Chapter 13: Bucket in Hand, Coming Knocking

Words : 1703 Updated : Oct 17th, 2025

"You should be hurt!" Flynn took in the smashed front door, the broken furniture, then looked back at Otto Nicholson, standing there without a scratch. He just couldn't figure it out. Knowing the Glory Gang, they'd never come just to wreck stuff. A team member muttered behind him, "Maybe when the Glory Gang showed up, he wasn't here. They trashed the place and left." "Makes sense!" Flynn snapped his fingers. He turned to Otto and said, "You're lucky." "Lucky?" Otto looked even more confused. "Who exactly are you guys?" "Who are we? We're in uniform-what do you think we are?" Flynn's face hardened. "Let me jog your memory. Didn't you beat up two people today?" "Two? More than two, I think." Otto started counting on his fingers. By his count, at least forty or fifty. "Well, at least you're honest." Flynn exhaled slowly. "I'm mainly talking about Bryson Lawson and Gerald Lyson." "I know Bryson. Who's Gerald? The one from the herbal market?" Otto racked his brain. "Yeah, the one from the herbal market." Flynn took on an official tone. "You're suspected of assault. You need to come with us for questioning." "I don't have time." Otto held the medicine he'd just mixed and shook his head. "It's not up to your schedule-you're coming with us." Flynn's voice was firm. "And if I refuse?" Otto's face turned cold. He was used to giving orders, not taking them. No one had ever told him what he had to do. Flynn and his team felt the pressure of his presence. "If you refuse, that's resisting arrest-we'll have to use force." Flynn pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "That won't work on me." Otto's voice was calm. "Then how about this?" With lightning speed, Flynn drew his sidearm and aimed it at Otto. "That won't work either." Otto didn't flinch. Contempt flickered in his eyes. In the Valley of Villains, only the lowest of the low resorted to guns. "Cut the act!" Flynn was so mad he almost blew a gasket. He didn't believe for a second that Otto wasn't afraid of bullets. He'd seen plenty of tough guys fold the moment a warning shot was fired. He was about to fire a warning shot to call Otto's bluff when Nala Jameson came down the stairs, drawn by the commotion. The first floor of the Jameson residence was already trashed, so everyone had moved to the second. Seeing the black muzzle pointed at Otto, Nala nearly tumbled down the steps. "Otto Nicholson, hands up-just cooperate!" Nala shouted. She didn't care how Otto tangled with the Glory Gang. But right now, he was facing armed officers in uniform. All it takes is one slip of the trigger and he's a goner. "Finally, someone reasonable!" Flynn looked to Nala. "Please talk some sense into him. Resisting arrest won't help-it'll just get him a harsher sentence." "A sentence?" Nala instantly realized the Lawson family must've filed a report. "I think there's been a misunderstanding," she said quickly to Flynn. "Bryson Lawson provoked him first. Otto acted in self-defense." "Whether it was self-defense isn't up to you or me. Right now he needs to cooperate and come with us for questioning." Flynn kept his voice steady. "If he goes in, I'm worried he won't come out again…" Nala's brow furrowed. The Lawson Group's roots in Nykomar ran deep. With the right connections, they can twist the facts however they want. Otto wasn't likely to get a fair shot. Flynn knew how it worked. Thinking about Otto beating Bryson Lawson and Gerald Lyson-basically vigilante justice-he softened his tone. "Bringing him in is also for his protection." "Protection?" Nala looked puzzled. "You're from Nykomar, right? I don't need to spell out the Lawson family's reach. If he stays outside, they'll find ways to retaliate. He could pay with his life." Flynn hesitated, then added, "If he comes with us, we'll do what we can to get him some leniency." "All right." Nala figured fighting the patrol unit would only make things worse. She gritted her teeth and turned to Otto. "Go with them. Don't worry, I'll get you the best lawyer." "No need. I can handle it myself." Otto curled his lip. "How?" "My usual way." Otto lifted his fist. Across from him, Flynn tensed. Otto clearly wasn't like other suspects-he looked ready to fight. Just as Flynn considered whether to strike first, injure Otto, then haul him in, a renovation crew walked into the Jameson residence. "Police business. If you're not involved, clear out now!" Flynn kept his gun trained on Otto and called out to the workers behind him. He warned them three times, but they didn't move. Sensing something was off, Flynn glanced back-and nearly dropped his jaw. The foreman wasn't just anyone. It was Tyler, head of the Glory Gang. Tyler wore plain work clothes and carried a bucket of tools. Behind him stood the Glory Gang's eight guardians. All in work clothes, holding shovels, crowbars, and the like. "In costume? Undercover?" Flynn and his team exchanged baffled looks. Tyler shot Flynn a glance, ignored him, jogged straight to Otto, and bowed low. "Young Valley Master, we're here to fix your house." Originally, Tyler had wanted to hire a professional crew to repair the Jameson residence. The calls were made, appointments set. Then it hit him-misfortune and fortune are intertwined; sometimes trouble turns into opportunity. In the Valley of Villains, only the most formidable could serve Otto Nicholson-pour his tea, wash his clothes, mop his floors. Now Otto was in Nykomar. On his home turf, if Tyler played his cards right and took good care of him, misfortune might turn into fortune. So Tyler threw on work clothes and showed up with a bucket.

Chapter 13: Bucket in Hand, Coming Knocking

Comments (0)