Chapter 315

Vincent wasted no time with pleasantries. "Do you remember the fire at your VelaCore shop?"

Hannah's face darkened at the mention. "The official investigation said old wiring was to blame."

A cold smirk appeared on Vincent's lips. "I used a few back channels and some high-end tracking tech.Turns out, in the weeks before and after the fire, two extremely careful people were seen near both your shop and your company headquarters. It looked like they were keeping tabs on you. And right on cue, the same two showed up again during the Alice incident."

A chill crept up Hannah's spine. Had she really been watched this entire time?

Vincent's voice dropped even lower. "All those two's signals can be traced to one spot-an old chemical plant out west, at the edge of Dorbarrow. It's called Doreline Chemical Factory."

Without missing a beat, Hannah pulled up details on her computer. "Doreline Chemical is registered under a local man named Frank Donnelly. The business is nothing special, just makes cheap detergents and fragrance bases."

Vincent tapped his fingers on her desk. "That's just what they want people to see. But the real story is this-deliveries only go out at night, and their reported waste is suspiciously low. Whatever they're moving,l doubt it's just cleaning supplies."

A spark of understanding lit up Hannah's eyes. Something about this place wasn't right. She stopped scrolling and looked him squarely in the eyes. "Do you have a precise address?"

He recited a set of coordinates, pausing only to frown."My team is already there, keeping the site under watch. Every entrance, every exit, every vehicle, everyperson-they're all being tracked. More intel is coming soon. But listen, you need to stay out of this. It's not safe."

Hannah's face held steady. "I just got out of police custody. Right now, the press is painting me as someone above the law. My company's shares dropped seven percent as soon as the market opened. The police took

a risk letting me out, and the longer I'm out here, the worse things look for me, for the company,and for the investigation."

Her voice remained cool and even, but determination shone through every word. "Waiting for your team to dig up answers isn't an option. Every minute that goes by makes things harder for all of us. There's finally a real lead. I have to follow it myself."

She got to her feet, meeting his gaze without blinking."My arrival is the one move they'll never see coming.They won't expect me to risk everything just to hunt them down."

Vincent held her stare and saw there was no changing her mind. He let the silence hang between them before finally asking, "Can those officers tailing you be trusted?"

"They'll do what's required. As far as their orders go, that's all I need," she answered simply.

Vincent left it at that. Without another word, he turned and walked out.

Hannah moved quickly, assigning urgent work to her team, checking her wristband's battery, and grabbing both a micro camera and pepper spray. Soon, she headed downstairs, flanked by the two plainclothes officers.

A discreet black sedan pulled out onto the street.

The farther they drove towvard Dorbarrow's edge, the narrower and emptier the roads became.

In the rearview mirror, a plain gray van kept its distance but never disappeared.

A jolt of tension ran through Hannah. She glanced at one of the officers in the back. Both officers responded instantly, hands moving to their comm devices and weapons.

As they passed the split to an abandoned village, the gray van suddenly sped up, swung out, and blocked their path.

Every muscle in Hannah's body tightened. One officer reached for his gun while she slammed her foot on the brake.

The van's door swung open, and Vincent stepped out onto the road. A mix of relief and annoyance escaped Hannah as she let out a long breath. She pushed open her own door."Why were you following me?"

Vincent strode toward her, first scanning the officers as they exited the car, then fixing his gaze on Hannah,his brow knitted in concern. "You planned to walk into that place dressed like a walking target?"

She looked down at her clothes. In her rush, she hadn't considered that at all.

Vincent handed her a black duffel. "Put these on."

Inside the bag, she discovered a pair of sturdy cargo pants, a faded T-shirt, a utility jacket marked with old grease stains, and a worn baseball cap.

He opened the back door of the gray van. "Change in here."

Tinted windows and a roomy interior offered enough privacy.

Without wasting time, Hannah climbed inside and swapped out her clothes.

Vincent pulled out a set of clothes for himself, preparing to change as well, but Hannah cut him off."Why are you getting dressed for this? Are you planning to come along?"

He gave her a steady nod, holding up his own set of dark work clothes.

She blurted the question before she could stop herself, "Why?"

His eyes met hers without wavering."To help you." Then, he stepped into the van to change, no hesitation at all.

When he emerged, already changed, and Hannah muttered to herself, "That was fast."

Vincent's reply was simple. "Efficiency is a habit."

After a brief discussion, Hannah slid into the driver's seat of Vincent's van.

The plainclothes officers trailed them in the black sedan, keeping a careful distance at all times.

When they reached a lonely stretch of road close to Doreline Chemical Factory, Hannah slowed down and

parked. She walked over to the officers to exchange contact numbers.

As she went to add one as her emergency contact, something caught her eye-her wristband emergency setting was still tied to Vincent. The contact had carried over from her old phone, and she had never updated it after switching devices.

A realization hit her. She turned to Vincent, searching his face. "Last time, was it you who saved me?"