57. "Nathaniel's Scheme Thwarted by Andrew Lee"

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The rodent's audacious bravado washed over him like an inconsequential breeze, failing to ruffle the iron-clad composure that enveloped him. "Oh, my dear adversary," he retorted, his voice an icy whisper that sent shivers down the rodent's spine, "I beg to differ."

"You see, we have meticulously dismantled your entire operation, each of your brethren captured and contained, like chess pieces in our grasp. Nathaniel's influence over Delacare has been severed, his machinations reduced to ash."

"And as for you," Leader Lee's lips curled into a cold, triumphant smile, "we possess an arsenal of damning evidence that will condemn your ilk to a fate behind iron bars, a sentence stretching decades before you glimpse the warmth of the sun again!"

As the weight of Leader Lee's words sank into the rodent leader's consciousness, a macabre reflection of the rodent leader's anguish as he finally comprehended the depths of the peril he had willingly plunged himself into.

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Nathaniel side,

"Boss, something dreadful has occurred with Team 1!" a subordinate exclaimed, his voice laced with alarm, as he stumbled upon the vanishing signal of the group.

"Boss, we've also lost all contact with Team 2!" another subordinate shouted, his words filled with a mix of disbelief and panic.

In an instant, a cacophony of blaring alarms and flashing crimson screens assaulted Nathaniel's senses, the ugly expression etched upon his face deepening. His mind raced to comprehend the gravity of the situation that had unfolded before them.

"What... what the hell just happened?" Nathaniel's voice reverberated through the room, a tremor of shock and disbelief underscoring his words.

Within the chaotic space, a disconcerting realization settled upon the team. Nobody possessed the faintest inkling of what had transpired, but one thing was painfully clear—they had lost their men, their comrades, swallowed by an enigmatic force.

"Boss, we've been unable to establish contact with anyone. It's as if they have all been ensnared by an unknown adversary," one of the subordinates spoke up, his voice filled with trepidation, his finger pointing to the disheartening likelihood of their predicament.

Nathaniel's mind raced as he absorbed the gravity of the situation. The loss of all the teams, the absence of any communication, and the ominous silence that engulfed their headquarters painted a bleak picture.

Fear gripped his heart, but he knew he had to act swiftly and decisively.

"Get me every available detail on the whereabouts and last known activities of both teams," Nathaniel commanded, his voice firm, though laced with concern.

He needed to gather any shreds of information that might shed light on this inexplicable disappearance.

His subordinates scrambled to fulfill his orders, their fingers flying across keyboards and their eyes locked onto monitors.

The tension in the room thickened with each passing moment as they desperately sought any semblance of a clue.

Minutes stretched into an eternity until finally, one of the analysts spoke up. "Boss, we've managed to access the surveillance footage from Team 1's last known location. There seems to be some kind of disturbance before the signal went dark."

Nathaniel's eyes darted to the screen displaying the grainy footage. He leaned forward, studying every pixelated frame with unwavering focus.

Shadows danced across the dimly lit room captured by the security cameras, and then, a flash of movement.

"There!" Nathaniel pointed, his voice filled with a mix of urgency and determination. "Enhance that section, zoom in."

The analyst adjusted the settings, and the image sharpened, revealing a fleeting glimpse of figures clad in black.

Their faces obscured by masks, their movements swift and calculated. It was clear that these individuals were responsible for the disappearance of Team 1.

"Find out everything you can about those figures," Nathaniel commanded, his voice steady but tinged with a sense of urgency. "Cross-reference with any known organizations, intelligence agencies, or rogue factions. I want every piece of information on their possible identities."

Before the team could delve deeper into their investigations, a blaring red alert flashed on the screen before Nathaniel, accompanied by a jarring message.

Confusion etched across his face as he read the words that appeared before him, his brows furrowing in anger.

"What... is this?" Nathaniel's voice trembled with a mix of bewilderment and fury.

The alarm bells and the malicious message before him sparked an inferno of indignation within his core.

"How dare they attempt to play with me? Even with Sterling backing them, how could they possibly think that I won't retaliate?" Nathaniel's voice reverberated through the room, his words laden with seething anger and turbulent emotions.

The message, penned by Andrew Lee, dripped with mocking taunts that cut deep into Nathaniel's pride. "Don't bother searching for your vanished mongrels, for they now reside behind bars. And prepare to face the consequences, as we have already dispatched the authorities to your doorstep. Hahahaha!"

In a fit of unbridled rage, Nathaniel's pent-up emotions exploded. With an ear-splitting crash, he forcefully hurled the table and computer across the room, sending them crashing against the wall.

Fragments of shattered equipment scattered across the floor, mirroring the shattered composure of the once-calm leader.

"Huff...huff...!"

Breathing heavily, Nathaniel struggled to regain his composure, his chest heaving with each ragged breath.

The room descended into an unsettling stillness, broken only by the fading echoes of Nathaniel's unleashed wrath. The weight of their predicament hung heavy in the air, suffocating their hopes and clouding their minds.

"What should we do, Boss? The authorities are closing in. Are we destined to be captured and imprisoned?" A subordinate's voice trembled with fear, his words a reflection of the bleak reality they now faced. The situation had taken an abrupt and perilous turn, casting them into the depths of uncertainty.

His fearful remark was met with a swift and painful knee to his side, delivered by a younger colleague who harbored no patience for such expressions of doubt.

His eyes darted around the room, scanning for prying ears, as he leaned in and whispered in a hushed tone, "What are you saying? Are you trying to get us all killed?"

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