chapter504

Blake had been quiet this whole time, just standing off to the side. When he heard Lydia speak, he glanced over at her. Chris jumped in right away. "Lydia, do you know who those people were?"

Lydia squinted at him, her expression unreadable. "I'm not totally sure who's behind it yet. When Connor wakes up, we can ask if he noticed anything."

"Alright. Well, since Connor's okay now, why don't you two go get some rest? I'II stay here and keep watch," Chris offered.

Blake turned to Lydia. "Lydia, do you want to rest for a bit?" He knew she'd been in surgery for hours. She must have been exhausted.

Lydia shook her head. "I'm fine, really. I'm not tired." She looked at Blake and added, "There's nothing else to do here. You should go home first, so Mom and Dad don't start worrying."

Blake hesitated but finally nodded. "Okay. But if you get tired, promise me you'll rest. And call me if anything happens."

Lydia nodded, a small smile on her lips. "I will."

Blake lingered for a moment, concern written all over his face. "Lydia, seriously, if you ever need help, just tell me. Anytime."

He knew how capable his sister was, but at the end of the day she was still just eighteen. No matter how tough she acted, she still needed someone looking out for her.

Lydia felt a wave of warmth spread through her chest at his words. "I know, Blake. Don't worry about me."

With that, Blake and Jonas headed out, leaving Lydia to wait by Connor's bedside. "I'll stay with him," Lydia said. "You've had a rough night. Go get some rest."

But Chris shook his head. "No way. Connor's still out cold. I couldn't sleep even if I tried."

He hesitated, rubbing his hands together. "Honestly, I was a little shaken up tonight, but not because of those guys. I was scared for Connor. When do you think he'll wake up?"

Chris knew a bit of self-defense, could handle a gun, but he wasn't as well-trained as Connor. And the men who attacked tonight had been in a league of their own. Their aim was deadly accurate. No doubt about it, they were pros.

Lydia looked through the thick glass at Connor's pale, unconscious face. "Maybe tomorrow morning. Maybe even later tonight. His body's strong. He won't be out for long."

Chris let out a heavy sigh, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "That's a relief."

Lydia pulled out her phone and

started checking the security

footage from the area where Connor

had been attacked. Just as she

suspected, the cameras had all

incident and the

glitched during the incident

system was still down for repairs.

If the footage had just been deleted, Lydia was confident she could recover it in minutes. But if nothing had been recorded at all, not even her skills could help.

Whoever did this had planned everything out.

She narrowed her eyes, a name flashing through her mind.

Iceblade.

She needed to ask Iceblade about this in person. If he really was involved, she wouldn't hesitate to cut him off. She'd made it clear before Connor was off limits

Chris watched her as she worked on her phone, curiosity getting the better of him.

He coughed. "Lydia, are you... a hacker?"

Lydia raised an eyebrow. "Do you even know what a hacker is?"

Chris nodded quickly. "Someone who's really good with computers. You were so fast

just now... What level are you?"

Lydia grinned. "Take a guess."

Chris just stared at her, speechless.

Lydia stood up and handed him her phone. "Keep an eye on your brother. Call me if anything changes. I need to step out for a bit."

Chris looked worried. "Lydia, it's so late. Are you sure it's safe?"

Lydia was calm and steady. "Don't worry. I'll be careful."