After speaking, Felix drained the water from his glass, picked up the phone from the table, and glanced at the time displayed on the screen. He then looked up at Lacus with a smile and said, "It's getting late. I won't keep chatting with you here any longer."
As he spoke, Felix tucked the phone into his pocket, stood up, and straightened his clothes. Before turning to leave, he looked back at Lacus, his expression relaxed and gentle, and added, "What you need to do now is continue hiding your identity. The rest isn't for you to worry about."
Lacus looked up at Felix, her smile revealing relief and a hint of happiness as she replied, "Then I'll leave everything to you."
Hearing this, Felix gave a faint smile, turned around, and continued walking out.
Outside the restaurant's private room, Felix noticed a rather peculiar man out of the corner of his eye. He chuckled inwardly, thinking, 'Chairman Zala, you really are cautious!'
With that thought, Felix composed himself, his expression still calm as he walked out. As he passed the man disguised as a passerby, Felix subtly glanced at him from the corner of his eye. 'Good move, but it's a shame I did quite well in the counter-surveillance course back at the military academy.'
Thinking this, Felix brushed past the man and continued walking steadily away. The man cautiously watched Felix depart and, after confirming nothing was amiss, headed toward the private room Felix had just left.
Pushing open the door, the man entered the room and immediately saw Lacus disguised as a cleaner tidying up. Noticing the man's entrance, Lacus turned to him with a professional smile and asked gently, "The room isn't finished yet. Please wait a little longer."
After speaking, Lacus resumed her cleaning, paying no further attention to the man. He observed her silently, scanning the room for a moment before leaving without a word.
Once outside, the man glanced at the private room and, pretending to have entered the wrong one, opened a few others. Seeing that each also had a staff member on standby, his suspicions diminished considerably.
Exiting the restaurant, the man looked back at its sign and thought, 'I'll follow that staff member later to check on her.'
...
Over two hours later, Felix led Baron and the others in escorting the 'Lacus' group to the Junius City District 5 spaceport, where they boarded a shuttle that had been waiting for some time.
On the shuttle, Felix turned to Baron and the others, saying cheerfully, "Once we hand over Lacus Clyne to the personnel in Aprilius City District 1, we can finally get some proper rest."
Baron smiled in agreement and replied, "Yes! It's about time we had a good break."
As he spoke, Baron turned his gaze to Felix and shifted the topic.
"Captain Griffith, what are your plans during the break later?"
"If there are no deployment missions, I'll likely be on standby at the headquarters' apartment or return home for a few days," Felix replied with a faint smile, his voice gentle as he looked at Baron.
Hearing this, Baron shared his own thoughts. "I might find a place to have a good drink then. After all, it's rare to have time off—not enjoying a drink would be a waste of such a precious break..." As he spoke, Baron suddenly felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him. He raised a hand to tap his head and muttered softly, "Why am I feeling so sleepy all of a sudden?"
When he looked up at Felix, he saw Felix making the same gesture. Instantly sensing something amiss, Baron was about to speak when Felix's alert voice cut in first.
"Something's wrong—the people on the shuttle are suspicious!"
Warning everyone, Felix covered his nose and mouth and stood up, ready to act, when two or three men armed with weapons and wearing protective masks appeared ahead.
"Who are you?" Felix and Baron demanded almost in unison.
No sooner had the question left their lips than Felix felt a wave of weakness, his legs giving way uncontrollably. As he was about to collapse, he reached out and gripped the back of a seat for support.
"Captain Griffith, these people might be other accomplices of Lacus Clyne!" Baron warned, seeing Felix as weak and powerless as himself.
He then tried to draw his pistol!
Thwip!
A silenced gunshot rang out.
The next moment, Felix heard a muffled groan from Baron. Turning, he saw that Baron's arm, poised to draw his gun, had been shot.
A surge of anger flashed in Felix's eyes, but before he could react, a voice sounded from the front.
"Captain Griffith, our goal is to rescue Miss Clyne. We don't want to kill anyone, so please cooperate with our actions!"
Hearing this, Felix's expression turned icy, his eyes piercing like those of death itself as he stared at the men. Unfazed, one of them smirked arrogantly.
"Captain Griffith, we know you're formidable, but right now, you're too weak to move. Even with your star-snatching and moon-chasing skills, you can't use them now."
Gritting through the weakness, Felix retorted fiercely, "Don't forget, Lacus Clyne is still in our custody."
"That may not be the case anymore!"
At those words, Felix sensed danger and glanced back to see two more armed, masked men behind them.
The team members guarding 'Lacus' and the others were already held at gunpoint, eliminating any chance of using them as leverage.
Turning back to face the men in front, Felix showed a resigned expression and said calmly, "You've won."
"Thank you for the compliment!"
The man smiled and thanked Felix for his compliment. As he spoke, he signaled to his companion beside him. The man who received the signal nodded, then tossed the handcuffs toward Felix.
"Captain Griffith, please have all your people handcuff themselves."
"Fine, but you must treat my companion's injuries!"
Upon hearing this, Felix agreed while making his demand to the man before him. The man readily consented to the request.
"No problem!"
With this response, Felix endured the weakness in his body, crouched down, and picked up the handcuffs from the ground. He turned and handcuffed each of his companions one by one. While Felix was securing the others, Baron's gunshot wound received proper treatment and bandaging from their captors.
...
Meanwhile
PLANT Supreme Government Office Building
In the Chairman's office
A communication alert instantly pulled Patrick from his work. He reached out to answer the call, but before he could speak, the voice from the communication spoke first.
"Chairman, Captain Griffith and his team have been taken hostage!"
"What did you say?"
Hearing this, Patrick was instantly shocked, his body involuntarily rising to his feet as he loudly demanded clarification.
The voice from the communication continued to report.
"Chairman, Lacus Clyne's remaining companions replaced the original shuttle crew and have now hijacked the shuttle. Currently, the shuttle is flying outward from PLANT!"
"What about Felix Leo Griffith's condition?"
After learning the specifics, Patrick's voice revealed concern as he prioritized inquiring about Felix's status. In response, the communication delivered unfavorable news.
"Chairman, we currently have no way of determining the situation inside the shuttle."
"Exhaust all means to establish contact. We must confirm Felix Leo Griffith's condition."
Upon hearing this, Patrick suppressed his inner fury, his tone stern and urgent as he pressed the relevant personnel.
"Yes!"
Receiving this reply, Patrick terminated the communication. His gaze shifted from the ended call, his eyes filled with rage fixed intently ahead.
Thud!
A dull thumping sound echoed.
Following this noise, a roar carrying boundless fury erupted.
"Lacus Clyne!!!"
In his outburst of anger, Patrick reached out and initiated another communication call.
The connected communication soon displayed Siegel's face. Looking at his friend's countenance, Patrick spoke with extreme rage.
"Siegel, if even the slightest harm comes to Felix Leo Griffith, you can prepare to collect your daughter's body!"
With these words, and without waiting for Siegel's response, Patrick abruptly ended the communication.
At this moment
In the Clyne residence
Siegel stared at the terminated communication, his mind replaying his friend's fury and the overwhelming killing intent in his voice. Siegel's face abruptly paled.
"No! This can't happen! This must not happen!"
His voice trembling with panic and tension, Siegel repeatedly muttered to himself, his fingers shaking slightly as he attempted to make a call.
After several unsuccessful attempts to get through, the panic and tension on Siegel's face intensified. He turned to the personnel guarding him, his voice carrying a note of pleading.
"Could you please help me call Patrick?"
Upon hearing this, the group glared at Siegel with furious eyes. The leader tapped on his phone while speaking with extreme dissatisfaction and anger.
"Mr. Clyne, your family's actions have gone too far this time! How could you resort to kidnapping Captain Griffith? If anything happens to Captain Griffith, your entire family will become eternal sinners of PLANT!"
"I know what my daughter did was outrageous, which is why I want to make amends and prevent them from harming Felix."
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