Ste gently patted Marvin''s head, whispering, "It''s okay, I''ve already called the police."


    As she spoke, the call connected.


    Ste maintained a calm demeanor, though her voice was filled with urgency as she recounted the danger they were in.


    "There''s a crazy man outside trying to break down our door, threatening to kill us... It''s terrifying. We''ve got a five-year-old kid and a seventy-something-year-old man here... We''re no match for him."


    She put the phone on speaker.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The pounding on the door was deafening.


    The voice on the other end of the line grew more serious. "Try to find a safe ce


    to hide and grab anything you can use to defend yourselves. We''re on our way."


    After hanging up, Marvin still looked worried.


    "Ste, do you think the police will get here in time?"


    Ste smiled gently, "Don''t worry, they will."


    She turned to Mr. Burton. "Mr. Burton, do you have anything here that might cause an allergic reaction?"


    Mr. Burton immediately caught on to Ste''s n. With a wry grin, he said, "He picked the wrong old man to mess with. I''ll give him a lesson he won''t forget."


    He rummaged through his shelves, grabbing various jars of medicine and mixing them haphazardly.


    BANG!


    The door couldn''t withstand the assault and crashed to the ground.


    Without hesitation, Mr. Burton flung a handful of powder into Jasper''s face and shouted to Ste and Marvin, "Cover your mouths and noses."


    They quicklyplied.


    Jasper, on the verge of barging in, was met with a face full of powder.


    Whatever was in that concoction, it set Jasper''s eyes aze with a fiery sting.


    Eyes are delicate, and Jasper doubled over, clutching his face and rolling on the ground in agony.


    In no time, red welts sprang up all over Jasper''s body.


    He scratched furiously, leaving bloody marks across his face and arms.


    "It hurts! It itches! Ahhhh!"


    Jasper writhed like a wounded animal, yelling for help. "Rachel, help me!" Rachel took a few steps back, too scared to approach Jasper''s writhing form.


    When Jasper finally stopped thrashing, he was utterly spent, having scratched himself raw.


    After what seemed an eternity, the police arrived.


    Taken aback by the scene, they quickly called for an ambnce to rush Jasper to the hospital.


    ...


    In the hospital room, Jaspery swathed in bandages, still spitting venom.


    "I''m gonna make Ste, that old coot, and the little brat pay! They''ll rot in jail for this!"


    "They messed me up this bad, I''ll make them wish they were dead!"


    Caught in his rage, Jasper seemed to forget that Ste was still married to Haynes, and Marvin was Neville''s son.


    Not exactly people you could threaten lightly.


    Rachel sat beside Jasper, offeringfort while slyly stoking his anger.


    About ten minutester, Haynes arrived, rubbing his weary eyes, feeling utterly drained.


    "What happened this time?"


    He had just signed a contract and was heading back to the office when Rachel''s call interrupted his ns.


    Jasper erupted, "It was Ste! She teamed up with that little kid and the old man tond me in the hospital!"