Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run novel Chapter 864

This factory was massive—so huge that Clara had only managed to check out the outermost edges so far.

Gun in hand, she made her rounds through the dim corridors until she spotted Charles doing the same. Their eyes met for a split second, both silently acknowledging the other’s presence before looking away. No words needed—they both knew what the other was up to: using their cover to dig for answers.

The place was a mess of accents and languages, but thankfully, the workers came from all over—even a few from her own country.

During lunch break, Clara sat down next to another guard on patrol. Here, nobody had a real name, just a number. She was 211. He was 107.

“Hey, 107, have you noticed all the deaths lately? It’s getting out of hand,” she asked, keeping her voice low.

107 glanced over, barely pausing as he ate. Clara was about to push for more when he spoke first. “How’d you get in here?”

Her hand tightened around her spoon. That was fast. She’d only asked a question—how had he pegged her as an outsider so quickly?

He looked up, studying her for a moment before finishing his drink. “People are dying because the boss is planning to partner with some billionaire. You must know by now—whatever they’re making here sells for a ridiculous amount. The boss has made a fortune, but he’s stuck in this dump of a country. He can’t leave—he’s still on the wanted list. If he steps outside, he’s dead. But now, a big shot’s coming to make a deal. If they can pull off the drug this guy wants, they’ll finally move the operation somewhere else.”

No one had any clue where “somewhere else” was.

Clara just watched him, noticing the emptiness in his eyes. She figured why he was talking—he knew she wouldn’t make it out alive. No one ever did. To 107, she was just another lost cause, something to distract him from the routine.

Maybe he’d snuck in once, too, only to realize there was no escape and end up blending in, just like everyone else.

Dylan’s weakness?

Clara couldn’t help but smile a little to herself. In the Capital, everyone knew: Dylan’s weakness was her.

Even Richard had said so.