Chapter 2: Baddies

Words : 2621 Updated : Jun 5th, 2025

"Aah!" Upon hearing the gunshot, the panicked crowd suddenly froze in place, crouching in terror along the walls. "Stop right there!" A look of shock flashed across Nara's face. She completely forgot about Castiel's presence and spun around, locking eyes on the three figures that had suddenly appeared in front of her. She quickly raised her arm, aiming her pistol at the three men. "Shit! There are cops here, too?" The three men halted, quickly noticing the woman. "Hands up! You're under arrest!" Holding her gun with both hands, Nara was understandably nervous. This was her first big case as a rookie cop, but she didn't back down. "You bitch! Go ahead, shoot! If you fire that gun, everyone here dies! Drop it, or I'll blow this whole station sky-high!" Among the three, Baldie, in a black t-shirt, waved a detonator menacingly at Nara, his face twisted in a snarl. At Baldie's words, Nara's face went pale with panic. She knew hundreds of people inside the train station still hadn't evacuated, including quite a few of her fellow officers. If the station exploded, they would all be in grave danger. "I'm only gonna count to three! If you're still holding that gun after that, I'll take all of you with me!" Nara struggled, glancing at the crowd huddled against the walls, her heart filled with turmoil. Seeing her hesitate, Baldie started to lose his cool, raising the detonator high as he shouted, "One!" "Two!" The tension was palpable. Behind Nara, Castiel, who had been practically invisible until now, suddenly grew serious. Noticing the criminals' focus on Nara, Castiel quietly slipped into the crowd, huddled against the wall. It was not that Castiel couldn't take on the three of them—he just couldn't risk hundreds of lives on a bet, not if that bald guy's remote were real. Things were deadlocked, and now wasn't the time to lose his cool. Castiel knew that—he was Dragonsoul Squad captain, after all. All he could do now was watch and wait. "Alright! I'm putting the gun down. Don't do anything rash!" As Baldie opened his mouth again, Nara reluctantly set her pistol on the floor, loudly declaring her actions. She had no choice but to give in. "I'm warning you, don't try anything funny. Now kick the gun over!" Remaining vigilant, Baldie eyed Nara's gun at her feet. With a quick kick, Nara sent the black pistol skidding across the floor to Baldie. "Benji, Kirk! Tie up this cop for me. With her in hand, those cops won't dare act recklessly." A gleam of satisfaction flashed in Baldie's eyes as he bent to pick up Nara's pistol. "Alright!" The tall and short henchmen beside Baldie quickly slung their rifles over their shoulders and retrieved a rope to bind Nara. With so many hostages, Nara dared not resist. "Aah!" Suddenly, a woman's cry of pain rang out from the crowd huddled in the corner. "Someone help! There's a pregnant woman here. She's about to give birth!" Faces turned with alarm, and everyone gathered around a woman on the ground, her belly protruding in agony. She was pale as a sheet, her face slick with sweat. She looked to be in her early thirties, pretty old for a first-time mom. "Damn it! What a nuisance!" Baldie shot an annoyed look at the pregnant woman on the floor, and started to raise his gun. "Stop! If you hurt a hostage, the cops will bust in here for sure." Hearing Baldie's move, Castiel's expression changed, and he sternly shouted from the crowd. Nara, still tied up and watching from the side, quickly added, seeing the gun in Baldie's hand. "If you hurt any of the hostages, the cops will storm in, and you'll never get out of here." His tall and skinny henchmen looked rattled, glancing nervously at the pregnant woman on the ground. They hesitated, "Boss, we're just here to do the job. Why piss off the cops? These people are as good as dead anyway. Just let her go for now." Hearing his men, Baldie gave the pregnant woman a cold glance, then focused on Nara. "I ain't scared! Even if I don't shoot her, she won't last much longer. And don't think I'll just hand her over to the cops!" Baldie lowered his gun, a cruel smile on his lips. "There's no time. I'm a doctor! Hold her down, I'll handle the delivery," a steady, commanding voice cut through the chaos, snapping everyone back to reality. "Hurry up and help!" Jolted into action, the crowd followed Castiel's instructions to restrain the woman. "Doctor, please... I'm begging you, save my baby!" Clutching Castiel's arm, the woman convulsed in pain, her face ghostly pale and eyes full of desperation. Hearing her plea, the crowd exchanged worried glances, everyone looking to Castiel for help. Off to the side, still tied up, Nara stared at Castiel in shock, her eyes full of disbelief. She mused, "Wait. He's a doctor?" "Hmph!" Standing still, Baldie glanced at Castiel and pulled out his phone, showing no further interest. "Relax, keep your breathing steady, and leave the rest to me." A rare, serious expression replaced Castiel's usual playful look. The woman was already over thirty. Her water had already broken, but how bad things were wasn't clear. If they didn't deliver the baby soon, both she and the child could be in serious danger. Castiel had learned medicine from Grissom as a kid and then spent years as an army medic. He'd read just about every medical book, but this was his first time delivering a baby. Placing a hand on the woman's wrist, Castiel frowned slightly after a moment. "Her heartbeat's irregular, and her blood pressure's high. If it's a high break, this could be tricky." The crowd grew puzzled when they saw Castiel's actions. Who the hell takes a pulse when delivering a baby? They'd be floored if they knew Castiel could tell so much just from her pulse. Castiel produced two silver needles from his pockets, accurately inserting them into the woman's body. "Breathe deeply. Don't worry." Soon, her body stopped convulsing, and her breathing evened out. "Hey, look! She's looking a lot better now!" The crowd's tension eased at the sight, relief washing over them. "Don't get excited yet. Hold her down, I'm starting the delivery!" Castiel's heart held no joy, watching the amniotic fluid slowly pooling beneath the woman. He knew she was indeed experiencing a high break. A regular doctor could handle this in a hospital, but the circumstances were dire. Any mistake could cost the mother and child their lives. "No choice but to induce labor!" A high break progressed too slowly. If they waited any longer, there was no way both of them would make it. Lacking induction drugs, Castiel had only one option. Targeting a spot half an inch below her navel, Castiel raised his right hand, inserting a long silver needle. With three needles in place, Castiel pressed his palm to the woman's abdomen. From deep within, Castiel sent a surge of energy down his arm and into the woman's body. Who would've thought, after more than a decade training his true energy, it'd actually come in handy here? Castiel gave a wry smile. Feeling the tremor within the woman's belly, he sensed the baby's movement. "The baby's heartbeat is a little weak, but the kid's still okay! Don't panic. Just push slowly." Then, he flashed a reassuring smile at the crowd. The woman felt a newfound strength within her, sustaining her through the ordeal. With a gentle push, Castiel felt the baby's head moving downward. His hand on her belly, Castiel channeled his energy steadily into her. "Inhale... exhale..." At his guidance, the woman breathed deeply, pushing with greater force. Everyone around was holding their breath, hearts in their throats. Nearby, Nara observed Castiel's sharp features, her emotions in turmoil. The man in front of her seemed completely different from the guy who'd teased her earlier.

Chapter 2: Baddies

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