Do you really want to watch me do the business?â
Nathanielâs words made the bodyguards hesitate.
However, if they didnât keep an eye on him, and he ran away, Lucinda would be angry.
Nathaniel exploited their indecision.
Smiling, he said, âAll the bathroom windows have been sealed to prevent accidents.
If you donât believe me, you can check.
â
He entered the bathroom and demonstrated his inability to open the window.
The bodyguards tested it themselves; the window would not open.
They checked the rest of the bathroom.
There was a vent pipe on the ceiling, but it was too narrow to accommodate an adult male.
Seeing that they were hesitating, Nathaniel gripped his stomach.
âI donât think this will be pleasant for anyone.
Perhaps you should give me fifteen minutes?â
The bodyguards agreed.
âYou have fifteen minutes.
If youâre not out by then, we will break the door down regardless of what you are doing.
â
Nathaniel nodded.
The bodyguards then waited outside the door.
Nathaniel quietly locked the door, stepped on the washbasin, and opened the vent pipe on the ceiling.
It had been designed to disguise the opening to an escape route.
The pipe looked small when closed, but when it opened, it revealed two passages, one to the rooftop and the other to the back door.
When Nathaniel had entered the house, he heard a birdcall from Sonny, their pre-arranged code.
The birdcall came from above, so he chose the passage to the rooftop.
Although the pipe was wide enough, his height meant he had to bend his legs.
By the time he reached the midway point, he was exhausted, sweaty, and the wound on his waist throbbed.
But with only fifteen minutes available, he gritted his teeth and sped up.
When he opened the rooftop vent, Sonny, who had been hiding in the shadows, spotted him and ran to help.
Sonny was concerned to see how badly Nathaniel trembled.
Such a short climb shouldnât have caused him any problems.
âBoss, you donât seem to be in a good condition.
You shouldnât be this tired.
â
âI was injected with a new and improved version of drug 023.
â
âyihat?â
Sonnyâs heart skipped a beat.
âMiss Ross injected you? She is⦠She is too cruel.
â