Chapter 398:
“No.” Brad rejected instantly.
His body leaned forward, his tall frame casting a shadow. His voice was firm. “Once you’re on that ship, you’re on your own. One wrong step and it’s over. I won’t risk your life. We’ll find someone else.”
Rylie looked him straight in the eye. His were cold, but beneath the surface, she saw the fear — fear for her.
She answered with quiet confidence. “No one else is better for this than I am. Besides, I need to confront Ronan and reclaim what’s mine.”
There were things she hadn’t told him — parts of her past that still lived in the shadows.
Brad didn’t argue. Not because he agreed, but because he knew he couldn’t stop her. His voice was low, almost strained. “I won’t be able to reach you in time. There are too many unknowns.”
“I’ve covered everything,” Rylie said, unlocking her phone. She opened a social media app and held it up for him. “One of the pirate leaders in that region owes me a favor. If I send the signal, they’ll come.”
Brad stared at the screen, then back at her. If anyone else had said something like that, he’d have thought they were either scammed or out of their mind. But this was Rylie. And with the things she’d done before… he believed her.
After a long pause, Brad frowned slightly. “Pirates have social media accounts?”
Rylie replied, “Oh, they make regular trips ashore for hospital visits. Their rheumatism is pretty serious, so they need phones to make appointments.”
Brad went quiet again. “Are you trying to be funny?”
Rylie lightly tapped the corner of his mouth, forming a reluctant smile as she answered with a playful tone, “It’s funny, isn’t it? Even if every word I said is true.”
Brad gave her a pointed look. “Should I be asking how you got involved with pirates?”
The magic happens on gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs․ç𝗈𝗺
“I’d rather not get into that right now.” She pulled her hand back and picked up a cookie from the table, slipping it between her lips. “What matters is, I’m the most qualified person for this plan.”
And truthfully, Brad couldn’t find any reason to refute her.
In the end, he relented, but with one firm condition. “I need to be able to monitor your location and your health at all times.”
Rylie responded evenly, “I’ll have a tracking chip implanted. Ronan’s already too on edge to pay attention to the specifics.”
This operation remained strictly classified, and as always, Brad submitted his report directly to the military district.
At the same time, over at HaloFlow Hospital, Rylie sat calmly on a hospital bed while Devin stood before her, carefully adjusting the contours of her face. As he made final adjustments to the mask, Devin spoke with evident pride. “This is my latest custom-designed bio-silicone facial attachment. What do you think?”
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