Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
Cary’s voice hardened, “Are you certain about what you saw?”
“I’m sure of it. It looks like he’s found the exit and is going down to plant the explosives!”
Instantly, Cary spoke gravely into his walkie-talkie. “Evacuate immediately.”
Then, almost at the same moment, a loud explosion sounded both from the phone and outside.
Fortunately, Audrey threw herself onto the carpet just in time, which cushioned her fall and shielded her from the blast’s force.
The phone hit the ground, cutting off the call.
Audrey realized the exit below must have been compromised, likely where the special forces had planned to enter and disarm the explosives.
Worried the man she spotted just now might return, she swiftly retrieved her phone and took refuge in a nearby electrical room.
Just then, the cell signal on her phone weakened significantly. There was only one bar left on her phone, and even that flickered intermittently.
Audrey tried several times to reconnect with the command center, but her calls continually failed. She finally caught a stable signal near a window.
Just then, Matteo’s call came through. His voice carried a palpable anxiety. “Miss Foster don’t panic. We are still looking for another exit.”
Matteo had been stationed in the special forces command center, believing Audrey had escaped, not expecting that Lorenzo’s men had destroyed the only exit.
At this moment, Matteo was deeply concerned about both Audrey’s safety and Cornell’s fate.
Despite her dangerous surroundings, Audrey remained calmer than Matteo. She said, “Could you please pass the phone to the commander? I need to ask him something.”
“Miss, what is it?”
Audrey asked, “This homemade remote-controlled explosive, I remember reading that cutting the wire responsible for the remote control prevents it from detonating, is that correct?”
Audrey hadn’t known this originally. She had seen it once in a book in her father’s study.
Her father, a military enthusiast, liked reading such books and often discussed these topics with Audrey. So, although she had never seen real explosives, she understood them better than most due to her readings.
Cary answered, “In theory, yes. Remote-controlled explosives are designed with a special wire for remote activation. If it’s severed, they can no longer be detonated remotely.”
Cap?tulo 955:
“If that’s the case, the experts should be able to determine which wire is the remote-control wire from the video I just sent you,”
Audrey suggested.
Cary understood her intent and paused, momentarily speechless.
Audrey continued, “Cary, I’ll go cut all the wires. Then you can send your men through the window. There are only three hostages in the building, including myself. Even if discovered, they only have control over two hostages, so they probably wouldn’t dare to harm them.”
After all, hostages were typically used for negotiation.
Lorenzo believed he had control over the International Banquet Center, expecting thousands of hostages, but Cornell had foreseen his plan and evacuated the venue early.
If Lorenzo risked harming the very last two hostages, the special forces would storm in without hesitation, leaving no escape for the culprits.
Audrey shared her analysis with Cary, and Cary found her plan nice.
However, Cary couldn’t let a girl without practical experience take such a significant risk.
Audrey pressed, “Time is pressing. Cary, I know you understand this is the best method, and I’m capable of completing the task.”
Cary pondered deeply but ultimately declined. They had protocols and could not permit civilians to engage in such risks, especially someone like Audrey who was unarmed. “Thanks for your contribution, but I can’t agree to this. We can’t risk your life. Please stay where you are and wait for our rescue,” he insisted.
Audrey nodded, “I understand.” She comprehended the commander’s predicament. Allowing civilians to take such risks was out of the question.
But with a madman like Lorenzo on the loose, every minute of delay put Cornell in greater danger.
Thus, after ending the call, Audrey immediately dialed her father without hesitation.
Landen, her father, was unaware of Audrey’s dangerous situation because Erick had kept many things from him due to Landen’s condition.
Audrey called out, “Dad…” She tried to mask her emotions, but her voice faltered as soon as she spoke.
Landen instantly sensed the distress in Audrey’s voice; his aged voice filled with concern. “Audrey, what’s wrong?”
Audrey quickly covered up, clearing her throat. “It’s nothing. I just choked on some water.”
“Oh, have you arrived over there yet?” Landen asked. He was unaware of the layover and thought Audrey was still on her business trip.
“I’ve arrived.”
Hearing her father’s voice always had a way of stirring her emotions.
Audrey shifted the conversation. “Dad, you know an old military officer who’s an expert in bomb disposal, right?”
Audrey recalled that her father had a close relationship with a retired military officer abroad, who was seasoned in bomb disposal and had extensive experience.
“Oh, you mean Smith? What do you need him for?”
Cap?tulo 956:
“It’s like this. Remember my director friend, Mae? She’s working on a film that involves explosives, and I thought it might be useful to consult Smith for some advice. Could you give me his contact details?”
Landen always trusted Audrey and responded warmly, “Oh, no problem at all. I’ll let him know to share everything he can with you.”
“Thanks, dad.” Audrey’s voice choked up a bit again.
“Silly child, why be so formal with me? Be careful at work and take care of your health. Janey is being looked after by me and Annis, so don’t worry.”
“Okay. Dad, take care of yourself too…”
“I know. Let Erick know in advance to pick you up from the airport when you return.”
“Okay. Dad, I’m going to hang up now.”
A tear fell as Audrey hung up the phone. She felt torn. If she did nothing now, her survival rate would rise while Cornell’s would undoubtedly decline. Another possibility was that both she and he could perish from the explosives.
Thus, she felt compelled to act, to grasp even a sliver of hope.
She initiated a video call to Smith, forwarding him detailed photos of the explosives. Smith assessed that the device was a typical continental-style, remote-controlled bomb. He identified that the remote-control wire was the yellow one.
Unaware of Audrey’s dangerous surroundings, Smith assumed the explosives Audrey showed him were merely props, yet they appeared incredibly realistic.
Despite being retired for many years, his expertise remained sharp.
Observing the homemade explosive, he remarked, “The props used in films these days are incredibly realistic. It looks very professional.”
After expressing her gratitude to Smith, Audrey gazed at the yellow wire for a long time.
She trusted Smith’s judgment, and as he had noted, this was a simplified device. It seemed that proper manufacturing tools were unavailable, which would have allowed for a more refined construction.
While Lorenzo’s influence was substantial, it was mostly outside Ambrosia.
Ambrosia maintained strict control over such illegal devices. Due to the lack of proper manufacturing conditions, Lorenzo could not produce more sophisticated explosives and had to settle for less.
This limitation, however, presented Audrey with a chance to capitalize on this weakness and easily sever the wire.
Summoning her courage, Audrey lifted the scissors in her hand, bolstering herself to be brave. After mentally preparing for an extended period, when the moment to act finally arrived, her entire hand was trembling.
Audrey’s palms were slick with sweat, making it hard for her to hold onto the scissors. With determination, she aimed the scissors at the yellow wire, closed her eyes, and braced herself to cut.
Suddenly, a loud shout burst behind her. “What are you doing?”
Then, there was a loud clang as the scissors were abruptly taken from her grasp by a dark figure.
Audrey looked up to find Henley’s handsome, usually refined face looking decidedly restless. She frowned, “Why are you here?”
“Who else did you expect?” Henley retorted, his voice dripping with hate.
Cap?tulo 957:
Seeing Audrey’s silence, Henley snapped, “Well, then, tell me, who else but I would have come to rescue you?”
Initially, Henley left the event venue, furious because of a series of incidents. On his way, his subordinates relayed a series of alarming updates. They first reported that Alexis had been arrested, which was foreseeable.
Following Cornell’s exposure, Alexis’ capture was bound to happen.
Alexis, an outsider, had tried to seize control of the Clement family’s wealth and had even murdered Beuford. He couldn’t escape punishment for his actions.
Henley wasn’t concerned about the minor offenses he had committed because he knew Alexis would help him hide them. In the worst-case scenario, even if defeated, he still had the extensive international businesses that Alexis had set up for him. He wouldn’t be left broke.
As for what sentence Alexis might receive, Henley was unconcerned.