Reborn To Ruin Her Rivals - Chapter 55: Chapter 55

Trapped in the burlap sack, Eve writhed and twisted desperately.
Seven gave her a vicious kick and snarled, "Stay still, or I'll put a bullet in your head! Behave yourself, or you'll regret it!"
Hearing Seven's furious threats, Eve froze.
She thought, 'I'm just a kid. What if he really hits me?' The fear made her shrink into herself.
She'd been traumatized by past beatings. Even the memory left her too scared to move.
Paralyzed by fear, Eve could only let herself be hauled out of the villa by the men.
Seven and his two accomplices slipped out through the villa's back entrance with Eve in tow.
As soon as Seven and his crew showed up, the hidden lookout by the back door immediately relayed the news to Arielle.
"Shadow them, but don't get spotted," Arielle ordered.
Suspecting this might be a decoy, Arielle left two operatives behind to maintain surveillance.
She withdrew with the remainder of her team.
Seven slipped out the back door, where a nondescript Santana sedan was already waiting.
The car door swung open.
One of the men stood guard by the door, eyes darting around, scanning the area for any sign of trouble.
Another hoisted Eve over his shoulder and carried her into the car.
The rest of the crew quickly piled in after them.
The door slammed shut behind them.
Trussed up in the sack, Eve crouched motionless.
She thought, 'I've gone completely numb.
'All I know is they're taking me somewhere new in this car.'
"Boss, straight to the drop-off?" The man in the passenger seat turned to Seven.
Seven took a drag from his cigarette, shooting a sideways glance at the white sack in the trunk.
"Cut the crap, we're heading straight there," he snapped. "Listen up. Stay sharp and don't screw this up, or we're all dead."
"Right, boss, right! Don't you worry, we'll get it done," one of the men hurriedly promised.
"Get this done right, and it's 70 thousand dollars each. Then I'll take you all to Cloud Nine for a night out, my treat."
"Hell yeah, thanks boss!" one of the men chimed in eagerly.
The guys in the car were already daydreaming about how sweet life would be once they got their hands on the cash.
Successfully completing this mission would earn Seven a hefty 1.7 million dollars.
They were headed straight for the black market.
Following Melinda's orders, Eve would be sold to shady buyers on the black market, those who specialized in human trafficking.
Once inside the black market, no one had an identity, and no question would be asked.
Most buyers were international, so even if someone investigated, it wouldn't leave any traces back to them.
Once the deal was done and the merchandise was taken away by ship, they'd be home free.
At the thought of the money, Seven could hardly wait.
Seven barked, "Step on it!"
The guy in the passenger seat said nervously, "Boss, no can do, cops up ahead!"
Seven glanced at the trunk, and everyone's hearts skipped a beat.
He thought, 'Damn, there are never any cops on this road, that's exactly why I took it. What lousy luck today. Should've just stuck to the main road.'
"Boss, what now? Cops up ahead checking cars." Tension spiked inside the car.
Seven glanced back, no way to back up now, trapped between cars. Any sudden move would draw unwanted attention.
Seven snapped, "Relax! They're just checking for drunk driving, and you haven't had a drop. Let 'em do their damn job!"
Seven barked toward the trunk, "Listen up, brat! Don't move a muscle or make a sound, or I'll feed you to the dogs!"
Eve shuddered.
She thought, 'I heard everything they said.
'There are police officers up ahead. This is my only chance to escape.
'The police will help me.
'Mom always said, "If you're in trouble, find a police officer. They're the good guys."
'I have to take this chance.
'If I stay with them, what's waiting for me will be far worse torment.'
Eve steeled herself. 'I have to take the gamble.'
Eve strained her ears, listening intently for any sound from outside the car.
Meanwhile, Arielle tailed them at a careful distance.
Arielle didn't dare make any rash moves.
She had already called Ivanna, instructing her to mobilize a fully armed team.
They'd probably strike before even reaching the black market.
Once inside the black market, there'd be too many variables, some things would be beyond her control.
Compared to Melinda's unhinged frenzy, Ivanna remained remarkably composed.
She drew a deep breath to steady her nerves.
"I mustn't act rashly," she told herself, "not when Eve's life is at stake."
Following Arielle's instructions, Ivanna positioned everyone at her disposal along the designated route.
All they had to do was bide their time.
A direct rescue attempt would endanger Eve.
So they decided to take a more subtle, roundabout approach.
Samson's trusted right-hand man, Logan Calhoun, was sitting beside Arielle.
"Miss Bradford, I'll go talk to them in a bit," Logan said.
Arielle nodded. "Thanks, Logan."
She never planned to negotiate with them herself, she knew she didn't have the presence to convince anyone.
But Logan was someone they'd trust.
The car crept forward slowly.
The cops were indeed conducting a drunk-driving check.
Seven's vehicle passed through without a hitch.
Twenty minutes later, as they rounded a sharp bend, Seven's car was abruptly cut off.
Seven cursed, "Damn it!" and then snapped, "What the hell's going on?"
The driver was stunned and nearly swerved into the median.
"Boss, looks like a few guys just got out of the car behind us... they don't look friendly," the driver said nervously.
Seven was about to bark at the driver to floor it and get them out of there.
Just then, sharp raps sounded on the car window.
As the window rolled down, Logan came into view.
"Seven," he said, "the owner of the Black Market sent me to discuss a deal with you."
Seven jolted. 'How the hell does he know I'm here to deliver the goods?' he thought, alarmed.
Seven stayed wary, not buying Logan's story for a second. Impatiently, he snapped, "The hell you talking about? Don't know what you mean."
Menace flashed in Logan's eyes.
Logan's voice was menacing. "Seven, you've got some nerve, daring to disrespect Sir Tiger like this?"
Sir Tiger was the true power behind the black market, no one had ever seen his true face.
But his legend lived on.
Hearing this, Seven started to think maybe Logan was legit after all.
Nobody knew about today's black market delivery except Melinda and Sir Tiger.
This guy clearly wsn't one of Melinda's people.
So he felt that he must be from the black market.
Seven's mind raced, then it clicked.
Forcing a grin, he got out of the car.
He stood respectfully before Logan, feigning humility.
"Sorry, boss," Seven said, "but I gotta verify your ID. You know how it is in our line of work, one wrong move and it's our heads on the chopping block. Can't be too careful."
Logan pulled out the black market's unique seal.
Seven took one look and instantly knew it was the real deal.
His attitude did an instant about-face.
Bowing deeply, he said, "Didn't recognize a big shot when I saw one, please forgive me."
Logan couldn't be bothered with his nonsense.
Logan said coolly, "Your merchandise has been targeted. That's why Sir Tiger sent me to intercept you."
Seven's blood ran cold. "What? We've been made?" he gasped.
A chill ran down Seven's spine. 'If they're onto us, I'm done for,' he thought, panic gripping his chest.
"Sloppy work," Logan said coldly, "That idiot Melinda got herself overheard on the phone."
Leaving it at that, Logan shot Seven a cold sidelong glance. "Where's the merchandise?"
"Oh, right! The merchandise is here... it's in the trunk," Seven said hurriedly, quickly pointing to the back of the car.
Seven and his men yanked open the trunk. Logan's crew moved swiftly, transferring the sack with the bound and gagged Eve inside to another car.
Seven suddenly snapped back to reality and blurted out, "Hey, what about the money for the deal?"
'How am I gonna explain this to Melinda without the money?' he thought anxiously.
Logan shot Seven an impatient glare. "How the hell should I know the price? The goods haven't even been sold yet. Once the deal goes through, the money will be wired to the account you gave us. Simple as that.
"Pathetic! Can't even get the basics right!"
With a brusque remark, Logan got into the car with his men and sped off.
Seven and his crew stood there, utterly bewildered, as the wind whipped around them, completely at a loss.