?Chapter 1065:


    When she called Jeff’s roommate, Hank Walsh, he said, “He told me yesterday he was headed to some experiment or whatever. Didn’te back.”


    Ste, starting to panic, spoke quickly. “What experiment? Did he say where?”


    “No idea,” Hank replied. “He was real cagey about it. I didn’t push.”


    Truth was, he wasn’t very close to Jeff—just a roommate, someone to grab lunch with, nothing deep.


    Ste’s thoughts were racing. She jumped in her car and rushed to campus. She and Professor Taylor checked the security footage from theb and around school, but the only useful bit was a clip showing Jeff getting into a car at the front gate.


    She needed clearance to get the rest of the footage.


    Just as she was about to call the police, her phone buzzed. An anonymous message popped up. “Want to see Jeff? Come alone to Warehouse 7 in the old industrial district. You have one hour. Tell the cops or William Briggs, and you’ll have yourself to me.”


    Attached was a photo of Jeff tied to a chair. He looked barely conscious, face scraped up, blood on his cheek.


    Ste’s stomach dropped. Whoever sent that knew her number.


    They also knew she was looking for Jeff. This wasn’t random.


    They were after her—not Jeff.


    The first name that came to mind was Nina.


    Lately, Nina had been going out of her way to get under Ste’s skin. Aside from her, the only group that might be involved was Erebus.


    But Erebus wouldn’t waste time on a regr college kid like Jeff. So, it had to be Nina.


    Still, why kidnap Jeff? If Nina wanted something, she could’vee after her directly.


    No time to figure it out. Ste had to move—fast.


    She drafted a quick email to William Briggs, set it to send in two hours. In it, she gave a short rundown of what happened and where she was going.


    gα?ησν????s．?????? brings magic to life


    She made it clear that if she hadn’t called him by the time he got the email, he needed to call the cops—immediately.


    Then Ste grabbed her keys and drove, alone, straight to the old industrial district.


    The air inside Warehouse 7 was thick and heavy, reeking of damp concrete and mildew. The smell clung to everything, like it had been festering there for years.


    About an hourter, Ste shoved open the rusted iron door. Her eyes locked onto Jeff immediately—he was tied to a chair in the center of the warehouse, duct tape pped across his mouth.


    Two masked men stood on either side of him like silent statues, while Nina lounged on a nearby crate, arms crossed and a cold smirk on her face.


    She pped slowly, mockingly. “Right on time, Ste,” Nina said. “Guess he really means something to you, huh?”


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