Chapter 166
Allison sat bound to a chair, her hands tightly secured behind her back. The dimly lit wooden cabin creaked with silence, yet despite her captivity, she radiated a calmness that unnerved her captors.
Rugal, a scarred man, increasingly agitated by her composure, yanked the blindfold from her eyes. "You better behave yourself!" he snarled.
Allison didn't immediately respond, keeping her eyes closed for a moment to adjust to the light. When she finally opened them, her gaze calmly assessed him. "You've trained well," she said with deliberate innocence. "And this place is certainly remote. But I'm curious—how did you manage to get guns through airport security? It's usually pretty thorough. Maybe you could share some tips?"
Rugal sneered, leaning closer. "We have connections, unlike you. We don't have to worry about security!" He'd been warned not to trust anything she said; she was known for her cunning. Yet, here she was, caught without a fight. It all went too easily. The only thing that stood out was her icy composure; she showed no fear.
Her face remained placid, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Is your boss the leader of the Burned Islands Mafia?" she asked casually.
Her question was met with an impatient grunt. "Of course! And don't try anything funny. Our boss will be here in three days. So, Ms. Clarke, I'd suggest you savor these last moments of freedom. After that, it'll be hell for you."
The threat hung heavy, but Allison remained unflinching. Glancing around the room, her mind worked swiftly, cataloging every detail. "But hasn't your boss been watching the whole time?" she said softly, tilting her head toward a small surveillance camera in the corner. "The cameras are right there," she continued, a mocking lilt in her voice. "Why hasn't he shown his face? Or is he too ugly to let anyone see?" A slow, dangerous smile curved her lips, a fierce, untamed beauty momentarily flickering across her face, catching Rugal off guard.
"You must be talking about Daniel Navarro," Allison murmured. "Did no one tell you that when you're on a mission, you should hide your organization's markings?" She recalled a familiar tattoo. "After all these years, Daniel, why are you still hiding?" Her tone shifted, no longer curious but certain. She had made countless enemies, but the Burned Islands Mafia stood out; that distinctive tattoo reminded her of the vengeance she’d sought years ago.
A chilling laugh echoed. Rugal's eyes widened. He instinctively touched his neck, realizing his identity was exposed. Turning to a nearby monitor, he stammered, "Boss, we didn't mean to… this woman, she's—"
"Shut up," came a cold, low voice from the monitor. The screen flickered to life, revealing a man with a jagged scar running across his cheek—Daniel Navarro, the Burned Islands Mafia's second-in-command. Infamous. Ruthless. And responsible for her master's death.
A knot tightened in Allison's chest. She hadn't expected survivors from that explosion. Daniel's voice was a cold rasp. "This time, I'll make sure you wish for death, Allison. Look at you, with that delicate skin… how many lashes do you think it would take to break you? Or maybe I should offer you to my most loyal companion?" He gestured toward a lion prowling in the shadows. The scars on his face were a constant reminder of the suffering he'd endured because of her. After she'd destroyed the Mafia, he’d clawed his way back to power. Their vengeance ran deep.
"Or," he said, his tone softening, "you could hand over the key to Hacker's World. You know which one I mean. Do that, and I might grant you a quicker, less painful death." Years ago, they'd killed a man for that key, only for it to fall into Allison's hands. Now, Daniel wanted it back.
Allison smiled, a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Why don't we discuss the key when you get here? After all, you said you'd arrive in three days, right? I'll make sure to enjoy these peaceful moments until then."
Daniel's face twitched, anger flashing before he chuckled. "Keep a close watch on her," he ordered his men. "Not even a fly should escape."
"Yes, boss," they muttered in unison, before the screen went dark, shattered by Daniel's fist. The cabin door creaked shut.
As soon as they left, Allison's smile vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating look. Time was running out. Before her phone was destroyed, she'd discreetly sent her location to Kellan. Now, she had to buy herself time to escape.