The whole room was waiting for a feminine voice to answer the call that Abner was making right then and there. At first, it was hardly believable that he would risk calling his hostage, but when the line didn’t answer they figured out that he had tricked them once again.

Abner used Alexia’s number, so it didn’t matter how many times he called her. He was sure there would be no answer since her phone was locked up in his suite’s secret safe.

“You see? Too tired to answer,” he stated with finality, his cynical smile twisting his audience’s stomachs.

The elders knew, even before the start of the meeting...