A black Porsche drifted at an impossibly sharp angle, narrowly avoiding a machete that came slicing toward the driver's side window.
The tires screeched against the pavement.
The rear of the car slammed into two dark figures who were rushing forward, sending them flying.
Suddenly, countless crossbow bolts shot out from the bushes on both sides.
Serena's nose twitched.
The bolts...
They were poisoned.
One lethal threat after another. It was clear they were determined to kill her.
Serena's narrow, bright eyes narrowed slightly, showing no hint of panic.
She spun the wheel hard again.
Her feet danced between the gas and the brake.
The engine of the black Porsche roared to life.
The car executed another 180-degree drift, and several poisoned bolts scraped past the taillights and side window, sinking into a nearby tree trunk.
The fletchings quivered violently, a testament to the shooter's immense strength.
In the quiet, remote suburbs, the moment she completed the drift, Serena floored the gas pedal.
Like an arrow released from a bow, the Porsche shot precisely toward the villa.
At the same time, the heavy electronic gate of the villa opened a crack.
The Porsche shot straight through.
With a slam, the gate shut tight, and the faint sound of countless impacts from outside was completely cut off.
The coordination was perfectly in sync.
The Porsche screeched to a halt.
Serena pushed open the car door, her expression calm.
But the next second, she was pulled into a pair of strong, powerful arms.
Warm breath fanned across the crook of her neck.
The man's low, magnetic voice trembled slightly. "Serena..."
Serena's face was pressed unexpectedly into the man's firm, warm chest, the crisp scent of cedar filling her senses.
She froze for a moment.
She could clearly feel the strength in his well-defined hands as they held her slender waist.
She could also feel the rapid, heavy thumping of his heart against his chest.
Even his breathing carried the relief and lingering fear of someone who had just survived a close call.
He... was worried about her.
But the hug only lasted for three seconds.
Nicholas pulled away, but his gaze remained fixed on her, his eyes dark with a raw intensity he couldn't hide.
He stared at Serena's face, his voice tight and trembling slightly. "It's dangerous outside. People from
both factions are almost all heren et
You... you'd better not leave the villa again it's too easy to get
ambushed.
Serena rubbed her nose, ignoring the tingling sensation she'd felt when she was, in his arms, and nodded. е
"Right. I've handled everything outside, Now I can focus on dealing With them."
As she walked toward the house, she pulled out her phone and sent an encrypted message: [It's time to close in. Move out.]
Entering the control room, Serena quickly scanned the surveillance feeds on the
screen.
Outside the villa and in the woods, the Dark Serpent GT had at least three hundred people densely packed in the area.
And that was just what was visible.
There were likely more hidden in the shadows, waiting.
"They sent quite a few people..." Serena's bright eyes narrowed.
"It's no small display," Nicholas said, coming up behind her. He stared at the figures captured by the infrared thermal imaging on the screen, his eyes darkening.
"Black Mirage should have already entered the country," Serena said, glancing at
her phone. There were no messages from Jaxon.