Chapter 137: Taking his aunt as hostage
Francesca's mind raced as she sat in the car, her thoughts consumed by Jaegar and the enigma he presented. There was something undeniably intriguing about his composure and resilience in the face of danger. He didn't react as she expected, and that unpredictability fascinated her.
She watched the unconscious bodies of Miran and Sander being loaded into the car, her expression contemplative. They had underestimated Jaegar's power, and it had cost them dearly. The young man had proven himself to be a formidable adversary.
As the car pulled away from the darkened alley, Francesca knew that she needed a plan to deal with Jaegar. Her initial approach had failed to sway him, and she couldn't underestimate him any longer.
The Bureau needed to gain his cooperation, but it wouldn't be easy.
Meanwhile, Jaegar strolled away from the alley, his annoyance simmering beneath his calm exterior.
He couldn't help but reflect on the unwanted attention he seemed to attract. The incident with the monstrous creature had only complicated matters, drawing the Bureau's relentless pursuit.
He only helped them because she was attacked at that time and now he was thinking he should have left it to them.
With a heavy sigh, he muttered to himself, "I need a strong coffee to improve my mood."
Determined to regain a sense of normalcy, he headed to the familiar café he frequented, hoping that the comforting aroma of coffee would soothe his frayed nerves.
Mia and Jack stood amid the aftermath of their encounter with Jaegar, both of them still trying to process the events. The power and resilience displayed by the enigmatic young man had left them in awe.
Mia, her eyes scanning the area, finally broke the silence, her voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. "Who the hell is he?"
Jack, ever the realist, nodded in agreement. "Definitely not one to mess with."
Mia's mind, however, was already racing with a new idea, an audacious plan born from the conflict they had just witnessed. She turned to Jack, her eyes gleaming with determination. "I have an idea."
Jack furrowed his brows with a mixture of concern and intrigue. "Idea? For what, exactly?"
Mia didn't hesitate as she explained her daring proposal. "You know, what if we get him on our side? What if we convince him to help us remove the Bureau from ever existing?"
Jack's skepticism was palpable, and he crossed his arms, clearly not convinced. "Do you know what you're talking about? Why do you think he will help us?"
Mia's gaze remained unwavering as she responded with conviction, "We have to try, Jack. We've been fighting this battle alone for far too long, and we've seen what the Bureau is capable of. If there's even a chance that man can be persuaded to join our cause, to use his powers against them, it's a risk we have to take."
With that, the two of them set out into the bustling city, determined to find Jaegar and present their proposition. It was a bold move, fraught with uncertainty, but they couldn't afford to let this opportunity slip through their fingers.
*
Jaegar returned home early and was not in the mood for shopping. As he passed his time in the home, it was already evening, and he was waiting for his aunt to come home.
Jaegar sat alone in the dimly lit hall of his home, his impatience growing with each passing moment.
His aunt usually returns before nightfall, but this time she was late—far later than usual. An unsettling feeling gnawed at him as he contemplated the reasons for her delay.
Suddenly, a knock echoed through the quiet house, snapping Jaegar out of his anxious thoughts.
He rose from his seat and approached the door with caution, his brows furrowing in suspicion.
When he opened the door, he was met with the unexpected sight of Francesca standing on his doorstep.
"Hi," she greeted him casually, though there was a hint of something more beneath her guise.
Jaegar's frown deepened as he regarded her, his instincts on high alert. Francesca continued, "Waiting for someone?"
Her mention of waiting struck a nerve in Jaegar, and his mind raced with a surge of doubts and worries.
His voice, edged with anxiety, finally escaped his lips. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Francesca's reply sent a jolt of rage coursing through Jaegar's veins. "Your aunt is in a safe place, I know."
The mere utterance of his aunt's name sent Jaegar into a frenzy of anger and fear.
In a quick moment, he seized Francesca by the throat, his grip like a vice, and lifted her off the ground.
Aghast, She struggled in his grasp, her hands desperately attempting to pry his fingers away, her legs kicking in the air as she fought for breath.
"What did you say?" Jaegar's voice was low and menacing as he demanded answers, his anger threatening to consume him.
Francesca's response was strained, her voice was barely audible, but her resolve remained unbroken. "Your aunt is with us, and if something happens to me, then I can't guarantee her safety."
Jaegar hesitated, torn between his overwhelming concern for his aunt and his desire for more information.
But deep in his mind, a coarse voice resonated, telling him, "Snap her neck! KILL HER!"
Jaegar didn't listen to the voice and shook his head. He didn't want anything to happen to Diana.
Finally, he released his grip on Francesca, allowing her to stumble backwards.
He was not in the mood to worry about the voice inside him.
She rubbed her reddened throat, a peculiar smile playing on her lips. Her composure seemed unshaken despite the confrontation.
Jaegar's eyes bore into her as he posed the crucial question, his voice laced with a sense of urgency. "Where is my aunt?"
Francesca regained her composure and sighed, her gaze unwavering. "Jaegar, you are truly strong, and it seems my instincts about you were not wrong."
Francesca's words hung in the air, a mix of reassurance and an unspoken threat. "Don't worry, Jaegar. She is in a safe place."
Jaegar's anger simmered just below the surface as he stared her down, his gaze unyielding.
He couldn't afford to trust her completely, not when his aunt's safety hung in the balance.
Francesca then proposed a more in-depth conversation, her voice in stark contrast to the tension in the room. "Now, why don't we have a proper talk?" she inquired.
Jaegar's anger seeped into his voice as he responded, "If you so much as lay a finger on her, you'll be begging for death."
Francesca acknowledged his anger with a knowing smile, sensing the dangerous atmosphere that had taken hold of them. The air seemed charged, and the pressure between them was noticeable. Yet she remained composed and unflinching.
"Yeah, you don't have to worry," she assured him, her tone steady. "Now, if you'll come with me, we can discuss things further."
Jaegar's mistrust ran deep, and he wasn't about to take any chances. He retorted firmly, "Only if you show her to me first."
Francesca sighed, conceding to his demand. "Fine, but you must promise not to try anything foolish."
Jaegar's gaze bore into her, his eyes hard and unyielding. Don't fuck with me. Show her to me first, and then we can talk."
Reluctantly, Francesca agreed, her voice holding a tinge of resignation. "Okay. I'll take you to her, but you must follow my lead."
Seeing his resoluteness, she couldn't try to pull anything on Jaegar. It was a gamble to take his aunt in. He had reacted very violently, and if she were to not show her to him, what would he do? She didn't want to take the risk of losing a potential candidate.
With that, Jaegar followed Francesca to her car, their unspoken agreement hanging heavily between them.
As the car pulled away from the quiet streets, Mia and Jack, who had been tailing Francesca, emerged from their hiding spot.
Jack questioned the unfolding situation with a furrowed brow. "Where is she taking him?"
Mia, her frustration evident, replied, "She got to him faster than us. What did she do to make him go with her?"
Jack, equally puzzled, shook his head. "I don't know."
They arrived right at the moment when Jaegar was getting in the car, they didn't know about the little incident earlier.
"So, what do we do now?" asked Jack.
Mia replied, "Follow them, of course."
"I think that young man is more dangerous than the bureau," Jack said it with a calculative expression. "When he was fighting in the alley, I could tell that he was holding back. But with only little damage, he made them lie on the ground." Jack was experienced, and he knew his way around.
He had observed Jaegar closely, focusing his attention entirely on him.
Determined to uncover the truth and ensure Jaegar's safety, Mia and Jack decided to follow Francesca's car, their own mission taking an unexpected turn.