18 Floors Above the Apocalypse
Chapter 306

Kitty was in this line of work. She could tell old money from new with a glance at their attire and the softness of their hands.

"No doubt about it," she mused, "just yesterday, they snatched another one. Dragged 'em all out, beat 'em black and blue, and humiliated them in every way imaginable. Fed them slop like pigs, and made them crawl on the ground barking like dogs. Anyone who resisted got a real whooping."

She knew the outskirts like the back of her hand. The gang had brought back a haul yesterday, all top-shelf goods, yet there hadn't been any major uproar in the city.

The numbers added up: same number of goons left as came back, and all within three hours.

This was definitely a case of abduction, except they hadn't taken any hostages with them, which meant those victims were probably dead.

Stella pondered, could Bran be one of their captives? She described Bran's appearance, his height, his style, and his hairdo. "Have you seen him?"

Kitty concentrated hard. "Wearing flip-flops?"

"Exactly." Those flip-flops were Bran's signature.

What a coincidence. Kitty had actually seen him.

"After stuffing their faces, they get their kicks from tormenting their captives. The guy you described was defiant, wouldn't play along, even dared to fight back. Nearly shattered the leader's balls with a kick. They beat him bloody. If someone hadn't intervened, he'd probably be dead by now."

Bran was seriously injured. Whether he could survive depended on fate.

Stella couldn't believe it. Shane had mobilized his forces to overturn Griffith, and yet, there was no word of Bran. Now, I was like replaceing what you weren't looking for without even trying.

"Hold on a sec," Stella said, pulling Jasper aside.

They stepped into a nook, Jasper's brow furrowed. "You want in on this?"

Was it to save Bran, or could she not let go of her friends?

Stella was candid, "Bran brought this on himself. I'm not out to save him, but the Porras family has something I want."

Jasper looked at her and said. "You're after that helicopter?"

Indeed, Stella wanted that very much. Compared to tectonic plate collisions, eternal night, haze, and acid rain seemed utterly trivial.

Mountains crumbling, land fracturing, the earth turning to ocean-how would they survive?

They had cruise ships, sure, but plate collisions would trigger tsunamis, and even the grandest ship would be no match for the waves. Only from the sky could one truly grasp the scope of the catastrophe and replace a sanctuary in real-time. With her stockpiled gear, she could live well for now, but what about the future?

After a long consideration, Jasper relented, "I'll handle it. You stay with Rosie and Cooper."

Stella wouldn't have it, "If we're going in, we'll need Cooper's help."

Night vision goggles had their limits, but Cooper could see in the dark as if it were day, not to mention his exceptional hearing and sense of smell.

Survival meant taking risks. Recalling his own experiences with plate collisions, Jasper finally agreed.

Stella proposed a deal to Kitty, "The man I asked about is actually the Porras family's third son. They've issued a reward: anyone who can save him gets a bounty of a thousand pounds of food."

Kitty was aware. They'd joked about it, saying if they could save Bran, they'd be set for life. A thousand pounds of food was a mighty lure, attracting all sorts of talent.

Kitty had been all talk. All her energy was focused on dealing with the gangsters. She didn't expect to stumble upon this opportunity. If she could pull this off and earn an extra thousand pounds of food, it was well worth the gamble.

Stella laid out her terms, "Food doesn't keep well, and owning it just paints a target on your back. Let me handle the specifics with the Porras family."

Kitty had no objections. Saving Bran was a bonus, no loss to her if it didn't work out.

Stella could negotiate with the Porras family, divvy up the loot per head, especially now that their odds had improved with two more on board.

Cody and Lukas approached Stella, "We didn't think this through, dragging you into this. You and Jasper have everything you need. You don't have to risk this." Stella had already helped them more than enough.

Sensing their guilt, Stella reassured them with a smile, "How do you know I have everything I need? The eternal night could last forever. Without proper lighting, we can't grow crops. The wealthy have their information networks. I've heard there are more disasters to come, and our villa might not be safe forever. We've got to plan for the future. And I won't lie to you, risking our lives in this mission is because the Porras family has something I desire. Don't feel burdened on my account."

So, they accepted the arrangement.

Without further excuses, Stella paid Shane a visit. Derick had the sense to usher her into the study, guarding the door himself.

Stella got straight to the point, "If I can save your son, I don't want the food. I want what's on your rooftop."

Shane was taken aback, managing to laugh in disbelief, "Stella, you've got quite an appetite."

She didn't hide her ambition, "With your resources, losing one chopper is nothing. But your son is irreplaceable. If he's gone, he's gone for good."

Shane would have thrashed his good-for-nothing son if he were here. A helicopter for that boy? He wasn't even worth the propeller.

Shane agreed in the end. The son had to be alive.

But Stella wasn't done. She also demanded a hundred tons of aviation fuel. What good was a helicopter without fuel?

Shane felt like he might explode; perhaps he could do without Bran.

"Fine." Shane aged a decade in that moment.

Stella opened her mouth again, "Also..."

"What more do you want?" Shane was genuinely angry now. "There's a limit to greed. Don't overdo it."

Stella smiled, "Shane, this is a voluntary transaction. We're risking our lives to save your son. Nobody knows how many will die. If you replace it unworthy, we can call it off right now."

Shane rubbed his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. "Alright, spill it. What else do you want?"

"We need to prepare the goods the kidnappers are asking for, following their demands to the letter."

Shane nearly burst a blood vessel. "What are you getting at?"

"Diversion tactics," Stella revealed the plan with a sly grin. "There's a rat in the Porras clan, someone who knows full well about your ties with the Griffith authorities and still has the guts to pull off this brazen kidnapping. It means they're not to be underestimated. You'll go along with the charade, and make the trade. If you're clever enough to keep them from sniffing out the trick, you can do whatever you want. Swap the grain for gravel or stones if you would like. The moment they step out for the exchange, their lair's defenses will drop, and our chances of rescuing Bran will shoot up."

Shane mulled over this for a solid half hour. "Do you know where their hideout is?"