Chapter 207

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Based on their investigation , someone abroad was helping the Thirteenth Sigil launder their money .
If it entered those accounts , it would be gone for good .
“ Relax , ” said the youngest tech , “ we’ve cracked the hardest part . Everything they do is under our noses .
If they hadn’t hacked the firewall ahead of time , it would’ve taken a whole day to break in .
But Allen had handed them a computer with backdoors pre – installed – skipping the hardest step .
Still , it was delicate work – they couldn’t afford to tip anyone off .
The real goal was to catch the accomplice abroad .
Back at the factory , Owen shrugged off his coat and laid it on the ground before being tied up . “ Sit and wait ,” he told Aría .
“ Thanks ,” she replied .
Watching Isaias’s painfully slow hacking , Aria sighed . “ If Vanessa were here , this would be over in minutes . ” She was so bored , she almost wanted to do it
herself .
Her voice carried through the earring , reaching Allen and Fryderyk .
“ She complains about how slow they are , and it’s her money they’re stealing , ” Fryderyk muttered , exasperated .
For Aria and Owen , “ being kidnapped ” was the least stressful job of the night ; the tech team , on the other hand , was pounding away at their keyboards like their lives depended on it .
“ Allen , got a lock – they’re in Masmubia , ” one specialist said , zooming in on the map . “ It’s a shell company , a lot of deposits are from Huthailia . ”
“ If we can hack their accounts , you three are heroes , ” Allen said , fired up . “ Get everyone from IT in here . This is the kind of case they write about in history books . ”
With time tight , Allen remembered the computer Aria had brought .
There might be more contacts inside .
Hudson barked , “ You two , come over for facial recognition . ”
Without protest , Aria and Owen got up and did as they were told , so calm it made Hudson nervous . “ Aren’t you afraid to die ? ” he demanded .
With the money transferred , they were as good as dead anyway .
Aria smiled . “ Don’t you need hostages ? ”
Hudson’s gut twisted with a bad premonition . He kept a close eye on them , but as soon as Isaias called out , “ Done ! ” Hudson snapped , “ Let’s go ! ”
Isaias packed up his laptop and the group started moving out . Three cars waited outside , with six or seven people already climbing on board .
“ Hudson , we only need one hostage . Let’s just kill the guy , ” one of the men suggested ,
Hudson shot him a cold glare . “ If we kill anyone , it’s Aria . Don’t forget who she is . ”
Blinded by the promise of ten billion dollars , it took Hudson a moment too long to remember . Suddenly , he swung his gun on Aria .
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Owen leapt in front of het .
Everything happened in a split second .
They’d already worked their ropes loose .
Owen seized Hudson’s arm , preventing him from firing .
Aria , meanwhile , grabbed the nearest enemy , using him as a shield and launching four medical tools with her left hand – each one hit a vital spot dropping three attackers who hadn’t made it into the cars .
The last two men realized what was happening and opened fire , but Arla was already behind her human shield – the bullets tore into his body instead .
Hudson had always been wary of Aria , but when he saw those medical tools fly , his eyes shrank in terror .
In that heartbeat of hesitation, Owen wrenched the gun from Hudson , dodged a bullet , and took down the shooters .
Within seconds , Aria and Owen had dispatched six men .
“ Hudson , ” Aria called out , as more men started pouring out of the cars .
“ Owen , take care of them – Hudson’s mine . ”
Hudson , eyes wild , finally seemed to understand . His voice trembled with rage and fear . “ You’re Echohawk ? ”