Ewan nodded. An alliance with the Sigma Network would certainly pave a much wider path for the Huntsman Institute''s future.
Outside, Ebony Fox was weak, her steps slow and unsteady.
"I''ll carry you," Juniper said, bending down in front of her.
"Juniper..." Ebony Fox gently pushed her hand away, her voice soft. "Ewan won''t let us go that easily. He definitely has something else nned. I''ll just be dead weight, and you won''t get far with me."
She patted her sister''s shoulder. "Don''t worry about me. You go first."
"Dead weight?" The words made Juniper''s brow furrow into a severe line. "If I were the one in Ewan''s hands today, would you leave me behind and escape alone?"
Ebony Fox opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
Of course not. Juniper was her youngest sister, the apple of her eye. She would give her own life to ensure Juniper''s safety.
"It''s different," Ebony Fox managed to say, her throat tight.
"It''s not," Juniper said tly. Ignoring her sister''s protests, she hoisted her onto her back. "The longer we wait, the more dangerous it will be to leave the Huntsman Institute."
After a few seconds of silence, Juniper added, "And besides... Ebony Fox, I''m very strong."
When she was a mischievous kid, she used to y stone-throwing games with the monks at the monastery. When the adults started yfully cheating, she flew into a rage, picked up a massive stone weighing several hundred pounds, and chased them around with it. To this day, it was still one of the monastery''s most legendary tales.
"Don''t worry," Juniper said, ncing over her shoulder at her sister. "You still have to help me find Mom, Dad, and our sisters. You''re going to be fine."
Ebony Fox''s eyes stung with tears, but she finally relented, letting Juniper carry her.
They walked for two solid hours without stopping and finally reached the main gate of the Huntsman Institute.
At the entrance, Juniper ran into Westly again. This time, the way the man looked at her had changed.
Specter. The name was legendary. Anyone in their line of work knew it. What astonished him was that the legend was an eighteen-year-old girl.
No wonder she had been able to handle him when she was only thirteen.
"What are you looking at?" Juniper snapped, annoyed by his intense stare.
"Tsk." Westly looked away, but a few secondster, his gaze drifted back to her. "Are you really Specter?" he asked tentatively.
Juniper just gave him a look that said, **Are you an idiot?''*
"Good enough for me," Westly said, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.
"Losing to Specter is no disgrace."
In fact, it was the opposite. Surviving an encounter with Specter was
something few could ime
he
shame of his defeat years ago was finally washed away.
"Go on," Westly said, not making things difficult for them. He opened the gate and looked at Ebony Fox lowering his voice. "Be careful The leader doesn''t n on letting you go
Ebony Fox''s eyshes fluttered. Just as she''d suspected. The old bastard had
gotten the base he wanted and was ready to make his move.
"Ahem..." Westly nced around, then moved closer to Juniper, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I heard the leader notified the Sigma
Network. They''re nning to coordinate and capture you alive Compared to Sigma''s leader, think you''re way more impressive. So, I don''t want to see anything happen to you."
More importantly, if Specter died, how could he brag about being the one who got away?
"He notified the Sigma Network?" Juniper was amused. "Are their people already here?"
"They''re here," Westly confirmed with a firm nod, his expression full of concern for her. "A whole army of them. It''s obvious they''re here for your head."
"Oh," Juniper said, her face impassive. "They''re just here to give me a ride home."
Westly''s eyes went wide. Spoken like a true leader of the Subterra Vanguard. She made being hunted sound like a casual pickup.