Chapter 33: Chapter 33: The Bad Guy Pulled Mom Into the Room
After hearing from the animals, Renee Jennings immediately pulled out her phone to call Diana Jennings.
It rang for a long time, but no one picked up.
A sense of unease washed over Renee.
She looked down at the dogs before her, her expression grim. "My friends, I need immediate backup."
"Tell us, Renee!" the four-eyed dog said, looking at her expectantly.
The other dogs were excited too.
āEmergency backup! That sounds so cool!ā
Reneeās crisp voice was laced with fury. "That man with the fleshy mole is bullying my family. Iām going to teach him a lesson!"
"Youāre faster than me. Go on ahead and save my sister and nephew."
The moment she finished speaking, the animals sprang into action, following the scent toward Unit 3 in Building 4 of Prosperity Gardens.
Pedestrians who saw the huge pack of dogs sprinting down the street were so stunned by the sight that they scrambled to get out of the way.
The dogs, however, didnāt spare them a glance, focused only on racing toward their destination.
A little kid shouted excitedly, "Mommy, itās the Paw Patrol!"
Bystanders pulled out their phones to record the scene.
Renee looked away, called the police, and then ran into Prosperity Gardens, clutching Bella.
**
"Zane!" Jasmine wailed.
"Let go of my son!" Diana shouted, her heart pounding with terror. "Donāt you dare touch him!"
"This is your fault for not keeping your son in line!" The man with the fleshy mole had just made a move on Diana, but Zane intercepted him with a bite. Enraged, the man grabbed the boy and lifted him into the air.
Zaneās small, youthful face was filled with defiance and fury. "You big bad guy! Donāt you bully my mom!"
A vicious look crossed the manās face as he raised a hand and squeezed the boyās cheek. "Shut your mouth, you little brat!"
"Let him go!" Diana pushed Jasmine into another room, gritted her teeth, and lunged forward to get Zane back. "Give me back my son!"
"Mom, donāt worry about me! Protect my sister!" Zane yelled, his face flushed red.
The man with the fleshy mole dodged Diana and dragged Zane into another room with an open door, dangling him like a kitten.
"Donāt hurt him!" Diana cried, chasing after them.
The manās eyes, like a viperās, fixed on her. "Diana Jennings, if you donāt make me happy today, you might just get your son killed."
"No!" Diana cried, on the verge of breaking down. Seeing the red marks on Zaneās face from the manās grip felt like a knife twisting in her heart. "What is it you want?"
"I already told you. Make me happy!" The manās vulgar gaze raked over her body. He licked his lips. "Itās not like youāre some innocent maiden. You know what I mean."
Diana gritted her teeth, suppressing her rage. "My son is here. Itās not right."
"Thatās easy enough." The man walked to the doorway and tossed both Zane and the phone out.
"There, baby. Satisfied now?" he sneered, closing the door and walking toward Diana with a lecherous grin.
Suddenly, a THUD came from inside the room.
"Mom!" Fearing his mother was being hurt, Zane scrambled up from the floor and ran to open the door.
A second later, the phone the man had tossed out began to ring.
Zane snapped out of it and quickly answered the phone.
His auntās voice came through the receiver. "Diana? Are you guys..."
Zane didnāt wait for her to finish. "Auntie Renee! Help Mommy! A bad man pulled her into the room!"
Renee replied, "I know. Zane, open the front door right now. Iāve already called for backup."
Zane scrambled to do as she said. "Auntie, I opened the door!"
Renee said, "Good. Is the door to the room the bad guy is in locked?"
Zane hesitated. "I donāt know. Should I go try and open it to see?"
Renee said calmly, "Just try the handle to see if itās locked. Donāt push it open."
Zane walked to the door, stood on his tiptoes, and pressed down on the handle.
"Auntie! Itās not locked!" The boyās eyes lit up.
Renee was nearly at the building and instructed, "Zane, the moment you see the dogs, open the door, understand?"
Clutching the phone, Zane replied earnestly, "I know, Auntie!"
The words had barely left his mouth when several dogs suddenly burst in.
Zane remembered his auntās instructions and immediately stood on his tiptoes to open the bedroom door. "Auntie! The dogs are here! Iām opening the door!"
The lead dog, the four-eyed one, glanced at him. "Not bad, human kid."
It led the pack of dogs as they charged into the room.
Diana was pinned to the bed by the man. She fought back, struggling with all her might.
Memories of that night five years ago flashed through her mind.
Tears blurred her vision.
A sharp pain suddenly stabbed at her heart, as if she were being sliced by a thousand knives.
She was filled with so much hatred, so much despair.
Diana was in agony.
The more she suffered, the more excited the man became.
He violently ripped open Dianaās sweater. Just as he was about to lower his head, he felt something brush against his foot.
He looked down, and his pupils contracted violently.
āHoly crap, where did all these dogs come from?ā
The four-eyed dog met his gaze, then leaped up and headbutted his forehead. "Boys, this is the pervert Renee told us about! Get him!"
At the dogās command, the pack pounced on the man to give him a proper "greeting."
Some bit his legs, others his ass.
"AHHHHā" The man screamed in agony, no longer able to focus on Diana.
Diana seized the opportunity to escape. She was stunned to see the room was now full of dogs.
Her thoughts immediately went to her children, and she hurried out of the room.
"Donāt you dare leave!" The man reached out to grab her, but one of the dogs lunged forward and sank its teeth into his hand.
The manās face twisted in pain.
Diana rushed into the living room and cupped Zaneās face in her hands, her voice choked with sobs. "Zane, does it hurt?"
"It doesnāt hurt." Zane shook his head, his eyes full of concern. "Are you hurt, Mommy?"
As he spoke, his gaze fell on his motherās torn sweater.
Diana noticed his stare and quickly explained, "Zane, Mommyās fine. My sweater just got ripped. Letās go check on Jasmine."
When Renee arrived, she found the family of three huddled together in a room, all crying.
"Diana! Zane, Jasmine!"
"Renee!" Diana looked at her, tears streaming down her face.
Renee strode over and pulled her into a warm, strong hug.
"Itās okay, Diana. Iām here," she said softly.
Diana nodded hard.
"Mommy, Auntie Renee was the one who called the Paw Patrol for backup!" Zane said, looking at his aunt with clear eyes full of admiration.
"The Paw Patrol?" Jasmine, still unaware of what had happened in the other room, looked confused. "Where are they?"
Zane took his sisterās hand. "Iāll show you."
Inside the other room, the man with the fleshy mole lay on the ground, barely breathing. His clothes were torn to ribbons, and his hands and feet were covered in a dense pattern of bite marks.
The four-eyed dog surveyed the scene, looking unsatisfied.
It circled around to the manās head, lowered its snout to sniff him, and then, as the man watched in terror, opened its mouth.
Seeing this, Zane quickly covered his sisterās eyes.
A moment later, a bloodcurdling scream echoed throughout the entire apartment.
When the police officers arrived, they were horrified to find a dozen or so dogs swarming the man.
They had never seen a scene like it.
They didnāt dare approach and decided to call for backup.