Instead of throwing a punch, Hillary simply pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of the woman's face.
"Liam, run a facial rec on her and find out who she is."
Seeing her picture taken, the wealthy woman's face twisted in outrage. "Who do you think you are?! Taking my picture without permission? I'll sue you for invading my privacy!"
Hillary opened her mouth to snap back, but Silas cut her off, flashing his federal
badge.
"Federal agents conducting an active operation. Civilians, clear the area immediately!"
"As for you, ma'am—your aggressive attempts to breach a secured perimeter and disrupt an active counter-terrorism operation are highly suspicious. We have reason to believe you are colluding with the Sundara operatives inside!"
The woman froze, the words finally penetrating her skull. The kidnappers inside were from Sundara?
She had just stepped in a massive pile of trouble!
"I am not! My husband is Mr. Monroe, the CEO of the Monroe Group!"
Silas actually recognized the name. The Monroe Group was a highly respected, patriotic corporation. Whenever there was a national disaster, they were always the first to donate millions to relief efforts.
How did a man like that marry someone with zero situational awareness?
Hillary also knew of the Monroe Group and immediately deduced who this woman had to be.
She was the infamous second wife—a former mistress who had managed to marry up, widely mocked among the city's elite for being completely brainless.
She was stunning, certainly, but Frederick Monroe hadn't married her just for her face.
Oh, and her spectacular curves.
The truth was, Frederick had married her out of sheer superstition.
A fortune teller had convinced him that her astrological chart was perfectly aligned with his and would bring him endless prosperity.
So, Frederick married her.
Adding to her leverage, Trixie Monroe had given birth to a young son, cementing her status as the lady of the house and allowing her to revel in her newfound wealth.
Armed with her 'lucky' astrological chart and her son, she did whatever she pleased.
As long as she didn't cross any massive lines, Frederick mostly let her have her way.
He had no intention of ever letting her inherit the Monroe Group anyway, so what was the harm in letting her play dress-up?
Frederick had actually stated that publicly to his peers.
It explained Trixie's brazen arrogance. She was a woman who didn't belong in high society, married to a man who never expected her to fit in. The other elites only tolerated her out of sheer pity.
But if she was going to act like a lunatic during a national security crisis, no one was going to do Frederick any favors today.
Hillary didn't have any personal ties to Frederick, but she immediately dialed the number of his eldest son.
"Silas Monroe, your stepmother is currently..."
After filing her explosive complaint, Hillary hung up and strode away.
They had to breach the hospital immediately. Claire's life was on the line!
When Silas Monroe heard what his idiotic stepmother was doing, he immediately called his father.
He demanded his father put his trophy wife on a leash.
Left with no choice, Frederick called Trixie and brutally tore into her over the phone.
Trixie Monroe?
She had arrived demanding royal treatment, and she drove away sobbing uncontrollably.
***
"The hospital is on complete lockdown!"
Quinton's ambulance had parked
the underground garage, and the
team
taken the service elevator
straight to the top floor of the
inpatient wing
Their original plan was to lay low inside Serenity Grand and wait for a safe extraction window.
But the police had mobilized terrifyingly fast. Plan A was dead.
If Plan A was dead, they had to pivot to Plan B.
And if Plan B failed, they had one final, desperate option left!
Quinton realized he had drastically underestimated the capabilities of Solenia's law enforcement.
No, wait. It wasn't the police.
Solenia's intelligence apparatus must have been tracking them the second they locked onto Claire.
It was The Special Security Division!
The SSD wasn't a standard police or
military branch. They exclusivelyet
recruited the absolute apex predators from both domains!
me
Quinton shot a freezing glare at Felicity. If she hadn't gone rogue and caused a public spectacle, the
wouldn't be pinned down right now!
Felicity shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.
She knew she had pushed too far this time.
If the entire cell was wiped out here...
Felicity didn't even want to imagine how the Syndicate would retaliate!