Chapter 194

Chapter 194

“Cut the crap!”

Bayonet snapped coldly. “Hand over the key right now!”

Tyler slowly pulled a silver key from his coat and held it out. A weird smirk spread across his face.

Bayonet grabbed the key and stepped forward to unlock the door.

Right as the key was about to touch the lock, Kane felt a sudden rush of danger.

Something was wrong.

It was too quiet.

Too strange.

At the last second, Kane’s eyes widened. He lunged forward, grabbed Bayonet’s arm, and yanked him back hard.

The moment he pulled him away—

BOOM!

A massive explosion shook the underground lab. The whole tunnel trembled. Rocks fell from the ceiling as a blast of wind and heat swept through the passage.

The explosives hidden behind the metal door had gone off. Fire and thick smoke filled the area.

Thanks to Kane’s quick reaction, Bayonet was pulled back just in time and escaped unharmed.

The smoke cleared a bit.

Thorin’s face darkened. He rushed forward, grabbed Tyler by the neck, and shouted, “You knew there was a trap behind that door, didn’t you? This was all on purpose!”

Tyler’s neck was squeezed tight, but he wasn’t scared. Instead, he grinned like a madman.

“Yeah, it was all planned. Our last backup plan. Thought we wouldn’t need it, but you guys forced our hand. Gotta admit, you’re pretty damn good.”

Kane didn’t want to hear more. His voice turned cold. “Thorin, stop wasting time. Get in there and search!”

They rushed through the blown-open door into the room.

Lab 1 was now a total wreck. Expensive equipment lay smashed to pieces. Steel frames were twisted and collapsed. The place was covered in debris and flames.

But strangely, the lab was empty. No sign of Howard anywhere.

“Mr. Lockwood, no one’s here! We got played!” Thorin yelled.

“Bring Tyler over here,” Kane ordered.

“Got it!”

Bayonet turned and ran out to fetch him.

Seconds later, Bayonet’s angry shout came from outside. “Shit!”

Kane’s heart dropped. He rushed out.

Tyler was on the ground, blood pouring from his mouth, eyes wide open. He was dead. He’d hidden poison in his mouth and bit down while they were inside.

“Mr. Lockwood, we didn’t know he’d kill himself,” Thorin and Bayonet said, staring at the body with grim faces.

Kane looked at the corpse, his eyes darkening. “They’ve been planning this too long to have no backup. There’s a hidden passage in this lab. Split up and find it!”

Everyone spread out and started searching the wreckage.

Thorin and Bayonet checked the walls and floor.

Kane stood alone, scanning the room. He bent down, moved some burnt debris, and picked up a half-burned lab file. It was yellowed and torn, covered in names and data.

His eyes scanned the page, then froze.

His own name was there—Kane Lockwood.

Next to it was a bright red mark and a note: Blood test.

Kane frowned hard. Why were they testing and recording his blood? What did it mean?

He didn’t have time to figure it out. He folded the file, shoved it in his pocket, and planned to check it later.

Just then, Bayonet called out, “Mr. Lockwood! Found it! There’s an entrance here!”

Kane pushed his questions aside and ran over.

A heavy metal cabinet had been moved, revealing a dark, narrow tunnel in the wall. Cold air blew out—it was clearly an escape route.

“Has to be Howard. He escaped through here after the blast,” Thorin said.

Kane’s eyes sharpened. “Everyone get ready. Go in and chase him. Find where he’s hiding.”

They were about to enter when Kane’s phone buzzed. A bad feeling hit him.

He answered right away.

The head of security’s urgent voice came through. “Mr. Lockwood! Someone attacked the villa. They’re coming in hard!”

The words hit Kane like a thunderbolt.

They’d used Howard as bait to lure him here. The real target was his family all along.

Blood rushed to his eyes. Rage exploded inside him.

Without hesitation, he ordered, “Thorin, Bayonet—take the team into the tunnel. Hunt Howard down. Find his hideout.”

“I’m heading back now.”

He turned and sprinted out of the lab, jumped into the waiting armed helicopter, and took off toward the villa at full speed.

The chopper tore through the night sky and landed on the villa’s helipad minutes later.

Kane leapt off before it fully stopped.

A core subordinate ran up, pale and shaking. “Mr. Lockwood! It’s bad! All the guards protecting Mrs. Lockwood and Ms. Lockwood are dead. No survivors.”

“Where’s my wife and the others?” Kane’s face changed.

“No trace. We searched the whole villa. Nothing.”

“Useless!”

Kane’s roar shook the courtyard. His killing intent surged.

“In Harborview City, on my turf! In the villa I personally secured! You let them take my family right in front of everyone. What the hell were you all doing?”

It was the first time anyone had seen Kane lose control like this. Even in the face of death, he’d always stayed calm.

Everyone stayed silent, heads down, not daring to breathe.

Kane forced his anger down. “Lock down every road, airport, station, and flight out of the city. Use every intel source. Dig up the whole city if you have to. Find Isabelle and Winnie. If you come back with nothing, don’t blame me for what happens next.”