Alyssa and Jasper''s hearts lurched at the mention of Amber''s name. A flurry of emotions-excitement, unease, and most potently, worry-washed over them.


    "Did you meet with Amber, Axel?" Alyssa asked, her voiceced with anxiety.


    "No," Axel replied, his voice croaking with a barely concealed hurt. "She sent this video to me on my phone. I''m scared, Lyse. I''m terribly afraid something bad will happen to Amber!"


    Jasper spoke up reassuringly, "If she sent the video, she''s likely still safe for now, Axel. Try not to worry too much."


    "For now..." Axel gritted his teeth. "But how long will thatst? I need to get her out of there!"


    "Don''t act recklessly, Axel!" Alyssa warned, her gaze fierce. "You could expose Amber and put her in even greater danger. Remember, she''s still in Jameson''s clutches!"


    "If this video leaks," Alyssa continued, "there''s no evidence linking her as the source. But if you make a reckless move, it''ll be as good as telling Jameson Amber''s a traitor. He could eliminate her anytime, and even your connections wouldn''t be enough to stop him."


    Axel exhaled, his anger giving way to a forced calmness.


    "Don''t worry, Axel," Jasper said. "When the time is right, Lyse and I will do everything in our power to help you save Ms. Altman." Coming from Jasper, these weren''t just empty words; they were a promise. With that, Axel feltpletely at ease. "Thank you, Jasper. That means a lot."N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The station captain, who was away on a business trip in Belbanks when he received the news, rushed back to the station that very night. He immediately ordered Cyrus to release Nichs and even demanded a public apology.


    "Forget the apology," Nichs said magnanimously, pretending to be above it all. "Chief Taylor was just looking out for my safety."


    Nichs strutted out of the interrogation room, the station captain by his side. "Let''s just move on. I''m fine anyway. I hope you won''t punish Chief Taylor for this."


    "Absolutely not!" The captain


    boomed. He caused you undue trouble and even uwfully detained you for hours. I can''t just overlook that. He deserves a severe reprimand!"


    Nichs brushed it off, not wanting to push the issue.


    There was obviously no animosity between him and Cyrus. However, Cyrus was Alyssa''s biological brother and close to Jasper. If Nich''s could get Cyrus


    suspended, it would eliminato e


    someone prying into his affairs and potentially expose his connection to Jameson. Sacrificing a subordinate seemed like the only option.


    Unfortunately for them, before they could walk any further, they saw Cyrus approaching with two other officers from the Criminal Investigation Unit.


    Cyrus marched right up to Nichs, effectively blocking his path.


    "Cyrus Taylor! What now?" the captain bellowed.


    Cyrus met Nichs'' gaze head-on, his expression frosty and severe T apologize, Chief Novak, but you cannot leave tonight. We''ve acquired new evidence that implicates you in a premeditated murder."


    The captain''s jaw dropped in disbelief. "Murder? Cyrus, what are you talking about? How could Chief Novak possibly be involved in a murder?"


    "We don''t arrest without evidence," Cyrus retorted, handcuffing Nichs.


    Nichs'' face immediately drained of color; his hands clenched into fists.


    He found himself back in the interrogation room, this time under a much heavier atmosphere, thick with tension and foreboding.


    "I didn''t kill anyone," Nichs asserted calmly.


    "We''ll see about that," Cyrus replied coolly. "Let''s jog your memory with a little video clip, shall we?"