<h4>Chapter 220: The infiltration II</h4>


    <strong>Kael</strong>


    We now had two people who could move freely. The rest of us would have to be more careful.


    We continued deeper into the facility. Past more empty rooms, past storage areas, past what looked like a medical bay.


    Finally, we reached what appeared to be the main security checkpoint. Two guards sat at a desk, watching monitors disying camera feeds from throughout the building.


    ke and Nina approached them casually, ying their roles as fellow guards.


    "Hey," ke said easily. "Boss wants us to do a perimeter check. Thought there might be activity near the south entrance."


    One of the guards looked up. "Nobody told us about that."


    "Just came through on the radio," ke said, gesturing to the device on his belt. "You guys didn’t catch it?"


    The guards exchanged confused looks. One of them reached for his own radio.


    That’s when we moved.


    I came from the side, Sarah and Nina from the other direction. The guards barely had time to react before we were on them. The struggle was quick and quiet. The only evidence we left was the chairs knocked over and paper scattered on the floor, but it was over in a few seconds.


    We tied both guards up in a storage closet, wearing their uniforms.


    "That was almost too easy," Sarah muttered when Charis and I came out.


    "Don’t jinx it," I said.


    I went straight to the security monitors, staring at multiple screens showing different areas of the building. Most were empty, but on one screen, I saw movement.


    Arge room in what looked like the basement level. There were multiple figures moving around, and in the centre were suspended cages.


    "There," I said, pointing. "That’s where they’re keeping the captured wolves."


    "We can’t get past them," ke suddenly said, shaking his head. "Guards are crawling on every floor; they’ll catch us before we have a chance to rescue Alpha ter."


    A small, wry smile settled on my lips. "I know, but we’ll go anyway." I turned to them, catching Charis’s gaze and shing her a smile before I continued speaking. So far, she had amazed me with her coordination.


    She had handled everything without panicking.


    "I know we didn’t have time to give you the full brief, but from here onwards, if we need to rescue ter, we need to walk right into their trap."


    "Their trap?" ke arched a brow. "I don’t understand."


    "Well, you see, they anticipated everything we just did now, and we yed our part smoothly. With the collectors, there’s no outsmarting them. You use their trick and save yourself, because they would have considered multiple options and blocked us at every turn. You can see for yourselves."


    "Is that why you asked for people with a high threshold for pain?" Nina asked, staring at me with amusement in her eyes.


    "Yes!" I nodded. "We’ll move down to the next floor and allow ourselves to be captured. We need to pray that they take us directly to the cage, and we’ll find a way to release those captured wolves."


    Everyone nodded. "We’re ready."


    I smiled and turned, leading the group.


    Of course, I’d seen the listening device blinking under the table of the control room, and I know that every single thing I’d just said now had been heard. And if my guess is correct, they would act immediately, ying right into my own trick.


    Just like my master would say: "There’s no right or wrong on the field. No strongest or weakest either. Only the smartest would survive."


    We moved quickly toward the stairs leading to the basement. Every second counted, and dy meant more risk.


    The stairs were concrete, our footsteps echoing despite our attempts at stealth. At the bottom, another hallway. This one was darker than the hallways, and the smell of blood was stronger here.


    We could hear voices now. Multiple people were talking andughing on the other side of the door.


    I signalled for everyone to ready their weapons. Charis stayed behind me, crouching low and waiting for mymand.


    The hallway ended in arge metal door with light spilling under it. The voices were louder here, and I could make out individual words now.


    "—never seen someone go down that fast—"


    "—kid’s got spirit, though—"


    "—Bane’s gonna make a fortune off him—"


    They were talking about ter. It had to be.


    I looked back at my team, and everyone nodded. I moved my mouth towards my shoulders and spoke into the microphone there tucked out of sight.


    "Rhett, are you ready?"


    "Yes!" Rhett said immediately. "We’re waiting for final instructions."


    "And Tafe?" I asked.


    "We’re on standby," they replied.


    "Good!" I took a deep breath and counted down with my fingers, while still mouthing quietly the numbers for the people who were not with us. When we got to thest number, we burst through the door.


    The collectors, a group of five men, stood in ck regalia and ck coats, their faces covered by masks. In front of us were about thirty men armed to the teeth, pointing their guns at us.


    The conversation we’d heard wasing from a radio ying in the room. Immediately, the other men surrounded us, forcing us to back up into each other.


    Suddenly, the tallest of the collectors standing before the other masked one came forward, and I instantly recognised him as Bane Castor. He had the build of an Alpha plus. I was able to get pictures of him before the mission.


    He started pping as he came towards us, smiling from ear to ear.


    "That was quite the n, you know!" Bane said with a smirk. "I was expecting something more since you already know how detailed we can be. But I’m shocked that you still couldn’te up with a good n."


    "At least we managed to infiltrate the building," I retorted, straightening and looking him in the eyes. "That should count for something."


    "Yeah!" he nodded as his eyes twinkled with amusement. "I’m Bane Castor, by the way. Where is Charis?" he asked.


    There was no response from any of us and Bane took a deep breath. "Listen, whoever you are, I am not a patient person, and we’ll have a match soon. I’d like us to wrap this up nicely. I gathered from ter’s thought that Charis might be a Direwolf that is why..."


    He raised his hand, and the armed men immediately lowered their weapons and took a step back, though they remained alert.


    "That is why," he continued. "I’m willing to make you an offer. For Charis, you can go home with ter and the girl and with your lives, too. Fair deal, eh?"


    The goal was to keep him talking, so I had to y along.


    "I don’t know if you know me," I said quietly. "Didn’t you pick me up from ter’s thought too?"


    His eyes widened in surprise as he stared at me. I could see he was shocked. I knew what he meant.


    "Oh! I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself," I bowed politely. "My name is Kael, and when I’m done with this mission, this will be the fifteenth time I have sessfully rescued people from your den. I am the only agent so far who has been able to do that."


    I watched with delight as recognition and fear entered his eyes.


    "And if you had picked through ter’s thoughts, you could have seen that Charis is not just ter’s mate. She’s mine too, and I love her so much. In fact, the thought of leaving her back home toe here scared me, and I had to bring her on the mission. Charis..." I paused and turned to Charis. "Come here, darling, let them see you."


    Charis came out from behind me and stood next to me.


    "Gaze at her, everyone," I turned around, addressing the room. "Because she’s thest beautiful thing you’d ever see. I’m going to kill you all today and put an end to this darned thing once and for all."


    Bane Castor tried to speak, but I raised my hand, cutting him off.


    "I haven’t finished, Bane," I said quietly. "You know I was going to cut you some ck because you do not know who you truly are, but before that, I’d remind you."


    I rifled in my bag and produced a picture of him and his family. I tossed it over to him and continued talking.


    At first, he was reluctant to look at the picture, but in the end, his curiosity won him over. He bent down and picked the picture, his eyes widening as he stared at it with confusion."


    "Your name is Bane Castor, the first son of Alpha Castor. You went missing some six or eight years ago after a field trip. You were a Ravenshore student, bright and promising Alpha. The news of you missing shattered your family. For two years, your father searched endlessly for you, and then one day, ording to the customs of thend, they had to dere you dead."