Mirabe sped her hands together, her index finger casually twirling in the air,pletely unfazed by Carter''s hostility. "So, if they can''t fix thework, no one can? Did I get that right?"


    Carter, not in the mood for a verbal spar, replied icily, "Be smart and give up your aplices."


    The implication was clear: the only reason Mirabe could fix a problem that had stumped the country''s topputer experts was because she was in cahoots with the cyber attacker.


    Mirabe chuckled softly, "Sorry, ''be smart'' isn''t in my vocabry. Care to teach me?"


    Carter''s face darkened immediately. "So, you prefer the hard way over an easy one, huh?"


    He turned to his subordinate, "Bring me the whip."


    The subordinate hesitated, ncing at Mirabe. Instead of moving, he leaned in and whispered to Carter, "Is this really a good idea? She''s under James''s protection. If we touch her, exining it won''t be easy."


    Carter smirked dismissively. "She''s just a woman. Do you really think the Shepherd family cares? Besides, for national security, what''s the harm in a little persuasion? Can James really cover the sky with one hand?"


    The subordinate, still uneasy, mulled it over and reluctantly agreed. How much trouble could one woman cause?


    He left the cell but returned within a minute, holding a ck whip, its end darkened from blood.


    Carter took the whip, had the subordinate leave, and locked the door behind him.


    Now, it was just him and Mirabe in the cell.


    "Thought it through? Spill the beans and avoid a lot of pain," Carter said, cracking his neck and giving the whip a menacing tug, tension filling the room.


    Mirabe nced at the closed door, sat up straight, and casually rested her hands on the table. They probably thought she was harmless, so they didn''t bother tying her up.


    She rubbed her wrists and looked at Carter, suddenly asking, "Self-defense isn''t a crime, right?"


    Carter found the question amusing. He cracked the whip on the ground, making a loud snap. "Only if you can manage it."


    Mirabe licked her dry lips, her voice low, "Alright then."


    Theck of cameras in the room was quite convenient for her.


    Carter snickered coldly and swung the whip at her, not holding back despite her being a woman.


    Just as the whip was about to strike her hand, Mirabe caught it barehanded. A few strands of hair fell across her forehead, but they didn''t hide the fierce glint in her eyes.


    Carter''s eyes widened in surprise. He hadn''t expected her to catch the whip barehanded. He knew the force behind his swing; even a trained fighter might have struggled to catch it.


    This woman... Carter narrowed his eyes, suppressing his shock, and abruptly twisted the handle, trying to yank the whip back from Mirabe''s grasp.