Ch. 3206..3210: My Wife Is A Hacker Chapter 3206-3210
Chapter 3205"Ouch!" Ellar suddenly yelped, then looked at Nicole with a mix of annoyance and complained, "Why did you press on my wound?"
"If you're alright, why the scream?" Nicole retorted with a hint of disdain. She thought that both of them needed rest and yet here they were, not taking their injuries seriously and trying to act tough.
Ellar, looking a bit dejected, drooped his head and said, "I just wanted to check on Patricia."
"You've seen her, now go back and rest," Nicole instructed firmly, her eyes conveying serious concern.
Realizing Nicole was unbending in her stance, Ellar acquiesced quietly.
"I'll take him back to his room," Emery offered, wheeling Ellar away.
Ellar glanced back, his eyes lingering on Patricia until he was out of the ward and the door closed behind him.
"He really is worried about you," Lulu commented, looking at Patricia.
"Yeah," Patricia nodded, acknowledging the sentiment but also recognizing the importance of prioritizing their health. Now that both were safe, it was crucial they recuperated fully to ensure peace of mind.
"I'll stay with you tonight," Lulu volunteered eagerly, considering Patricia's condition and deciding it would be best if someone was there to assist her.
After her offer, Lulu turned to Spencer. "You can go back, I'll stay here."
"That's good, I'll bring you guys breakfast tomorrow," Spencer agreed.
Seeing it was getting late, Nicole, having made sure Patricia and Lulu were settled, left with Jared.
Spencer gave one last reminder and then followed Nicole and Jared out.
"Patricia, if you need anything, just call me," Lulu reminded her warmly.
"Thank you," Patricia expressed her gratitude, appreciative of Lulu staying to look after her.
"Don't mention it. Who knows, you might officially become Ellar's wife soon, and then we're all family. There's no need for formalities among family," Lulu said with a smile.
Patricia's cheeks flushed with a hint of red as she muttered, "Don't start with that."
"Ah, why be shy? It's clear Ellar would go to great lengths for you," Lulu teased.
"Let's not talk about this anymore. I need to rest," Patricia quickly changed the subject, feeling increasingly bashful with Lulu's comments.
"Alright, you rest. I'll be right here with you," Lulu responded, ceasing her teasing and moving to the attendant's bed.
Patricia breathed a sigh of relief, but sleep eluded her. Her mind replayed Ellar's return and his relentless determination to protect her.
****
Meanwhile, Nicole and Jared were in their car.
Spencer approached them quietly, asking, "There's really no problem, right?"
"We'll handle it," Nicole responded, her expression somewhat grim.
"Alright then, I won't pry further. I'll head back now and come by early tomorrow," Spencer replied.
Nicole nodded in acknowledgment, and Spencer turned to leave.
"What exactly happened to Charlie?" Nicole asked Jared, her voice laden with concern.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine," Jared comforted her, suggesting that no news might actually be good news in this case.
Nicole bit her lip slightly, her brow furrowing as she said, "Even if Charlie is safe, the lack of news probably means they didn't catch Everett..."
She was somewhat surprised by how elusive Everett had proven to be.
Sensing her concern, Jared took Nicole's hand gently, reassuring her," Everything will become clear once Charlie returns."
"Yeah," Nicole nodded, knowing all they could do now was wait for news.
"Let's rest for a while," Jared suggested, holding Nicole close. She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
By the time they arrived back at the Riddle residence, it was nearing midnight.noveldrama
Chapter 3206
Chapter 3206
The house was quiet, with only a few lights left on for Nicole and Jared's return.
Seeing Nicole asleep, Jared didn't wake her. Instead, he gently lifted her from the car, holding her close as they headed inside. Nicole, nestled comfortably in his embrace, snuggled closer, contentedly drifting back to sleep.
Jared, with a tender smile, carried her to their room, setting her down gently.
As dawn broke, a new day began, and Nicole woke feeling somewhat refreshed.
"Daddy, Mommy," Nolan and Lana, having not waited up for Nicole and Jared the previous night, came into their room early in the morning.
Greeting her two children, Nicole smiled. "You're both up early."
"Mommy, what were you doing that you came back so late?" Lana asked, tilting her head. noveldrama
"Just some work stuff," Nicole replied, not wanting to worry Lana with the actual events and choosing a simple explanation instead.
"Let's go downstairs for breakfast," Jared said, lifting Lana in his arms and leading the way out of the room.
Nicole followed with Nolan, heading down to the dining room where Daniel, Gloria, and Stanley were already seated.
Their silent exchange of glances conveyed everything - Nicole realized the family was aware of the situation at the Dexter household.
"Everything went well; no need to worry," Nicole reassured them. While she didn't go into details, she knew her family understood the message.
No one asked more questions, probably to avoid alarming Nolan and Lana, choosing to keep things normal.
"That's good to hear," Daniel responded, relieved by Nicole’s assurance.
Gloria sighed in relief and invited everyone to start their breakfast, internally planning, 'After breakfast, once Nicole and Jared drop Nolan and Lana at school, we should visit the hospital.'
Everyone began to eat quietly, deliberately avoiding any further discussion about the previous day's events.
After breakfast, Nicole and Jared left with Nolan and Lana.
Stanley stood up, suggesting, "Dad, Mom, I'll drive you to there."
"Let's visit them together."
They then departed from the Riddle residence.
****
When Nicole and Jared visited the hospital, they found only Ellar, Patricia, and Emery there.
Patricia, whose injuries were less severe and recovering well, could walk by herself. After her morning breakfast, she had asked Lulu to leave with Spencer, knowing Nicole would come to the hospital later and that Lulu was needed at Riddle Corporation.
Now, she was in Ellar's room.
"My parents are fine, so I had them discharged and return home. Uncle Daniel and Gloria went back with them," Emery informed.
"That's good; there's no need for everyone to stay at the hospital," Nicole agreed.
Patricia then inquired, Ms. Riddle, is there any news about Charlie?"
"Not yet," Nicole replied, her expression growing more serious. The absence of any news from Charlie, with Zane also unable to track his whereabouts, raised concerns about what could have happened.
"How could this be?" Patricia's face turned pale with worry for Charlie.
"Could it be that Charlie is planning something, making it inconvenient for him to show up?" Emery speculated, considering the lack of any trace of him might indicate he was intentionally staying hidden and unable to contact them.
"Zane has arranged for people to investigate the parking lot, hoping to find some clues," Nicole mentioned. She felt all their current theories were speculative, with outcomes possibly ranging from positive to negative.
"What about the team members who went with Charlie? Is there no news from them either?" Ellar asked, frowning.
Chapter 3207
Ellar felt that if Everett was going to arrest someone, it couldn't possibly be that many people, right?
"There's no one." Nicole shook her head, finding the situation truly bizarre.
"Could it be that Emery is right?" Ellar felt there was still hope. In truth, he also didn't want anything bad to happen to Charlie; after all, Patricia would be devastated. So, he preferred to think positively, not daring to contemplate the worst.
Nicole frowned slightly. Emery's speculation made some sense, but since it couldn't be confirmed, they remained somewhat anxious.
"Should we wait a bit longer?" Ellar suggested tentatively.
Nicole glanced at Ellar and instructed, "You should rest well; we'll handle the rest." "Okay." Ell ar nodded, understanding he couldn't be of much help now, his priority was to recover as soon as possible.
"Mr. Johnston, Ms. Riddle, my brother..." Patricia looked at Nicole and Jared, her words trailing off with hesitation.
Nicole patted Patricia's shoulder reassuringly, "Don't worry, it'll be alright.”
She believed that everyone's analysis was somewhat valid, and Jared had also mentioned that no news might indeed be good news. Moreover, it wasn't just Charlie who was missing, but his team members and even Everett, so perhaps there was a chance for a turnaround.
While they were discussing, Nicole's phone rang. She answered, spoke a few words, and then hung up.
"I need to go to the office; there might be some news." Nicole said, then, taking Jared with her, added, "It's Zane; let's check it out."
With the situation here stable, she felt relieved, just waiting for Ellar and Patricia to recover fully so they could be discharged.
But they had more pressing matters to attend to, namely the situation with
Charlie and Everett.
"After she's gone, I'll take care of him; you should head back too," Patricia said to Emery after Nicole left.
Emery’s hesitance was evident, but after Patricia assured him of her capability to manage, he agreed, reminding her, Alright, but remember, you can call US anytime if needed."
Every member of the family would rush over at a moment's notice.
Patricia nodded in acknowledgment.
After Emery left, Patricia sat beside Ellar's hospital bed, her demeanor reflecting her inner turmoil.
"Nicole and Jared have gone there; if there's any news of Charlie, they'll ensure his safe return," Ellar tried to comfort Patricia.
She looked at him, nodding slightly, her anxiety slightly quelled but still present.
Ellar gently took her hand, reassuring her, "He protected US and got US out; I trust he can protect himself too. Plus, his squad members are with him; they wouldn't let anything happen to him."
Understanding her anxiety, Ellar did his best to offer consolation.
As Patricia met Ellar's concerned gaze, her heart skipped a beat.
Instinctively, she withdrew her hand, murmuring softly, "I'm fine, you should rest."
The moment her hand slipped away, Ell ar looked momentarily startled, a sense of emptiness crossing his heart.
"I'm sorry, I was just concerned about you," he said, his voice tinged with a trace of melancholy.
"I didn't mean..." Patricia started to clarify, noticing the misunderstanding, but stopped midway, finding it awkward to explain.
Feeling unsettled, she quickly excused herself, "I'm going to check on your test results." noveldrama
She then quickly left the room, leaving Ellar with a complex look in his eyes. He pondered her evident concern for him the night before and her protective instincts, yet he was confused about her sudden withdrawal.
Once outside the room, Patricia leaned against the corridor wall, trying to calm her racing heart, her mind drifting into a whirl of thoughts.
Chapter 3208
Nicole and Jared had arrived at the Riddle Corporation.
Zane was already there when they entered the office, and Lulu, upon noticing Nicole's arrival, promptly excused herself.
"You came in person!" Nicole expressed her surprise.
"Don't worry, I just happened to be passing through San Joto, so I stopped by," Zane replied with a gentle tone in his eyes.
Guessing that Zane was on another mission, Nicole didn't press further and directly inquired, "Any news about Charlie?" "They've checked already. There's nothing unusual around the parking lot, but they found a night security guard knocked out in the control room," Zane explained.
Nicole nodded, already suspecting that the absence of security last night was due to an assault. noveldrama
"Can we confirm if Aquila was involved?" Nicole continued her questioning.
Their primary concern was whether Aquila had appeared, as his presence could imply that Everett might have escaped rather than being captured.
"It's still unclear, but it seems likely someone helped Everett," Zane stated, his expression turning grave.
"What did you find?" Nicole prodded, sensing they must have stumbled upon a clue for Zane to make such a remark.
Zane sighed and replied, "According to the investigation, there's a portion of the surveillance footage missing from the route leading from Ellar's company. It appears to have been deliberately erased." Regrettably, they were too late to recover that particular segment of the footage.
Nicole's eyes narrowed slightly as she slowly uttered a name, "Jerry."
Jerry, a master hacker, was always at Everett's side and certainly had the skills to accomplish this.
"Have Preston try to restore it," Jared's deep voice interjected.
"He alone might not be able to find much significance in it anymore," Zane said softly.
Nicole insisted, ‘No, he’s not alone, maybe they can give it a try."
She dialed Preston's number and got straight to the point, "I need your guys ' help with something." "Go ahead." Even though Nicole hadn't specified, Preston knew whom she had referred to.
After Nicole explained the situation, she said, "I'll have the surveillance data sent to you shortly. See if you can restore it, and the sooner, the better.
"Got it," Preston agreed promptly.
"I'll wait for your response," Nicole concluded before hanging up.
Zane, choosing not to probe further, suggested, "Since that's the case, I'll go check on them too, to see if there are any other clues." "Alright," Nicole nodded. "Let’s keep each other updated."
Zane stood up, hesitated, and then cautiously broached, ‘In case something happened to Charlie..." "No, we can't think about 'in case' scenarios," Nicole firmly interjected.
Zane paused, taken aback, then silently left. He understood Nicole's feelings; after all, they had both experienced the loss of important allies before.
Jared, holding Nicole tenderly, whispered soothing words, "Relax, we need to stay calm at this time." Despite the worry, they couldn't afford to show any weakness.
Leaning into Jared's embrace, Nicole clenched her teeth inwardly, experiencing a sense of helplessness for the first time, hoping fervently that Charlie was indeed safe.
As evening fell, the lights in the office buildings dimmed one by one, but one office in the Riddle Corporation remained lit.
The computer was on, displaying the restored video. Around the desk, several people huddled, watching the screen with intense focus, their expressions serious.
Chapter 3209
"Their escape route headed toward Northside?" Lulu furrowed her brows.
"It seems so. Did they go into the mountains?" June chimed in, noting that beyond Northside lay expansive wilderness.
Zane pondered for a moment and then suggested, "Regardless, this at least indicates that Charlie and his team might have pursued Everett into the mountains, hence their current incommunicado status." "So, they're out of signal range because they're in the mountains," Samuel agreed.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief; under the circumstances, this was relatively good news.
"I'll arrange for backup support right away," Zane declared, stepping aside to make the call.
Nicole, scrutinizing the surveillance footage that Preston, Ryder, and Gary had restored, narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.
It seemed that after EIlar and Patricia had escaped, Charlie had a chance to capture Everett, but Aquila unexpectedly intervened, helping Everett escape. Charlie then pursued them, and there had been no news since. noveldrama
"Max has also taken a team out there; we'll get some news," Jared reassured, patting Nicole on the shoulder.
"Right." Nicole's gaze hardened, feeling confident that Everett wouldn't manage to elude them this time.
Even with Aquila's formidable skills, it was improbable he could outmaneuver their combined forces.
Turning to Spencer and Lulu, Nicole expressed her concern, "You've both been under a lot of strain these past few days. Go get some rest." "I'm okay," Lulu insisted, wanting to stay and wait for updates.
Spencer gently urged her, "Let's rest now. Nicole will inform US if there's any news."
"You look exhausted; you won't be able to help if you wear yourself out," June also supported the idea.
"Go rest," Nicole advised, "I'm likely to stay here through the night, and we'll need you fresh for tomorrow's tasks."
With a sigh, Lulu relented, "Alright then." "We'll head back too. If you need anything, make sure to call US immediately," June instructed Nicole before leaving.
Nicole offered a reassuring smile. "Alright, I'll keep you updated."
Soon after, Spencer, Samuel, Lulu, and June departed, leaving Nicole in the office with Zane and the others.
Returning from his call, Zane reported, "Everything is arranged." "We have to catch Everett this time," Preston said through gritted teeth, his frustration palpable. 'Everett harmed Grandpa before, and now he's targeting the entire Riddle family. He's despicable.' "Max is already en route with his team; they can coordinate with US," Jared mentioned to Zane.
Zane nodded affirmatively. "Right, we won't let Everett get away this time."
Meanwhile, in the mountains, Charlie and his team had been pursuing Aquila and Everett for a day and a night, their energy nearly depleted.
"Where could Aquila be hiding Everett and that woman?" Seth wondered, confused about where their elusive target could be hiding from their relentless pursuit.
"It seems Aquila had a hiding spot prepared in advance," Charlie speculated, his expression grave. 'No wonder Aquila fled in this direction after rescuing Everett; he must have planned this.' "He really is cunning," Seth remarked, shaking his head. If not for Aquila's sudden intervention, they would have captured Everett already, instead of enduring this grueling search.
"Stay calm, they won't get far," Charlie stated firmly, his voice carrying a sense of resolute determination.
"Right, we must continue our efforts. We'll find them eventually," Seth agreed.
Charlie glanced at his team and said, "Once we're well-rested, we'll continue." "Understood," the team responded, their spirits momentarily buoyed.
Observing the sky, Charlie instructed, "Let's split into two groups. Seth, you lead one team, and the rest will come with me. We’ll search separately."
Chapter 3210
"Yes, sir," the team responded in unison.
Charlie looked at his signal-less phone and handed Seth a beacon, saying," Use this to contact US if there's any news."
Splitting up was necessary to cover more ground, but given Aquila's cunning, coordinating their efforts upon finding any clues was crucial.
Taking the beacon, Seth confirmed, "Got it, we’re off."
With that, Seth led his group to the left while Charlie took his team to the right.
Shortly after, the support team at the mountain base arrived.
Max's scouts had just returned, and Zane's reinforcements had also reached the location. Both groups exchanged knowing looks before Max suggested, "Let's hear the updates together." "Sure." The scout quickly briefed them, "We've confirmed they went up the mountain, and we found markers left by the Commander..." "Alright," Max nodded and turned to Zane's team, "Let's split into two groups, and we can complement each other's numbers." "Good, we aren't familiar with the signals your team uses," a member of Zane's team agreed.
After quickly strategizing, they divided into two groups and proceeded into the mountain.
About an hour later, a red flare lit up in the mountain woods.
"That's the Commander's signal!" someone shouted.
"They must have located Everett and Aquila; let's move quickly to back them up," Max ordered without hesitation.
Both groups hurried toward the signal's source at a rapid pace.
Upon converging, they found only Charlie and a few of his team members.
"What happened?" Max approached, offering support to Charlie.
"We just located Everett, but... he managed to escape again," Charlie explained, grimacing and clutching his abdomen, clearly injured.
"Let's go after him," Seth immediately proposed, ready to lead a pursuit.
One of Zane's team intervened, "Well handle it. You all should go back and recuperate, especially those who are injured." "Yes, you all head back," Max concurred, directing his gaze to his team," Coordinate with them, and I'll take Charlie and the injured back for treatment." "Understood." With a unanimous response, the two groups swiftly took off in the direction Everett had fled.
After Max and his team returned to the city, they promptly took Charlie and the other injured members to the hospital for medical attention, while the rest were arranged to rest back at their accommodations.
Nicole, Jared, Preston, and Zane, having been informed, were already waiting outside the emergency room.
"What happened?" Nicole asked Max.
"Aquila injured Charlie. I haven't gotten all the details yet, but Charlie was seriously hurt, so I rushed him here for treatment," Max replied.
"What about the others?" Zane inquired, noticing the sparse returnees.
"The ones Charlie took with him are getting treated for their injuries; the rest have gone back to rest, and some have continued the pursuit," Max informed. noveldrama
Zane nodded. "Then we'll wait for more news."
With so many on their tail, it seemed unlikely that Everett could escape again.
A little while later, Charlie was wheeled out by the nurses.
"Mr. Johnston, Mrs. Johnston!" Charlie was surprised at seeing Nicole and Jared there.
"Let's get you to a room first," Nicole gestured, indicating they should move on.
After settling Charlie into his room, Nicole updated him, "Patricia is okay. I haven't informed her about your situation yet, so she's unaware." "Thank you," Charlie expressed his gratitude. At this moment, bringing Patricia would only add to her worries, especially since she was also recovering from her injuries.