Chapter 60 — Ash's Condition
The private hall in London was plunged into silence, every screen glowing in the dim light. The group had gathered around a single large monitor when Kevin's video message arrived.
On the screen, Ash was tied to a chair, her head slumped slightly forward, her eyes closed. She looked pale, fragile—helpless. The drug's effect was evident. Her breathing was slow, almost unnatural.
Kevin's face appeared, calm, almost smug. His voice cut through the room, deliberate and cold.
"Do not try to find me," he said. "If anyone interferes… she dies."
He reached forward, fingers lightly brushing Ash's cheek, as if testing the reactions of the group watching him.
Time froze.
Cole's hands clenched into fists so tight that his knuckles turned white. "Who the hell does he think he is?!" he shouted, slamming his hand down on the table. The sound echoed sharply in the hall.
Care stepped forward, voice low but cutting through the tension. "Everyone… calm."
Her eyes, normally warm, were dark, cold, dangerous. There was no panic, no fear—only focus. And that calmness terrified everyone else.
Nova, sitting near the corner, furiously analyzed the video feed. Fingers flying across her tablet, eyes scanning every detail. "He's drugged her… heavily," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "The compound… it's designed to keep a person unconscious for days if not treated immediately. Her metabolism… everything… she will not wake up without medical intervention."
Ben's voice was low, almost a whisper, but it carried the weight of dread. "She may not wake up for days. That drug is… lethal if she's kept in this state too long. Kevin knows this."
Care's breathing remained steady, but her hands clenched into fists. She looked at each of them, one by one. "I know."
The group stared at her, shocked. Not by fear, not by worry—but by the dangerous calm in her expression. It was the calm of a storm. One that promised devastation if provoked.
Cole stepped closer to Care, hand on her shoulder. "Care… we can't just…"
She cut him off, voice firm, eyes locked on the screen. "We don't react with panic. We react with precision. Kevin wants chaos. He wants us to make a mistake. He's counting on emotion. We will not give him that."
Meanwhile, other members of the group were processing the gravity of the situation:
Lyra clenched her fists, teeth grinding. Her eyes were wet, but she refused to let them fall. "He's… he's not just threatening Ash… he's testing us, seeing how far he can push everything we've built."
Alex ran his hands through his hair, pacing. "Every second we waste… she's at risk. That drug is fast-acting. He's calculated the timing. We need a medical plan, and we need it now."
Joong's jaw tightened. "Sydney team must prepare for intervention immediately. We cannot afford another delay."
Daisy spoke quietly, analyzing the screen. "We have to anticipate his moves. He's already left patterns. Look at the room Ash is in—the light, the chair, the restraints. He planned this for maximum control."
Across the hall:
Percy and Honey watched in silent horror. Percy's hands trembled slightly, but he straightened, determination overtaking panic. "We've dealt with corporate crises… but never personal stakes this high."
Aries furrowed his brows, voice sharp. "We need every detail. Security logs, transport records, everything. He can't get away with this."
Keifer stepped up, cool and collected, eyes scanning the group. "Alex, Joong, Lyra, Daisy—you're going back to Sydney to secure the HQ. Every financial movement, every employee, every trace. Find him if he touches the company again."
JJ's gaze was steely. "And every move he makes personally… I will track. Kevin thinks he's invisible. He's not. Not to us."
Endrix leaned forward, tapping into international databases. "I'm tracing every IP, every transfer, every anomaly he's made in the last month. Kevin didn't just take Ash—he's trying to control every possible angle."
Rakhi and Freya were coordinating communications, ensuring every message reached the group efficiently.
Cin had his medical kit ready. "We may need to stabilize her immediately if the drug's effects intensify. She could stop breathing."
Care finally spoke again, voice steady, commanding. "Cole… Nova… Ben… you'll handle immediate medical readiness. Alex, Joong, Lyra, Daisy—you're going to Sydney to secure the company, track his assets, and prepare for extraction if needed. Everyone else…" She turned sharply, scanning each person. "You will secure London. Hotels, airports, anyone he might use to move Ash or manipulate the situation."
The room was tense, the air electric. Everyone was in position mentally, physically, emotionally. Every member of the 18-person team understood their role.
Care looked at the monitor again, gaze softening for a moment when it fell on Ash. Her chest tightened. "Kevin doesn't understand… this is not a game. Ash is part of our family. And we don't leave family behind."
Cole stepped closer, voice low but firm. "Care… you don't have your inhaler. You need to be careful."
Care shook her head, faint smile. "I can breathe through this. We have work to do. And Kevin… he will regret this."
The group collectively exhaled. Not relief. Not hope. Determination.
The monitor still showed Ash, slumped, unconscious, restrained—but now, for the first time, the team didn't see helplessness. They saw the stakes. They saw the fire they would unleash to get her back.
Care's eyes glinted, dark and fierce. "This… ends on our terms. Kevin may have the advantage now, but he doesn't know the strength he's up against. Not the 18 of us. Not the team we've built. Not the bond we share."
Cole rested his hand lightly on her back. "Then let's make sure he understands that completely."
And as the night deepened, the 18 strategists, leaders, and fighters of London prepared. Every skill, every strength, every mind sharpened. Kevin had set the trap. But Care—and the others—would turn it into the battlefield he would never survive unscathed.
Ash's unconscious form on the screen no longer invoked fear. It ignited fury, strategy, and unstoppable resolve.