One of the guys bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath. "Man, that person's weak as heck, but he certainly can run! I chased him for three blocks and couldn't catch him." Another wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Yeah, same here. If I kept going, I'd pass out from the heat." The other two tried to calm them down. "At least those robbers didn't get away with anything. Let's stay sharp for the rest of the night and make sure nothing else happens." Meanwhile, down a deserted side street, two masked figures stood facing each other. They pulled off their creepy masks. It was Natalie and Cassian. Natalie looked at the red-faced mask Cassian held and burst out laughing. "You in that thing was terrifying! No wonder they screamed like little kids." Cassian chuckled too. "Look who's talking. You're the one who gave me this mask." The guys they had scared were also residents of the inner wall. To avoid being recognized, Natalie and Cassian had to wear disguises. These masks were just cheap Halloween toys Natalie had picked up in a supermarket, but they worked perfectly. Still, they had managed to scare those tough-looking guys. She laughed again. "It must've been the way you stared at them—too cold and creepy. I even heard them mumbling about feeling a chill on the back of their necks." Cassian ignored her teasing and got serious. "So? Did you pull it off?" Natalie arched a brow. "Of course. You?"Cassian's lips curved into a grin. "Same here." They exchanged a smile. At first, their plan was to knock out the guards by the well and then dump the drug. But they realized that was too risky. If people fetching water found the guards unconscious, missing, or worse, dead, no one would dare drink from the well again. So instead, they staged a fake robbery. While pretending to fight with the guards, they quietly slipped the drug into the water. In the end, they acted like they were beaten and ran off. To be extra safe, both of them carried the drug. That way, even if one messed up, the other could finish the job. Luckily, they had both succeeded. Afterward, they walked a couple more blocks until they reached a black Hummer parked by the curb. The second they got close, the quiet SUV started shaking from inside. Natalie smiled knowingly. The windows were tinted so no one could see in, but she already knew. It was Lucky. The moment she saw them, she got so excited she couldn't stay still. As soon as the car door opened, Lucky bolted out, tail wagging like crazy. She pawed at Natalie's legs first, then rubbed against Cassian's. Natalie crouched down and patted her head to calm her. Lucky was too easy to spot. Even if Natalie wore a mask, people would still know she was the girl at the base with the dog. It's safer to leave Lucky in the car.Cassian squatted down, giving Lucky a quick scratch before standing. "Get in." Natalie nodded. She pushed Lucky into the back seat and was about to climb into the passenger side when Cassian said, "You drive." He slid right into the passenger seat. "Me?" Natalie blinked, then grinned as she slid behind the wheel. She buckled up and muttered, "I said we should've taken my Ford Transit. This Hummer drinks gas like crazy." Still, her hands stroked the steering wheel like it was a treasure. Cassian's lips curved. "Want to take it for a spin?" "Absolutely." She fired back without hesitation. "Not worried about the gas anymore?" he teased. Natalie pressed her lips together. "I'll make it up to you." He chuckled. "No need. You're driving, and I haven't even paid you yet." She smiled, started the engine, and asked, "Where to?" Cassian buckled in. "Driver's choice." "Hold on tight," she said, grinning. She found an empty stretch of road, floored the gas, and the car roared forward. Her eyes sparkled with thrill as the Hummer tore through the night. Cassian watched her from the side, thinking, This girl really loves cars. Only after racing around for a while did Natalie ease off the pedal and head back toward the base. Her face glowed with satisfaction. "How was it?" Cassian asked with a smile in his eyes."Pretty good," Natalie said, smirking. "Just pretty good?" he pressed. Natalie swung the wheel with one hand around a sharp corner. "I've driven better." She was thinking of the Knight XV she'd once seen stored away. No car could ever top that in her heart. Cassian assumed she was remembering some dream car she admired. He knew from Roderick that Natalie had come from money, so it made sense she'd been around expensive cars before. He never imagined she was thinking about the armored SUV he himself had once lost. They pulled into the yard of their place. Natalie parked. All three of them headed inside. Before they could go upstairs, Amber came back from outside. Spotting them, she called out casually, "Out for a drive?"