CHAPTER 171: CHARLOTTE’S MISSION (II)

Charlotte had taken the opportunity to storm out of the room as soon as Margaret opened the door, but then the next thing she heard while entering the hallway made her freeze.

Full lockdown...

It meant that she wouldn’t be able to get out.

Seeing that the Shadow Mask only had less than a minute left, she quickly ignored the fact that her sounds could be noticed as she ran towards the exit.

Unfortunately for her, the door was already shut and sealed, and she spotted four armed men rushing in her direction.

Thanks to the fact that the Shadow Mask was still effective at that point, they got past her without noticing, running towards the Satellite Access room.

Charlotte gasped roughly. For the first time since embarking on this mission, she had never been afraid because she believed in herself so well...

But now, her heart was caged with fear, uncertainty, and helplessness.

She tried to gather the courage to find another exit in the building, but she found none. The one she managed to find was also sealed, and the building indeed was in full lockdown.

It was at that moment that she realized it was over.

She was in grave trouble.

[Twenty...]

[Nineteen...]

The Shadow Mask began to beep softly as soon as it had twelve seconds left, and Charlotte couldn’t help but panic, though silently.

She ran back into the alley, trying to find where to hide since the Shadow Mask would be deactivating in no time.

Suddenly, she stormed into a group of three armed security men rushing past her side.

The alley was quite a long one, and if she didn’t hasten up, they would definitely see her.

Charlotte had to look past the possibility of these men hearing her as she rushed through them, not minding to look back or sideways.

...

"Ron, did you hear that?" one of them asked, as he heard the thuds pass his way.

"Ye...sss?" Ron’s eyes glinted as he turned, following the sound with his eyes sharp on the area.

The trio turned in the direction, hearing the strange sounds but still not catching sight of anything.

However, that didn’t stop them from watching. They were currently looking for whoever had hacked the Satellite System, knowing what it would cost them if they didn’t find the criminal.

...

Charlotte ran as fast as she could...

[Three...]

[Two...]

[One...]

And just at the point of turning, the Shadow Mask suddenly deactivated.

PUCHHH.

"Hey, I saw someone!"

"Follow me!"

Charlotte heard their screams from the distance and exhaled sharply.

"Shit!"

She sprinted towards another hallway, this one scanty with rooms and seeming to lead somewhere different from the typical office departments.

She had to run with all the strength she could gather, knowing that these men would have no hesitation to shoot her if they got close.

Soon, she spotted an open room at the side, lonesome yet filled with some unused devices.

Charlotte quickly rushed in, going further to hide under one of the piles of sealed boxes.

They didn’t do enough to ensure the possibility of the men not finding her, but at least, it was enough to hide her.

The men wouldn’t find her if they didn’t enter this room, and now her prayer was that they wouldn’t.

Which she knew was almost impossible.

Within a few seconds, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps, and then a halt.

They were here.

Several footsteps approached, and she remained at the corner, shivering in fear.

At some point, she was already ready to take her chances, planning to attack them if they happened to find her. But she knew that was more like a death wish.

They were armed, and she was not.

Only a foolish person would want to challenge three armed men when she didn’t even have a weapon to begin with.

So it already meant one thing... She was getting caught, and it was already seeming like the end.

’That bastard wouldn’t spare me,’ she thought.

She knew it would take President Liam Thompson nothing to kill her once he heard that she hacked the Icelandian Satellite System, for sure.

The thuds drew near, and they were already approaching her.

The sounds were distinct, and it seemed like they were searching from different corners. That way, the possibility of finding her was completely high.

Charlotte gulped hard, trying to tighten her spot and pushing herself into the unadjustable boxes.

If she continued that way, she would definitely make a sound, so she had to stay still.

However, unfortunately... it seemed like staying still wouldn’t be enough.

She suddenly spotted the boots approaching, like he had seen her.

Charlotte raised her head and spotted his face.

The masked man stared at her while he held a gun. He didn’t move or say a word, but he surely had seen her.

"Hey, George."

"George, you saw something?"

"George?"

The other two men approached him from the side and asked... However, this man refused to respond.

He was still staring right at the lady in front of him until the other two began to approach.

Charlotte was still left in fear and hopelessness, watching as they approached.

But then, the next big thing she saw was the silent man turning to his comrades, bringing out a silenced pistol and gunning them both at once.

PISSSS!

PISSSS!

Her eyes widened at once, watching the two men fall to their deaths, but then she was more interested in seeing who this man was, and why he had killed them.

Surely, the right thing to think was that he could be helping her, but she just couldn’t get herself to believe that because...

Who would want to help a Nortasian in Icelandia? Or literally, who would want to help a criminal who had come to steal the Satellite System passcode that could end up threatening the life of every citizen in the country?

Charlotte was getting more astonished as she wondered, until the silent man opened his mask.

Then she could see his face, and the soft tone he let out.

"Hey..."

.

.

[A/N: Who do you think saved Charlotte?]