Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Unyielding Ground
Alexander paced back and forth in the massive lobby, his adrenaline pumping as he wanted to kick down doors and hunt for the girls. Yet, looking around, nobody was moving. Even Joseph Kingsley stood still near the glass entrance, staring up at the neon-streaked sky with a freshly lit cigar between his fingers, exhaling a slow cloud of thick smoke.
Brenan, the interim security leader, walked over to Alexander, his broken arm now tightly bound in a temporary medical splint.
"Anxious?" asked Brenan, his voice surprisingly calm despite the chaos.
"A little..." said Alexander, his eyes softening slightly as he glanced at the splint. "Listen, I’m sorry about your arm."
"I underestimated you, kid, but it won’t happen a second time" said Brenan with a rough, low chuckle. "Next time, I’ll be the one returning the favor."
"Why the hell is nobody moving?" asked Alexander, gesturing wildly to the hundreds of stationary soldiers. "We’re wasting time!"
"Do you actually know who the boss just called?" asked Brenan.
"I have no goddamn idea" said Alexander.
"Incredibly big fish, believe me" said Brenan, looking toward Joseph . "Whoever took them is probably paralyzed with panic right now. Touching anything belonging to the boss is a guaranteed, fast-track suicide mission."
Suddenly, the sharp, piercing ring of Joseph ’s secure mobile phone broke the silence. Joseph lifted the device to his ear, listening in silence for three seconds.
"Good..." said Joseph , his voice dropping into a deep, booming rumble. "I see. Secure the perimeter and bring them back here immediately."
Alexander’s eyes locked onto the patriarch instantly. Joseph lowered his phone, let out a heavy, exhausted sigh, and turned his gaze toward the young agent.
"They are perfectly fine" said Joseph , his posture relaxing slightly. "They already found them safe and sound, so you can officially stand down and retire for the night. You did a good job, son... and I apologize for my actions a moment ago. I simply let my emotions get the better of me."
"Don’t worry about it, sir, I understand the reaction" said Alexander, a massive weight lifting from his chest. "But... do you mind if I stay here and wait for them to arrive?"
"I’ll have Victoria call you the second they wake up" said Joseph, his tone implying the conversation was over.
Alexander had no intention of leaving. He planted his boots onto the marble, his left hand dropping down to rest heavily across the frame of his scavenged tactical rifle as he stared straight ahead. His rigid, defiant posture made his stance crystal clear: I want to see the son of a bitch who thinks he’s strong enough to force me off this floor.
Brenan watched him from the side, a wide, genuinely amused grin spreading across his face. It had been a long time since anyone had dared to show that kind of unyielding, fearless attitude right in front of the all-powerful Joseph Kingsley.
Joseph turned his head, locking eyes with Alexander for a long moment before letting out a soft, resigned sigh. "Leave him be."
A hundred meters away, parked just outside the heavy security perimeter, Marcus sat in the driver’s seat of his darkened Dodge Hellcat. He had witnessed the massive military and police deployment from a distance and knew instantly that getting closer would have been useless. He pulled out his phone and dialed Alexander’s line.
Alexander swiped the screen, bringing the phone to his ear. "Everything turned out fine. They already located them."
"I figured as much based on the radio chatter" said Marcus over the receiver. "In that case, I’m heading out. There’s no real reason for me to stick around here."
"I’m going to stay right here until I see her walk through those doors safe and sound" said Alexander.
"Be careful, Alex" said Marcus, his tone turning dead serious. "The old man standing in that lobby is not a patient individual. You really should consider packing it up and leaving."
"Let him try something" muttered Alexander, his fingers tightening on his rifle grip. "We’ll see exactly how many of his men I take down to hell with me."
"Suit yourself. Just stay sharp" said Marcus, cutting the line.
Marcus tossed his phone onto the passenger seat, but he didn’t turn the key in the ignition. The Hellcat’s supercharged engine remained dead and dark as he kept his eyes glued to the lobby glass, watching Alexander’s back. He knew the stubborn idiot explicitly meant every word he said; if things went sideways, Alexander was capable of launching a one-man war against the entire Kingsley empire. Marcus needed to be ready to pull his reckless friend out alive if the floor turned into a bloodbath.
After a few tense minutes, the heavy thumping of a helicopter filled the air as it began its steep descent onto the skyscraper’s roof pad. Alexander tracked the sound, looking up through the glass mezzanine, before shifting his gaze back toward the overwhelming sea of armed guards lining the lobby. He was imprudent, but he wasn’t stupid; he knew there was nothing left for him to do here.
Without saying another word, Alexander loosened his grip on the rifle, turned on his heel, and walked out of the corporate tower toward his car.
Inside the lobby, Brenan took a slow step closer to Joseph, his eyes watching Alexander’s departing silhouette. "The kid is good, sir. Do you genuinely plan on punishing him?"
"I don’t know..." said Joseph, his voice dropping into a dark, contemplative rumble as he watched the Shelby’s headlights flicker on in the distance. "He fundamentally failed to protect my daughter, and I almost lost her tonight. Doesn’t leaving a failure like that alive send the wrong message to our adversaries?"
"I personally reviewed the security feeds from the apartment complex..." said Brenan, his tone completely respectful. "The brat actually handled himself flawlessly. He was severely outnumbered in a tight, blind corridor, and he neutralized the entire squad. I honestly don’t believe anyone else in our ranks could have done better under those exact parameters."
Joseph shifted his sharp gaze over to the officer, his eyebrows narrowing. "Are you seriously defending him now, Brenan? Do you know him from somewhere, or is there something you aren’t telling me?"
"I apologize, sir" said Brenan, bowing his head instantly. "I understand. I will keep my mouth shut."
Joseph took one final, slow drag from his cigar, exhaling the thick smoke toward the entrance doors.
"Brenan... send him a message on my behalf."
