Its modern glass exterior shimmered in the moonlight, giving it an expensive and sophisticated look. As the group entered, they were greeted by the sound of live music and the delicious smell of grilled steaks and cocktails.
The interior of the bar was just as impressive, with high ceilings, plush leather couches, and stylish modern decor. The walls were adorned with various art pieces, and the ambiance was perfect for a night out with friends.
Zelena led the group to a reserved table in the center of the bar. The table was decorated with a bouquet of fresh flowers and a bottle of champagne, which Justin immediately popped open to celebrate their night out.
The waiter approached the table, and with a suave smile, he took their orders, promising them a culinary experience they wouldn\'t soon forget.
As they waited for their food, they sipped on their drinks and chatted away about their lives, telling funny stories and making each other laugh. The atmosphere was lively, and the energy in the air was infectious.
Finally, the food arrived, and the group dug in, savoring every bite. They toasted to good food and company.
As the night grew later, the partygoers started to arrive, all of them exuding an air of wealth and exclusivity. The place was filled with celebrities and children of powerful elites, all mingling and sipping their drinks.
But amidst the crowd, one man stood out. He was tall, appealing and handsome, and was attracting the attention of most of the ladies in the bar.
"Check out that guy over there. He\'s smoking hot. Is he friends with Justin?" A sexy singer with thick eyeliner whispered, her voice laced with curiosity.
"Do you want me to introduce you to him?" Her friend giggled mischievously.
"I think we definitely should," she replied with a sly smile.
But as they walked towards Justin\'s group, a band of girls intercepted them and greeted Justin first .
"Please introduce your friend to us, Justin," a girl with sassy clothing winked at him.
"This is my friend Fir. Fir, meet Lyn, the leader of Eternal Princess, one of the top group artists in the US." He replied.
Elaine and Zelena exchanged looks, both feeling uncomfortable with Justin\'s unnecessary actions.
"Why is he doing this?" Zelena grumbled to herself while sipping her wine.
Elaine on the other hand tried to hide her discomfort, not wanting Justin to notice.
Meanwhile, Fir forced a smile for those who wanted to know him, but his mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of Elaine. He might have wanted to sleep with Lyn on any normal day, but tonight was different.
***
***
***
Outside the bar, a normal looking black van sat waiting. Its exterior was newly sprayed, and inside, a group of shady-looking men were plotting something sinister.
"You sure we\'re gonna do this, man?" a burly man with a thick accent asked nervously. He had just been released from prison and was already being sucked back into a life of crime.
"Don\'t be a punk, Tyrone. We gotta take out that crew and we\'ll be making six figures," a man with a hooded mask growled in response. The others nodded in agreement, their faces twisted into cruel sneers. They were from the streets and were determined to make a quick buck, no matter what it took.
"Yo, listen up. We got an inside guy who\'s gonna signal us when our target is comin\' out," said the man with a hooded mask. He checked the magazine of his semi-automatic SMG while the other gunmen geared up with high-powered guns, illegally obtained so the cops couldn\'t trace the bullets.
The van they were in was hot property, stolen and spray-painted to look like a normal van. They weren\'t messing around.
***
***
***
As the clock struck midnight, they decided to call it a night.
Fir didn\'t have a chance to talk to Elaine privately, but he wasn\'t too worried. He caught her Instagram handle earlier and planned on following her as soon as he got home.
Interestingly enough, She had purposely mentioned her Instagram handle loud enough for Fir to hear. She knew Justin wasn\'t the faithful type and figured she might as well see what other options were out there.
Little did she know, Fir was already thinking the same thing about her.
Unfortunately, he couldn\'t shake off the nagging feeling about his past. He needed answers and he felt that Elaine might be able to give him some clarity. He knew it might seem like cheating to Isabella, but he hoped she would understand his curiosity.
As they were about to exit the bar, Fir suddenly sensed something was off. His instincts were telling him that danger was approaching. He suddenly froze, causing the whole group to come to a halt.
Then, out of nowhere:
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-rat-a-tat-tat-tat
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-rat-a-tat-tat-tat
Bullets rained down on them. They were close to the exits, so some of the bullets whizzed past them.
The night air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and blood.
A rapper crew had been ambushed, and the gunfire had cut through the night like a knife through butter. The attackers were ruthless, and their aim was true.
Fir and the others were just collateral damaged.
Justin immediately dove for cover, fear coursing through his veins. Zelena and the other girls followed suit.
Panic spread like wildfire as Justin and his group scrambled to find cover.
However, amidst the chaos, Fir\'s instincts kicked in. He felt a surge of adrenaline and saw everything in slow motion.
But he saw something that shook him to his core. He could see a bullet heading straight for Elaine, who was slow to react.
"I need to save her," he muttered to himself. And then, something strange happened. It was as if time had slowed down, but really, he was moving so fast that he was able to grab Elaine and pull her out of harm\'s way.
"Swoooooosh". He zoom out and turned into a blur.
The bullet still grazed his shoulder, but it wasn\'t a serious injury.
"Are you okay ?" He asked Elaine while he used his body to shield her from any incoming bullets.