anwhile, in the private room where Yugi and his team were...
"It’s coming." Yugi, standing behind the team at their computers, gazed sharply at the screens. "How’s the launch?"
"We’re only halfway through, sir," soone replied without taking his eyes off the monitor. "It’s going to take a while."
"And we still don’t know if Citadel can work its magic against this unknown cyber attack."
"Sir, I’m getting a ssage." Another team mber turned to Yugi, prompting him to rush over.
Yugi leaned in to read the ssage that had suddenly popped up on the new computer set. Deep lines ford between his brows.
"Block it," he said, only to hear the other man ask,
"Are you sure, sir?" The man glanced back at Yugi, uncertainty in his tone. "I don’t think they’re part of the enemy."
Yugi shook his head. "Not knowing who they are is enough."
"Alright."
With that, the man proceeded to block the ssage’s sender. The ssage had been simple:
[Let us in. We’ll help take down X. :)]
But no one in their right mind would take such a risk just because a stranger said so. Everyone returned their focus to the task at hand. The situation at the event was still ongoing, and in just a few minutes, the series of cyber attacks would begin. There was no ti to waste.
---
[Main Hall]
Penny straightened her back and cast a stern look over the players. Just then, she noticed Mark approaching from the side of the stage. Leaving the stage montarily, she t him.
"Miss Penny." Mark glanced around, then held her arm and led her to a corner. "You were right about the electrical room. We recovered a few of these from the main power units."
Mark discreetly pulled out a device wrapped in a handkerchief. "There were several of them, and the maintenance team suspects they’re the cause of the power fluctuations. I think this is what’s been manipulating the lights."
Penny gazed at the device, then lifted her eyes to his. "Send it to Yugi. See if he can figure out what it is."
"I already asked soone," Mark replied, rewrapping the device and tucking it into his suit pocket. "According to a trusted friend of mine, this device just hit the black market. It’s designed to manipulate signals within a specific area."
He paused, his expression serious. "I haven’t confird it personally, but I trust this source."
Penny and Mark shared a mont of silence as their eyes t. He didn’t need to say it outright—Penny was already aware of the Phantom Circle and their vow to stay out of this kind of operation. The group had been in indefinite hibernation.
Still, Mark had no choice but to reach out to one of his old contacts, and Penny knew what that ant.
"I see." She nodded. "For now, hold onto it. Also, tell those in hiding to scout the area. This person—X—has likely bugged the entire venue. If not, he’s probably nearby, listening."
"Yes." Mark lowered his head. But before Penny could walk away, he spoke again.
"Miss."
"What is it?"
"I asked them to help, just in case." His brows lifted knowingly. "I’ve heard of Citadel."
For a mont, Penny simply stared at him, surprised. Mark had always been like a shadow—ever-present, but unassuming. Aside from running errands and infiltrating the orphanage, he hadn’t made any grand moves.
"At monts like this, I rember that you were once the person my husband trusted most," she said with a smirk. "Good work."
With that, Penny walked away. Mark, casting her a glance, didn’t waste any more ti and went to carry out her orders.
*
"Miss Penny, are you sure about this?" Once she returned to the stage, Penny was stopped again by her guests. She had asked them to return to the VIP lounge, but no one felt like enjoying the evening with their safety at stake.
"Those kids are exceptional, we know that. But is it really necessary to ask for their help?"
"Pri Group has plenty of experts who can fix this!" another interjected. "Can’t you just call them in?"
Their lack of faith in the players—whom they had been watching with excitent earlier—was now written plainly across their faces. Though not experts themselves, they grasped the gravity of the situation. The ten people on stage were still amateurs.
Letting them take the lead during such a crucial mont felt far too risky.
"I understand your concerns," Penny said with a slight frown. "My team is on standby, waiting for the right mont to act. But for now, we can only use the resources available."
Though many of them didn’t like her answer, none voiced further objections.
"We’re all in the sa boat," Penny added. "And I’m not letting this ship sink, even if there’s an iceberg ahead."
With that, she turned and headed back to the stage to check on the players. Those left behind at the side of the stage felt their stomachs twist and heads pound with stress.
"It’s going to be alright," soone muttered just loudly enough for others to hear. "Worrying won’t help."
"God..." another sighed. "This is not the night I was expecting."
"Let’s just trust Miss Bennet and Pri Group to handle it."
"I’m trying. But the thought that everything I worked for could turn to dust in an hour is... overwhelming."
Patricia pressed her lips together as she observed the group, her eyes drifting to Atlas. Unlike the rest, Atlas showed no emotion. Instead, he kept looking around as if searching for sothing—or soone.
"Like Miss Penelope said, she won’t let this ship sink," said Teddy, who had returned to the floor. He stepped forward and gave the group a reassuring smile. "Please, trust her. She’s not soone to be trifled with—especially when her people and friends are on the line."
Slowly, the guests turned their attention to Teddy. Though his words didn’t erase their worries, they offered a asure of comfort.
"Why not enjoy the show from the VIP lounge?" Hayley chid in, also offering a smile. "This is a direct attack on Pri Group. Aren’t you at least curious to see how the people responsible for your security handle things behind the scenes?"
"I’ve already arranged your seats there," Shawn added, pushing down his own nerves in an effort to calm the group. "Please, follow us."
After exchanging looks, the guests finally agreed. There wasn’t much they could do here anyway.
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