UNDER HIS RULES

Hugo furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

“I have one message for you, Hugo. Don’t let Beatrice know where I’m headed.”

“But Sam, you can’t leave without telling us where you’re going, can you?”

Still wearing the same sly grin, Sam slowly closed his eyes. “I’m going to the place where it all began.”

***[]***

Anne continued to monitor the air route. She focused on the cameras that captured the convoy of Sam’s cars. There was a concern in her mind that the troublemakers might intercept Sam on the road. The expressway connecting the Southern and Southeastern Savannah regions was long and rarely congested. Most of the vehicles passing by were large trucks transporting food supplies.

“Ute, Deni will probably arrive soon,” Anne informed after glancing at the clock in the corner of the screen. “Get ready, okay?”

“Beatrice doesn’t want to, Anne. She insists on staying there to protect the headquarters.”

“What?!” Anne slammed the table. “I already talked to Boss Sam about Ute and Beatrice being escorted to the safe house.”

She couldn’t imagine what would happen if Beatrice stayed there. The recent attack had already scared her, and even when she reported the latest news, her voice trembled. She was afraid of conveying any information related to Beatrice incorrectly because Sam would show no mercy.

Ute chuckled softly. “I tried to persuade her, but Beatrice is as stubborn as Sam.” Ute was overwhelmed by Beatrice’s determination. She had never even held a weapon before, yet her resolve was incredibly strong. It was as if she was born to be a source of inspiration while some of the people in the headquarters were engulfed in an unpredictable anger.

“Don’t worry, Anne. As long as I’m here, Beatrice will be safe,” Ute assured confidently. “She’s currently learning how to handle a rifle, Anne. You should join us.”

Indeed, what Ute said was true. The faint sound of Beatrice’s enthusiastic voice asking how to quickly learn to handle a weapon could be heard.

Anne suddenly felt dizzy. She took a deep breath. “The most important thing is to be careful. I have to inform Boss Sam about Beatrice’s decision. We can’t take it lightly because it involves Beatrice, Ute.”

“You’re right.” Ute laughed again. “Boss Sam needs to know Beatrice’s current condition.”

Anne forced a faint smile on her face. She redirected her gaze to the screen, making sure not to lose sight of the movements from the air. A moment later, her eyes widened in astonishment. It felt as if they were about to pop out from sheer surprise. Her trembling hands gripped the edge of the table. “Ute, someone is coming from the South.”Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Ute growled. “I’m sure there will be a follow-up attack. If we had left earlier, I think we would have been executed on the way.”

Anne no longer knew which way to think.

“Anne.” Hugo’s voice could be faintly heard, but that couldn’t be. Anne shook her head immediately, focusing on the airborne connection with Ute.

“I need to inform the others quickly. Be prepared for any possibilities.”

“Anne!” Hugo snapped impatiently.

“Boss Hugo?” It was as if she had just realized that she wasn’t hallucinating. It really was Hugo’s voice, even though she had set it up specifically to receive and connect from various sources.

“Can you concentrate? Don’t lose control.”

Anne closed her eyes tightly. She pressed the edge of the table harder, needing something to hold on to. It made her palm slightly sore, but she ignored it. “Yes, Boss. There’s someone coming from the South. The screen confirms that it’s an unrecognized vehicle. It’s black and there are many motorcycles carrying firearms.”

“Has Ferdi’s people arrived?”

Anne quickly scrolled through the screen in front of her. “Oh… yes. Based on my calculations, the unidentified individuals will arrive earlier than Ferdi’s people.”

“Ferdi, ask them to hurry. I’m sure this is the second wave of the attack.”

Faintly, Anne could hear Ferdi’s grumbling voice through the airborne connection but immediately ordered her subordinates to move faster. They must not arrive late, or all their efforts to protect the Twin Dragons headquarters would be in vain.

“Are you still at Flown?”

“Yes, Boss.”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes. Open the weapons warehouse gate. Ask Boss Jack and the others there to deplete the available weapons and bring them to the headquarters.”

“Okay, Boss.”

“Lock Sam’s safe with a special code. Inform Jack and Boss. Once done, get ready to bring all your equipment back. Sam needs aerial support.”

“Yes, Boss.” Anne nodded obediently. “I’ll prepare everything.”

“Good. Remember, An, we won’t let anyone bring down the headquarters. Do you understand what I mean?”

“Can I choose the weapons I like, Boss?”

“Up to you. The important thing is that you know how to protect yourself and those around you.” Hugo laughed. “Wait for me at Flown, An. We’ll go to the headquarters together.”

A smile appeared on Anne’s face, albeit half-heartedly. “Yes, Boss. I’ll wait.”

Unbeknownst to Anne, two people around her overheard their conversation: Ute and Ferdi. Ferdi, in particular, lazily avoided making eye contact with Hugo. He didn’t want to engage in much conversation with one of Sam’s trusted subordinates.

“Do you two have a special relationship?” Ute asked without needing to think too much.

Ute’s voice immediately made Anne flustered. “Eh… no, we don’t.” She only said that after making sure her conversation with Hugo had truly ended.

“It’s okay if you do.” Ute laughed. “I’m getting ready to welcome the arriving guest. Will Ferdi be here soon?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Anne quickly ensured the safety of the data she had. It wasn’t easy for someone to infiltrate her access to view various parts of the city. That’s why she needed concentration to move the devices. Using the loudspeaker in Flown, Anne instructed all of Sam’s subordinates to take action. They needed to take the necessary weapons and bring as much as they could.

Preserving the headquarters was their current objective.

On the screen, the long convoy of cars, which had been speeding up, was now divided into three. Sam must have devised a special strategy to deal with the sudden attack. Anne herself had never expected this situation to arise. However, one thing was certain: when she joined the Twin Dragons Clan, she was ready to risk everything.

Including her life.