Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Buying Time for Wyatt Sterling
"Negotiate with me?" Alice York was taken aback, but she quickly realized this kidnapping was aimed at her from the start...
"How many people came?" Wyatt Sterling asked.
"One person."
"One person?"
The first answer came from his subordinate.
The second was Alice York’s exclamation of surprise.
The subordinate looked at Alice York and nodded. "Yes, Miss Alice. Only one person came. He’s currently within our surveillance range and isn’t carrying any weapons. His sole purpose is to negotiate with you."
Alice York understood. They hadn’t sent just one person because they were afraid of having too many of their people captured, but because they were certain that one person was enough!
And they were certain she wouldn’t refuse to negotiate.
"Third Uncle, I’ll go see him." Having made her decision, Alice York looked at Wyatt Sterling.
Wyatt Sterling didn’t respond, but the hand gripping Alice York’s arm didn’t loosen. He had his own calculations to make. But Alice was frantic; every minute they delayed put her grandparents in another minute of danger.
Left with no other choice, she tried to pry his hand open. "I have to go see him."
Wyatt Sterling’s fingers tightened, giving her no chance to break free. "And how will you see him? Are you going to chat in public at the hospital entrance? Or are you going to ignore the danger and go to a location of his choosing?"
"But my grandparents are in danger..." She couldn’t imagine the consequences if the other party lost their patience.
Wyatt Sterling tightened his arm slightly, pulling Alice York into his embrace. His palm cupped the back of her head as he said in a low, deep voice, "Don’t walk into their trap just because you’re anxious. Let me handle this."
With her face resting against his broad chest, his words gradually calmed her frantic heart.
「Outside the hospital.」
Countless figures milled about. Several cars were parked temporarily on the side of the road. Though none of the windows were down, Alice York’s intuition immediately locked onto one of them.
Wyatt Sterling’s words confirmed her intuition. "The third one," he said.
"Should I go over now?" Alice York asked, starting to walk in that direction.
Wyatt Sterling quickly grabbed her wrist. "Wait," he said casually.
Alice York composed herself and, heeding Wyatt Sterling’s words, stood obediently by his side to wait. As if on cue, the door of that car opened, and a man stepped out.
The man wasn’t particularly tall and was dressed inconspicuously. He had a refined sort of face—the kind that would instantly blend into a crowd.
The man waved in their direction, a smile on his face.
He followed it with a gesture, as if asking, "May I come over?"
’Surprisingly polite.’
Wyatt Sterling gestured to a subordinate beside him. "Search him."
The subordinate nodded and walked toward the man.
The man was extremely cooperative during the pat-down. Even when their hands went into his trousers, his expression remained unchanged. Once finished, the subordinate turned back toward them, holding up a cell phone. He shook his head, indicating that the man wasn’t carrying any weapons—all he’d found was the phone.
The man seized the opportunity to spread his arms wide, his expression seeming to say—"Am I sincere enough for you?"
’He was, certainly.’
’But that expression was far too arrogant!’
After receiving a nod, the subordinate brought the man before Wyatt Sterling and Alice York.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ian Bishop." The man’s gaze first landed on Alice York before flicking over to Wyatt Sterling, though he clearly dismissed Wyatt’s presence.
The first thing Alice York asked, unable to wait, was, "What have you done with my grandparents?"
"Nothing’s happened to them. For now."
Ian Bishop glanced at the confiscated phone. "Give it back to me, and I can let you see them on a video call. It’ll put your mind at ease."
Alice York looked toward the subordinate.
The subordinate, however, didn’t move, waiting instead for an order from Wyatt Sterling.
"Third Uncle..." Alice York gently tugged on Wyatt Sterling’s cuff. It was no wonder she was anxious; with her grandparents in peril, it was nearly impossible for her to remain completely rational and calm.
Only after Wyatt Sterling nodded did the subordinate return the phone to Ian Bishop. He tapped the screen, swiped twice, and a video call interface popped up.
The call connected.
He turned the phone around to face Alice York. "Take a look. See if that’s your grandparents."
There was still some distance between them. When Alice York reached for the phone, Ian Bishop pulled it back with a smile. "It’s not that I won’t give it to you. It’s just that the video will automatically disconnect the moment it’s in your hands."
Alice York pulled her hand back. "I can’t see clearly."
Ian Bishop said, "You can come a little closer."
This time, Alice York didn’t make any rash moves. She remained obediently by Wyatt Sterling’s side. "Who knows what you’re planning or what your real intentions are."
Ian Bishop suddenly laughed. His ordinarily plain face actually became rather handsome when he smiled.
He put his phone away. "My only purpose today is to negotiate with you. I’m obviously sincere—otherwise, I wouldn’t have come alone and unarmed. You, however, don’t seem to be showing much sincerity."
Alice York stiffened.
Wyatt Sterling squeezed her hand. "He’s trying to bait you."
Ian Bishop raised his eyes to look at them. "This must be Third Master Sterling, correct? I’d heard that Alice York isn’t exactly favored by the Sterlings, yet here you are, Third Master, personally acting as her backer. It seems the rumors aren’t so credible after all."
Wyatt Sterling calmly replied, "Did you hide during the whole human evolution thing? You seem to rely on nothing but hearsay."
Ian Bishop froze, a flash of anger in his eyes.
Alice York fought to keep from smiling. "Mr. Bishop, didn’t you come to negotiate with me? Why insist on provoking my Third Uncle? See, now you’ve gotten yourself scolded."
’Serves you right.’
Ian Bishop swallowed his anger and looked at Alice York. "I will only speak with you. I had that message delivered when I first arrived. As for whether or not you want to find out their condition sooner rather than later... well, that’s for you to decide. I’ve got all the time in the world."
Alice York turned to Wyatt Sterling, waiting for his reaction.
Since Ian Bishop dared to come alone, he was clearly confident that capturing or threatening him would be useless. Therefore, the only option was to agree to his terms: for her to speak with him alone.
Wyatt Sterling released Alice York’s hand, reminding her, "Remember what I told you. Stay calm."
To be precise, these were the words he’d told her before they came down:
—Stay calm and rational.
—Don’t let them lead you by the nose just because they’re exploiting your weakness.
—Stall for as much time as possible.
Alice York nodded. "I remember."
Wyatt Sterling turned and walked away, but he didn’t go far. They were just outside the hospital, in a crowded and relatively safe area.
"The video. I want to see my grandparents. I need to know their current situation," Alice York said, stepping closer to Ian Bishop.
Ian Bishop picked up his phone in an unhurried manner, tapped the screen, and reconnected the video call.
"Look carefully." Ian Bishop held the screen out to Alice York again. "This isn’t a recording, it’s a live video call. Go on, try calling out to them. See if they react!"
Alice York would have called out even without Ian Bishop’s prompting. She needed confirmation, not just a glance at the two people on the screen.
The elderly couple appeared to be in a large but dimly lit room. Their hands and feet were not bound, and they could move around freely.
Her recent exchange with Ian Bishop must have been audible through the phone’s speaker, as the couple seemed to have heard her and were now looking around, searching for the source of her voice.
"Grandpa! Grandma! How are you? Are you all right?" Alice York instinctively reached for the phone.
Ian Bishop retreated a step, reminding her with a smile, "Miss York, don’t get so excited that you forget my little warning."
