Chapter 1994

The place was buzzing-everywhere you looked, people were working on something different.

Fiona and Jackson had already seen most of what the design facility had to offer. They weren't in any hurry to leave, just taking it all in.

Curious, Fiona struck up a casual conversation about the cyborgs. It turned out they were pretty good at spotting which ones were unfinished or defective.

From a few offhand remarks, they picked up some useful intel about where Country M kept its research institute. Most of these flawed cyborgs were basically mindless, barely able to mumble a few sounds, let alone form real words.

But for Fiona, figuring out those syllables was no big deal. She cracked the pattern in no time.

She gave Jackson a quick look, and he met her gaze. They didn't need to say a word-both knew they'd learned what they came for. No reason to stick around any longer.

"Ms. Fiona, I was wondering if you and Mr. Woods are free tonight?" their guide asked. "If you have time, I'd love to take you out to dinner. We can talk more about the contract."

Fiona glanced at Jackson, a little smirk tugging at her lips. "Sounds good. You choose the place-we'll be there."

"We'll send someone to pick you up. That's what good hosts do, right?" he replied, grinning.

"Looks like you really get our customs. Not bad," Fiona teased.

He chuckled. "You give me too much credit, Ms. Fiona. We just try to follow your example. I hope we didn't get anything wrong."

"See you tonight then," she said, her tone light.

After they parted ways, Fiona and Jackson didn't go straight back to the hotel. Instead, they wandered through a few luxury stores,

browsing for a solid two hours not to shop, but to tire out the person taiting them. When their shadow finally gave up, they lost him easily. s

They made their way to the next spot, picked up their concealed weapons, and checked that the bullets were loaded, tucking everything away-one at the waist, one at the back.

They were in Country M, after all. There were limits to what they could risk. Once things kicked off, someone would be ready to provide backup.

As soon as they stepped outside, they ducked into another high-end boutique Sure enough a new tatho appeared almost immediately. This time, they didn't bother to hide, buying plenty before heading back to the hotel. s

That night, as soon as they came downstairs, someone was already waiting to escort them to the dinner venue.

The restaurant was reserved just for them-no other guests that night. Even if it meant turning away everyone else, the staff made sure Fiona and Jackson were treated like VIPs.

Their table was set by a huge floor-to-ceiling window, giving them a perfect view of the city. Evening traffic flowed below, the lights and movement making the whole scene feel alive and almost dreamlike. The source of thɪs content is Find1Novel.net

"Ms. Fiona, did our facility meet your expectations today?" their host asked politely.

Fiona picked up a rib, took a couple bites, set the bone down, and flashed a bright smile. "Absolutely. You're doing a great job."

She paused, meeting his eyes. "But I have a feeling tonight's invitation isn't just about good hospitality, is it?"

She took a few sips of her soup, not wanting to risk losing her appetite if things turned awkward. She shot Jackson a quick glance. He was eating just as calmly, completely at ease. Clearly, they were thinking the same thing. s