She Outshines Them All (Athena and Matthew) novel Chapter 412

In the late August afternoon, Athena was lounging under a beach umbrella on Solmaris coast, enjoying a cold drink, when her phone rang. Then, she answered, "Hello?"

"Ma'am, we have some trouble—the crew of 'The Last Blood' has been kidnapped by terrorists!" The voice on the other end sounded tense. "They are livestreaming the whole thing on YouTube now. The views are skyrocketing; it's blowing up online."

Athena's eyes narrowed as the caller continued. "The government has shut down all official news about it and deployed military forces to Gringger City and Wyomarlo City, where the film was set. It's a rescue mission.

"It seems the terrorists were after Zayn, but he wasn't with the team. Frustrated, they hijacked a supply truck, drugged the crew, and took everyone hostage. Now they're demanding Zayn show up in Wyomarlo within two hours, or they'll start executing hostages every five minutes.

"The livestream has only been up for a few minutes now, so I don't think anyone has had the chance to inform you yet."

Athena stayed calm and opened YouTube, pulling up the live feed. "Got it. Keep an eye on things and update me if anything changes," she said, hanging up.

She didn't need to search it up. The livestream was front and center on the YouTube homepage, drawing everyone's attention. She clicked on it.

The video showed rows of crew members kneeling, hands tied behind their backs, with a wall behind them. More than a dozen guns were pointed their way. The camera didn't show the terrorists, only their gloved hands gripping guns and machetes.

The terrorist's voice crackled through the video, speaking in Osceiton language, chillingly calm. "We've got over 300 'The Last Blood' crew members right here. What you see on screen is just a small sample of our hostages."

He continued, the hint of a sinister smile almost audible. "Zayn has 100 minutes to get here, or we start beheading.

"One every five minutes, twelve an hour. With over 300 people here, we've got plenty to keep us busy all day. Just the thought of it makes me feel... thrilled."

His laughter echoed darkly as he added, "And by the way, we've set up explosives everywhere. Just one of them will take everyone out, including us. So, I'd suggest the officials hand over Zayn without any funny business."

As he finished, the broadcast rolled on, capturing the tense quiet, broken only by a few soft cries from the hostages. But a terrorist quickly stomped over to silence them.

The background sounds revealed the sound of those terrorists eating and drinking, unsettlingly at ease.

Athena kept the broadcast on but looked away toward the nearby shoreline. Her mom and dad were holding hands, watching Josie play in the water, splashing around in a swimsuit and a bright orange float. The sight was warm, peaceful.

She stood up, grabbed her laptop and her phone, and called Rufus. He was chatting with a group of pretty girls on the beach but answered right away. "Yes, ma'am?"

Walking briskly toward the hotel, Athena filled him in. "'The Last Blood' crew has been taken hostage. I'm heading back home to deal with it. I will tell my parents it's a lab issue, something technical I have to sort out right away.

"We don't know much about these terrorists. Just to be safe, stay in Uroterin and find a few more people to keep an eye on my parents. Don't let them know what's going on.

"Once I leave, you should head out too. Make sure their location stays a secret."

This time, Athena had come to Uroterin with Rufus and Daniel to act as her bodyguards and help with errands.

At last week's Yundara Got Talent finals, Josie absolutely wowed the audience with a nearly 10-minute opera in Maiselish.

Afterward, the royal family invited her to the palace, gave her a special medal, and praised her for her singing and the cultural exchange she had helped promote.