Chapter 720
Declan quickly replied, “We’ve been tracking the location of the family crest on Ms. Sloan this entire time.
But the signal has been intermittent, and we can’t lock onto an exact coordinate.
Preliminary assessments suggest the team that took her is equipped with an advanced signal disruptor p>
Jarred’s lips clamped into a tight, unyielding line, his eyes brewing with dark, heavy storms.
He remained silent for two seconds before ordering in a bone-chilling tone, “Deploy more men. Spare no expense. Lock onto her location immediately p>
“Yes, sir p>
The night was pitch-black as the car sped through the flowing traffic.
Jarred sat in the backseat with a grim expression, a suffocating darkness clouding his eyes.
Sienna was jolted awake by the relentless, bumpy motion of a vehicle.
A dull, lingering numbness throbbed at the back of her head; the sedative hadn’t completely worn off yet.
Her eyelashes fluttered, and she forced her heavy eyelids open.
Total darkness greeted her.
The second her consciousness returned, she felt the coarse friction of rope against her wrists.
They had bound her hands and even blindfolded her.
Sienna realized she was in a speeding car.
She had no idea where they were taking her.
All she could sense was a faint, salty tang in the air.
The scent seeping through the cracks of the windows was slightly thinner than when she first woke up, carrying a moisture that inland cities simply didn’t possess.
But the Capital didn’t have an ocean.
Sienna’s mind snapped to attention, and she instantly became much more alert.
She could vaguely hear the low chirping of nocturnal insects, and the temperature had dropped significantly.
It had to be the early hours before dawn.
Factoring in the travel time, speed, wind direction, and the distinct smell of the sea breeze, she quickly deduced her location.
This had to be the Northport Coastline.
They had smuggled her out of the Capital overnight.
Just as she was piecing this together, a man in the driver’s seat let out a cold scoff.
“Since you’re awake, behave yourself. We’re not here to kill you p>
Sienna instantly focused, keeping her voice steady and perfectly calm, showing no signs of panic. “Who do you work for? What exactly do you want with me?
The man chuckled, his tone arrogant. “We don’t work for anyone.
As for what we want with you, you can ask him yourself when you see him p>
Sienna frowned, just about to press further.
The phone in one of the men’s pockets suddenly rang.
The car plunged into silence.
Only the man’s brief responses could be heard: “Yeah… understood… adjusting position now p>
Hanging up hastily, he immediately turned to the driver. “We’ve got a tail we haven’t shaken off.
Don’t go down the mountain yet. Find a spot to park and wait for backup to take over p>
“Got it p>
The driver replied, jerking the steering wheel into a sharp turn.
The car leaned violently, the bumping growing even more erratic.
Sienna steadied her breathing and subtly pushed her wrists backward, letting her fingertips brush the inner por ket of her jacket through the fabric.
Thank god.
The crest and the specially encrypted phone Jarred had given her were still resting safely in the lining.
She had anticipated that the Sterling family crest would be far too conspicuous and draw unwanted attention if exposed.
So she had never worn it openly, keeping it hidden in her bag all along.
The man had just mentioned an uncleared tail.
Without a doubt, it was him.
Jarred must have followed the signal.
The suffocating anxiety in her chest eased just a fraction.
The car drove for about ten more minutes before finally slamming on the brakes.
After the engine cut out, the surroundings grew so quiet that only the howling wind remained.
The chirping insects were gone, and the salty smell of the sea had completely vanished.
The silence was unnerving.