Chapter 443
Next to her, Elissa attempted to intervene but was quickly subdued at gunpoint.
“Don’t move!”
“And you, over there!”
Another dancer from Red Choreography, roughly Hadley’s height, was forcefully dragged alongside her from the dressing room.
A fleeting glance passed between Hadley and the dancer; both were pale and trembling, uncertain of their fate…
The police had already surrounded the theater.
Using a megaphone, they attempted to communicate with the captors inside. “Attention, everyone inside…”
“We have nothing to discuss! We’re going to blow this place up today!”
“Please, think this through!”
The assailants showed no interest in negotiating.
Negotiations appeared to be at an impasse.
Back inside, the theater’s main stage remained concealed behind the unopened curtain. Both Hadley and the dancer were unconscious and bound to chairs. Eric, disguised as a security guard, slipped through the curtains and onto the stage.
“Hadley!”
He dropped to one knee in front of her, but she gave no response.
It was the dancer next to Hadley who, stirred by the noise, weakly opened her eyes.
She caught sight of Eric and tried to speak.
“Keep quiet if you want to make it out of here!” Eric warned sharply. Her eyes widened in surprise as she blinked quickly, unable to give the usual nod.
Eric sensed something was off.
She looked toward him and silently motioned upwards.
At that moment, Eric noticed that both Hadley and the girl were balancing a beam on their heads.
What on earth was going on?
Rising to his feet, Eric’s frown deepened as he surveyed the bizarre scene.
His eyes narrowed in realization—it was a bomb!
At the center of the beam was a tiny bead. Its fall to either end would trigger the bomb.
An unpredictable bomb!
Now, the critical question was how long Hadley and the girl could maintain their fragile balance. What were his options?
Trying to keep his cool as the seconds ticked down, Eric retrieved a folding knife from his pocket, carefully supported Hadley, and cut the ropes binding her. Then, without shifting his weight, he extended the knife toward the girl.
“I’m about to free you. Once I do, take her and run as fast as you can.”
“What?”
The color drained from the girl’s face as she shook her head. “That’s too risky!”
Doubt clouded her mind—if she moved, the beam could topple. Maybe staying still was safer.