Ruby hurried the cab driver as she assessed the location on her cell phone screen.
"Miss, if we continue to drive any faster, we will be breaking traffic rules", the driver was sweating profusely.
"Just drive!" Ruby kept hurrying him, "I will take the responsibility. It concerns my fiance!"
"Oh!"
Speaking of her fiancé, Ruby sighed. She was angry with him, but now she knew the reason why. Thinking about it, Sam had been acting weirdly lately, since he became her fiancé from her boyfriend. They had dated secretly for three years before they had let both of their parents. The only person who knew about their relationship from the start was Sara. Thought this bestie of hers had a high IQ, she had gone out of her way for their cover-up.
Once, she remembered that Sara had waited for her to pick her up as she had lied to Ruby's parents that they were out for a business meeting while Ruby was meeting up with Sam.
"Turn right!" Ruby yelled after snapping out of her train of thoughts.
The driver hastily stirred his wheel and the cab entered a dark forest way.
"Where are we going, Miss?" the driver asked, fear obvious in his voice.
"I am confused as well", Ruby frowned as to why would Sam come in the middle of the jungle.
"Miss?!" the driver screeched the brakes to a stop, seemingly yelling and confused.
"What's wrong?" Ruby asked with confusion as she supported herself from the sudden jolt by pushing on the seat ahead.
"That..." the driver stuttered and trailed off.
Ruby peeked ahead and saw a man wearing a black shirt and a pair of black pants, limping. He had forcefully thrown himself in front of the car.
"Sam!" Ruby was alarmed as she jumped out of the car. She quickly supported his body. That's when she saw the injuries on his face, all blood-stained.
"Ruby..." Sam wheezed.
"What happened to you? Who did this? What are you doing here?" Ruby was flabbergasted.
But the next moment, Sam leaned his body on Ruby. She realized that he had passed out. By then, the driver had already alighted from the cab.
"Miss, let me help you. We should hurry to the hospital", the driver offered.
"Yes", Ruby said, half carrying and half dragging Sam.
---
Sara regained her consciousness to indistinct chatter. Her eyelids were heavy, making it unable for her to open them. Moreover, her head was throbbing with pain. In the process, she grunted.
Then, she heard a familiar voice, "Sara? Are you awake?"
She grunted an approval, but her eyes refused to open.
"Does it hurt?" the voice continued and the next moment, she felt something cool on her forehead.
She grunted another approval, before saying, "Allen?"
"Yeah", the voice was like a calm ray of hope. Allen was her comrade and partner-in-crime all these years. Moreover, he was an experienced military doctor, studying all kinds of medicines, types of wounds formed from various weapons, etc. Coupled with unparallel looks, he had a sharp brain and high IQ.
"Where are we?" Sara wheezed and she gave a final attempt to open her eyes.
"At my base. Don't move about heedlessly. I was away for a month and you had already landed yourself in two assassinations."
"What can I do?" Sara finally opened her eyes, as she supported her tired body on the headstand, "I am high on the hit list."
"Only you have those guts to be so nonchalant", Allen scoffed. He had his back to Sara and his chestnut-colored hair swayed lightly. He was busy doing something.
Sara shrugged and took a look at her surroundings. It was exactly like she remembered. Light grey walls, bare of any furniture. It looked more like a hospital ward than a penthouse interior.
"How boring!" Sara scoffed, "You call this a penthouse?"
Allen turned and a handsome face came into view. He had a scar on his forehead, a sharp and sexy jawline, a pointed chin and dark brown eyes, which complemented her hair. Sara tilted her head a bit, and let out a bored sigh.
"This is my workplace. The rest is penthouse."
"Whatever. What happened?"
"The man escaped. You injured him gravely. But the sudden dispense of gas made us late to reach him. He escaped through a leeway."
"En. The voice on the radio?"
"No idea", Allen shrugged and seized a file nearby, "These are some pieces of information we picked up from the machines. I suspect that what we see is just--"
"A part of the bigger picture," Sara cut him off.
Allen nodded grimly, "Looking at the way how that man was flustered upon dangers, he is quite inexperienced. He is not the mastermind."
"I know. Well, that tracker? Did it work?"
"Yeah. We were waiting for your signals. Well, do you know where were you?" Allen gave an amused smirk.
"And where was I?" Sara tilted her head and returned his sneer.
"Three miles south of the villa", Allen announced.
"Is that so?" Sara was delighted.
Just then, Steward Leo entered, looking anxious.
Allen spoke, "Dad. Are you okay? You look drained."
"I am fine", Stwerd Leo gestured, "I am just bothered. They were audacious enough to release a shock wave on the villa."
"That's because they are wimps" Sara derided, "They know they couldn't break off the defense here."
"But they created the maze in that empty repository!" the steward rebuked, "It was a methodical copy of the--"
"The route from the outer ring to the villa", Sara completed his words.
"And how is that possible? Unless someone gets their hands on the actual blueprint", Steward Leo huffed.
Both Allen and Sara felt silent. Sara took a deep breath before she spoke, "Firstly, we have to make sure that there are no satellite images of this place. Secondly, I think that we should get rid of some people real soon."
This time, Steward Leo was silent, while Allen spoke as he grabbed his laptop, "About the satellite images, I will check them undeviatingly. But..."
"Don't worry about that. I get what Sara wants", Steward Leo spoke in a low voice.