The crowd.

Lucien’s phone rang, startling everyone. Captain Whitlock rushed back into the room. He wordlessly signaled his team to begin recording and set up another trace. After everything was set up, he made sure that everyone knew to remain silent. With a nod, he told Lucien to answer.

“You have some more demands for me?” Lucien answered.

“I’m beginning to hear some rumblings about an announcement,” the caller said. “That’s good. However, I am inpatient. I am moving up the deadline to two o’clock this afternoon.”

“Fine,” Lucien answered. He tried to sound unbothered. But the truth was his blood froze in his veins. Do we have enough time?

“Fine?” the caller repeated. “Well, well, well. Aren’t we confident?”

“Is there anything else?”

“The contract we spoke of will be sent to your office. After the press conference, you’ll walk up to it and sign it. The instructions on how to send it to me and how to recover your precious women will be with it. Understood?”

“Yes. Let me speak to her.”

“I’m afrai