The Double or more Life of the Fake Heiress (Mirabella)

At the front of the group, a middle-aged man snapped back into focus, zeroing in on Nick. Nick was decked out in black from head to toe, his face completely covered, standing right at the entrance to the lab the heart of their research.

The man's face clouded over instantly. He marched forward, demanding, "Who the hell are you?"noveldrama

Two others were with him, one of them noticeably younger and lagging behind slightly. Spotting the unfamiliar figure, he glanced up at the cameras and infrared sensors overhead.

As the middle-aged man closed in on Nick, a mechanical voice crackled in his earpiece-it was Mirabella. "You've got fifteen seconds before the jammer cuts out. Handle these three and get out."

Once the cameras were back up, the guards would be on them in no time, and even with his skills, Nick would be hard-pressed to escape.

Nick tipped his hat down, clutching the scalpel stashed in his pocket, ready to face the trio.

Of the three, only the youngest was a stranger to him. The other two were researchers, hardly a threat. The leader, used to having bodyguards outside the institute and having dealt with criminal threats before, picked up on Nick's dangerous vibe immediately.

He stopped short, fishing his phone out of his pocket, scrolling through contacts as he sneered, "You've got guts breaking in here. You must be out of your mind."

Seeing the phone, Nick lunged, booting it out of his hand. The phone hit the floor, smashing to pieces.

The kick left the man's hand numb, and before he knew it, he was slammed against the wall.

Nick didn't break stride, darting toward the corridor's exit.

But the young guy at the back was unfazed and stepped right into Nick's path, standing firm in the middle of the corridor.

He fiddled with the noticeable black ring on his left index finger.

Watching through the security feed, Mirabella's eyes narrowed at the sight of Ben,

and she warned through the earpiece, "Watch out for this one."

Nick sensed something off about the man blocking his way but had no time to waste. He moved in to engage.

Ben was no slouch, but against someone like Nick, with his vast fighting experience, he quickly started losing ground.

Backing up, Ben licked his lips, his handsome but sinister face acknowledging, "You're strong."

Nick, his gaze icy, didn't want to stick around. With another powerful kick, he sent Ben sprawling and bolted for the emergency exit.

Ben caught himself against the wall, avoiding a messy fall. Holding back a cough from the blow, he watched Nick's retreating figure. He reached for a weapon at his waist, but his hand brushed against something jutting out from the wall.

Realizing what it was, he glanced back-an unassuming metal button. Without a second thought, Ben pressed it hard.