CHAPTER 427: PARTY TIME VI

"Athena, down!" Old Mr. Thorne whisper-yelled, aghast when his granddaughter attempted to just stroll past the bend, toward the hall used for the party.

Athena, battling with sharp rage, huffed but sank down, her knees almost touching the gravel, close to her grandfather, whom she thought was sturdier than he looked. Her lips twisted with frustration as she clenched her jaw.

"You can’t act out in rage, Athena... that seems to be a flaw to work on... the shootout is still going on, and you are not bulletproof."

And neither are our guests, Athena thought worriedly, her eyes narrowing with a mix of fear and fury.

As much as she had tried to make the party go without upheaval, it had still happened, and it grated on her nerves so much. Her kids were there! Everyone—including her friends!

"What do we do?" she asked tensely, turning to her grandfather, who was hunkered low like she was, peering at the hall in question. There was no one outside, not even servants.

It seemed in the minutes she had gone out for a small talk with her grandfather, the gang—it could only be them—had infiltrated the house and commandeered everyone into the hall.

Yet how was that possible, with the top-tier security in the mansion? Or had the security details relaxed their hands because of the party, which extended hospitality even to them?

Her fists clenched, knuckles shining white as the images of her children flashed across her mind. Kael—whoever he thought he was—would pay for this.

And where was Ewan? Had he returned? Was he with Victoria?

Disgust appeared and remained in her eyes, even as she followed her grandfather, crouching low as they moved forward.

"We should stop behind the flowers and survey around. And don’t get up to stroll, no matter what..." Old Mr. Thorne whispered, eyes sharp.

"But, Grandpa..."

Old Mr. Thorne shook his head, cutting her off with a stern wave of his hand. "Don’t stroll in. They might just be holding people hostage so that they can trap you... they might shoot you on sight, as you are the main target."

Athena couldn’t help but wonder how the old man could remain calm, with his family inside the hall.

Her eyes darted toward the looming mansion as they followed the backyard, moving slowly toward the front, their shoulders brushing against the shrubs.

At the flowers’ ledge, they hadn’t seen anyone yet. Old Mr. Thorne gestured forward again, and they moved carefully, cutting through the ledge slowly. They stopped when they came just to the edge of the wall.

From where they crouched, if they leaned their heads out and turned left, they would see the entrance horizontally.

Their breaths caught when they noticed the security men outside, guns in hand, fully armed—but they weren’t moving. They seemed... docile.

Of course, Old Mr. Thorne thought grimly, they couldn’t let a gun battle happen with the number of people inside the hall. But what were they waiting for? Why haven’t the gang people disarmed them?

Had he been right in his deduction that Athena was the main target?

"Is that not the man you want for me... imagine his prideful walk when people’s lives are in danger, with his girlfriend behind..." Athena muttered bitterly, her eyes burning with contempt.

Old Mr. Thorne frowned at her tone, his brows furrowing deeply. He turned aside, following the line of her gaze, his lips pressing into a thin line when he saw Ewan walking toward the agents—he had come from the other side of the mansion—with Victoria right behind him.

Victoria who looked worried, her fidgeting stance and wringing hands giving her away.

"My children are in there, frightened out of their minds maybe, but he is outside..." Athena’s voice cracked with both fury and anguish.

"Athena, things might not be as they seem," her grandfather whispered firmly. "I watched him leave the hall alone... and we both know Victoria to be cunny. We know what she wants... let’s not let her win the game. And can we focus on the mission at hand?"

Athena pursed her lips at both the rebuke and the plea in his voice, her nostrils flaring. She bit back a scoff when Victoria tried stopping Ewan from getting past the agents who stood stiff with their guns outside the hall, telling him to stop, to think of his life.

When Ewan ignored her and walked into the hall, leaving a worried-looking Victoria outside, Athena realized with a jolt that Ewan had just walked into a hall where sporadic shootings were going on—sporadic shots hitting the walls, utensils, and furniture if the sharp metallic crashes she heard were any indication.

Her chest tightened. She got to her feet in a swift motion, ignoring her grandfather’s glare.

"I have to get a closer look," she said as a manner of explanation, her voice low but steely.

Old Mr. Thorne sighed, shook his head, and reluctantly got to his feet. He followed her as she came out of hiding, both moving toward the agents—around fifty of them—whose eyes widened when they saw her.

The agents immediately shook their heads in unison, their faces grim, while Victoria furrowed her brows in confusion.

Athena stopped just a few feet away from the open entrance door, listening to the agents.

The shooting had stopped, she noted. She beckoned on one of them, her hand sharp and commanding.

The latter crossed immediately, his boots crunching softly against the gravel. "They are here for you, ma’am," he said quickly, his tone respectful but urgent. "They have been shooting to get your attention."

Athena sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly. Her grandfather was right.

"Do you know how they got in?"

The agent shook his head. "We only came when the silent alarm rang. We might have answers from the agents inside."

Athena licked her lower lip, her eyes narrowing. Agents inside?

"Are they alive?"

The agent nodded. "But we can’t do anything, not with the number of elite people inside. They just want you alone."

Athena was about to ask another question when she heard Ewan’s voice echo faintly from inside. Her breath caught, and she stepped closer to the entrance with her grandfather, inclining her head to hear better.

"Are you with proof, Kael?"

Her eyes widened. Kael had come by himself? Or was Ewan speaking to him over the phone?

Athena stepped even closer, straining to catch every word.

"I don’t care for that," Kael’s voice rang, gleeful. "I know you were behind the attacks both times. Where is Spider?"

He was here. Athena’s gaze darted to her grandfather, and they exchanged a furtive glance.

Kael had finally come.

Was a bloodbath about to ensue if they didn’t have her?