Chapter 207 - Escape Route

After hearing Elle's threat against him using his sister, Selena, James should show her no sympathy at all. He should be as hard as nails when facing her with a brave front.

However, seeing Elle got hit like that by Spike in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of pain and fury in his heart. James realized that he still had a soft spot for her and he hated it.

With his grim expression, James signaled Spike to step back. Feeling reluctant and guilty at the same time, Spike distanced himself away from Elle. He didn't dare to look at James's eyes which ablaze with anger. He knew that James was unhappy with his action.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere around the room, Black Shadow just continued to keep quiet while restraining Elle. He knew it was a hard hit but the girl before him never made any sound as if she didn't feel any pain at all.

Elle was very composed as if she was in control of everything. With her emotionless expression, she just stood up silently, not even struggling from his grasp.

Black Shadow felt like he was getting tired by just standing while holding her in place. Not able to suppress himself, Black Shadow made some remarks to lessen the tension.

"Hey, that's definitely a hard hit. I know it hurts, right? Don't pretend that you didn't feel the pain. Do you want me to wipe the blood for you?" Black Shadow said to Elle, just making fun of the situation.

Elle rolled her eyes after hearing Black Shadow's remarks. She stomped her feet thus hitting Black Shadow's foot.

"Ouch!" he reflexively grunted.

"Now, that's what you call pain. You felt it, right?" Elle mimicked the way on how he said his last words. 

Black Shadow had the urge to laugh but meeting James's cold glare, he quickly kept his mouth shut and just feigned ignorance.

James averted his gaze back to Elle. With his unreadable expression, he looked at her swollen face and the blood in the left corner of her lips. 

He had the urge to touch her face and wipe away the blood for her but he immediately rejected that thought as he looked away.

He picked up his phone and dialed Selena's number. She was not picking up. After several failed attempts, he gave up. He then called their telephone number at home. After a few rings, his call was answered by their Butler.

"Go and check Selena if she is in her room right now!" James ordered the butler with his stern voice.

Elle sighed deeply before she spoke up. "You didn't believe me? Do you think I am just bluffing?"

James ignored her as he waited for their butler's report.

Seeing his reaction, Elle just shook her head. Then she angled her head to speak with Black Shadow.

"Hey! Can you let go of me already? You're too close to me. It's kind of annoying. Urgh." Elle whispered to him as she complained.

Black Shadow just looked at her with disbelief. "Who are you to order me around?You are the prisoner here, did you forget that? You have no right to complain." he said in a low voice.

Elle moved her head backward hitting Black Shadow's face. She smirked after she heard him groaning in pain. Black Shadow cursed her under his breath.

Elle ignored him as she fixed her attention back to James. 

"James stop that already. I will show you the proof that I caught Selena. Don't worry I am a woman of my words. Just let me go and nothing will happen to her. I will not hurt her. I promise." Elle was trying to convince him. She had no time. She wanted to go home as soon as possible.

Spike looked daggers at her. He really wanted to torture and hurt her as of this moment. He was worried about Selena.

After a few minutes of waiting, James confirmed that Selena was not at home. Elle really abducted her. James gritted his teeth. Elle was trying to get her freedom from him using his sister, Selena.

'Do you really think you can escape in my grasp, Elle?'

With his stern cold voice, he asked her: "Where is my sister?"

"Get my phone. My password is 0296. Go to LiveVideo App and click it then you will see her." Elle simply gave him the instruction.

James picked up her phone. He got it from her pocket just a while ago when he did a body search on her. James paused for a moment when he saw her screen. There were several miscalls coming from one number.

A light flashed on his eyes and a smirk made its way on his stern face. He knew the person who was calling Elle. It was him- the Detective. She did not know that Erick already learned about her disappearance and now he was currently searching for her.

James gave Elle a meaningful glance as he already came up with a wonderful plan in mind. He felt bitter every time he would remember the scene he witnessed at the Cafe when Erick proposed to Elle.

After gathering his thoughts, he clicked the app and he saw Selena. She was blindfolded and being tied down on a chair. James's eyes widened when he saw the thing which was attached to Selena's body.

"A time bomb!?" James suddenly blurted out that caught the attention of Black Shadow and Spike.

From his expression, Elle knew that he finally saw Selena's situation. This was the precautionary measure that Elle was referring to before she infiltrated the Skull Gang's Headquarters.

She just used the same strategy against them and gave them a taste of their own medicine. They caught Charles to threaten her and now she used Selena in exchange.

She was sure about the trap she would be facing once she stepped inside their headquarters that's why she made a preparation. An hour and a half ago, she abducted Selena at her own house. 

She knew that Skull Gang were focused on capturing her and waiting for her at the headquarters, leaving a few guards on Selena's end. Confident that they would easily succeed in capturing her, they didn't anticipate Elle to resort to this plan.

She brought the unconscious Selena in an abandoned warehouse at the outskirt of City Z. Thinking about the time she should be back at home, she came up with an idea of putting a time bomb to pressure James just in case a negotiation would be necessary.

She had no plan of hurting her but she just needed an escape route and that was Selena, James's beloved sister.

On the other hand, James was so determined not to let go of Elle no matter what. He was thinking about how he could save Selena and not letting Elle get away from him at the same time.

James sneered at her "Did you forget that your accomplice's life is still in danger? I don't want to do this Elle, but you leave me with no choice."

"What are you planning to do? Are you backing out with your words! I shouldn't have trusted you, James Arison!" Elle said to him through gritted teeth.

"Relax. I am not backing out with my words. I will still let him be treated in the hospital. That's what you asked me for and I clearly fulfilled it. But I won't promise to keep him safe and alive after this, especially if anything happens to my sister." James said with contempt.

"Release my sister now and I will not touch even a single strand of hair of your accomplice," he added as he smiled coldly at her.

"It looks like you are out of moves now, Catseye. What will you do? Checkmate!" Black Shadow commented, mocking her.

However, just seconds after saying that, Elle's giggle bubbled up in the entire room. The three men were giving her a strange look.

'Why is she laughing? Had she gone mad? She couldn't accept the fact that she lost the game already.'

"I knew it. You will still use Charles to threaten me. Do you think I am a fool, not thinking of that possibility?" Elle said with her amused tone.

Just seconds after Elle said that they heard several knocking sounds outside the door.

"Boss! Boss! We have something to report!" A man said in his panicked voice.

James signaled Spike to let the man in. After entering the room, the man didn't waste any more time and told them everything.

"Our men who were supposed to send our prisoner to the hospital got attacked by an unknown group of men right after their car left the main gate. Three of our men died in the encounter. And they got our prisoner. They escaped the scene quickly." The man said spontaneously, not daring to look at James's eyes.

"Hmm… I think the game is not yet over." Elle said to them, a taunting smile appeared on her beautiful face.

The three men were all astonished. Catseye was not working alone. She got some helpers. She really came well-prepared. At first, she looked like a trapped sheep but now, they didn't know who really had the advantage and the upper hand.

Those helpers were the henchmen of Phantom who also helped them before in punishing Carlo Vello and Diego de Dios. Since Phantom was not around, he ordered his henchmen to assist and support Elle with this rescue mission.

Elle talked to them about her initial plan. But she only gave them one important job and that was to secure and save Charles. Then she would do the rest.

'They are very reliable and efficient. As expected to Master Phantom's trusted men.' she thought to herself as she heaved another sigh of relief. Now, she did not need to worry about Charles anymore.