Chereads / Contract Marriage: A Deal with Destiny / Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Into the Lion's Den

Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Into the Lion's Den

The sun had fully risen by the time Serena and Rebecca left the meeting with Adrian, the weight of their situation hanging heavily in the air between them. The abandoned factory was now just a crumbling relic in the rearview mirror as they drove back toward the safehouse, but Serena's mind was still racing with everything Adrian had said.

"Others are watching," Serena muttered, her knuckles white as she gripped the steering wheel. "Forces that don't negotiate. What does that even mean?"

Rebecca sat in the passenger seat, her face pale and set in deep concentration. "It means this is worse than we thought," she said quietly. "Adrian was already a dangerous player in this game, but if there are other factions involved—ones even the Covenant is afraid of—then we've just stepped into something way bigger than we realized."

Serena nodded, the truth of Rebecca's words sinking in. They had thought the Covenant was their biggest problem, but now it seemed like they were caught in the middle of a far more dangerous web of power and manipulation. The *Sangreal* and the *Crux Ignis* weren't just ancient relics—they were the keys to a game that could reshape the world. And they were right in the middle of it.

"We'll have to deal with it after we get Alex out," Serena said firmly. "We can't lose focus. First, we get him back. Then we figure out how to stop everyone else from getting their hands on the artifacts."

Rebecca didn't respond for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. "Do you think Adrian's telling the truth?" she asked after a pause. "About these other forces?"

Serena exhaled sharply. "Adrian doesn't lie—not outright, anyway. He twists the truth to suit his needs, but if he says there are others watching, I believe him. He's always been too smart to underestimate threats like that."

Rebecca nodded grimly. "So what do we do? Stick to the plan and hope we're not ambushed by some other group along the way?"

Serena glanced at her, her jaw set. "We can't worry about the unknown right now. We stick to the plan. Adrian said he'll help us get Alex out, and we're going to hold him to that. Afterward, we'll figure out how to deal with the bigger threats."

Rebecca shifted in her seat, still clearly uneasy, but she nodded. "Okay. Let's just hope Adrian doesn't screw us over before then."

Serena didn't respond. She knew all too well how precarious their situation was, and how much they were relying on a man who thrived on deception. But what choice did they have? The Covenant wasn't going to play fair, and Adrian, despite all his faults, was their only way of balancing the scales.

As they pulled up to the cabin, Serena felt a strange sense of calm settle over her. The next steps were clear—dangerous, but clear. And that was more than they had had in a long time. She parked the car and climbed out, her mind already racing with the next phase of their plan.

Inside the cabin, the dim light filtered through the small windows, casting long shadows across the floor. Serena dropped her bag onto the table and pulled out the map they had been using to track the Covenant's movements.

"Adrian's intel said the Covenant keeps high-value prisoners in a separate wing of their compound," Serena said, her voice focused as she spread the map out in front of them. "If Alex is there, it'll be heavily guarded. We'll need a distraction to draw the guards away long enough for us to get him out."

Rebecca stood beside her, studying the map. "A distraction? What are you thinking?"

Serena pointed to a section of the compound where the Covenant stored supplies and weapons. "We hit their storage facility. If we can sabotage it—set off an explosion or create a fire—it'll pull their focus away from the prisoner wing. While they're dealing with that, we sneak in and get Alex out."

Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "Blow up the Covenant's supply depot? You're not playing around."

Serena shook her head. "We can't afford to. The Covenant isn't going to give us a second chance. We have to make this count."

Rebecca sighed, but she nodded in agreement. "Okay. It's risky, but it's probably our best shot."

They spent the next hour going over the details of their plan, refining every step until there were no loose ends. Adrian had promised them the intel they needed to get inside the compound undetected, but Serena knew better than to rely solely on his word. They had to prepare for the possibility that something would go wrong—and if it did, they needed a way out.

By the time they had finished their preparations, the sun was high in the sky, casting a harsh light over the forest that surrounded the cabin. Serena could feel the tension in the air, the weight of what they were about to do pressing down on her. They were about to storm one of the most secure compounds in the world, facing an enemy that outnumbered them in both manpower and firepower.

But they had one advantage—the element of surprise.

Serena pulled on her gear, checking her weapons one last time as Rebecca did the same. "Are you ready for this?" she asked, glancing over at her friend.

Rebecca gave her a tight smile. "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's go get Alex."

With that, they set off toward the Covenant's compound, their nerves steeled for what lay ahead. The drive was silent, both of them focused on the task at hand. Serena's mind was sharp, her thoughts honed in on every step of their plan. They had rehearsed it over and over again in their heads, and now it was time to put it into action.

When they reached the edge of the forest that bordered the Covenant's compound, they parked the car and moved on foot, keeping low as they approached the perimeter. The compound loomed ahead of them, a fortress of stone and steel, surrounded by high walls and patrolled by heavily armed guards.

Serena crouched behind a thick line of trees, pulling out the small device Adrian had given them. It was a jammer—designed to disrupt the Covenant's security systems long enough for them to slip inside without being detected. She activated the device, watching as the red light blinked steadily.

"We've got five minutes before their systems come back online," Serena whispered. "Let's move."

They darted through the underbrush, keeping low as they approached the side entrance Adrian had told them about. It was a small door, hidden from view by a cluster of trees, and it led directly into the compound's lower levels.

Serena pressed her hand to the door's control panel, holding her breath as the mechanism clicked open.

They were in.

Moving swiftly, they navigated the narrow corridors of the compound, their footsteps silent on the stone floors. The air inside was cool and sterile, and the sense of danger grew with every step. They had rehearsed this moment over and over in their minds, but being inside the compound made it all feel painfully real.

As they reached the storage facility, Serena planted the small explosives she had brought with her, carefully positioning them in key locations. "This should be enough to pull the guards," she whispered to Rebecca. "Once they're distracted, we head straight for the prisoner wing."

Rebecca nodded, her face tense with concentration. "Let's make it count."

With the explosives set, they moved quickly toward the prisoner wing. The timer was ticking down, and soon, all hell would break loose.

And in the chaos, they would get Alex out—or die trying.