Chapter 223: The Descent

Sierra’s lips curled into a smirk. “Rather than listening to you talk in circles, I’d rather see it for myself.”

Kason laughed. “I like that about you. Come on, I’ll take you downstairs.” He gestured for her to follow, but then paused. His gaze flickered to the bag she was carrying. “Leave the bag here.”

Sierra arched a brow, her expression unreadable. She tossed the bag onto the couch without hesitation. Then, she gave Kason a slow, knowing smile—like she was laughing at him.

Kason quickly explained, “It’s not that I don’t trust you. That area doesn’t allow personal belongings. Even we have to change into research uniforms before going in.”

Sierra said nothing. She merely followed, her hands remaining in the deep pockets of her coat, fingers brushing against the hidden weapon inside. She had to time this carefully. The facility was massive—she’d noticed that last time.

Kason led her down a private elevator. When they arrived, Sierra noted the security system: biometric scans, specifically retinal verification. Her stomach twisted slightly. If the place was this secure, the information inside had to be invaluable.

The heavy metal doors groaned open. An overwhelming stench flooded her senses; a mix of antiseptic and something far worse. Rot. Decay. Kason acted like nothing was out of the ordinary. “Let’s change first.”

They entered the locker room. Kason shrugged off his coat, reaching for the sterile research uniform. Sierra followed, peeling off her outerwear. But just as she was about to change, Kason’s voice cut through the air. “Wait. What’s in your pocket?”

Sierra’s heartbeat slammed into her ribs. Inside the surveillance van, both Johnathan and Mateo tensed. Mateo cursed under his breath.

8:35 PM

Johnathan had already pushed the door open, stepping onto the pavement. Mateo lunged, grabbing his arm. “Wait! If you go now, you’ll blow the entire operation. Sierra will be in even more danger.”

The only thing that stopped Johnathan was that one name: Sterna. After a long moment, he exhaled sharply and got back into the van. Mateo muttered a prayer. “She better have a plan.”

Sierra forced herself to look bored. She glanced down at her pocket, then back at Kason. “You mean this?” She pulled out a small bottle of disinfectant and a lipstick tube.

Kason blinked. “You carry disinfectant in your pocket?”

“Personal habit,” Sierra said flatly. “I hate filth.” She uncapped the bottle and sprayed it in Kason’s direction. Kason didn’t get mad. Instead, his lips curled into a pleased smile, entertained.

Sierra picked up the lipstick. “Want to try this too?”

“I’ll pass.”

“I thought so.” She casually returned the items to her pocket and slipped into the sterile uniform. Her hands clenched at her sides. She had to find a way to keep her weapon.

“Let’s go,” she said, her voice cool and detached. “I hope your setup is worth the secrecy.” She stepped past Kason before he could say anything else. Kason stared after her, eyes dark with hunger. He had to have her.

The hallway was lined with glass walls, revealing various research rooms. Sierra walked silently, forcing herself to look interested instead of horrified. Kason led her deeper.

Through the glass, she saw rows of animals in cages—cats, dogs, primates. Some were barely alive. She stopped in front of a particular cage. Inside, a dog lay on its side, its body covered in fresh wounds. Tears leaked from its eyes.

Kason followed her gaze. “Oh, that one!” He grinned. “It’s part of a study on loyalty. We found a stray owned by someone. Beat the owner in front of the dog, punished them until they broke.” His eyes gleamed with amusement. “You know what happened next? The dog started hurting itself. Scratching, biting—trying to get to them.” He chuckled. “When we finally dragged the owner away, it refused to eat. Just cried like that.”

Sierra gripped the fabric of her coat so tightly her nails dug into her palms. Her hand brushed the hidden weapon in her pocket. She wanted to kill him, but she wasn’t done gathering evidence yet. Instead, she let out a breath and lifted her chin. “Fascinating,” she said smoothly. “Show me more.”

Kason laughed, completely oblivious to the storm brewing behind her eyes.