Chapter 125 You Knew All Along?
Their dwelling was not a traditional home but rather a repurposed shipping container. The sudden commotion was unmistakable—the container was being hoisted into the air. Paige, jolted from her slumber, instinctively prioritized the safety of herself and Raymond. The bed skidded across the floor, colliding with the container's side before sliding back in the opposite direction. Paige hastily grabbed a blanket, wrapping it around them as she rolled over, cradling Raymond in her arms. Her back met the cold steel wall of the container, and despite the blanket's cushioning, a grimace of pain crossed her face. Raymond, alarmed, immediately inquired, "Are you okay?" Paige shook her head, dismissing his concern with a simple, "I'm fine."As her words hung in the air, she braced herself for another jolt. However, instead of a second impact, the container stabilized. Despite being enclosed within the shipping container, the sensation of ascension was unmistakable. Paige rose from the bed, finding her footing within the now steady room. She approached the window, watching as their makeshift home gradually lifted off the ground. Opening a few windows, the biting chill of the wind rushed in, carrying with it the unmistakable sound of helicopter blades. Raymond, piecing together the puzzle, stated, "It's a helicopter. We're being lifted by a helicopter."Paige could hardly believe the predicament they found themselves in. The deal they had anticipated, the delay they had expected, was merely a diversion. The real action had been set into motion deep into the night while they were unsuspectingly asleep. Paige hurriedly reached for her phone, no longer concerned about Raymond discovering the details of the deal. She dialed a number with a sense of urgency. Fortunately, the call connected without any signal issues. "What's the situation now?" she demanded, her mind racing with concerns about the safety of their airborne container and their unknown destination. Julian, on the other end of the line, sounded frantic, "The helicopter came out of nowhere. No one expected the container room would be the target. We've been discreetly reinforcing patrols all night and didn't detect any anomalies. Suddenly, steel cables were pulled from the ground and hooked to the helicopter."Paige, gritting her teeth, exclaimed, "We've been played!"After a brief pause, she issued an order, "Julian, I command you to shoot down that helicopter at all costs."Before Julian could respond, Raymond's voice echoed from behind her, "Shoot down the helicopter, and what about Mrs. Sackler's antidote?"Paige was taken aback and turned to look at Raymond. Raymond sat on the bed, his gaze steady and unchanging. It took Paige a moment to respond, "You know about the antidote?"Did Raymond understand why he was accompanying her to Country M? If he knew the details, why would he still choose to come with her? Was he mad? Was he truly willing to assist her, even if he was the one being sold?On the other end of the phone, Julian rejected Paige's command, "Are you out of your mind? Taking down the helicopter could put you at risk."Paige retorted, "If Raymond and I fall into the hands of an unidentified enemy, that's a far greater danger."Paige despised the feeling of losing control. She had meticulously planned everything: during the exchange, she would acquire the antidote and then signal Julian, who was secretly tailing them, to intervene and rescue Raymond, the bait for the deal. However, this unexpected turn of events had thrown Paige's plan into disarray. If she was also taken, the consequences were unpredictable. Julian repeated his stance: "I can't shoot down the helicopter, but I've activated the GPS on your phone and Mr. Carnegie's. No matter where they intend to take you, I will follow immediately. We will always be close by."Paige was about to retort, but her phone abruptly disconnected. The shipping container was now steady, almost devoid of turbulence. Raymond patted the bed: "Shooting down the helicopter wouldn't benefit us. Your people are level-headed. Come here and sit. Aren't you curious about who created those drugs and who stole the antidote? Well, aren't these folks taking us right to the answers?"Compared to Paige's panic, Raymond seemed much calmer. Paige approached cautiously, conceding to herself that Raymond's logic was sound. She was indeed curious about the origins of the drugs and the whereabouts of the stolen antidote. At present, she didn't understand why these people wanted to take her as well, but wasn't this an opportunity to get closer to the truth?
With this thought, Paige promptly extended an apology to Raymond. "I regret involving you in this journey to Country M, with the intention of trading you for the antidote," she confessed. There was no longer any reason to conceal the truth, particularly when it was impossible to keep it hidden any longer.Raymond had already inquired if she still sought the antidote, a clear indication of his awareness. He had always jestingly told her that if she ever betrayed him, he would assist her in counting the spoils. Paige lowered her gaze, too mortified to meet Raymond's eyes. After all, she was the one who had acted wrongly without prior warning.Paige voiced her apology, but there was no comforting 'it's okay' from Raymond. After a prolonged silence, Paige finally mustered the courage to lift her gaze to Raymond. "When did you discover the truth?" she asked."The morning we departed the country," Raymond revealed, "I overheard your conversation in the hospital room."Paige reflected for a moment. Indeed, she had uttered those words by Mrs. Sackler's bedside. At the time, she thought she had heard an unusual sound, but it slipped her mind when Pearl engaged her in conversation as they exited the room. She hadn't anticipated that Raymond would be the one to overhear her.Paige's breath hitched. "You heard everything. Why did you still agree to accompany me?" she asked. Despite knowing her plan to use him as a bargaining chip for the antidote, Raymond could have found countless reasons to avoid leaving the country with her."I assumed you were confident in your ability to handle the opposition," Raymond responded, "I was merely a pawn, accompanying you on a journey. I didn't expect that even you would fall into the enemy's clutches."Taken aback, Paige turned to face him. "Raymond, can you still afford to joke at a time like this?""This is no joke," Raymond retorted seriously. "I genuinely believed that since you brought me here for the antidote, you'd be able to bring me back. Haven't you noticed how composed I've been?"Paige, torn with emotions, realized that she had harbored the same belief.Nevertheless, now, as Raymond pointed out, she too had been captured by the enemy."I'm sorry. I shouldn't have used you and dragged you into this unforeseen danger," Paige sincerely apologized. However, Raymond looked at Paige and asked, "Before, I felt safe, thinking that if you could bring me here, you could also take me back. But now, it truly is dangerous."Paige rose from her bed and approached Raymond's wheelchair, unfolding it and pushing it towards him. "You should stay in the wheelchair; it has a built-in heating feature. The electric heater is broken now, don't freeze."The interior of the container had gradually grown colder as the heating equipment had failed and the container itself was being hoisted higher. Raymond, exerting some effort, transferred from the bed to the wheelchair. He grabbed a blanket to cover his legs, while Paige began to don her coat for warmth.Suddenly, Raymond, who was situated behind her, posed a question. "Now that it's dangerous, if you could still trade me for the antidote, would you do it?"Paige froze mid-motion while putting on her coat. Would she do it? This time, the danger was real…
