Chapter 174
Watching his retreating figure, Charlotte felt a warmth spread through her chest before she hurried to catch up.
Soon, the group successfully reached the underground entrance.
But when they rushed inside, the traps and ambush they'd imagined never materialized. The entire underground space was empty.
Only the chaotic mess of lab benches and tables hinted that people had once been hiding here.
At the sight, Charlotte's eyes darkened.
"They ran."
After Rhett led his team through a sweep of the area, he returned with a grim expression to report.
Charlotte didn't respond. She walked through the chaotic scene before her and approached the lab bench, her attention drawn to the white powder residue and several brown glass vials left behind.
She narrowed her eyes, studying them for a moment, then pulled on gloves and carefully picked up one of the vials, bringing it to her nose for a gentle sniff.
The next moment, a familiar scent flooded her nostrils.
Yes, this was it!
Back at the Johnson Mansion, the drug they'd given her had this exact smell!
Her eyes swept across the floor, landing on a torn document printed with complex chemical molecular formulas and a distinctive logo.
The logo wasn't unfamiliar to Charlotte—it was the mark of a notorious psychotropic drug from the black market!
Taking in the scene, Charlotte understood everything.
The Johnson family must have been connected with Richard from the very beginning, from the moment they first drugged her.
"This must be an illegal pharmaceutical factory."
After Charlotte set down the vial, her voice grew even colder.
Upon hearing her words, Alexander's expression turned abruptly dark.
Clearly, this wasn't a simple kidnapping—there was likely another conspiracy lurking beneath.
Realizing this, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Rhett, call the police."
At his command, Rhett froze for a second before immediately catching on. "Yes, sir!"
Obviously, Alexander intended to escalate this matter and use official channels to flush out that snake Richard.
Just as Rhett was about to make the call, a ringtone suddenly sounded—Alexander's satellite phone.
Alexander paused. The moment he saw the encrypted number on the screen, his brow furrowed slightly.
This satellite phone was reserved for handling top-secret matters. The people who knew this number could be counted on one hand.
The instant he pressed the answer button, a processed voice came through from the other end.
"Mr. Harris, Ms. Johnson, enjoying your little evening tour?"
At those words, Charlotte's heart began to pound.
"Looks like you're both quite fond of the surprise I sent you." Richard's voice dripped with mockery. "However, showing up uninvited, barging into my territory like this, and then wanting to call the police—that's a bit against the rules, don't you think?"
"What do you want?" Alexander's gaze was cold as a blade.
"Nothing much. Just wanted to remind you not to get too greedy."
Alexander wasn't an idiot. He picked up on something wrong almost immediately.
Instinctively, he scanned the surrounding area, then locked eyes with Charlotte.
Though neither spoke, Charlotte quickly caught on as well.
There were cameras here?
She raised an eyebrow and immediately turned to look at the computer still running on the desk.
The data on the screen flickered, and at the bottom was a hidden surveillance feed.
Damn it. They'd walked right into another trap!
"Richard, I'm warning you—if you dare touch a single hair on my mother's head, I swear I'll make you regret ever being born."
Charlotte snatched the phone and threatened the person on the other end.
But to her shock, Richard burst into laughter after hearing her words.
"Ms. Johnson, I think you've misunderstood the situation."
"Your mother is in my hands, and you're warning 'me'?"
"But since you love being provocative so much, I'll play along."
"Of course, to teach you a lesson, I've decided to collect a little interest first."
Hearing Richard's sinister words through the phone, Charlotte's heart began racing uncontrollably.
"Tell me, which of Victoria's fingers should I cut off first?"
The instant those words hit her ears, a towering rage swept through Charlotte's entire body, making her roar out loud.
"Richard, you wouldn't dare!"
"You—"
Just as she was about to threaten him, a warm hand suddenly covered the back of hers.
She turned to see Alexander.
The man's deep black eyes locked onto hers, conveying a clear message—'Don't let him provoke you. This is a trap.'
In that instant, Charlotte's rationality returned, and she steadied herself.
Now, she fully understood.
Clearly, Richard wanted her to lose control and completely fall apart!
With that realization, Charlotte took a deep breath, suppressing her fury and replacing it with a deliberately crafted panic.
"No… don't! Richard, don't do anything rash!"
"What do you want? I'll give you anything! Please, don't hurt my mother."
Hearing her humble pleading on the other end, Richard sounded extremely pleased with himself.
"Now that's more like it, Ms. Johnson."
"I prefer cooperative partners who listen. You were far too disobedient before, and it made me very angry."
"Remember—you're just bait. Bait should act like bait. Understand?"
"Yes, I'll do whatever you say." Charlotte answered urgently, flawlessly playing the role of a terrified daughter desperate to save her mother. "Don't hurt her. I'll agree to anything you want! Tell me—what do you need me to do?"
While Charlotte kept Richard talking, she pulled out her phone and sent K a message.
[Trace this number. Now.]
Richard, unaware of what Charlotte was doing, heard her pleading and assumed she'd given in. Extremely satisfied, his tone turned arrogant.
"Good. Looks like you've finally grasped the situation. I want you to—"
He was mid-sentence when K's reply popped up on Charlotte's phone.
It was a simple map with a blinking red dot marked on it.
[Target location: abandoned chemical plant, west side of the city. Five kilometers from your current position. They're using a basic signal jammer, but no deep masking.]
The instant she finished reading the message, she exchanged a glance with Alexander beside her.
At that moment, the person on the phone also finished stating his demand.
"Okay, I understand. I'll send you the money right away!"
"Give me the account number and I'll transfer it immediately!"
"Smart girl." Richard was satisfied with Charlotte's response. With a cold snort, he rattled off a string of offshore bank account numbers. "You've got half an hour. Don't try anything clever."
"Otherwise, I can't guarantee what you'll end up seeing."
With that, the call disconnected.
Immediately after, Charlotte and Alexander exchanged no further words and sprinted straight outside.
The atmosphere was oppressive the entire way. Alexander's face was stormy as he drove, issuing commands to Rhett through his Bluetooth earpiece.
"Notify Teams Two and Three. Get to the chemical plant immediately."
"Remember—cut off all exits. Don't let a single person escape."