Chapter 968
“A history? What kind of history? Is he a murderer p>
Eleanor’s eyes widened, genuine alarm flashing across her face.
Mira quickly reached over to gently rub the older woman’s back.
“Eleanor, if you keep working yourself up like this, I’m going to stop telling you things entirely p>
Reminded that it wasn’t her own granddaughter in the crosshairs, Eleanor forced herself to take a steadying breath.
“Alright, alright. I’m calm. Tell me, what did this boy do p>
She looked intently at Mira.
“Eleanor, it’s a big, dark world out there. Tragedies happen every day. Just promise me you won’t let it stress you out p>
“I know, I know. We aren’t the police; we can’t save everyone.
Just tell me. I’ll treat it like I’m watching a true-crime show p>
Seeing that the older woman had genuinely settled down, Mira nodded.
“The police ran his background. It turns out his previous girlfriend completely vanished off the grid, too p>
“Vanished? Was she murdered? Kidnapped p>
Eleanor absorbed the shock much better this time.
That was exactly the reaction Mira had been aiming for.
Since she couldn’t shield Eleanor from the harsh realities of the world forever, using someone else’s misfortune was a calculated way to build her tolerance to bad news.
“The authorities confirmed the guy has a documented history of crossing the Balkana border.
So it’s highly probable the girl was trafficked straight into the Balkan Underworld p>
“The Balkan Underworld? I’ve seen the news reports. It’s a lawless hellhole run by absolute monsters p>
Eleanor muttered to herself, her face pale.
“Exactly. And there’s an overwhelming chance Sienna was lured right into that exact trap p>
“Lord have mercy. That poor girl must be living a nightmare p>
Eleanor’s heart ached for Sienna’s suffering.
That was when Owen calmly interjected, “Don’t worry. The federal forces are about to deploy p>
“The feds? Oh, thank the heavens p>
A visible wave of relief washed over the old woman’s features.
“Keep your voice down. It’s strictly classified,” Owen warned gently.
“My lips are sealed. Maybe there’s still a glimmer of hope for her after all p>
“That’s exactly why you need to stay inside the compound for the foreseeable future, Eleanor. The outside world is too unpredictable right now,” Mira seized the opportunity to add.
She expertly guided the conversation to suit her agenda.
She made a mental note to stock up on entertainment-cards, board games, whatever it took to keep her occupied. She could have Rachel and the staff host daily game nights.
“Don’t you worry about me. I’ve lived long enough to know when to hunker down. I know what’s at stake p>
After dinner, Mira and Owen retreated to the private study. Once the heavy oak doors clicked shut, Owen turned to her. “Were you telling the truth out there?” “Every word p>
“It’s sickening. The she
number of unexplained disappearances nationwide
skyrocketing. It’s about time Dominic and his teams took the gloves off p>
“I’m planning to go in with Master Ellis p>
“Absolutely not. It’s a suicide mission. That entire region is a cartel stronghold, and Mishka has been actively hunting you p>
“If they want my head that badly, it’d be rude not to deliver it personally,” Mira said, a predatory glint in her eye. If we don’t finish this on their fürf, they’ll just bring the war to our doorstep.
Do I look like someone who just sits back and waits to be slaughtered p>
Her earlier inaction wasn’t hesitation; it was pure strategic planning. Now, armed with Dominic’s federal backing and a coalition of underground heavyweights, Mira was fully confident in a total sweep.
“For both personal vengeance and the greater good, I need to be boots on the ground. We have to obliterate them. If Mishka slips through the net, she’ll haunt us for the rest of our lives p>
She hadn’t forgotten the two near-fatal encounters with the Ghost-Needle assassins after her return from Wall Street. If James Barlows banking syndicate hadn’t caused massive internal friction for their enemies, Mira wouldn’t have enjoyed a single day of peace since.
“Will this clash with the Wall Street timeline?” Owen asked, his brow furrowed.
He crossed his arms, evaluating the logistics.
“The Wall Street operation won’t hit peak volatility for another month. Dominic’s strike in the Underworld is a smash and grab extraction for Mavarian citizens. It’s designed to be fast. We’ll be in and out well before the month is up p>
Mira assured him.
“If you’re going into the hot zone, I’m going with you p>