Chapter 264 - No Connection

Claire was horrified when she saw the news. It was a good thing Orita still hasn't discovered it. The head maid was told the horrible news by a frazzled butler. Anastasia was playing dirty and Claire wanted to storm in with her guns blazing to get revenge even if it wasn't the smartest thing to do.

It was a very obvious trap and they couldn't afford to ruin their meticulous plans now because of such a simple ploy.

"Keep this from Orita," she told Jenna. "I need to oversee this personally. I'm going back to New York. Also, cut the wire for the internet and jam the signals. Do not let her find out until everything is over. I will contact you. Don't let her out of the villa and don't pick up any calls. It's over once they get our location, everything will be for naught."

Jenna nodded. "The girls must be very terrified now and the situation must be horrible. Please keep them safe!"

Claire didn't need long to pack her things. She brought with her three guards and left the rest to resume their duty as usual. Jenna quickly cut the internet line with a pair of scissors and switched on the signal jamming device. The lady butler also gave strict orders for the rest of the guards and coordinated their stories so that Orita wouldn't be suspicious.

Still, Jenna was badly shaken. The girls were only sixteen. Even if those photos were clearly edited, it was an extremely harsh thing to do to two teenage girls who were innocent in the fight between a.d.u.l.ts. Scarlet was called a man-stealing whore in a photoshopped image of her seducing CEO Zhu in a hotel room. Alex had photoshopped nudes published all over popular p.o.r.nographic sites and was called a s.l.u.t. The media's attention to the news didn't improve the situation and Jenna could only imagine the chaos the city was in.

Claire was not dealing with the shocking news any better. She thought that she had taken care of everything before she left. Who knew that Anastasia would resort to such a dirty trick. She hated to admit it but when it came to playing foul, the mafia lord was better than them. The Interpol would be unable to control the situation and Wilmer's hands were tied. This was well-planned and Anastasia's intentions were obvious. How long had they been waiting for this day to arrive? She was careless.

Claire bit her nail until her finger bled but the head maid was too angry to care about the pain. Her thought kept going back to Scarlet and Alex. Were the girls living separately and trapped in their own apartment? How were the boys coping with such news? Although the flight was a short one, Claire felt as if they were travelling too slowly. Edward and Jasper have been oddly quiet, Elfie couldn't be contacted. What was going on? She could understand that Wilmer and Danny's phones were flooded but the kids... why was she receiving nothing but radio silence?

"Dammit!" she cussed, scaring her subordinates. "Can't this damned plane go any faster?"

Raven deadpanned. "Ma'am, it's going at the speed it possibly can go at. I know that you're anxious to check on the situation on home ground but we need you to remain level-headed like how you normally are. The mistresses are strong, they won't be so easily defeated. Take a look at this, it's in morse. The Interpol just sent it."

Glaring at Raven half-heartedly., Claire snatched the transmission and decoded it quickly.

[Hitman caught, spies identified. Girls missing, sending extra men to track them down. Agent Sentient reinstated for the case. CEO Zhu hospitalised from a car crash. Brake wires found cut. Leah Yuan suspected. Julian on the run. Lucian caught. Hackers activated, tracking a location. Bombing foiled on Wilde mansion. Wilmer secured.]

Claire re-read this several times and slumped onto the chair.

"What did it say?" Raven asked urgently. Claire was ashen and none of her subordinates had ever seen the Cyborg look so fearful.

Raven read it quickly and broke the bad news to his colleagues. Claire was right, this plane was not fast enough.

The atmosphere was so dark on the private jet that the stewardess serving them on board didn't dare to wish them a good day when they left. All four bodyguards resembled grim reapers, dressed in black with murder in their eyes. The customs officers didn't bother checking their bags and let them pass when Claire flashed them her government pass.

With no time to waste, they hailed a taxi to Kiwi Cat Studio where Jasper, Edward and Elfie were already working on the case. Edward just sent Claire a file that Elfie encrypted. It showed her a video of Dragon and his brothers valiantly protecting the girls against six men armed with guns. The assailants were disarmed and four were knocked unconscious but the two remaining gunmen had backup pistols. They shot Dragon in the chest and made a run for it with Alex and Scarlet roughly knocked out with a solid punch to the gut.

The van's license plate was caught on tape and Elfie had already located it but the kidnappers changed vehicles to one that wasn't registered. They lost all traces of where the girls were taken to and Edward sent a message following that video clip.

"Cyborg, I need your help. Scarlet trusted me, I cannot fail her. We have to get Julian and leave the rescue to the Interpol."

Claire was only five minutes away from Kiwi Cat Studio. She had to make up her mind quick to assist Edward in a two-man raid to apprehend the criminal on the run and leave rescuing the girls to an incompetent team or rescue the girls and let Julian escape, failing their expectations completely.

It was a tough decision but Claire could imagine Scarlet and Alex's tears of frustration if they knew they let this chance slip away. Everything was a mess. Nobody was prepared for the large-scale war the Anastasia Family had put up. The Interpol had to arrest not only the mayor of New York but also the Chief Commissioner to get the situation under control. They couldn't bring in the army but they brought in the riot police to keep the crowd away and bury the truth of the situation.

With one more minute ETA, Claire replied Edward. "Do you have a plan?"

His reply was short but resolute.

"Not yet. But failure is not an option."

Claire liked his answer. Looking over to the three most capable guards, Claire gave them what might be her final orders.

"Secure the ladies and work with Elfie. Raven, you're in charge in my absence. Gather the men we have all over New York and abandon the mansion. Lock the escape paths and leave only one. Ambush the kidnappers there and rescue our princesses. I'm going on a solo mission, don't wait for my return. It has been a joy working with all of you for many years, please continue guarding the Wilde Family with your full devotion."

Raven didn't like the sound of it. Claire was giving them a farewell speech and when he saw Edward waiting for them at the taxi stand beneath the office building, he somehow understood.

"Yes, ma'am! Please come back safely," he told her even if she told them not to wait for her. Without waiting for her reply, he quickly got out of the car, not wanting to hear anything that might change his mind about their mission's success rate.

They were a family, it wouldn't be complete with anyone missing.