The ground trembled. The Razor-Vines, typically a rustling curtain of agitated greenery, began to coil and snap with startling speed, their blades carving whistling arcs through the air. From the earth beneath them, the colossal, slumbering form of the Apex-Orchid began to stir, its petals, the size of dinner plates, slowly unfurling with a deep, resonating hum. Even the playful Snap-Dragons, usually content to chase laser pointers, started to gnash their toothy maws with a low, guttural growl that vibrated through Barris’s boots. Barris, oblivious to the rising tension around him, looked up, a soft smile on his face. “Oh, good, more visitors! I wonder if they’ve brought snacks for the Leaf-Grubs. They’re terribly hungry this afternoon.” He patted the leathery hide of a particularly large Snap-Dragon, which rumbled like a happy, albeit carnivorous, dog. Magnar sprinted forward, his boots skidding across gravel. This was a targeted assault on Barris, and the flora reacted with feral fury. Through the swaying foliage strode a phalanx of figures clad in grey municipal riot plates, pushing their way into the West Wing gardens. And at the head of them, striding with a self-important swagger, was Korin Trelon. “Well, well, Barris,” Korin drawled, his voice carrying over the rising growls of the flora. He clutched a sheaf of papers, waving them like a triumphant banner. “Looks like your little vacation is over. Mother and Father have decided you’re a danger to yourself. Conservatorship papers are all signed. Time to come home.” Barris tilted his head. “Home? But I live here now, Korin. And the Razor-Vines just got their new watering system installed. It would be rude to leave.” A burly officer stepped forward, steel-toed boots crunching over mulch. “Mr. Trelon, we have judicial clearance. Step away from the specimen.” She seized Barris’s sleeve. The instant her glove made contact, the garden went berserk. The Razor-Vines shrieked, a metallic whine that scraped against teeth, forming a barbed lattice around Barris. Two Snap-Dragons lunged, snapping inches from the officer’s visor, hot compost-scented air blasting from their gullets. Behind them, the Apex-Orchid unfurled an emerald-glowing stamen, aiming straight at the municipal squad. “Get your filthy hands off my caretaker!” Magnar roared, lunging past a snap-jaw stem. “Stand down!” Jessa ducked behind a planter as capacitors whined to life on the officers' carbines. “Magnar, watch out!” Her gaze darted across the flagstones to a dormant cluster of *Aetherbloom*. “Barris! The yellow bulbs by the basin! Tickle the sepals!” Barris, still focused on the angry Razor-Vines, blinked. “Oh! They’re just about to open! Good timing!” With a gentle touch and a soft, encouraging murmur, he nudged the Aetherbloom buds. They burst instantly, releasing a thick, golden cloud of pollen that billowed outwards, enveloping the squad in a dense, stinging cloud. Visibility dropped to zero. “[Warning: Enforcer targeting identified. Lethal force authorized.]” The automated voice of the compound system blared. Magnar saw a blinded guard whip a stun-carbine toward Barris’s silhouette. The barrel flared with a blue crackle. Magnar threw himself across the flagstones, slamming his frame over Barris. The blue bolt struck Magnar dead center between his shoulder blades. High-voltage static seized his spine, dropping him hard against the flagstones. Spittle hit the moss as his breath tore out of him, his fingers clawing the dirt to stay between the muzzle and his boy. Barris watched Magnar fall, the blue light fading from the billionaire’s still form. The perpetual, sunny beam vanished, replaced by an unnerving, frozen stillness. The playful rumbling of the Snap-Dragons, the frantic lashing of the Razor-Vines, even the pulsating glow of the Apex-Orchid — all seemed to dim, as if mirroring Barris’s sudden, terrifying calm. He slowly turned his head, his gaze settling on Korin, who was still trying to peer through the golden haze. His voice, usually light and melodic, dropped to a low, chilling register, cutting through the residual static in the air. “You can steal my notes, Korin, but you don’t hurt my boss.”

The Enforcer Ambush