Chapter 1054:

“We’ll go with your idea,” Kason remarked, meeting her gaze. “I’ll assign someone to shadow Nola.”

Orders rolled out quickly under Kason’s command. By the third day, his operatives had traced Nola straight to the organization’s hidden base. No sooner had dawn broken than the Azure Dragon Unit swept in. Choppers circled above. Snipers waited in silence, watching every movement below. Inside the steel-plated command vehicle, Elena took her place beside Kason, eyes fixed on the monitors.

Civilians had been ushered out long before, leaving the neighborhood silent and strange. Every corner of the courtyard bristled with armed men, sharpshooters perched above like hawks, waiting for the signal.

The last time Elena struck, she’d torched the traffickers’ den and destroyed their network. For a while, the group had vanished, but now hints of their return had set everything in motion.

Earlier, as Nola stepped out of the base, she’d expected questions, maybe a confrontation. Instead, nobody stopped her. The same guard who’d let her pass before waved her through without even glancing up.

Quietly, Nola crossed the street and made her way to a cramped courtyard. Her knuckles rapped out a code on the weathered door, the rhythm practiced and sure. Almost instantly, the door swung wide.

From his perch, the sniper lined up a perfect shot, keeping Wyatt firmly in his crosshairs the moment the door opened.

Sensing the infrared beam, Wyatt grabbed Nola and dragged her inside, slamming the door with a bang.

That sound signaled the start. Special forces crashed in, splitting off and sweeping through the compound with practiced precision.

Wyatt held Nola with one arm. His other hand leveled a pistol at her, cold eyes trained on her face as gunfire echoed outside. “Did you lead them here? You’re far from innocent. You did the surgeries and took those organs yourself. If I’m going down, you’re coming with me!” he hissed, his voice raw with anger.

Shots tore through the air. One bullet whipped past, slicing Nola’s neck and sparking off the pillar so close she could smell the concrete dust. A storm cloud passed over her face. “You really think I’d set myself up like that? I’m not an idiot.”

Hidden in the shadows beneath the window, Wyatt waited. He popped up to return fire whenever he spotted movement outside.

ᵐᵒʳᵉ ᵘᵖᵈᵃᵗᵉˢ ⁱⁿ ᵍᵃˡⁿᵒᵛᵉˡˢ.ᶜᵒᵐ

Rifle shots rang out, growing more frantic as the soldiers closed in from all directions.

Wyatt turned on Nola, suspicion burning in his eyes. “If you’re lying, you’ll regret it!” he snarled before shoving her out of his way. One of the terrified captives became his next shield. He seized the woman and pressed his gun to her head, dragging her toward the exit.

“Nobody move! Put your weapons down or she’s dead!” Wyatt’s threat thundered through the chaos.

Hands reluctantly lowered rifles. The special forces, unwilling to risk the hostage’s life, had no choice but to obey.

Wyatt’s eyes darted toward freedom as he edged backward, pulling the woman with him. He was a few steps from escape when a single shot cracked through the air. Wyatt fell hard, the hostage stumbling free as the bullet found its mark. Weapon lowered, Kason stepped forward. “Keep searching the place. Anyone who dares fight—shoot to kill.”

Now that Wyatt was gone, fear held his accomplices in place, and not a single one found the courage to protest.

Handcuffs clicked shut around Nola’s wrists. She was led outside and loaded into a waiting armored van. There would be no escape from justice this time. The military tribunal was ready for her.

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