Chapter 497
Flames Behind Them
With Flynn leading the way, everyone finally stepped out of the tunnel.
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They emerged into a desolate area, overgrown with weeds and silence. Natalie looked around and frowned-something about the place felt familiar.
“Wait… isn’t this the old kindergarten Susie and Aci used to go
to?”
The memory clicked into place.
Baron and Flynn both stopped, glancing around in surprise. Yvonne, too, recognized the location-she had seen the video of Susie being bullied here before. Her eyes narrowed.
“Hold on. Isn’t this where that mental hospital used to be? The one that was supposedly shut down years ago? Why would Uncle make the tunnel lead here?”
Her words made everyone fall silent.
It couldn’t be coincidence.
Otherwise, why would Anna have been so fixated on finding this place?
That asylum must have hidden something-something tied to the Stone family.
Natalie’s mind raced, trying to connect the pieces, but she couldn’t make sense of it yet.
Baron finally said, “Let’s not worry about that for now. We need to get to Brian. Once your father’s back, we can ask him about the tunnel and the hospital.”
Ruby nodded. “He must’ve known something. But you’re right, we should go to Brian first. Who knows what’s happening with the kids?”
At that, Natalie and Baron both tensed in worry.
“We don’t even have a car!” Natalie said.
“Yes, we do,” Flynn cut in. “Dad told me once that if we ever had to use the tunnel, there’s a warehouse about five hundred meters to the right of the exit. There’s a car and keys stored there for emergencies.”
Baron’s eyes flickered, something unreadable passing through them before his expression calmed again.
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Chapter 496 Flames Behind Them
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Yvonne let out a low whistle. “Uncle really thought of everything.”
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Ruby didn’t comment; she just started walking briskly in the direction Flynn had mentioned.
Natalie tightened her grip on Baron’s hand. “Isn’t that warehouse right next to the old psychiatric hospital?”
Baron shook his head. “I’m not sure. I’ve only ever heard stories about it. There’s been too much going on lately for me to look into it, but I’ll have someone investigate later.”
“Let’s go first,” Natalie said. “Once we know the kids are safe, we can worry about everything else.”
Baron nodded.
Following Flynn’s directions, they found the warehouse hidden behind a curtain of overgrown vines. From the outside, it looked like a forgotten, crumbling wall. If Waylon hadn’t told them, they never would’ve believed a car could be hidden here.
Baron pulled back the thick vines, revealing a rusted iron door sealed with an old padlock.
Flynn took a key from his pocket, slid it into the lock, and turned. The latch clicked open.
Together, Baron and Flynn pushed the heavy doors aside. Inside was a single off-road vehicle covered in dust and cobwebs.
The car looked like it hadn’t been touched in years, but the moment they climbed in, Baron found the key waiting neatly in the ignition.
Flynn and Baron cleaned off the seats and dashboard as best they could before Baron turned the key. The engine started immediately, and the fuel gauge pointed to “Full.”
This wasn’t just a coincidence-Waylon had planned this escape route down to the smallest detail.
Flynn stepped aside as Baron drove the car out. Ruby and the others climbed in quickly, and Flynn got into the passenger seat.
“This road leads straight to the Mateo estate,” Flynn said. “But if we take the main route, could someone be waiting for us?”
“I don’t know,” Baron answered, eyes on the road. “But there’s only one route there anyway.”
He pressed down on the accelerator, and the car shot forward.
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Chapter 496 Flames Behind Them
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No one spoke. The air inside the vehicle was thick with tension and exhaustion.
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Natalie sat beside Ruby, staring blankly ahead. Everything felt unreal-like she’d been thrown into an action movie full of danger, fire, and near-death escapes.
Baron’s driving was steady and fast, and before long, the Mateo estate appeared ahead of them.
They’d expected danger, a trap, maybe even gunfire-but the drive was unnervingly calm. Find the newest release on.net
It was so peaceful that for a moment, they all wondered if the chaos behind them had just been a bad dream.
Yvonne, scrolling absently through her phone, suddenly froze. “Our villa… it’s on fire.”
She held up the screen. The others leaned in, and their faces hardened as they saw the footage.
Thick smoke, blazing flames-Stone Villa burning to the ground.
“Who the hell did this?” Flynn exploded. “They burned our house down!”
His fury boiled over. The old estate sealed off, their home set ablaze-the Stone family, once untouchable overseas, was now being cornered in their own country.
“Whoever’s behind this,” Flynn said through clenched teeth, “I’ll make sure they regret ever crossing the Stones.”
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