Chapter 5 Lyon, 45° 45′ 36″ N, 4° 50′ 24″ E Interpol Headquarters

Andalas checked the floor plan of the room on the guard's desk. 48 and 50 are on the right wing of the second basement. He ran as fast as he could to the basement. The sound of the explosion became less and less frequent. He had to find them while the situation was still chaotic.

Several times Andalas ran into Interpol officers running from the basement floor.

"Le quartier général est complètement perquisitionné monsieur! Une dizaine de personnes ont utilisé des explosives et des armes lourdes autour de cette base! The headquarters was completely raided sir! Dozens of people using explosives and heavy weapons surrounded this base!" Andalas shouted while acting panicked.

Suddenly more and more officers were climbing upstairs with their weapons cocked in their hands.

Arriving at the second basement, Andalas saw two guards looking suspiciously at him.

"I was ordered to take refuge here, sir! There was a brutal attack by the terrorists above!" Andalas entered the control room of basement 2 while squatting and covering his face in a corner.

The two guards looked at each other. That meant the situation was very serious. From behind his hands, Andalas assessed the situation. He couldn't waste time. When he saw that the two guards were seemed off guard and started talking to each other on what to do, Andalas moved.

He launched several punches and kicks to the two burly guards, which immediately collapsed on the floor because of the unexpected assaults.

Andalas pulled the lever to open the detention room and touched the knob below the numbers 48 and 50. The sound of the metal door opening inside was followed by running footsteps. Andalas ran fast.

A slender body hit Andalas. He instantly embraced the person and almost lost his balance while doing it.

Akiko who was already on standby in fighting mode broke free from the hug then looked in disbelief when she saw who had hugged her.

"Andalas!" Akiko pushed her whole body toward Andalas. He didn't expect this, and both fell on the floor embracing each other.

Cecilia, who had followed Akiko's from behind, smiled watching how surprised Akiko was to see that Andalas suddenly showed up in this place.

"Are you two love birds done? Otherwise, I'll be waiting in the guard room until we know what our next plan is."

Andalas gasped in surprise. Akiko's tight hug just now really calmed him down. It was as if the commotion upstairs was just background music bringing them back together.

Andalas stood up while pulling Akiko's arm who was smiling sweetly and beaming.

"You come with me! Akiko, took the two guard weapons." Akiko immediately pouted at the order. Huh! The ever-annoying guy in action!

A huge explosion outside shook the basement. Andalas was shocked. It must have been the final explosion by Marcos and Brando. They had to be fast!

The trio sneaked up as they reached the ground floor of the headquarters and watched as the situation was still chaotic with several officers shouting orders while most of the rest stood at every window and door.

Andalas grabbed Akiko's hand and waved at Cecilia. They slipped into the hallway next to the seemingly empty receptionist station. The man relied solely on his intuition that the passage would lead them to another exit.

After following the winding hallway, they arrived at the exit which seemed to be guarded by four officers.

Andalas let Akiko and Cecilia hid behind the hallway wall, and he immediately came out raising his hand screaming.

"They're rushing through the front door! A full army!"

The four guards immediately responded to Andalas's screams and ran forward through the nearest hallway that was different from the one where Andalas entered.

Andalas encouraged the four guards.

"Brossez monsieur! Terminez le terroriste! Laissez-moi garder cette porte! Brush sir! Kill the terrorists! I'll guard this door!"

Andalas opened the side door and it led to an empty area. It was a dead-end alley next to the headquarters he had scouted earlier. There was only one exit that led to the street in front of the headquarters. Damn it, this is bad!

Just as Andalas was thinking hard on how to find a quick escape, he heard the roar of a car engine approaching and turning sharply toward the alley where they were gathered. They had secured the exit door from the outside using a rope that Andalas had found in the trash.

Andalas and Akiko were both on full alert.

The sound of the brakes screeching as the sedan did a drift so that its front side was facing the driveway.

Andalas gawked when he saw the front right rear passenger door open. Lian Xi made a face and shouted.

"Get in! Before they catch us in this stinky alley!"

Andalas jumped in next to Lian Xi. Cecilia and Akiko rushed into the back seat.

The car sped away at high speed and swerved into the main road ahead which was being barricaded with barbed wire by armed Interpol officers.

It went through the unfinished barricades followed by the sound of sirens wailing behind them. Andalas watched from the rearview mirror dozens of Interpol cars chasing them together.

After the last big explosion, Marcos and Brando fled away from Interpol headquarters. The head of Interpol headquarters later realized that it was a diversion so that someone could break into the detention room and free the important detainees.

Just as the officers were on alert and trying to close the exit by setting up barricades, the car went through at high speed.

Amid the roar of the loud engine and the body of the car that zigzagged to avoid the traffic jam, Andalas asked a half shout to Lian Xi.

"Go to a large shopping complex. We'll change cars over there!"

Lian Xi's lips showed a thin smile and she nodded slightly. With agility, she drove the sedan through the one-way street from the opposite direction. Cecilia screamed. An SUV just barely missed them if only Lian Xi didn't evade quickly and kept on speeding. Sounds of cars' horns filled the air of Lyon City as Lian Xi bravely accelerated, forcing the cars from the front to either pulled over or stop.

On the back seat, Akiko looked on with admiration. That woman driving skill was exceptional. But who was she? Why was she with Andalas? The thought made Akiko's heart's boiled.

After driving against the traffic for a while, Lian Xi swerved to the right on a U-Turn. The car was lifted into the air on one side and then landed again on the ground with a thud. Andalas turned to Lian Xi. This woman is crazy!

Akiko, who kept watching, thought that Andalas was mesmerized by her talent. Her heart was burning.

The car entered the parking gate of a large mall and went into the basement as across the street a group of Interpol cars continued their pursuit with blaring sirens.

Andalas pointed to an empty parking lot next to the Renault Koleos. Hmm, the right model for them for car change. Andalas acted quickly.

After successfully starting SUV and sitting in the driver's seat, Andalas waved to the three women who were still waiting in the car. They quickly got into the SUV.

There was a bit of a commotion when Lian Xi was about to get into the front seat next to Andalas. Akiko held her arm while holding the FN in her hand around Lian Xi's neck.

"Who are you? You seem very suspicious!"

Andalas hurriedly got out of the car. Gently grabbed Akiko's arm and lowered her hand. Meanwhile, Lian Xi didn't look as frightened as she did at Paris Airport when Andalas saved her from Helda and Isamu's attack.

"It's Lian Xi. Moscow University Lecturer. She's going to help us meet Cathy." Cecilia was immediately intrigued by Cathy's name being mentioned.

But Akiko didn't.

"I suspect that she is part of the Organization to frame the three of us. We must deal with her!" Akiko smacked Andalas's hand and immediately attacked Lian Xi in the neck to knock her unconscious.

The attack missed. Lian Xi dodged swiftly. Akiko was getting angry. She aimed several punches and kicks to render Lian Xi powerless.

But Lian Xi didn't remain silent at all. She dodged Akiko's attack and even counterattacked. There was a fight in the parking basement between two women who were both striking and equally vicious.

Andalas was stunned. Lian Xi turned out to be a formidable opponent for Akiko. But why did she act as if she was scared at the Paris airport? Akiko was right. The woman was suspicious. Andalas acted quickly.

While the two women were still fighting each other, Andalas pulled Akiko's arm back hard enough that the young doctor staggered. But at the same time Andalas made a move to catch Lian Xi's arm and twist her behind her back.

Andalas brought his lips to Lian Xi's ear.

"Who are you really? Tell us!"

Despite being incapacitated, Lian Xi smiled mockingly at Akiko. Her face didn't show the slightest fear.

Akiko was getting exasperated when she saw that Andalas held Lian Xi from behind while whispering to her ear. She almost threw a punch at Lian Xi's face if she hadn't come up with a surprising answer.

"My name is Lian Xi and I'm Professor Lian Yang's sister. I am also a lecturer in Molecular Biology at Moscow University. I am also an MSS field agent serving in Russia."

Andalas let go of Lian Xi's arm in surprise.