Chaos erupted in the auction hall as members of the Shadow Collective charged towards the center where the auction items were stored, mercilessly eliminating any obstacles in their path. Blood quickly stained the floor.
Sarah swiftly assessed the situation, knowing time was of the essence. Axiom Prime's guard forces could arrive at any moment, and the Shadow Collective would stop at nothing to seize their targets. This meant more innocents could be caught in the crossfire.
Without hesitation, Sarah darted back towards the Quark family's booth. Her movements were fluid, like a snake weaving through the crowded corridors. Compared to the labyrinthine Nova Port, this layout was child's play for Sarah.
In no time, Sarah returned to the vicinity of the booth. Rosalyn and her entourage had already emerged under the protection of their guards. Rosalyn visibly relaxed upon seeing Sarah.
"Quick, follow me," Rosalyn beckoned. "It's the Shadow Collective. We must leave immediately."
Sarah silently merged with the group, following Rosalyn's party as they hurried towards the exit. However, when they reached the exit, the sight before them made everyone gasp.
The exit was completely blocked by a frenzied crowd. The once high and mighty VIPs were now no different from the common spectators, all desperately pushing towards the only escape route. People shoved against each other, some trampled underfoot, screams of agony filling the air.
Rosalyn's face turned ashen, clearly unprepared for such a dire situation. Sarah quickly scanned the surroundings, her mind racing. She abruptly grabbed Rosalyn's arm.
"We need to leave this area," Sarah said firmly, pulling Rosalyn away without giving her a chance to react.
"Sarah!" Rosalyn exclaimed, instinctively trying to break free. "It's too dangerous over there!"
Sarah maintained her grip. "Trust me, that place is the most dangerous right now." She gestured for Rosalyn to look at the exit. "Do you see how the crowd is bulging there? Do you understand what that means?"
Rosalyn paused for a moment, then her face grew even paler as she finally realized the implications of that unnatural swell at the exit.
"What should we do?" Rosalyn asked instinctively, her voice trembling slightly.
Sarah looked around, noting that a few of the Quark family's guards had managed to follow them. The others had been swallowed by the sea of people.
"We need to break through the wall," Sarah said decisively, leading the group towards the edge of the building.
"What?!" Rosalyn exclaimed. "But the outer walls of this building are reinforced with special materials!"
Sarah turned to look Rosalyn in the eyes. "What do you think are the chances that the Shadow Collective won't blow up this building after they've looted the auction? And if they do detonate it, what are our chances of survival if we're still inside?"
Rosalyn bit her lip, recalling the Shadow Collective's past atrocities. She nodded slightly. "What do you need?"
Sarah quickly listed a series of materials. Everyone present immediately sprang into action, retrieving the required items from their spatial pockets. In less than two minutes, everything Sarah had asked for was gathered.
"I'll go prepare the explosion," Sarah said, taking the spatial pocket filled with materials. "Wait for me here."
No one objected. Rosalyn only whispered, "Be careful."
Sarah nodded and quickly left. She had a plan in mind: use cooling cards to lower the wall's temperature to an extreme low, then detonate it with explosives. It was a race against time, and Sarah knew the cost of failure would be everyone's lives.
She swiftly found a suitable position and began placing the cooling cards. Sarah's fingers moved rapidly, fixing card after card to the wall surface. As the cooling effect began to take hold, frost started to form on the wall.
Just then, a commotion erupted in the distance. Sarah looked up alertly, spotting several Shadow Collective members searching the area. She knew time was running out.
Sarah increased her pace, simultaneously retrieving a few small bombs from her spatial pocket. She had to buy more time for herself and the others.
When a Shadow Collective member turned the corner, Sarah precisely threw a bomb. The explosion rang out, smoke billowed, earning her a precious few seconds.
Sarah continued her work while staying vigilant. She knew Jake, or 'Alexis Thorn' as he's now known, wouldn't be far behind. She had to complete this crazy plan before he found her.
As the last cooling card was activated, Sarah began placing the explosives. Her movements were precise and efficient, every second fully utilized.
Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind. "Sarah Chen."
Sarah slowly turned to see Jake standing there, his eyes burning with complex emotions.
"Long time no see, Jake," Sarah said calmly, secretly pressing the detonator's activation button. "Or should I call you Alexis Thorn?"
Jake sneered, "You think you can escape?"
Sarah flashed a mysterious smile, "Who said I'm escaping?"
At that moment, the wall suddenly exploded, the massive shockwave knocking both of them off their feet. Sarah, prepared for this, quickly steadied herself and dashed towards the opening.
"Rosalyn! Now!" she shouted.
Rosalyn and the others rushed out from their hiding place, following Sarah through the newly created gap. Jake cursed, trying to give chase, but more debris fell from the ceiling, blocking his path.