Chapter 66
Emma immediately rushed to the Hall family home. Josiah had already retrieved the surveillance footage; as expected, the hospital's footage was tampered with. Emma surmised that Brad, preoccupied with Vere's attack on his company's financial systems, likely hadn't been involved with Liam's disappearance, making Elsie the prime suspect. Josiah had confirmed Elsie met with a known black market thug after leaving the hospital, explaining Levi's deception.
In the car, Levi voiced his concern, "Mrs. Hall, are you sure it's Mrs. Elsie? Otherwise, she'll surely make a big deal out of it." His implicit trust in Emma was evident. Speeding to the Hall villa, Emma replied coldly, "Wasn't it said Simon recently went to Ralbridge? If she dares to make a fuss, we can deal with her directly!" Alighting from the car, she instructed Levi, "Stay here. I'll be back once I have information." Levi, having witnessed Emma's capabilities, readily complied.
Bursting into the Hall villa's courtyard, Emma swiftly subdued Elsie's poorly trained bodyguards and stormed upstairs. Elsie, applying a face mask, shrieked at Emma's sudden appearance. Emma, moving silently, confronted her. "Don't bother shouting," Emma stated, "I've dealt with everyone else." Her eyes blazed. "Where is Liam?"
"How would I know?" Elsie stammered. "Get out! I'll call the police!"
Emma sneered. She had previously hidden Slox's identity for Liam's sake, but with Liam missing, that was no longer necessary. "Go ahead and try," she challenged.
A cold blade materialized in Emma's hand as she advanced on Elsie. "I've cut off all signals," she said, each word chillingly precise. "Do you know who I am?"
Elsie, cornered and terrified, frantically tried to call for help, but the call failed. It was indeed Elsie who had hired someone to abduct Liam, but she hadn't anticipated Emma's resourcefulness and audacity.
Emma's chilling smile sent shivers down Elsie's spine. "I want to know where Liam is," Emma said, "or I'll kill you." The thought of Liam, her sole obsession in this life, fueled her resolve. He had saved her life in her past life, and she would protect him at any cost.
Elsie's refusal to cooperate prompted Emma to cut Elsie's tongue. With the blade still in her mouth, Elsie, in a daze, mumbled about "Watery Garden" before fainting.
Emma and Levi raced to Watery Garden, where they found a raging fire. Levi correctly identified the situation: "They want to burn Mr. Hall to death!"
Watery Garden, an isolated mountain villa, was engulfed in flames, the smoke visible for miles but unnoticed by authorities. Emma noticed footprints and fragments of hospital bandages near the villa, confirming Liam's presence.
"Levi, take the hose," Emma instructed, "I'll go in." She found the villa's firefighting equipment, but Levi's trembling revealed a gas leak and impending explosion. Despite his intelligence and competence in assisting Liam, Levi lacked the combat experience of Team Thunder, and his fear was palpable. Emma, however, refused to let that stop her.
Emma pulled Levi inside, securing him in a relatively safe area with the hose. "Hold it steady," she urged, "this is safe. As long as you hold this, we won't die." Even with the raging fire, Emma's unwavering confidence bolstered Levi. He held the hose firmly, carving a path for her through the inferno.
Emma systematically searched the villa, room by room, the fire intensifying with each floor. She nearly succumbed to the smoke and flames several times. Suddenly, remembering a detail from her previous life, she realized she'd overlooked the basement. She found the basement door broken down, and Liam, lying unconscious in the heart of the flames. Overcoming her ingrained fear of fire, Emma rushed towards him.