The call connected.


    A clear, cool female voice came through. "I''ve sent you all the data forms. As for the issue about the pathogen strain endlessly dividing, I need to mull it over a bit more. I''ll get back to you once I''ve figured it out."


    Adler''s colleague was taken aback by the voice. Weren''t they expecting Emmitt? How did it turn into a young woman? His cheeks twitched, feeling something breaking inside. Unbelievable!


    After Mirabe finished speaking and got no response, she called out, "Adler?"


    Adler''s colleague snapped back to reality and quickly replied, "Uh... I''m not Adler. I''m his colleague."


    "Colleague?" Mirabe''s eyes narrowed slightly. "Is Adler busy?"


    "No, Adler''s... in some trouble." The colleague, perhaps influenced by years of dealing with the elusive Emmitt, decided to be straightforward. "He was taken by the National Security Agency this afternoon, and we have no clue what''s happening now."


    No wonder he hadn''t replied to her messages earlier.


    Mirabe, who had been lounging against the headboard, kept her casual demeanor, but the mood around her shifted. "Why would the National Security Agency take him?" she asked.


    "You don''t know?" The colleague recalled what Swanson had mentioned earlier. Adler''s arrest was all because of this mysterious ''Emmitt.''


    Mirabe replied, "Because of the medical institute incident?"


    "Yeah, the records went missing, and then it got tangled up with the radiation data, so..." The colleague didn''t know much, as Swanson hadn''t filled him in on the details.


    Holding her phone, Mirabe nodded, "Thanks for the heads-up."


    "No problem. But now that he''s with the National Security Agency, who knows what''ll happen? I''ve heard they''re pretty ruthless," the colleague sighed.


    Mirabe knew all too well how intense the National Security Agency could be, having encountered them before. After a moment of thought, she said, "I have a way to get him out, but I''ll need your help."


    The colleague perked up immediately, "Just tell me what to do."


    "Not just you, everyone," Mirabe corrected.


    Thinking of how everyone was avoiding the issue earlier, even the director, he gave a wry smile, "I can help, but the others..."


    He didn''t finish, but Mirabe got the drift. Her gaze shifted to the door, which was now making noise. "I can research and analyze the pathogen strain structure for you."


    The colleague''s grip tightened on his phone, tempted by the offer. After a pause, he said, "Alright, I''ll talk to our director now."


    Mirabe wasn''t worried about their cooperation. She agreed and hung up.


    At the door, James entered, noticing Mirabe''s serious expression. He pulled up a chair next to the bed, ncing at the phone in her hand. "Who called?"


    "Adler''s been taken by the National Security Agency," Mirabe said, putting her phone away and grabbing theptop from the bedside table.


    James, knowing Adler had rescued Nick, leaned back in his chair. "Because of Nick?"


    "Yeah, he''s be the fall guy," Mirabe replied softly, her fingers flying over theptop keyboard.