...
Elsewhere.
After a whole day of investigation, Reed finally came to a conclusion that he had to give up on the Titan's Bloodline.
Robert, like a typical protagonist he was, had some backing he couldn't pinpoint. And to make matters worse, time wasn't exactly on his side.
In two weeks apocalypse may began, giving him not enough time to plan and act upon it. And unlike Drake, he have to be brutal with Robert, a necessity to acquire his bloodline. For extracting his Bloodline may result in his dead, plus Robert wasn't any weaker than him.
Nonetheless, Robert wasn't his enemy, he did nothing to gain his hostility, so it's not like it's a do or die situation.
But he doesn't know that threads of fate are already aligning his path with the so-called protagonists.
...
"I'm back."
Reed intoned as he knocked at the door of the room where Suzie and Sophia stayed. The door slowly opened, revealing Suzie's cute aggressive expression, as if saying 'Not going to apologise!?'
Ignoring the sulking girl, he entered the room, found Sophia who was lazing in the sofa.
"Oh, you are back."
With a nod, Reed sat beside her, taking a calm breathe in, he said.
"I think we had enough fun in paris, right? Then it's time to go."
"Ah, so soon? We have only been here for a few days~."
Suzie complaint in a sulking voice.
"We aren't going back home, but to our next destination—China."
"CHINA!! I wanna roam around the sun temple, oh and the... umm... The great Wall too!!"
Hearing that they weren't going back home but continuing their journey, a huge cheeky grin appeared on her face.
...
Two days later.
Beijing International Airport.
Suzie stepped out of the terminal and inhaled dramatically.
"Ahhh~ The air smells… chinese."
Sophia shook her head in disapproval, while Reed laughed loudly. Suzie turned in a circle, already scanning for landmarks.
"Where's the Great Wall? I thought it would be visible from the airport."
Reed calmly adjusted the luggage strap on his shoulder.
"That's the moon you're thinking of."
She rolled her eyes at that, thinking why doesn't Reed tolerate her tantrums like other mans do for their woman.
Meanwhile, Sophia sighed softly as she followed behind them.
The flight had been long, but Suzie's energy was apparently powered by nuclear fusion. Reed wondered briefly if she would survive the apocalypse purely out of stubbornness.
A black SUV waited outside the airport.
"Wait… is that your car?"
Instead of answering, Reed pressed the unlock button on the key he held, the headlights blinked and the doors unlocked, Suzie slowly turned toward him.
"…Reed."
"Yes?"
"Why do you have a mysterious black car waiting for us in China? This did not happen when we went to paris."
He shrugged, not directly quenching her inquiry.
"Well, I have some plans."
When Sophia gave him a deep look, he just smiled innocently.
They loaded the luggage into the trunk. The SUV was large, reinforced subtly, but assuredly. Suzie ran her hand along the door.
"This feels like kidnapping equipment."
"Correct," Reed replied calmly. "We are kidnapping you."
She gasped.
"Mom! He finally snapped!"
Sophia rubbed her temples.
"Get in the car."
...
The city gradually gave way to highways and the highways gave way to countryside, as they moved, skyscrapers thinned, concrete softened into green.
Suzie pressed her face to the window again, watching the scenery change.
"Are we going to a hotel in the mountains?"
Reed's hands rested steadily on the steering wheel.
"Something like that."
After half an hour of winding roads, they reached a narrow private path.
"…Why are we turning into the forest?"
Sophia frowned slightly.
He smiled faintly.
"Trust me."
Suzie folded her arms.
"That is statistically dangerous advice."
The SUV rolled through a thick gate that opened automatically after biometrical recognition.
Suzie's jaw dropped.
The road curved upward, surrounded by tall trees, the mountain air crisp and clean.
And then what came into view was a huge, like really huge estate.
Surrounded by stone walls, reinforced steel gates, solar panels integrated along the sloped roof, watchtowers disguised as architectural features, a large courtyard, reinforced windows gleaming under the afternoon sun.
Sophia and Suzie stared without blinking at the architectual miracle as Reed turned off the engine, coming out of the SUV, he intoned lightly.
"…Welcome."
Sophia stepped out of the car slowly, taking in the scale of the place, her voice quiet.
"Reed… i don't think this is a hotel."
"It's not."
"Then what is it?"
Reed walked ahead, calmly replying.
"Our new home."
Suzie slowly turned to him, mouth wide open.
"You… bought a whole freaking mountain!?!"
"We, only part of it."
With this, silence insued, only the sound of wind rustling through the trees, and the birds chirping resonated.
Suzie blinked once, then twice, finally she screamed with all her heart.
"THIS IS INSANE!"
She ran forward, pushing past him and racing toward the entrance.
Sophia stood still for a long moment, complex thoughts flooding through her mind, as why he didn't tell them about this, why he didn't ask for their consent, and why they needed relocation. But she swallowed it back and just attered.
"You did this… for us, right?"
Reed met her gaze, understanding the flood of thoughts in her mind.
"Yes."
Sophia studied his eyes carefully, there was something beneath the calm, something dangerous.
'I sure hope your son had not become a psycopath killer.'
Inwardly grumbling, she shook her head and walked behind Suzie.
"…Alright, I'll trust you on this."
And just like that, she accepted it.
Suzie's voice echoed from inside.
"IT HAS A MOVIE ROOM!"
Reed allowed himself a small smile.
...
The estate was a fortress disguised as luxury. Underground water filtration system connected to mountain streams, independent solar arrays, geothermal backup, food storage rooms sealed and temperature controlled, steel-reinforced doors hidden behind wooden finishes, even an underground bunker accessible through a concealed panel.
Suzie ran through every hallway like she had discovered Atlantis.
"Why does the kitchen look like it belongs to a cooking show?!"
"Why are there so many freezers?!"
"Why is the basement door fingerprint locked?!"