Chapter 45 Chapter 45 - Sir... how did Katherine get involved with these kinds of people?
“You're the one who needs to think, Jessica. You made your decision the moment you called me here. I don't waste time with people who haven't accepted reality.”
The car began to slowly drive away. Through the rear window, Jessica Mendes' face could be seen contorting in a mixture of resentment and impotent rage. She had never met anyone like this—someone who refused to give an inch at the negotiating table.
Jessica was left behind, the dust from the car settling on her expensive clothes. She was in an agonizing dilemma: if she handed over the lab, she would betray her teacher's memory. If she didn't, she would lose her parents' legacy to the vultures screaming inside the mansion. And she knew, deep down, that alone her chances of victory were nil.
A few blocks away, Adam finally let out the laugh he had been holding back.
“Boss, you were ruthless!” he said, still laughing. “You were classmates, you could have shown the girl a little consideration.”
Katherine looked at the landscape rushing by the window, her expression returning to its usual blankness.
“Would you like me to show you a little consideration too, Adam?”
Adam's laughter died instantly in his throat. He straightened his posture, focusing on the road with sudden seriousness. “Not at all, Boss. I don't deserve such an honor.”
Katherine closed her eyes, her mind already calculating how long it would take for Jessica Mendes to capitulate completely. She didn't need proud allies; she needed loyal tools.
Adam handed Katherine a bottle of frozen yogurt, breaking the silence in the car. “I discovered something disturbing while investigating Jessica Mendes' background,” he began, his tone serious. “Her older sister, Luana, was her worst nightmare at school. She didn't just engage in ordinary bullying; she threw her books in the trash, let dogs defecate on her desk, and even confiscated Jessica's homework before she could turn it in, so that teachers would label her as irresponsible. A true sociopath.”
Katherine took a sip of yogurt, her eyes lost in the urban landscape. Her mind traveled back to that fateful day in the schoolyard when Jessica, pushed to her limit, exploded in rage at her, accusing her of vandalizing her desk.
Jessica, impulsive and hurt, attacked. Katherine, cold and efficient, fought back. In the end, Jessica left with her body marked and her pride destroyed by a suspension, while Katherine just went on with her life.
Now, the truth emerged from the shadows: Katherine had been used as Luana Mendes's armed wing without even knowing it.
“Everything has a price,” Katherine murmured, her voice devoid of emotion, but her icy eyes suggesting that Luana Mendes' bill was about to come due.
Adam felt a chill run down his spine. Deep down, he lit a row of candles for Luana. When Katherine spoke in that tone, fate was already sealed.
Suddenly, Adam slammed on the brakes. The sound of the tires protesting against the asphalt echoed in the cabin. Katherine clutched her cell phone, her sharp gaze fixed on her assistant. “What happened?”
“Boss... it's Jessica Mendes. She sent a distress call. Someone is hunting her right now.”
Katherine frowned, her patience at its limit. “What did she say this time?”
“She accepts the conditions. She agrees to cooperate fully, as long as we guarantee the absolute protection of the laboratory.”
An enigmatic smile curved Katherine's lips. The pieces were falling into place with almost poetic speed. She gave Adam a penetrating look. “What did you do to ‘speed up’ her decision, Adam?”
Adam raised his hands, cold sweat glistening on his forehead. “I swear on my life, Chief, I'm innocent! I didn't lift a finger. Those guys aren't mine. Remember the investigation we did? Someone had been watching her for weeks. The siege just tightened.”
Katherine raised her eyebrows, her tone deadly serious. “You're very nervous, Adam. It was just a question.”
“Please, Chief, don't joke about this,” he pleaded, stepping on the gas again. “With someone like you, a joke can cost a life.”
The trip took over an hour to reach the isolated outskirts of the Capital. The scene was bleak: a dirt road flanked by a dense, silent forest.
When they arrived, the trail of destruction was evident. Three cars lay on the ground like metal carcasses. One was hugging an ancient tree; another was spewing thick smoke from a twisted hood; the last, ironically intact, was perched millimeters from a fatal abyss.
Jessica Mendes was at the center of the chaos. Sitting on the dirty ground, injured and exhausted, she looked like a broken doll surrounded by ten burly men with rough faces.
But as soon as Katherine's car stopped, the dynamic changed.
The ten men, who had previously looked like predators, instantly divided into two perfect rows.
They bowed their heads in a gesture of absolute submission as Katherine stepped out of the vehicle.
Jessica looked up in shock. She couldn't process that this elegant girl, with delicate features and a serene aura, was the supreme authority behind this army of shadows.
“I... I thought about it...” Jessica began, her voice trembling.
“No rush,” Katherine interrupted, with a slight smile that didn't reach her eyes. “We'll take Miss Mendes back and conduct business in a more... civilized environment.”
Hidden in the darkness of a side alley, hundreds of meters away, a black SUV remained with its engine off.
Inside, the tension was palpable. Marcus gripped the steering wheel, his face bathed in sweat. “Sir... how did Katherine get involved with these people?”
They had come after Tiago and Elisa, the pair of mercenaries João Pedro was pursuing, but ended up witnessing a private war they hadn't expected. The plan was to observe and intervene only if necessary, but Katherine's appearance changed everything.
“They bow down to her,” Marcus whispered incredulously. “She's not a student... she's their leader.”
João Pedro remained in the shadows of the back seat. His chiseled face was motionless, but his eyes... his eyes shone with a dangerous and fascinated light. The “bunny” he was trying to protect had just revealed herself to be the queen of the underworld he was investigating.
The night had suddenly become much more interesting for the Arbex heir.