"He's..." Before Katie could complete her warning, a sharp “bang” resounded.

Mitchel had already raised his makeshift crutch and struck the guard on the back of the neck, rendering the latter unconscious before he could react.

Enraged and gritting her teeth, Katie cursed, “Idiot, completely foolish!"

Mitchel ignored her. With precision, he used his hand like a blade, striking the unconscious guard on the neck once more, a pressure point technique that ensured the guard would not awaken for three hours.

Then, grasping his makeshift crutch for support, Mitchel hobbled on his severely damaged left knee, moving with evident difficulty. He dragged the unconscious guard to the side.

Sweat dotted his forehead, and he panted heavily, the strain evident on his face.

Tasks that were once trivial now posed a significant challenge. His left knee was completely shattered. Moving meant dragging his injured leg along, exacerbating the injury. Yet, he had no other option.

His initial surrender was strategic, prompted by his discovery that the service staff in the North Tower had not been evacuated. To avoid provoking Lorenzo, a madman likely to detonate explosives indiscriminately and harm innocents, Mitchel had chosen not to resist.

With the death of Lorenzo's beloved wife within Ardlens' borders, it was inevitable that Lorenzo would come and wreak havoc.

Mitchel had deliberately drawn suspicion to himself days earlier to set a trap for Lorenzo.

Indeed, Lorenzo had taken the bait. Yet, unexpectedly, he had managed to secure explosives, even in a country with stringent regulations like Ardlens, a testament to his formidable influence. Such a dangerous man needed to be stopped.

Though Raegan had signaled that she was safe, Mitchel felt an urgent need to locate her, driven by a mix of concern and unresolved tension.

After preparing himself, Mitchel tore another strip of cloth and used a plank to fashion a makeshift splint for his leg.

Katie was still shivering on the ground when suddenly, through the walkie-talkie, Lorenzo's furious voice blared, "Keep an eye on Katie. I'm going back to cut her tongue out..."

Lorenzo ended the transmission abruptly, not waiting for a response.

Katie was stunned. What? Lorenzo hadn't found Raegan. Where could Raegan have gone? She had personally ensured Raegan was securely locked up. Could Raegan have escaped?

Mitchel was approaching with the initial intention of knocking Katie out and leaving her for the special forces to handle. However, he paused upon hearing Lorenzo's chilling threat.

Katie's face turned ghostly pale, like paper. She had heard enough rumors about Lorenzo's madness, including the horrifying tale that he had killed his own mother. In his secluded palace away from Ardlens, he was infamous for his elaborate torture methods, and whispers suggested he had even crafted lanterns from human skin.

When Lorenzo unleashed his madness, he was a law unto himself, indulging his darkest whims without restraint. His methods were cruel, intentionally designed to inflict excruciating pain.

Katie couldn't bear the thought of staying, a fate too horrifying for her to even think about it. "Please, Mitchel. I confess to everything. Just take me to the police. I'll admit to all charges. Just don't leave me here..." she pleaded, her voice desperate.