Chapter 1826 - Team Falcon (10)

As the time trickled away, Jasha and Kolya were focused on checking the wall. They didn't like this work, but there was nothing else for them to do other than to stand and panic while staring at the digital clock above the door which is their only way out. Like this, at least they had an excuse as if they are contributing to the team effort.

Mila was moving nimbly and avoiding the lasers while feeling out the floor tiles. She didn't have any problems with this task, and she had ample time to throw glances at Aiden.

A minute ago, Mila saw Aiden touch his earpiece, and then his expression changed as if he is listening to someone, and he even smiled warmly, like he is enjoying it.

Mila assumed that Aiden is talking to Maksim because Jasha and Kolya are busy feeling out the wall and she is obviously not hearing anything, so the only logical explanation was that Aiden and Maksim are having a private conversation that does not include the rest of the team.

The room was eerie silent, so when Kolya cleared his throat, Mila and Jasha glared at him. Aiden was too busy listening to Sarah to pay attention to the other three.

At some point, Aiden exhaled and murmured: "I wish you are here…"

It was a faint, barely a whisper, but Mila was watching Aiden from only a few steps away, and she picked it up. Why is Aiden talking to Maksim with such longing? It took Mila a few seconds to connect the dots and her eyes opened in shock.

'Alex and Maksim are lovers!', Mila's mind exploded.

No wonder Alex was avoiding her whenever she approached him, and Maksim was ignoring her as well. It's because they are not swaying that way! Now it makes sense why Maksim didn't call Aiden for a one-on-one talk: he didn't want to expose them! And Maksim is pretending to give a hard time to Aiden when he is secretly giving him a chance to shine.

While Aiden worked (with Sarah) on cracking the safe open, and Jasha and Kolya were inspecting the wall, Mila was lost in her own thoughts as she found various 'facts' that supported her theory of Aiden and Maksim having a romantic relationship.

Mila heard that well-groomed guys tend to be gays because they care about their appearances, but this is too much! Aiden and Maksim are obviously the most handsome guys she saw in a long time, and now they are out of her reach! Mila felt like crying. The only positive is that now she knows how nothing is wrong with her charms, it's about the guys who are not interested in women. But that does not change the fact that the leader of her base will give her a hard time for failing to seduce Aiden. Can she say that because Aiden is gay, she has no chance of succeeding? The man will obviously bring up Olga, who has no problem sticking to Aiden.

Mila pursed her lips. This does not add up. If Aiden is into Maksim, why is he sticking to Sarah? A second later, Mila remembered: drugs. Everyone knows that Natalia provided some memory-altering drugs and that is what is keeping Aiden by Sarah's side, but it seems that drugs are not strong enough to suppress Aiden's true nature.

In Eastern Europe, there is still a lot of stigmas directed toward people who are anything other than heterosexual and it's no wonder that Aiden and Maksim are being secretive.

Now it all made sense, to Mila at least.

Mila exhaled sadly and shook her head while reminding herself to keep on checking the floor tiles and to watch for the lasers. But her ears were still perked up, hoping to hear some other juicy details.

Mila wondered, what will Jasha's and Kolya's say when they find out that Aiden and Maksim are a couple? Mile does not think that she can keep this secret for herself. It is too much of a burden to shoulder on her own.

The time was ticking away much faster than anyone wanted, Sarah included, but Sarah kept her voice calm and steady because Aiden panicking will not be good.

"We have one minute left!", Kolya half-screamed, making Aiden flinch.

"Don't listen to him…", Sarah's voice sounded in Aiden's ear, bringing him back to focus on his task. "It's just the two of us, and we have all the time in the world… Now move the dial to the right… Slowly… We are almost there…"

"Ah…", a sound escaped Mila's lips when a floor tile sank under the pressure of her palm. A second later, the number of lasers in the room halved.

"Yes!", Jasha said in excitement and Kolya exhaled in relief loudly.

Mila looked at Aiden with a grin, expecting praise, and she was disappointed when he didn't spare her a glance. He was absolutely focused on the safe in front of him.

Other than reducing the number of lasers and making it easier for the people to move, this was also a confirmation that they have a way out of here. They just need to find it. And here are less than 40 seconds left before the timer expires.

Kolya inhaled a shaky breath. "Is it just me, or is it difficult to breathe? Aren't those holes in the ceiling ventilation?"

"Panicking will not help.", Jasha reminded Kolya. "Focus on your task. If there is a way to disable lasers, there should be a way to open the door, and that will help us with breathing as well. Don't look at the time and don't look at the ceiling either, because tiles out of place do not mean there is a supply of air available."

Jasha wiped his forehead that was beaded with sweat. He also noticed that it's difficult to breathe and he forced himself to take slow steady breaths. Their only way out of this is to find a way to open the door.

They all wanted to panic more than once, but seeing how Aiden is calmly focused on his task, reminded them all not to give up.

Jasha wanted to ask Aiden what his progress is, but he saw that Aiden is unaware of his surroundings and Jasha knew that chatting Aiden up will not help anyone. Jasha continued moving across the floor while feeling out the tiles with the hope that one of them will open the door.

"Almost there…", Sarah tried to encourage Aiden.

"I need more time…", Aiden responded in a whisper and he paused when he saw that his hands are shaky.

"Don't give up… Try one more time…", Sarah pleaded Aiden.

Sarah knew that the time is running out and that opening the safe might not solve anything, but is there anything else she can do? Of course, Aiden might use Eve-lens to identify which electricals in the wall are powering up the door and to use something to break through and cut the wiring, but there is no time for that. And the only hope (no matter how small) to get out of there is to open that safe.

Aiden took in a choppy breath and blinked a few times while trying to focus. Of course, Sarah saw this, because when he blinked, her vision turned dark as well. She understood that he is having difficulty staying conscious with the oxygen levels dropping rapidly.

"Follow my voice, love…", Sarah continued talking to Aiden. "Turn the dial to the right… Stop… Now to the left… Stop… Now…"

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