Chapter 422 The Race
"He's back," Alice said, her eyes glowing, but then they quickly narrowed, and with bated breath, she turned to her left and stared at Adriana.
Adriana hadn't been keen on the news that Erin was bringing, especially not wanting to set off Alice's paranoid senses, but when Alice sprang up and began looking at the paper frantically, her eyes couldn't help but wander over to it, the image of a very familiar man laying there.
The shock of seeing this man had Adriana subconsciously take a step forward, moving to Alice's side.
Several emotions that ranged around worry and relief flooded Adriana, placing a confused expression on her face, but before she could settle on any, the eyes of a beloved turned and settled on her.
Speaking no word, Alice stared at her with a seemingly expectant look and soon, Erin joined in, but the younger woman kept it at throwing glances at both of them with a worried look on her face.
"What is it?" Adriana said, the silent stare becoming too much for her.
"You've accomplished your mission, haven't you? At first, I thought you were waiting for me to be broken down so you could take advantage of my weakness and get some secrets out of me, but now I realize the truth.
I underestimated you, your plan has been Seth all this while. Both you and Dorian know that he is the one factor that could come and throw apart your whole plan, you both know that when he returns, I'll get to him first, so you stayed behind so you could get that information and meet him first."
Hearing Alice's words, Adriana was taken aback, her head slightly tilting and her eyes aimlessly blinking.
Adriana stared at Alice for some seconds, and then after she shook her head with a sigh.
"You're letting your paranoia get the best of you. Instead of standing here and making dumb deductions, I think it's best you begin thinking about how to get to Seth first.
Look at the picture, there in the background, you can see several people, this likely meaning that Seth isn't exactly in isolation."
Though Alice stuck with her expression throughout Adriana's speech, seconds after the woman finished, she couldn't help but look away from her with a grumble and turn back to Erin.
Though Alice would have liked to come up with some more conspiracy theories, the truth in Adriana's words was too glaring, and though she had become paranoid, that didn't mean she had become stupid.
"Tell me all you know about this picture," Alice said, her words bringing visible relief to Erin, whose expression had been gradually turning fearful after Adriana and Alice's staredown.
"There isn't much information, Your Excellency. What I do know is that it is a photo which went viral after Ryan Mira, the rebel faction's now top seal master, had an encounter with Seth,"
Erin said, a couple more papers appearing in her hand containing pictures of a pissed-off woman who could only be Mira.
Though their confrontation caused a bit of a roar, that was mainly within Arilit.
The information didn't make much waves outside or perhaps it did not have time to given how viral the news of the near-total destruction of Arilit city went.
It was while I was going through several files and trying to pick up a lead on what might have happened to Arlit City and the governor that I came across this piece of news," Erin finished.
As Erin spoke, Alice went shuffling through the couple more pictures that had been given to her.
"Send me every piece of news you have about this to my terminal, is that clear?"
"Yes, ma'am, I already did so."
"Oh, then okay, you can leave."
Hearing Alice's words, Erin politely bowed to both of them and then began moving away, but then, just before she opened the door, she paused and turned.
"Err... Your Excellencies, please don't fight," Erin said, her head bowed, not daring to look up at either of the two women across from her.
"Don't worry, we won't," Adriana said seconds later when she noticed the stuck expression of confusion on Alice's face.
Adriana's words brought relief to Erin's face, and quickly nodding her head, the woman opened the door before her and walked out.
"Another one of your spies," Alice sneered after Erin had walked out.
Looking at Alice, Adriana shook her head with a sigh. "At this point, anyone in this country who still sticks by your side does so because they believe in you, so if you're going to be here doubting them, then perhaps you should consider giving up this whole president thing, let Dinzel rule."
Adriana's words stunned Alice, making her lips quiver, fury wanting to build up in her, but Adriana who noticed this, picked up the picture on the table and waved it in front of the steaming Alice.
"We don't have time to go arguing against each other. Remember what Erin said, this picture had a bit of local popularity.
Arilit City is one of Dorian's cities, with the incident that happened there, she'll also be looking for the root cause of this. Now what do you think are the chances that she also came across the pictures?"
Alice's face paled at Adriana's words and though she gave Adriana a suspicious glare, she quickly pushed her feet into action.
"I need to find Seth. Damn it, Jane is gone, who do I send now?" Alice said, moving up and down.
"You want to send someone, do you think Dorian will send someone or come in person?"
Adriana's words had a look of understanding come upon Alice's face, but then her eyes narrowed.
"Stop thinking nonsense. If Seth supports Dorian, whatever we are doing here is going to be useless.
We need to reach him as fast as possible, and the best way to go about that is for me to carry you."
"Hmm, how do we find him?"
"He appeared at Arilit City we can only hope he was heading towards us, so we'll secretly leave and charge for Arilit City, hoping to meet him on the way."
"That's risky, that place is crawling with rebel soldiers. Dorian might be there, and she'll kill me."
To Alice's words about Dorian killing her, Adriana wanted to snap back a reply, but she swallowed back her words and spoke something else.
"It might be risky, but it's our only chance. So, are you in or out?"