Chapter 81 Moving
Those words left Finn silent for a moment. He rarely heard his brother express something with such raw, honest emotion. If the situation weren't so deadly serious, he might have laughed. But one thing Finn knew, when Elliot had decided on something, nothing could stop him.
"Fine," Finn finally surrendered. "But I'm coming with you. Don't try to leave me behind."
Elliot looked at Finn. "I need you, Finn. So you're staying here."
Finn's mouth fell open, ready to protest the decision, but his brother quickly signaled for him to listen first.
"Hear me out," Elliot said in a deadly serious tone, his gaze locked on his brother's eyes. "I know you want to come, and I appreciate that. But if something happens to me or anyone else out there, I need someone to monitor everything from here."
Finn frowned, clearly disagreeing. "Bro, I can't just sit here while you face all of this alone!"
"I understand your worry," Elliot cut in firmly. "But if I don't come back—"
"Hey!"
"—or if things go south, I need someone who can take over and handle the aftermath. That's your responsibility, Finn!"
Finn bit his lip, staring at his eldest brother with exasperation. "But, I can't let you go like this! What if something really does happen?"
"That's exactly why I need you to stay here," Elliot emphasized, trying to convince him. He didn't want Finn involved in the danger.
"If we all go and it ends badly, who will clean up the mess? Who will make sure Audrey is safe? Who will look after our family?" Elliot tried one more time.
Finn let out a long sigh, a mix of frustration and worry. "You are seriously the most stubborn person, you know that?"
"It's because I know this is important," Elliot replied, his voice softening slightly. "I trust you. You're more than capable."
"You're really not giving me a choice, are you?" Finn sighed, looking at his brother with a heavy heart. "But you have to promise me. Nothing can happen to you."
Elliot only offered a small, tight smile. "I won't let them touch me, let alone Audrey."
Finn sighed again. "Then I'll make sure all the backup is ready. Marcus will also report directly to my phone. I'll monitor everything from here."
"Good," Elliot said, grabbing his brother's shoulder and giving it a light pat. "I'm counting on you for that."
Finn could only nod in resigned acceptance, though his heart remained uneasy. "You'd better come back in one piece. Otherwise, I'll be the one to hurt you!"
Elliot let out a small, dry laugh. He chose not to answer, because he couldn't promise anything.
After successfully slipping out of the hospital without the nurses' knowledge, Elliot quickly descended to the lobby floor. In front of the hospital, Marcus was already waiting with a black SUV. The man got out of the driver's seat, greeting Elliot with a slight, respectful bow.
Elliot got in, and the vehicle immediately pulled out of the hospital grounds. After a few moments, Marcus gathered the courage to speak. "Sir, perhaps... it's best if you—"
"I don't want to hear anything right now!" Elliot snapped quickly, fully understanding what Marcus was about to say.
"But this isn't an easy situation to handle, Sir!" Marcus expressed his concern again.
"Do you think I'm not capable?" Elliot knew this wasn't the time to be provoked, but he couldn't hold back the flash of anger. At this moment, emotion was overpowering his logic.
Marcus swallowed awkwardly, realizing he had triggered his boss's temper. "That's not it, Sir. I'm just worried about your condition. This is an unusual situation, after all."
Elliot took a deep breath, trying to restrain the anger that was slowly overflowing. "I know what I'm doing, Marcus. And I know my own condition. I won't endanger myself if it means I can't save Audrey."
The man behind the wheel glanced at the rearview mirror, catching a glimpse of Elliot's tense face in the back seat. Marcus knew how stubborn his boss could be, but he couldn't remain completely silent.
"In that case, allow me a little more time to ensure everything is secure," Marcus said, his voice softer this time. "Our team is already moving into position. They're scouting the area and making sure there are no unexpected risks."
Elliot watched Marcus through the reflection in the mirror. His face remained flat, but there was a hint of appreciation and expectation in his gaze. "Do it quickly. I don't want to wait any longer."
"Yes, Sir," Marcus replied promptly, immediately picking up his phone to send a quick message to the team on the ground.
The journey fell silent for several minutes, filled only by the sound of the car's engine moving along the increasingly quiet roads.
Elliot looked out the window, watching the cityscape gradually shift into a more remote area. The further they went, the fewer streetlights there were.
"How many people are at the location?" Elliot asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
"Based on the initial report, between five and ten," Marcus answered without hesitation. "Some of them are armed. But we've prepared a plan for entry without drawing too much attention."
Elliot let out a low grunt. His heart pounded even faster. His emotions flared up again, unable to bear imagining the conditions Audrey must be facing, making his jaw clench briefly. "I don't care how many people are there. I just want Audrey safe!"
Marcus was silent for a moment, then gave a slow nod. "I understand, Sir. But please, still be careful. Vincent is not an ordinary man. He has wide connections, especially in the underground world."
"The more I hear about him, the more I want to end him," Elliot replied, his voice low but filled with threat. His eyes glinted with surging anger.
Marcus didn't answer, choosing to focus on driving. He knew Elliot's emotions had reached a peak, and this was not the time to debate anything.
After about half an hour of driving, Marcus finally slowed the car as they neared the location. He turned off the headlights to reduce the chance of detection.
"We're almost there," he said, pointing to a large building in the distance. "That's the place."
Elliot straightened up, squinting as he stared at the building. "What's the situation?"
"Our team is already in the surrounding area, securing a safe entry path," Marcus answered, grabbing a small tablet from his bag. He showed a digital map of the area to Elliot. "There's a side door that isn't heavily guarded. That could be our entry point."
Elliot nodded, his eyes still fixed on the building. "We'll start there. Make sure everyone is ready to move."
Marcus immediately relayed orders to his team via radio. "We move in five minutes. Make sure everything goes according to plan."
Elliot opened the car door and stepped out with determined strides, ignoring the lingering weakness in his body. The pain meant nothing compared to the terror his woman was facing. He stared at the large building ahead and swore to himself that he would save Audrey, no matter what it took.