This time, Cassian had come out to inspect the area, and since it was near home, Roderick decided to grab a few things on Nadia's orders while they were at it. There weren’t really any drinks left in the house, so he just said awkwardly, "Mr. Holland, why don't you sit on the couch for a bit? I'll pack up my stuff and we'll head out." With that, he hurried off to gather his things. Cassian didn't reply. He walked over to the window and stared outside in silence. Something felt off about the sun today. Usually, it only looks red at sunrise or sunset. By noon, it's supposed to be bright white. But right now, the sun was a deep, unnatural red—almost blood-colored.Cassian frowned. When something's out of the ordinary, it's never good. He spoke quietly, "Roderick, hurry up. Let's get home early." "Yes, Boss!" Roderick answered, picking up the pace. The place was a mess from being ransacked, but aside from the food, nobody wanted anything else. He packed what he needed, chatting to fill the silence so Cassian wouldn't get bored. "Mr. Holland, now that the apocalypse is over, when do you think our company will reopen?" As soon as he said it, he caught himself. Jeez, what am I doing? Who begs their boss to go back to work? Cassian stayed silent in the living room. Roderick thought, Great, now I've stunned the boss with my big mouth.He worried, What if he actually makes us come back tomorrow? He finished packing in a rush and hurried back to the living room. "Mr. Holland, I'm ready. Let's go." Cassian didn't move, still staring out the window. His lips parted slightly. "No rush." Roderick was confused. Didn't you just tell me to hurry so we could get home early ... ? He followed Cassian's gaze out the window—and froze. At the complex's front gate, two figures entered one after the other. The first was a woman, backpack slung over her shoulder, dragging two suitcases. Her messy hair made it hard to tell, but she was definitely female. The second was much easier to recognize—gray workout clothes, a striking figure, long hair pulled up high, and a knife in her hand.That figure ... and that weapon ... Roderick's eyes widened. "Ms. Ashford?" "What's she doing here?" Cassian didn't answer, just watched Natalie downstairs. Natalie moved with quiet grace, keeping the perfect distance behind the first woman. The rolling suitcases masked the sound of her light footsteps. The woman quickly entered their building. With the door broken, the sound of suitcases being dragged up the stairs echoed clearly through the hallway. Natalie stopped in front of the building, staring straight at their black Hummer SUV. After a moment, she reached out and touched it. Cassian raised an eyebrow. What's with her expression ... ?Suddenly, he thought of her dog, Lucky. That was the same look Lucky had when she jumped into Cassian's arms. He watched Natalie with interest. She touched the car, circled it once, then ran her hand over it again. ... Meanwhile, the woman with the suitcases had reached the seventh floor. Judging by the sound, she stopped at Unit 701, right next door. Roderick glanced at Cassian. Cassian put a finger to his lips, signaling for silence. Roderick nodded and stood quietly beside him. Boss is always right. We still don't know what Ms. Ashford is up to. If we go out now, we might mess up her plan. His neighbor's place had always been rented out, and the last tenant he remembered was a single man living alone. He had no idea why a woman would show up here. And even less idea why Natalie was following her. Roderick strained to listen to the sounds outside. Even though his apartment didn't have a door, the entryway faced the dining room, and you had to turn left to reach the living room. So, unless someone actually walked inside, no one could see him and Cassian from the hall. He listened. The woman was knocking on the door of Unit 701. She knocked and called out, "Braxton! Open up! I'm here!" After a while, there was no answer. She yanked off her backpack and started digging through it, grumbling impatiently."Where did he go? Good thing he gave me a spare key, or I'd be stuck out here like an idiot. "Where's that key ... Ugh, this is so annoying! "If I head back and Natalie's already been arrested, I'll be so mad!" Just then, a clear, gentle voice rang out.