Without waiting for a response, Gibson hung up.


    Ste immediately dialed another number. "Did you get a location?"


    Aicken''s respectful voice came through the line. "We have a lock on the signal''s location. I''ve already sent a team to investigate."


    "Good," Ste said. "Report back as soon as you have anything."


    Ten minutester, Aicken called back with an update. "Ms. Cameron, the location we traced was a dead end. There''s nothing here. It must have been a decoy."


    Ste''s face showed no trace of surprise or disappointment. She had expected as much.


    "I understand," she said, giving a few brief instructions before ending the call.


    Foreman immediately pressed, "Star, was it really the Gibsons?"


    A shadow of unease crossed Ste''s features. "It''s almost certain."


    Foreman tightened his grip on the ss in his hand, asking with feigned casualness, "Keen is so young. This must be terrifying for him. Gibson lost his son... who knows what he''ll do to Keen to get his revenge..."<fnaefb> Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n find(?)ovel</fnaefb>


    He shot a cold re at Joshua, who had remained silent the entire time. "This is all your fault, Joshua! If it weren''t for you, Gibson never would have taken Keen!"


    For once, Joshua didn''t argue, epting the me in silence.


    Seeing this, Foreman''s gaze grew even colder. "I''m telling you, if anything happens to Keen, I will never forgive you!"


    "That''s enough," Ste interrupted calmly. "This isn''t the time for me. We need to figure out how to get Keen back."


    Haynes''s deep gaze fell on Ste. "Gibson told us how. He wants to trade for Joshua. Are you saying you won''t hand him over?"


    "Even if we did," Ste said, "there''s no guarantee Gibson would let Keen go."


    Haynes understood her implication. "So, you''re refusing?"


    Ste nced at him. "Haynes, you know as well as I do that giving in to a kidnapper''s demands never works. It doesn''t save the hostage; it just puts you on the back foot and makes you vulnerable. We''re not out of options yet. Instead of discussing a trade, we should be nning a rescue."


    Haynes''s lips thinned, a flicker of displeasure in his eyes. "No matter how you spin


    it, the truth is that Joshua is more important to you than Keen, isn''t he?"


    A hint of weariness crept into


    Ste''s eyes. "With your intelligence, I refuse to believe you don''t tob


    understand what I''m saying. Haynes, we need to save Keen right now. Please don''t be unreasonable don''t want to fight with your not now."


    Haynes stared at her, his gaze unwavering. "Everyone else, get out. I need to speak with Ste alone."


    Foreman wisely chose not to add


    fuel to the fire and left, but not before shooting a warning look at Joshua. Joshua, however, didn''t even spare him a nce his eyes. fixed solely on Ste.


    "Joshua, wait for me outside," Ste said softly.


    Only then did Joshua move, leaving the room.


    The moment he was gone, Haynes couldn''t help but let out a coldugh. "He really is your personal bodyguard, isn''t he? He won''t listen to anyone but you."