Natalie woke from a nap on the third floor to a racket outside. Pulling back the curtain, she saw the neighbors returning. Judging by their beaten faces and bruised bodies, the trip hadn't gone well. No one looked remotely victorious. For the next two days, the inner villas stayed eerily quiet. Just as she and Cassian were weighing whether it was time to drug the well, Magnus launched a second assault again on Ironclaw Base. Last time, they had walked into an ambush. Out of four hundred inner residents, over a hundred were killed or injured. They had guns, but barely used that to their advantage. This time, Kelvin led the charge. Everyone from the inner villas marched, and he even dragged a crowd of outer residents along—shoving them to the front lines. Natalie joined the action too, hoping to size Kelvin up. If she got the chance, she'd end him in the chaos. With Lucky's leash in hand, she stuck to the very back with Cassian. "Kelvin's using the outer residents as cannon fodder. He's sending them first to trip the traps." She nodded. "Then, we hang back." Sure enough, the moment they reached Ironclaw's gates, the outer residents were mowed down almost to the last man. Only then did the inner fighters break through. Inside, Ironclaw's people were waiting in formation, and the battle exploded. But Cassiland Base had brought their elites. They pressed hard against the defenders, nearly overwhelming them.Natalie pushed forward in the chaos, eyes locked on Kelvin. She thought she'd spotted an opening—until she realized his movements were sharp, efficient and disciplined. Every strike counted. He wasn't just some thug; he was trained. She was about to move in when a voice cut through the noise. "You! Evil woman!" Natalie's attention had been locked on Kelvin. That sudden shout jolted her, and she immediately noticed a figure pushing through the chaos straight toward her. She dodged on instinct, slipping a few steps back, then focused her eyes. "The two-faced glasses guy?" It was him—the same man who had interfered when she disciplined that brat who carved up a car door.Now he came raging, machete in hand, charging right at her. "Evil woman! You almost got me killed! And now you're invading my home!" Natalie frowned. Is this guy out of his mind? When has she ever caused him to take a beating? She clearly remembered seeing him last time laying onto that kid like a mad dog. Back then, she thought he was just a hypocritical saint. Now it was obvious—his brain just didn't work right. What grudge was this supposed to be, to come at her with such fury? Because of his outburst, Kelvin was now watching this way. Natalie seethed. Damn pest—if you're going to pick a fight, at least pick the right time! The man swung his first strike, and when she slipped out of the way, his face flushed scarlet. He came down with a second slash, aiming right at her throat. Natalie's eyes narrowed dangerously. So this "good guy" really wanted her dead? She didn't dodge this time. She lunged forward instead. Not far away, Cassian had just taken down two attackers with efficient ease. The sight of this scene stopped his breath cold. Natalie twisted past the blade at a wicked angle, slipped behind the man in a blink, and snapped his neck with both hands in a brutal wrench. Cassian exhaled in relief. That was the Medusa he knew—fast, precise, ruthless. The others nearby didn't take it so calmly. A roar erupted in the distance. "Harding!!" A bald brute burst out of a nearby building and charged straight at Natalie.Kelvin spotted him, raised his gun, and fired. But whether his aim was bad or the man was simply too fast, three shots missed in a row. The bald man didn't even glance at him. Eyes blazing red, he sprinted forward, shouting his brother's name while raising a nail gun and firing at Natalie. Her reflexes saved her. She rolled across the ground, dodging easily, and yanked the corpse of the glasses man up as a shield. Who the hell is this guy? The glasses fool's brother? His friend? The bald man saw her using the body to block him and roared even louder. "You viper! Put Harding down!" He lifted the nail gun again to fire. But this time, before Natalie could even move, Lucky launched out of the crowd.Mid-leap, the dog shoved off someone's back for more speed and clamped her jaws around the bald man's throat, a savage growl ripping through the air. It shook and tore with brutal force. The man had been so focused on Natalie that he never saw the dog coming. Lucky's bulk slammed into him, knocking him flat. His skull smacked the ground, and his throat stayed trapped in those jaws that refused to let go.