Chapter 1146

"Clack—" After bypassing multiple security layers, the heavy iron door slowly swung open.

Theia sat with her back to them, entirely indifferent to whoever had just walked in. That was until Juniper spoke. "She's the one you claim is on par with Dr. Nocturne?" "Exactly," Corvus replied, standing right beside her. "If she hadn't intentionally sabotaged the data all those years ago, Albia Country's Gene Modification Project would have been completed. Miss Specter, if we successfully finalize this genetic research, we will dictate the future of human evolution."

"Gene Modification Project?" Juniper stared at her mother's back, her heart violently hammering against her ribs, though she kept a relaxed, predatory smile on her face. "Sounds intriguing."

"However..." Juniper trailed off, her voice lowering into a silky drawl. "Dr. Nocturne mentioned that Dr. Sommers isn't exactly the cooperative type. Why wouldn't anyone jump at such an incredible opportunity?"

With that, she sauntered into the room, her long legs carrying her around the chair until she was standing directly in front of Theia. "I wonder if I might have the honor of picking Dr. Sommers' brain?"

Theia kept her eyes firmly shut, completely unresponsive.

Juniper didn't push it. Instead, she glanced over her shoulder at Corvus. "Mind if I have a moment alone with her?"

Corvus scowled, visibly reluctant.

"If you actually knew how to handle her, your project wouldn't have been stalled for years," Juniper stated, tearing his ego down with effortless precision. "If she was capable of succeeding back then, she's definitely capable of it now. Since whatever you're doing clearly isn't working, let me take a crack at it. We're both women. Maybe we can find some common ground."

"Fine," Corvus agreed after a brief mental calculation. Then his tone dropped into a warning. "Just don't lay a finger on her."

Juniper feigned surprise, then let a knowing smirk play on her lips. "You certainly have a soft spot for her."

"Mind your own business," Corvus snapped, turning on his heel and leading his guards out of the room.

Silence fell over the small cell.

over

Juniper slowly turned in a circle, her eyes mapping the room. Cameras everywhere. An absurd amount of surveillance for a space this small. And all of this just to monitorone woman? Locked in an impenetrable fortress-where exactly did they think she was going to go?

While her mother didn't appear physically battered, enduring nearly two decades of severe

psychological torture would havet

broke most people. She had likely only survived this long by clinging to the hope of seeing her husband and children again.

"With all these cameras, are you paranoid she's going to escape, or are you just terrified of me?" Juniper projected her voice clearly toward the ceiling, crossing her arms. How do you expect her to open up with an audience? Even if she did talk guarantee you wouldn't like what she had to say."

In the security room, Corvus's face twisted into a dark scowl as he watched the monitor. She truly was the boss of the Subterra Vanguard; she spotted every hidden lens in seconds.

"Boss..." a subordinate ventured nervously. Corvus stared at the screen. Theia's expression was as blank as a stone; she clearly had no desire to communicate.

Specter wasn't just some street thug. It didn't matter what methods she used, as long as it got Theia to cooperate.

"Cut the feeds," Corvus ordered gruffly.

"Yes, sir."

The technician immediately severed the connection, and the tiny red recording lights scattered across the room flickered off in unison.

"And the one in the corner," Juniper added smoothly, pointing a manicured finger directly at a nearly invisible lens tucked into the ceiling molding.

The technician blinked, genuinely shocked. He hadn't left it on purpose—he had legitimately forgotten it was there.