Chapter 181

Chapter 181

Robert spotted what looked like a bomb strapped to Sophia and immediately called a bomb disposal expert for help.

In the tense moment, Sophia's fists clenched involuntarily.

Robert appeared calm, but his voice was steady as he said, "Stay still, he's approaching."

In the distance, heavy footsteps drew closer, and a figure in protective gear hurried towards them. The person wore a thick bomb suit, the helmet reflecting dim light, giving the impression of a moving barricade.

Sophia's breath quickened, feeling the weight of the air around her. Every nerve in her body seemed tightly wound, trembling with each heartbeat.

"What if it's really a bomb?" She couldn't help but wonder.

As the figure neared, a large hand reached out to separate her from Robert.

"Sophia, don't worry." Robert stood a few steps away, speaking softly. "He's an EOD expert, very skilled. You're safe with him."

She looked up, her eyes moving from the approaching figure to Robert's face.

His eyes were calm yet intensely focused, as if she was the center of his attention in this crisis, his sole mission to protect her.

"I'll be right here, keeping an eye on you." His words were gentle but felt like a shield against fear.

Sophia was momentarily speechless. She had never felt so vulnerable, nor had she ever wished so strongly for someone to reassure her with a simple, "You'll be fine."

Sophia felt time slow down as the EOD expert inspected the "bomb" on her. Each clink of tools felt like a warning bell ringing in her ears.

"Doctor?"

A deep voice snapped her out of her daze. She refocused, seeing the expert standing up, holding two inconspicuous devices.

"Not a bomb," he wiped sweat off his forehead. "It's a recording device disguised as a bomb, still operational."

Sophia relaxed upon hearing this, but a sharp pain in her chest followed, a release of the tension she had been holding.

Understanding Gary and Asher's scheme, she muttered to herself, "They used me to gather important information."

Putting the pieces together, she spoke, her face pale but eyes determined. "I have a friend who was also rigged with a bomb."

The EOD expert reassured her, "Don't worry, he's safe too."

His words were a boost of confidence, yet Sophia's mind raced.

"Where is he now?" she asked instinctively.

"In the command vehicle," the expert replied, packing up his tools. "His explosives were inert and disarmed."

Sophia's tension eased slightly, but her legs still felt shaky, having just narrowly escaped a life-threatening situation. The red marks on her wrists, the dust on her clothes, and her tousled hair all told the story of the ordeal she had just endured.

Guided to the command vehicle, as the door swung open, she heard a familiar voice.

"Sophia, you look like you just busted out of a refugee camp," Joseph quipped from inside the car, a bitter smile on his worn-out face.

"We're in this mess together," he shrugged, trying to lighten the mood with humor.

Sophia settled into the car seat, exhaling deeply. "You're not looking much better, like you just wrestled a rooster."

Joseph slapped his thigh, "I'm telling you, I'm 5 feet 11 inches tall, and waking up in that trunk, I thought I was gonna be six feet under."

Sophia chuckled, "I was crammed in a suitcase, even tighter than you."

Their banter lightened the atmosphere in the car, though their voices still carried traces of exhaustion.

Joseph grumbled, "That trunk was a coffin, couldn't even stretch my legs. I was frozen stiff until I heard a scuffle and knew someone was coming to rescue me. If I could've moved, I'd have been dancing a jig!"

Sophia deadpanned, "Good thing you stayed put, or you might've been silenced."

As they shared their ordeal, an urgent call crackled over the radio, "Two suspects need immediate medical attention."

Joseph's expression darkened, "We gotta save the kidnappers too? Damn, that's asking a lot!"

"Quit griping," Sophia rubbed her temples wearily, "It's our job to save lives."

Joseph sighed, "Alright."

Outside, the biting wind still sliced through, and when Robert opened the command vehicle door, his expression turned graver.

"Sophia, two of the suspects are cops. We're worried they might come after you later, so we need to take precautions to shield your identity from them."

Joseph nodded in agreement, "Officer Davis has all the angles covered!"

As the suspects passed by the car window, Sophia finally caught sight of their faces.

Their expressions were grim, one with a bandaged leg, the same spot where she had jabbed him with the scissors.

"He won't kick the bucket," Joseph whispered, "but his leg muscles are probably shot."

He turned to Sophia with a grin, "Nice move, quite satisfying."

But Sophia couldn't muster a smile. Memories flashed through her mind: the blade in her hand, the strike in the chaos, Jim's shout. In that frozen moment, survival was her sole focus, no matter the cost.