Keira and her team set out under the cover of night.

Standing on the deck, Keira stared ahead. The night sea was an endless stretch of pitch black, an abyss with no bottom in sight.

Lewis stood behind her and asked, "You scared?"

"Of what?" Keira shot back.

This dark, empty sea was just like the life she'd lived in the shadows—nothing new or frightening about it.

Lewis's tone remained calm. "It's about a four-hour trip to the Country A border. No signal out here, just satellite phones. I just got word that Professor Barry Brandt's already en route. We shouldn't run into any trouble. If everything goes smoothly, we'll pick him up and head straight back home."

Keira nodded, then asked, "And if it doesn't go smoothly?"

"Then we move to Plan B. Don't worry—we're getting him back, one way or another," Lewis said with the kind of steady confidence that put Keira at ease.

She didn't know much about Lewis's connections abroad, but hearing him speak so assuredly made her nod again. "You know people in Country A?"

He nodded. "I know a few."

He then reached out and gave her a reassuring pat on the head. "Either way, no need to stress tonight."

Keira nodded once more.

"Teehee…"

A teasing laugh interrupted their conversation. Both of them turned to see Erin leaning casually against the ship's railing, still snacking on pistachios. Noticing their attention, she grinned. "Go on, don't mind me. Watching you two lovebirds is way more entertaining than I thought. Even someone like Mr. Horton knows how to tell little white lies, huh?"

Keira frowned. "What lies?"

be here with you in person? You two are the

her

her lips shut. "Alright, alright, I'll stop poking holes in your story! But honestly, Keira's not

Lewis's face darkened further.

the water? I remember hearing

Keira's gaze turned sharp.

Erin wasn't the least bit scared of him. It was only when Keira's cold stare landed on her that Erin finally closed

still acted tough but

back

hit close to

had almost taken her life once, and it had claimed her sister's. Those memories made her wary of the

that tension, but Erin's insistence

her brows and refocused on

across the waves, and true to Lewis's word, they arrived near the Country A coast four

drift in

his phone. "Five minutes.

he spoke, Keira noticed shadows

"Border patrol," Lewis explained.

heart raced. But he quickly added, "Don't worry. They'll be

enough, the patrol officers swept the area with their flashlights and then

breath she

so nerve-wracking… feels

look before returning her focus to

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