Chapter 697
Either it was her imagination, or the person following her was exceptionally well-hidden. Time was tight, and Felicia’s phone buzzed again, the notification conveying a sense of urgency. She glanced at the screen but didn't answer. Just as she was about to hail a cab, a black SUV pulled up.
It was Maurice's men.
Felicia sighed, slightly exasperated. "I told you I'd get there on my own. You didn't have to pick me up."
One of Maurice's men replied respectfully, "It's difficult to get a cab around here, Ms. Fuller. Please get in. Mr. Glover's condition isn't good. Everyone's waiting for you."
Hearing this, Felicia couldn't argue. She climbed into the car, which drove off steadily, soon merging into the busy traffic of Seldvale's bustling streets.
Back at the hospital, a man reported to Stephan, "Sir, after Mrs. Russell left, she got into a black SUV belonging to Maurice's men."
Of course, it was Maurice again. It always was about Maurice. And Felicia's "important matter" was rushing to Maurice's side. She had left him again, for Maurice.
Stephan let out a low chuckle, devoid of humor. His laughter carried an undertone of mockery, bitter self-deprecation laced with a chilling menace. The row of bodyguards in the corridor lowered their heads in unison, remaining perfectly quiet, minimizing their presence. Anyone could tell Stephan was in a foul mood, teetering dangerously close to a breaking point. No one dared risk stepping into the crossfire, except Stanley.
Breaking the oppressive silence, Stanley cautiously stepped forward, holding out the latest information. "Sir, I just received an update from Andy. There's progress regarding the map. These are the decrypted coordinates. Would you like to see them?"
The map—once stolen, its secrets recorded, its mythical destination steeped in mystery. Previously, Dexter and Myra had stirred up trouble by leaking information, which eventually fell into Pete's hands. The Carrell family's public sharing of the map's contents attracted opportunists and schemers hoping to find the fabled location. Ultimately, everyone who followed Pete's lead was trapped and slaughtered in the canyon's fissure. The incident was a massive scandal, scaring off anyone tempted to pursue the map. For a long time, the cryptic messages remained unresolved, and the legendary location remained unknown.
But Stephan had never given up. He had a reason he couldn't ignore, driving him to continue the search. And now, at this critical moment, there was finally news.
Stephan lifted his gaze to Stanley, his expression unreadable. "What's the source of this information? What does it say?"
Stanley explained, "The information comes from the Special Operations Unit. During their interrogation of the captured robed man—the one who worked with Pete—they got him to reveal details about a location." He tapped the tablet he held, displaying the coordinates. The screen showed a location in the middle of the open seas; from the satellite view, there was nothing but an expanse of dark blue ocean, no visible island.
"The robed man confessed that Pete's target destination is here. He also mentioned that unlocking the map's secrets and reaching the location requires fulfilling specific conditions at a particular time."
"What conditions?" Stephan asked.
Stanley shook his head. "That, he wouldn't say. All he revealed is that this year's celestial phenomenon presents the only opportunity in a decade to meet the conditions. If we miss this chance, no one will ever be able to locate it again."