?Chapter 1586:


    Her gaze dropped to her mutted hand, and bitterness rose like bile in her throat. A wave of grievance crashed over her with renewed force, this time carrying an unfamiliar passenger: a regret she had never allowed herself to acknowledge before. She stared at Lance and tried to speak, but her lips parted soundlessly — something had lodged in her throat, choking off every word.


    Lance released a long, weary sigh and gentled his tone even further. “Nina, give the police a detailed description of Arlo’s appearance — every feature you can remember. This isn’t just about helping Ste. This is about reducing your sentence and securing your future.”


    Tremors continued coursing through her frame. Betraying Arlo or facing a lifetime in prison — neither option held any promise. Time stretched between them, the meeting room sinking into an eerie silence broken only by Nina’s shallow, elerated breathing.


    Lance leaned closer and dropped his voice to something deeper and more reassuring. “I understand what frightens you, but once the authorities apprehend Arlo, you’ll be safe. The Carter family won’t allow him to touch you, Nina. You’re not facing this alone.”


    She had always had people ready to catch her when she stumbled.


    Finally, as though every ounce of resistance had drained from her body, Nina lowered her head. Emotion strangled her voice when she spoke. “He’s… probably in his fifties. Very tall. There’s a deep scar running down the left side of his face all the way to his chin — old, been there for years. His eyes are gray, distinctive. He favors his right hand for everything…” She continued describing Arlo’s features in halting fragments, pulling each detail carefully from memory.


    Lance’s tension eased, though only slightly. As Nina spoke, the profiler stationed in the corner scribbled steadily, her pen scratching rhythmically against paper.


    Once Nina finished, Lance leaned forward. “Where did you meet him? And how many people does he have in his mercenary group?”


    Nina’s breath caught, and fear flickered across her face. “In the tropical jungle. I can’t pinpoint the exact location. His mercenary group has at least a hundred men. Also… Drake from Erebus worked alongside him. His base shelters dozens of scientists and medical experts…” She had spilled everything she knew, though it wasn’t much.


    Lance held back from pressing her further. As he studied Nina — hollowed out, lifeless — a tangle of emotions stirred within him. After a lengthy silence, he rose to his feet and gave her one final look. “I’ll make certain thewyer fights to reduce your sentence. Stay here. Try not to worry.” With that, he turned toward the door.


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    Seeing him about to leave, Nina shot up from her chair, her handcuffs clinking sharply against the table. “Lance!” she cried, her voice cracking with unshed tears.


    He stopped but didn’t turn around. “What is it?”


    Her voice dropped to barely a whisper, trembling with fragile hope. “If I cooperate from now on, will you… will you stille visit me?” She was struggling to hold back tears, like a lost child whispering into the dark.


    Lance’s spine went rigid. He offered no answer, pausing for only a few heartbeats before striding out of the room.


    The iron door swung shut behind him, sealing away Nina’s eyes as they dimmed with despair.


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