Novels by Leon

Derek Mullen let out a startled cry and dropped the lighter, desperately trying to yank the terrifying glove off his hand. But just as his fingers closed around it, he felt a powerful force surge through his left hand, the one trapped inside the glove. The strength wasn't his own. His entire arm jerked upward, moving against his will, as if controlled by some external puppeteer.A sharp crack echoed through the restaurant.Everyone watched in stunned silence as Derek's gloved hand swung up and slapped him hard across his own face. The blow landed with enough force to snap his head to the side. Before he could even process what had happened, the glove peeled itself off his hand with a swift, fluid motion, as though it had a mind of its own. It dropped to the floor and immediately began scuttling across the ground like a frantic mouse, its five fingers moving in rapid, coordinated steps. The glove darted under the table and emerged on the other side, making a beeline for Gle

Glen Johnson watched as two different people grabbed hold of his gloves, but his expression remained calm and unhurried. Instead, he walked over with a smile and said, "Gentlemen, please return my gloves. These two little troublemakers have quite the mischievous streak. I'll have to give them a proper scolding later, or who knows what chaos they'll stir up next."The heavier man was reasonable enough. His determination to catch the glove had been purely to vent his frustration. Now that Glen was asking for it back, he felt reluctant but knew the glove was part of the performer's magic props. It wouldn't be right to keep it. With a resentful grunt, he pounded his fist against the glove twice, testing its weight and texture as if trying to memorize every detail, before grudgingly handing it over.Derek Mullen, however, responded to Glen's request with a cold chuckle. "Give it back? Why should I? I went through a lot of trouble catching this thing." He paused, his gaze linger

Just then, someone in the audience gestured to Glen Johnson, pointing out that the pair of gloves was perched right on his shoulders.Glen quickly tilted his head to look, and sure enough, there they were. The two gloves gripped his left and right shoulders. When his gaze met them, both gloves simultaneously raised a middle finger in his direction, the gesture so human it drew gasps from the nearest tables.The audience roared with laughter at the sight, equal parts amazed and amused. The sheer audacity of the gesture, combined with the impossible reality of animated gloves, had people clutching their sides.Down in the crowd, Derek Mullen raised one eyebrow and said, "Those gloves are something else. Reid, can you tell what's going on?"Reid Barrett scowled, his jaw tight with frustration. "Can't say for sure, but I'd bet there's some kind of high-tech remote control system rigged inside them. Look around and see if anyone's fiddling with a controller or somethi

Glen Johnson noticed the crowd's positive reaction and continued with a perfectly straight face. "Yesterday, I pretended to be a Magician for a bit, and sure enough, quite a few people actually fell for it. They thought I really knew magic tricks! But then... some sharp-eyed folks saw right through the illusion and recognized me for what I truly am: an odd-job worker. They mocked me, saying I didn't look anything like a real Magician."He paused, letting a sheepish expression cross his face. "When I heard that, I was genuinely worried. So I rushed home and went online to research what a real Magician is supposed to look like. That way, I could do a better job pretending next time! And you know what? I actually found something. Turns out, real Magicians always carry a Magician's Three Essential Tools with them: ginseng, mink fur, and deer antler... Oh wait, hold on. That's not right. Those are the region's three prized resources from the Midwest, not a Magician's Three Essential

The heated debate between Curtis Hale and the online trolls had been raging across the local forum, drawing countless spectators. Those who could make it decided to show up in person tonight to witness the live continuation of this bet.Because of this, Glen Johnson's magic performance had created an unprecedented sensation. Online reservations for electronic meal vouchers alone exceeded the usual number by over a thousand people.When Mr. Grant learned about this situation, he glanced at the clock. It was already past seven, and tonight's show had officially started, yet Glen was still nowhere to be seen. Panic began to set in.He understood all too well that if Glen failed to show up tonight, Curtis and those trolls who had been feuding online would lose their minds. Worse yet, the massive crowd that had specifically come to watch the drama unfold might just tear the restaurant apart.Mr. Grant couldn't afford to be careless. He immediately called Glen, worried

Glen Johnson felt a bit embarrassed by Hannah Lowell's polite tone. "No need for that. I'm just bringing a few friends for a meal and having them cheer me on. It's a personal matter, so how could I bother you with advance notice?"Even as he spoke, Glen couldn't help griping internally. You didn't even leave me your phone number, did you? How was I supposed to give you a heads-up? If I really wanted to notify someone, I'd have to call Ms. Calloway directly.Great. Here I am, coming to this seafood buffet for a meal using meal vouchers you gave me for free, and now because the place is packed with no seats available, I have to trouble the hotel's general manager to arrange seating for me. Talk about using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.Hannah had no idea Glen was silently complaining about her. She maintained her elegant smile. "Actually, it's like this. Each restaurant in our hotel has an internal private room or built-in seating area that's never open to the public,