Silent Havoc

Unseen Danger

The Next Morning

Silas was up early, quietly preparing breakfast for his grandmother before getting ready for school. He set the plate in front of her with care.

“Take care, Grandma,” he said, bowing his head slightly as he turned to leave.

Just as his hand touched the door, her soft, fragile voice called out, “Silas.”

He paused, turning back slowly. A rare, small smile tugged at her lips, a sight that felt unfamiliar.

“You look different… Not in a bad way. You look good,” she murmured.

Silas chuckled, a warmth spreading in his chest. He quickly turned away, his heart doing an unexpected flip.

What does she mean I look good? He wondered. It’s the first time she’s said something nice instead of scolding me… That’s… kinda cool.

As he walked to school, his attention was caught by a black van approaching from a distance. His instincts flared—nothing about this van felt right. It wasn’t the usual vehicle seen in their neighborhood, and something about the way it moved felt off.

The van slowed, coming to a stop just a few feet away from him. Then, it began reversing, moving steadily toward him. Silas’s heart rate spiked. He stopped, feeling the familiar twinge of danger rising in his gut. The van door slid open, revealing two men with unreadable, icy expressions.

His mind screamed at him to run. But curiosity held him frozen for a moment longer.

The men stepped out. They were fast—too fast. They knew he was on to them.

Silas feigned a step forward, then darted to the side in one swift motion, dodging their reach with perfect timing. The men stumbled, misled by his feint, their momentum carrying them too far.

As he sprinted away, one of them muttered darkly, “We’ll get him later. He’s smarter than I thought.”

At School

Silas arrived just in time to see Zulie stepping out of her driver’s car.

Zulie, the only daughter of a wealthy family, had everything money could buy—except companionship. Her parents were always absent, leaving her in the care of a personal accountant who tightly controlled her spending and rarely let her do as she wished.

Silas stood quietly, watching her.

Even with all that wealth… she still looks lonely, he thought. No family closeness. No one to talk to.

“Hey, Silas!” she called out, her smile lighting up her face when she saw him.

Despite her friendly nature with others, Silas was the only one she had truly started to open up to.

“I got something for you,” she said, pulling a bar of chocolate from her bag and holding it out to him.

He accepted it with a polite nod, a small smile touching his lips.

“Huh, now you’re coming to school earlier than me? I never thought I’d see the day,” she teased.

Silas cleared his throat, trying to hide his embarrassment. “My grandmother doesn’t send me on errands anymore.”

“Oh…” she said, her voice softening as realization dawned on her. It had always been his grandmother’s constant demands that had kept him late.

As they began walking toward the classroom, Zulie glanced sideways at him. “You seemed scared of the big boys yesterday,” she said quietly. “But now you’re acting like nothing happened.”

Silas shot her a sideways glance. “They’re nothing to worry about. But don’t get too comfortable. They’re still watching you.”

She chuckled, a playful grin on her face. “Haha, that’s because you’re with me. They won’t mess with me while you’re around. They’re scared of your superpowers.”

“I don’t have superpowers. Don’t believe the rumors,” Silas replied, quickening his pace as they neared the classroom.

Ever since his miraculous recovery after falling off the school rooftop two weeks ago, the rumors had spread like wildfire. No one could explain how he survived or why he returned, looking completely unharmed.

Inside the classroom, the big boys were waiting for Zulie, ready to corner her and extort her for something. But when Silas entered first, his presence alone made them hesitate. The once confident air around them faltered. Silas had become an unknown factor—and one they couldn’t ignore.

Later, Zulie leaned in close to him at his desk, her voice barely above a whisper. “Silas… I’m scared. The way they’ve been staring at me… I think they’re afraid of you. That’s why they didn’t drag me like usual.”

Silas leaned back in his chair, giving her a reassuring look. “Don’t worry. They won’t touch you as long as I’m here.”

She hesitated, glancing toward the door. “What if… what if they expose the pictures?”

“I’ll make sure they don’t,” he replied with a sigh, trying to mask the unease in his voice.

After School

The school day was winding down. Silas and Zulie made their way out, but a strange tension hung in the air. The two groups—X-Boys and the big boys—had set their plans into motion.

The X-Boys were waiting for Silas.

The big boys were lying in wait for Zulie, expecting him to leave her first.

“Bye, Silas. See you Monday,” Zulie said with a wave, stopping at her usual pickup spot.

Silas paused, his instincts on edge. Something wasn’t right.

“What is it?” she asked, noticing the way he was staring.

He turned back toward her. “Don’t you notice? The big boys usually leave together. But not today. They’re waiting for something.”

Zulie’s heart skipped a beat. “You think they’re after me?”

“I don’t know. But they’re probably waiting for us to split up. They’ll go after you when I’m not around.”

“Silas, please…” She bit her lip. “Just wait with me until my driver comes. I don’t want to be alone.”

He hesitated, then nodded. “Okay. But don’t worry. They won’t make a move as long as I’m here.”

They stood in silence, the tension thick in the air.

Zulie broke the stillness. “Silas… what are you doing this weekend? Maybe we could go out together?”

He shook his head. “I don’t go out.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“I just don’t.”

“Then… can I come to your house?” she asked softly. “I don’t want to be alone this weekend. I won’t bother you, I promise.”

Silas sighed, his gaze softening. “Don’t you have friends to hang out with?”

“They don’t care about me. They just see me as a burden.”

After a long pause, Silas finally spoke. “We could go to the game center. If you want.”

Her face lit up instantly. “Yes! I’d love that!”

Her driver pulled up, cutting their conversation short.

“Get home safely,” Silas said, turning to leave.

Inside the car, the driver raised an eyebrow. “Who’s that guy? Your boyfriend?”

Zulie didn’t respond, staring out the window.

“I see. Should I tell your mother about him?”

“Why would you do that? Can’t I have guy friends without being accused of dating them?” she snapped, her frustration clear.

Her parents were always trying to control who she associated with, making sure anyone outside their circle was labeled as a danger.

Back on the Streets

Silas walked home alone, the familiar route ahead of him. But as he rounded a corner, he suddenly staggered, clutching his head as a sharp pain shot through his skull.

“What… what is this?” he muttered, the pain searing through him before vanishing just as quickly.

Shaking it off, he continued walking, his senses heightened, as if something was about to happen.

And then, he walked straight into a trap.

The X-Boys were waiting, sticks in hand, fists clenched, their eyes full of malice.

Silas stopped dead in his tracks. He was surrounded.

“Well, well… the hero’s finally here,” one of them sneered.

“Took you long enough,” another grumbled, stepping closer.

“Almost thought you’d get away from us,” a voice called from behind.

Silas didn’t flinch. He calmly scanned their faces, not an ounce of fear in his expression. It was clear he’d been expecting this.

Suddenly, a van sped around the corner and skidded to a halt beside them.

The gang hesitated, confused and startled by the unexpected arrival.

The van door slid open.

“Hey kid, get in!” a voice called from inside.

Silas didn’t waste a second. He ran and jumped into the van, not looking back.

“Get him!” Victor screamed from the back of the group, his voice laced with fury.

The X-Boys began to charge, but two massive figures inside the van glared out of the window. The sight of them alone made the gang freeze.

The van sped off into the distance.

Silas sat back, trying to adjust to the dark interior, the heavy curtains blocking out the light.

“…Who the hell are you people?” he finally demanded, his voice strained from running. “What’s going on?”

No one answered.

He glanced around, trying to make out their faces in the dim light.

“Hey, I asked a question!”

One of the large men beside him spoke, his tone calm and reassuring, though his eyes were hard. “Relax, kid. You’ll get your answers soon enough.”