Chapter 253 Ellis Discovered Their n
"Is there anything else we need to add?" Freya asked her friends, her tone steady.
Everyone fell quiet, mulling it over. "No," came the collective reply, resolute and assured.
"You''ve practically covered every angle in that n of yours-and you''ve got not one, but two backup ns lined up," Greta said, her voice tinged with admiration. She''d never once questioned the razor-sharp precision of Freya''s mind. "There won''t be any surprises we haven''t ounted for."
"But there''s still one thing I haven''t thought through," Freya confessed, her words slipping out in a low
murmur.
They hade face-to-face with that man before. They knew the way he moved, the way he thought.
But knowing someone''s patterns didn''t mean you knew their depths.
Trent leaned forward, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "What is it?”
"The chance that he might try to drag us down with him," Freya said after a small pause, her voice hushed but
unwavering.
"Impossible," someone blurted out.
"He values his own life more than anyone else ever could."
"Whether that''s possible or not, it doesn''t change a thing now," Cade said seriously, his tone heavy with warning. "If he really breaks and spirals, not even the bestid ns will hold up."
That man''s intelligence matched theirs blow for blow. He was nothing short of brilliant.
Freya gave a slight nod, acknowledging the truth in Cade''s words.
"There''s something else I don''t understand," someone said.
"Go ahead."
"How could Kristian-just a businessman-end up on his bad side?" It was a question that still baffled Freya. "Why would he target Kristian specifically?"
ording to Ashley, the man''s first n was to destroy the Shaw Group, make Kristian''s empire crumble from
the inside out.
And when that failed, he went straight for the jugr-Kristian''s life.
What kind of hatred ran that deep?
< Chapter 253 Ellis Discovered Their Man
"Only Kristian would know," Riley murmured, resting her chin in her hand, her expression thoughtful and
unsure
Freyn was just about to remind them that their own lives took precedence that rashness wouldn''t serve them
when a knock came at the door.
Then another. And another. Someone was knocking repeatedly now.
Freya and everyone on the video call froze, silent as stone
Just as she opened her mouth to ask who it was, a voice rang out from the other side. "Freya."
The group stiffened. Oh no! It was their captain
Panic surged. No one knew what to do.
Freya acted fast-cut the video call, switched off the iPad, and swept the documents out of sight before rising to
open the door.
When she saw Ellis standing there, her heart jumped. "Captain? I thought you left?"
She''d only called Frederick and Trent over after watching him walk out the door. So why was he back now?
"I forgot something." Ellis said simply, his gaze sweeping across her face and then shifting past her shoulder.
Freya quietly stepped out and shut the door behind her.
She looked him square in the eye. "Is there something you need from me?"
"What were you discussing with Frederick and Trent?" Ellis asked without skipping
a beat, catching her
"What?"
"Trent''s car is in the lot."
Freya silently cursed herself for the oversight.
She thought about bluffing, but Ellis wasn''t the type to fall for a smooth lie. No matter how airtight it sounded,
he''d see right through it.
"Nothing serious," she replied coolly, keeping herposure intact.
Ellis, with one hand stuffed in his pocket, didn''t look like his usualid-back self anymore. The easygoing air was gone. What remained was the sharp-edged authority of the man he used to be.
His stare locked onto her. "Nothing serious? And yet Cade and the others are here too?"
Freya''s chest tightened.
He''d heard that as well?
"Captain..."
"Captain."
Frederick and Trent stepped out then, standing still.
14:03
Chapter 253 Ellis Discovered Their n
Ellis walked inside, his eyes scanning the room like a hawk. He zeroed in on one
spot, strode over, and pulled out a stack of documents.
Freya, Trent, and Frederick shut their eyes for a moment, all thinking the same thing. They were doomed.
They didn''t need to say it out loud. In such a tight space, with so few hiding spots, they would''ve chosen the
same ce.
The best hiding spot-it was one of the hard lessons they''d learned in training
"What is this?" Ellis mmed the documents down on the table, tapping them with long, sharp fingers. "Do you
even understand who Brendan Hoffman is? You think it''s wise to go up against him with no weapons, no gear?
Are you out of your minds?"
He was livid. He never imagined they''d keep this from him.
"It''s not a reckless attack," Freya rified, trying to soothe the rising tension. She knew Ellis well enough to tread carefully. "It''s a calcted move."
"Didn''t thest time teach you anything?" Ellis''s voice turned ice-cold, and the air around them seemed to drop ten degrees. "I''m not letting you do this." "Captain!" Freya''s voice cracked slightly as it rose.
Ellis looked ready to lecture them into the ground-but then his eyesnded on Freya''s face, and something
stopped him.
He averted his gaze, forcing down the fury wing its way up. "That''s enough.”
"But-"
"If you''re so determined to go, wait until I get the damn report approved."
The room fell silent. They hadn''t expected that.
"Even though I''ve stepped down as captain, because of my past position, I''m not allowed to leave the country for a few more years," Ellis exined, his voice quieter now. He didn''t want to say it, but he couldn''t keep it in. "If I want to go abroad, I have to submit a report and get clearance first."
"But we don''t have time," Freya said, frustration heavy in her voice.
Ellis red up again. "Freya."
"Yes?"
"Can''t you just listen to me for once?"
"It''s really toote," Freya replied, softer now. She knew exactly why she hadn''t wanted him to find out in the first ce. "Why don''t you look over the n before you say no?"
Ellis gave her a cial look but picked up the documents and began to read through them with precision.
As he read, his face darkened with each page.
Then he looked up, asking the question Freya herself had once asked. "How did
Kristian get mixed up with Brendan?"
14.03
< Chapter 253 Es Discovered Their Pan
"I don''t know," Freys answered truthfully. "But this is our best shot. Brendan doesn''t know who I really am. To him, I''m just a face in the crowd. He won''t be watching me closely."
That was what gave her the edge-what gave her the nerve to go through with it.
As for "K", neither Brendan nor Natasha had the faintest idea who she really was. Only Ellis and Frederick knew
Ellis read on, his expression unreadable, his thoughts spinning as he tried fit the puzzle pieces together.
"Do you really have to do this?" he finally asked, his tone calmer now.
Freya, Trent, and Frederick looked at one another and gave a firm nod. "We have
to."
"I''ll make a call," Ellis said, walking over to the window with the documents in hand. He dialed up an old
contact.
If he hadn''t stepped down, he could''ve filed the report himself. But now, he had to depend on someone else.
Unfortunately, the call didn''t go through. The number was off.
Which meant his contact was likely out on a mission.
Ellis''s chest sank. He''d have to dig around and try someone else.
"Here, take this." He handed Freya a small, discreet device. "Hide it in the safest
spot on your body. No matter
contact.
If he hadn''t stepped down, he could''ve filed the report himself. But now, he had to depend on someone else.
Unfortunately, the call didn''t go through. The number was off.
Which meant his contact was likely out on a mission.
Ellis''s chest sank. He''d have to dig around and try someone else.
“Here, take this.” He handed Freya a small, discreet device. "Hide it in the safest
spot on your body. No matter what kind of jamming equipment they''re using, this signal won''t cut out. I''ll be able to track you at all times."