Exiting the auction house, Adam and Carl scanned their surroundings cautiously. Suddenly, their earplugs began buzzing. A voice instructed, "Wait a moment; a black car will be arriving shortly."
"It's a safe car, someone you can trust if something were to happen."
"What if someone were to happen?" Carl asked with slight hesitation.
"Listen to what the driver says. He will not only guide but also try to steer you away from danger."
They stood by, and just as promised, a sleek black car pulled up within moments. Without hesitation, they slipped inside, and the vehicle promptly sped away.
As the car hurtled through the streets, Carl exhaled deeply, slumping into his seat. He inhaled again, this time more steadily, and muttered, "Finally, it's over. That took more out of me than I expected."
Adam, however, wasn't as composed. Before he could voice his concerns, their earplugs buzzed again.
"Don't assume it's over just yet," the voice warned. "The time is still not good enough for any of you to relax right now."
Carl, still reclining, looked bewildered as William's voice continued.
"It's not over until both of you have safely crossed into the Tudor Kingdom or, at the very least, are aboard the train to Wiseburn."
Carl furrowed his brow, asking, "Are we about to be targeted?"
"Of course you are," William responded, the bluntness of his reply leaving little room for doubt.
Carl's eyes widened in surprise. Before he could formulate a response, the earplugs buzzed once more. "The only priority now is the safety of the sword—and your own. But if the situation becomes untenable, abandon the sword and focus on your survival."
Carl was momentarily taken aback, but a faint smile touched his lips at the last remark. Adam, still on edge, asked, "When will we meet again?"
"When the timing is advantageous for both of us," William replied, his tone pragmatic.
Adam nodded, and William added, "In the meantime, keep a low profile, reach a secure location, and above all, stay alive."
Adam and Carl exchanged confused glances at William's final words. "Alright, I have to go now, so goodbye," William concluded abruptly, cutting off their communication.
Carl fiddled with his earplugs, trying to reestablish the connection. "Hello? Hellooo? Boss? 123 Boss?" he called out, but the line was dead.
Adam placed a hand on Carl's shoulder. "Stop. The comms have been completely severed. We won't regain contact until we're on the train."
"So, until we've gotten you out of this kingdom—or at least a considerable distance away—we're taking every precaution necessary," Delmar finished decisively.
William nodded, acknowledging the validity of Delmar's concerns. "I get that, but is all this really essential? I mean, isn't there a faster way to handle this?"
Delmar deflected another hacking attempt as he replied, "Time is definitely against us. The only faster option I can think of is to burn everything. But that would be expensive, given the value of this equipment."
William surveyed the room, his gaze lingering on the various devices. "Is there any critical information on them?"
"Yes, there is," Delmar confirmed.
"Information we don't already have?"
"No."
"Then destroy them. We can replace the equipment later. Time is slipping away, and we don't know how soon someone might come knocking on our door."
Delmar hesitated momentarily before conceding. "Alright, boss, if that's your call."
He stood up and addressed the team. "Alright, everyone, change of plans. We're destroying every piece of equipment in here. Make sure to eliminate anything that might have your fingerprints or DNA on it, and do it swiftly."
William interrupted, "Why don't we just burn the whole room down?"
The room fell into a stunned silence as Delmar looked at him in disbelief. "...Seriously?"
"Yes. It'll be more efficient and ensure that no trace is left behind. Just make sure the hotel doesn't come after us for damages," William replied.
A grin spread across Delmar's face. "Don't worry about the hotel. We can throw them some extra cash to keep them quiet." He looked back at William, still grinning. "Are we really doing this, Boss?"
William nodded. "Yes, but how do you plan to do it?"
"We've got some people who can use fire spells. They'll incinerate everything," Delmar explained.
William nodded in approval as Delmar called over a bodyguard, handing him a thick stack of cash. "Take this down to the hotel management. Tell them there was a small incident in the room, but assure them it's all taken care of. Make sure they keep quiet, and if they push back, offer them more."
The bodyguard nodded. "What should I say if they ask what caused the incident?"
Delmar smirked. "Just tell them you and your girlfriend had a bit of a disagreement."