The vehicles stopped at the foot of the mountain. Everyone but the drivers got out and began the uphill hike.
Caitlin and her team arrived at the designated location just as Samir and his men showed up from the other side.
With less than a hundred meters between them, both sides could clearly size each other up, noting how many people hade.
Pierrick scanned the group across the clearing and immediately spotted Caitlin, Sebastian, and Zinnia standing at the front.
“They brought a lot of people,” he muttered to Samir.
“Cut the chatter,<i>” </i>Samir replied calmly. “It’s time to negotiate.”
Pierrick nodded, then raised his voice. “We brought the hostages! Did you bring what we asked for?”
Caitlin turned to signal James, who stepped forward holding a secure case.
“The ‘Yun’s Aromatic Codex* is right here,” Caitlin said. “As agreed–hostages for the book. One for one.”
Pierrick raised a new demand. “We need to verify that the “Codex* is authentic before any exchange.”
“Fine,” Caitlin agreed, “but we want to verify the hostages, too.”
At her request, Pierrick ordered his men to bring the captives forward.
Three hooded figures were marched to the front. Once there, their hoods were pulled off, revealing their faces.
Zinnia’s eyes instantly welled up. “Dad! Mom! Leo!”
Her parents and younger brother looked up at her, their mouths stuffed with rags so they couldn’t speak. They struggled against their bonds, muffled cries escaping their throats,
Samir waved a hand, and the guards removed the gags.
“<b>Zinnia</b>…” her mother choked out, voice trembling,
Zinnia’s heart ached at the sound. She was about to rush forward when Xavi held her back just in time. She might have blown the entire exchange in a moment of desperation.
Once the hostages were confirmed, it was <b>time </b>to verify the ‘Codex”
<b>James </b>and Tyler walked it to the center, guns aimed all around them. Simrly, Samir approached with a team and a mancript expert for the inspection.
Everyone was required to wear gloves for the evaluation The expert used various instruments and tools deem the pages
Finally, he nodded “it’s real”
Samir couldn’t hide the satisfaction in his eyes He gently turned a few pages human and confirmed a agafesztne sty
Anight, fe said et fad at make the exchange
His voice was a tle different from Zeke’s boud be disputed i beband a sough just wough in avond neguzen
17:56 Fri, 22 Aug
Caitlin noticed the change, her suspicions further confirmed: this wasn’t the real Zeke.
As the most dangerous part of the operation began–the actual exchange–Quincy led five men forward to receive the hostages.
Pierrick approached with a few team leaders, bringing the supposed captives.
The two sides now stood face–to–face. Tension rippled through the air. Everyone was on edge. <i>One </i>false move, and all hell would
break loose.
Zinnia clutched Xavi’s hand, visibly shaking. He gave her aforting squeeze.
Caitlin and Sebastian watched intently, sweat beading on their foreheads—not just from the heat, but from the stakes.
They moved at the same time: one group taking the hostages, the other reaching for the codex.
“I’ll count to three, then we let go,” Tyler said. Both sides nodded.
“1…2… 3… Release!”
James let go of the codex. Pierrick grabbed it instantly, while their side secured the three hostages.
The trade was done–but it didn’tst.
Before Pierrick could even savor his prize, James suddenly lunged forward and kicked the case out of his hands.
The codex flew into the air. Tyler leapt up and caught it mid–flight.
“You bastards!” Pierrick growled. He tried to grab it back, but James blocked him, and the two shed in a flurry of blows.
Samir gave the order. His men immediately drew their weapons.
Gunfire erupted.
15
Quincy and the others had already whisked the hostages away. Bullets thudded into the ground behind them, spraying up dirt and
leaves.
Caitlin’s side returned fire, diving behind trees for cover. Chaos exploded across the mountain slope.
“Hold your fire!” Samir suddenly shouted. “Stop! Everyone stand down!”
Reluctantly, both sides ceased shooting. Guns remained raised, but no one fired. Even James and Pierrick broke off the scuffie.
James returned to his team, breathing heavily. Pierrick’s face twisted with fury
“You cheated!” he roared “Caitlin! Sebastian That was a dirty trick!”
“You walked right into it. Not our fault you tell for it. Sebastian said coldly.
Then Samir startedughing “Of course we expected you to y disty That’s why we never gece you the stages
Castlin’s face went cold Shy indiately turned to finis
Zte check if they’re teat
Emma, ali enotional oked braard her and th
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17:56 Fri, 22 Aug
But before she could move, the man pretending to be her father pulled a gun and fired.
“Watch out!”
Xavi saw iting and tackled Zinnia to the ground. The shot missed her, but she screamed as she saw what happened next.
The fake brother pulled out a knife and stabbed Xavi in the back.
“Xavi!”
Zinnia kicked the attacker away and ran to Xavi’s side. Quincy and his team rushed in and subdued all three imposters.
33%A
They tore off theirtex masks–beneath them were strangers. Not only were they not Zinnia’s family, but one of them wasn’t even
a woman.
“They’re fakes!” Quincy shouted. “We’ve been duped!”
Zinnia caught Xavi as he copsed.
“Xavi, stay with me!”
“I’m okay…” he whispered–but then passed out in her arms.
Zinnia clutched him, her heart breaking. He’d taken a hit meant for her.
The hostages weren’t real. Not only had they failed to save anyone–they now had a man down.
Before panic could fully set in, Caitlin shouted, “Since you’ve shown your true colors, this exchange is over! Fall back, now!”
But Samir onlyughed.
“Leave? I don’t think so. You’re surrounded!”
The moment he spoke, dark figures burst from the forest on all sides.
Shadow Moon Pavilion’s assassins swarmed in, quickly surrounding Caitlin and her team.
313
AD
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