Chapter 183: Please

Jake didn’t waste a single precious second on pleasantries. With a guttural roar, he drove his foot into the metal barrier with all his might. The heavy door groaned and flew outward, tearing the frame from the brickwork and sending chunks of red masonry scattering across the pavement.

Catching the relatively fresh, cool air, I staggered down the steps, leaning heavily on the man’s rock-solid arm. Two cars were already idling in the narrow alley. A pair of young bodyguards rushed toward us under Jake’s ferocious glare, quickly assisting Annie and Matthias into the backseat of the nearest vehicle.

"Jake... I need to get to the hospital. Now," I managed to squeeze out, feeling the world tilt on its axis once again.

"What’s wrong, Luna? Are you hurt?" Jake instantly gripped my trembling shoulders, his eyes doing a rapid, sharp sweep over my body before freezing on my hands, which were pressed fiercely against my stomach. But clutching myself did absolutely nothing to soothe or curb the mounting, drawing pain deep inside.

"Matthias and Annie are fine. They’re shaken, but there are no burns or serious injuries. Their breathing is clear, no mucosal irritation. Get them to a safe location right away, far from the city center," Adam ordered firmly, stepping up to me and frowning at my pale, sweat-slicked face. "Jane... if I’m reading your symptoms correctly, we need an emergency room immediately. Alan won’t cut it. This requires specialized equipment and a full lab."

He didn’t state it outright to avoid sparking panic, but Jake and I understood perfectly what he was implying. The bodyguard cursed viciously under his breath.

"These guys are rookies. We need to stick together! I can’t split myself in two and ride with both you and Master Matthias in opposite directions!"

"It’s too dangerous for all of us to plunge into the mob, Jake! Look at what’s happening out there! The hospitals are overrun with casualties from the riots—in that chaos, someone could snatch Matthias in a heartbeat!" I gripped his lapels, forcing him to meet my eyes. "Take him. Get him to the estate, make absolutely sure he’s secure, and then come to City General. Adam and I will be waiting there."

Glancing toward the second vehicle, I squeezed the fabric of my sweater tighter around my stomach. The priority was getting my son to safety. Jake was only one man; protecting both of us in the event of an ambush would be difficult enough, but fleeing with a child was infinitely slower and more perilous. The choice was obvious: I would have to ride with the younger guards.

Walking over to the car where Matthias and Annie were sitting, I pulled the rear door open and lowered myself heavily onto the edge of the leather seat.

"Mom, we’re going home? Yeah? Is it over?" Matthias asked hopefully, clinging to my hand with a death grip while Annie watched me with a dark, deeply understanding gaze.

"Jake is taking you home to Dad now, sweetheart. I’ll follow right behind you. I just need to... take care of a few things first."

"No! Mom, I’m going with you!" the boy cried out instantly, scrambling forward to throw his arms around my neck.

"No, Matthias, listen to me—this is very important. I will be right behind you as soon as I can. I promise. Please, listen to Annie and Jake. I’ll see you in an hour or two," I murmured, smoothing down his messy hair, striving to keep my voice as steady and calming as possible.

"Promise?! Pinky promise! Promise me!" my son demanded tearfully, extending a trembling pinky finger. He was terrified, but his safety had to come first.

Latching my pinky around his tiny finger, I gave it a firm squeeze just as a sharp, deafening explosion detonated on a nearby street, sending another surge of sheer panic through my chest. Pulling Matthias close, I kissed the top of his head frantically, inhaling his sweet, familiar scent.

"Annie..."

"Jane, be careful. Please, I’m begging you—take care of yourself. I’ll stay right by his side until you get back, I won’t let him out of my sight for a second," my friend blurted out, wrapping her arms tightly around Matthias.

I bolted from the car like a bullet. Clenching his jaw, Jake threw himself into the driver’s seat, snarling at the young bodyguards that he would personally twist their heads off if they messed up in the slightest. The pair nodded frantically like bobbleheads, their faces draining of color.

The moment their SUV peeled out of the alley with a screech of rubber on hot asphalt, my body gave out and I doubled over. The pain was absolute agony, twisting my insides into a tight, agonizing knot. Adam caught me under the arm immediately, gently guiding me into the backseat of the second car.

"You’re still unstable! Of all the times for this to happen! Your immune system right now is as fragile as a newborn’s!" Adam cursed under his breath, propping me up against his shoulder as the car lurched, cutting through dark side streets to evade the furious mob. "What were you two thinking, Jane?! You should have waited! Magnus should have controlled himself! Alan is an idiot for giving the green light! You needed to wait for the next cycle!"

When we suddenly shot out onto a high-speed bypass and plunged into a long, pitch-black tunnel, Adam barked at the driver:

"Have you lost your mind?! This route is strictly for heavy freight and technical transport! We’re taking a massive detour! We’re losing time!"

"The navigation shows everything else blocked off!" the young driver stammered, pulling his head into his shoulders, his voice laced with nervous panic. "The government shut down all central thoroughfares and laid spikes to contain the mob. Those aggressive biker gangs were tearing through the streets, smashing everything—spikes are the only thing stopping them..."

With trembling hands, I retrieved my phone from my jeans pocket and saw a wall of missed calls from Magnus. Pressing his contact, I closed my eyes, squeezing them shut. Please let everything be okay. Please...