Crossroads

Chapter 72

‘She isn’t here?‘

Dominick was anxious. He reached out and violently tore a large gap in the rusted wire fence in front of him, leaping into the factory.

The abandoned chemical plant lay on Havencrest’s northern edge, bordered by dense woods to the east and a wide, dark river to the west

It was near 11 p.m., the night moonless, starless. The only light came from the full moon, and the river air chilled the night to the bone.

The abandoned factory covered about 10 thousand square feet, with a large workshop containing heavy, abandoned machinery, three large warehouses, two quality inspection rooms, and an office. The walls and windows were filthy and in ruins.

Jessica and the five thugs were in the large workshop, but Dominick couldn’t find Stephanie.

He suppressed his impatience and softened his footsteps as he walked through the dimly lit factory, searching each room….

Suddenly, a smell of blood hit his nose. Dominick paused, and his heart skipped a beat as he looked toward a small room on his right.

Clutching the gun in his hand, he pressed his body against the wall and moved swiftly toward the door. The aged mahogany door in front of him was unlocked. He gently pushed it open, peering inside sharply.

The weak moonlight filtering through the window allowed him to glimpse something inside….

The next second, his eyes widened in shock. He couldn’t hold back anymore and burst inside.

The office was a wreck, with papers strewn everywhere and a long wooden desk smeared with blood. The dark red blood trailed down the

desk leg, dripping to the floor and mixing with the grime. It was sickening.

Dominick’s face was grim. He pressed his lips, raised his gun, and called out softly. “Ste…”

But then, he paused, his gaze fixing on something unusual.

He couldn’t fire recklessly, not until he had found Stephanie. Alerting those inside without knowing her location would be very risky.

She had to be safe first

Suddenly, Dominick heard a faint sound of painful gasps emanating from the room, barely audible.

He walked cautiously to the back of the desk, surprised to find Isaac slumped unconscious. His eyes narrowed as if wondering something.

Isaac was the mastermind behind this, but now, he had passed out there.

The sharp tang of blood filled the air. Dominick’s agitation flared as he yanked Isaac up.

“Where is she?” Dominick wished he could just shoot him.

Isaac, jerked up harshly, was dazed and pale, gasping for air. His eyes opened to see Dominick’s grim face, his expression twisting, but he was too weak to struggle.

Dominick slammed Isaac’s face onto the desk and pressed down hard on the wound at the back of his head. His patience had worn thin.

“Stephanie! Where is she!”

As Dominick pressed on the wound, Isaac gasped in pain, trembling “L. I don’t know.__”

10:44 Sat, 22 Jun G

Chapter 72

“Mr. Wellington, Ms. Carter’s by the workshop…” A bodyguard, part of their undercover team, spotted Dominick and rushed over, speaking

urgently.

to go, now! This abandoned factory

Dominick!” Before the bodyguard

make you pay! You have

will die together!”

was shocked

pulled a remote from his pocket, its red light blinking continuously as

his hand, trying to snatch the remote from him, while the bodyguard

The remote m

tumbled

still too

foot slammed down, and a warehouse to the north

through the sky, shaking

and the flames erupted like wild beasts, their

leave, now! The whole place is going down!” a bodyguard shouted

more bodyguards approached. “Mr. Wellington, the criminals are under control, and Ms. Carter is safe. We need to

they watched the fire on the east side raged

the chemical plant and waiting for their moment, stared at each other

at the large iron lock in front of them. Then, the

conduct a rescue.

was

instant, exploding with loud bangs, sending shockwaves of fear through

devouring the crumbling walls. Each hiss echoed

support pillar slowly tilt. He

“Shield against the fire! Head

is too strong at the front door! We can’t hold

surged and chaos erupted

fire roared, scorching their skin. Blinding light seared

Chapter 72

back door, now! Hurry!”

there’s no

and his hesitation in the room. In urgency, they

go first…” Dominick shook them off stubbornly, his voice hoarse from the thick

she be?” His mind

bodyguards‘ eyes widened in shock as Dominick started running back towards the blaze. They no longer cared about respect, immediately grabbing Dominick’s arm and pulling him back

stop him. The massive stone

with flames roaring close

“What do

now?” one of the bodyguards asked, panicked and

trapped in the midst of the blazing inferno with no way

do was wait for the

that moment. Explosions boomed. Screams pierced the

A thud camel

metal scalpel clattered to the ground, its sharp sound softly cutting through the

emanated from a small room. “I’m here. Help

Dominick seemed to sense something.

collapsed with

morning, the deafening roar of the collapsing building spread far and wide, casting a plume of black

the factory to immediately drop to the ground, their hearts

heavy in the air,

scrambled up from the ground and looked around frantically. The abandoned factory before him

still burned, and they could barely see

“Turn on all

[the car lights!”

noticed

others quickly ran towards