Chapter 430 The Visit

The call was from White.

Johnathan was a little surprised by his response.

“You’re backing out? Why?”

“You think I’m an idiot?”

White shouted through the phone, “I may not be from your country, but with how tense things have been in Capital City these past few days, it doesn’t take much asking around to figure out something serious is going on.”

“I don’t know who you’ve pissed off, but it sure looks like trouble–and I’m not looking to get dragged into it.”

“I thought you were the adventurous type,” Johnathan replied calmly.

“Don’t try to bait me!”

“My family called and told me to stay out of it.”

“If you’ve got something else in mind for a collaboration, I might consider it.”

“That’s it. I’m hanging up.”

With that, White ended the call. Listening to the beeping on the other end, a thoughtful look crept into Johnathan’s eyes.

Truthfully, he’d always had some doubts about White. The timing of his appearance had just been too convenient. While his personality didn’t quite fit the mold, you could never be too sure.

This whole situation had been a test. If White really were part of that organization, he would’ve used this opportunity to get close.

So, had he been wrong?

Rubbing his brow, Johnathan forced down a little food, then ordered for the car to be prepared.

He didn’t have much time left. There was no telling how long the drug’s effects would last. While his body still held up, there was one place he needed to go.

“Do you really have to go yourself?” Wayne looked at him disapprovingly.

“Yes.” Johnathan nodded firmly. This wasn’t something he could delegate.

Seeing how set he was, the old man didn’t argue further. He simply assigned two teams to escort him.

“You’re not in the same shape you used to be. Don’t try to tough it out.”

“Grandpa, I’m not stupid,” Johnathan smiled faintly.

He still had a ticking time bomb in his body, and his fracture hadn’t fully healed. He wasn’t about to start acting reckless.

With security in tow, Johnathan arrived at a high-security facility designed specifically for special prisoners.

This was where Quinn was being held.

The person in charge had been alerted in advance and was already waiting at the entrance. As soon as Johnathan arrived, he hurriedly led him inside.

Johnathan took in his surroundings. The inmates here all seemed… off. It was technically a prison, but unlike a regular one, each prisoner was held in solitary confinement. The facility had been stripped of anything that could be used for self-harm.

The official began briefing Johnathan on Quinn’s current condition.

“She’s under twenty-four-hour surveillance. Her nervous system hasn’t shown any signs of recovery. She’s severely impaired–doesn’t recognize anyone, and her intelligence is that of a one- or two-year-old. She doesn’t understand anything anymore.”

He assumed Johnathan was here to question Quinn, so he laid everything out clearly.

Johnathan thanked him, then insisted on seeing her in person.

The staff had been instructed ahead of time to cooperate with whatever Johnathan needed, so the official quickly brought him to Quinn’s room.

Quinn was watching a cartoon, completely engrossed in the screen.

When the door opened, she didn’t react at all, eyes locked on the animation.

Johnathan watched her carefully. Her gaze was focused–whenever something funny happened, she laughed along with the show.

After observing her for a while, he had the screen turned off and motioned for the bodyguards to step outside.

The guards did a quick scan of the room and, seeing no threats, waited outside.

As soon as the cartoon stopped, Quinn became upset, frantically pointing at the blank screen.

“Watch, watch!” Her speech was slow and slurred. Clearly, her damaged nervous system had also affected her ability to talk.

Johnathan acted like he didn’t hear her. Instead, he stared at her and asked, “Do you still recognize me?”

Quinn had no idea what he was saying. She kept pointing toward the screen, crying out again and again.

Johnathan ignored her protests and spoke anyway.

“When my mom first wanted to adopt you, I was against it. I didn’t want anyone else stealing her attention away from me. But after she died, you were the only one left by my side. Back then, I was actually grateful–grateful that I still had you. Even though we weren’t related by blood, you were the only family I ever truly accepted.”

As he spoke, he kept watching her expression.

But Quinn didn’t seem to understand a single word. She just kept whining, fixated on wanting to watch the cartoon again.

Johnathan looked at her quietly for a moment, then said, “I never expected things to end up like this. To be honest, I still don’t understand–why did you choose to stand against me?”