Femme Fatale: The King's Deadly Temptress

Chapter 251: "I'm Styles."

Katherine turned to Styles with a determined expression on her face. "Are you sure it won't blow up if the car is turned on?"

"Technically, it won't. Like I said, it's not wired to the car. It will only detonate when the timer turns to zero. And the timer will only activate if we try to diffuse the device."

"Are there other ways that could activate the timer?"

"No, I don't think so." 

Blowing off a long exhale, Katherine nodded. "We need to get this car out of the basement. I don't like the idea of having a bomb sitting there. We don't know what Chris's plan really is and we can't try to diffuse this here because it's too risky, what with the hundreds of people in this building." 

Falcon chimed in, "Queen's right. Not to mention, if this explodes here with all the cars that are filled with gasoline, it could cause massive destruction."

"Will you be able to try and diffuse it after the case is removed or whilst the timer is running?" Katherine asked.

"I can't be sure. I've never worked on something like this before without an expert. But I could try." 

"Then it's settled. Falcon"

"Got it," Falcon responded as she walked towards the passenger side of the car. She didn't have to hear what Katherine had to ask of her. She already understood that Katherine was asking her to activate the timer of the explosive device as well as try to disarm it. 

Watching what was happening in front of him, Damien couldn't hold it in anymore. He didn't like being kept outside of the loop. Seeing Katherine approach the driver's side of his car, he quickly strode towards her and grabbed her arm. "Katherine, what the hell are you planning to do?" 

"Guys, one minute. Men in black coming," Styles warned, his eyes locked on the screen as he started jogging towards the black RV that was parked several meters away. "We need to get out of here, people."

Breathing in, Katherine faced Damien and told him in a crisp and serious tone, "I don't have time to explain everything to you now. I'm sorry about your car but I need to get it as far away from here as possible."

"No, you're not. Why does it have to be you? I don't care about the damn car! I can't let you do something so dangerous!"

Just then, Styles arrived driving a black RV Van and stopping near them. "Let's go, let's go."

"I have to go." Pulling her arm away from his grip, Katherine turned and simultaneously unlocked the Aston Martin. She and Falcon got inside and locked the doors, leaving Damien frustrated that he couldn't persuade Katherine.

Not wanting to be left out, Damien headed to the black RV and climbed inside without second thoughts.

Styles was utterly surprised that Damien was going to go with them. "Woah Wh-Wh-Why are you"

"I'm coming whether you like it or not," Damien huffed, his eyes never leaving the woman in the driver's seat of his bomb-car. He was very anxious, thinking that Katherine was inside the car that could potentially explode. 

"Drive!" he commanded when he saw Katherine pulling away from the parking and heading towards the exit.

Styles flinched at his tone and stepped on the gas. He pressed a few buttons on the panel of the dashboard and a screen appeared, revealing a digital map. "Queen."

"Yes, I can hear you." Katherine's voice was heard through the speakers inside the van, making Damien glance at the dashboard.

"Good. Are we heading towards the location you pinned on the tablet?" Styles drove towards the exit of the parking area.

"Yes, but I don't know where it is. You have to give me directions to get there."

"Got it. Turn right once you exit the ramp and head straight for 200 meters," replied Styles.

The two vehicles left the hotel and joined the traffic in a convoy. Styles gave instructions from time to time until they were off towards the outskirts of the city.

Being alone in the car with Damien made him nervous. Styles would sneak peeks at the man in the passenger's seat but the man had his eyes fixed on the car in front of them to notice his brief looks. 

Trying to break the ice, Styles cleared his throat and started, "I'm Styles."

Damien blinked as though his trance was interrupted and glanced at the driver. "Damien."

"So um nice weather tonight, huh?"

Damien knitted his brows and narrowed his eyes at Styles before he turned to watch Katherine in his car again.

"Oh-kay" Styles ignored Damien for the rest of the ride. They only had to drive for twenty minutes until they reached an empty road that was leading towards a long road with a series of sand dunes on the side.

"I think we're good here." Katherine's voice sounded from the speakers again.

"Roger that." Styles stopped the van and watched as Katherine pulled to the side. 

Getting out of the car, Damien immediately jogged towards where she pulled over while Styles remained inside the van, waiting for further instructions.

Katherine and Falcon were already in front of the car talking when Damien arrived.

He swiftly pulled Katherine by the shoulders to face him and told her, "This is insane. There must be another way to solve this."

"There is no other way! This is the only way," she responded with her voice slightly raised. "You shouldn't have come, Damien." She was exasperated, having Damien here while all of this was happening was driving her crazy. She couldn't function properly when she has to think about everyone's safety especially his.

He hung his head low, feeling defeated that he was still very confused and that there was nothing he could do about this extremely bizarre and terrifying experience. Just a while ago, he was just at the party, overcoming his inner demons whilst struggling to find ways to talk to Katherine but now, they were dealing with a bomb. An actual fcking bomb!

"I'm ready." Falcon was already on the ground next to the bumper. "We need to get this over with. The sooner the better."

Katherine willed herself to turn away from Damien and moved closer to Falcon, watching as the latter positioned a small camera on the ground which was directly below the explosive device. "Go on," she said.

"Styles, can you see it clearly?" Falcon asked through the comms.

"Yes. I'm ready when you are."

"Alright. Here goes nothing."

With steady fingers, Falcon slowly reached for the cover and very gently, she nudged a nub to the side that released the cover from its casing. She pulled it off, allowing Styles to see the inside of the device.

As soon as he did, Falcon and Katherine heard him gasp through the earpiece, "Holy motherWe have 120 seconds."