Fiona was still reeling from James''s cryptic message, "Don''t leave after ss."


    "Did he mean you shouldn''t leave, or was he talking about me?"


    "I''m not leaving, and neither are you."


    Fiona''s face went even paler.


    Alec nced at Fiona, sprawled on the hospital bed, and said, "If we''re putting on a show, let''s do it right. Your acting might be awful, but don''t bother going to ss this afternoon."


    Fiona nodded vigorously, like a chick pecking at grain. If the afternoon ss was with James, she''d much rather fake sickness here.


    By the time evening rolled around, it was supposed to be time for school to dismiss. Suddenly, an rm red over the loudspeakers, followed by the principal''s precise announcement: "Attention, students. Please be advised that due to a scheduled emergency drill, you must leave the school premises immediately after dismissal."


    "I repeat, due to a scheduled emergency drill, please leave the school premises immediately after dismissal."


    The students, hearing the announcement, started making their way out. "Why''s there an emergency drill all of a sudden? We''ve never had one before."


    "Who knows, but getting out early is always a win."


    "Oh my gosh, have you seen the new teacher? He''s so handsome! I heard he''s practically a legend!"


    A group of students, buzzing with gossip about James''s glory days in Devonport, made their way out of the school.


    Meanwhile, the wless idol in every student''s eyes was stationed at the entrance of the school building. The Burke family''s bodyguards had swept through the entire campus. Once it was confirmed no students were left behind, Tricia gave the signal for two vans to roll into the campus.


    "Wow, check out those massive armored trucks!"


    "I''ve never seen anything like it. Is there really an emergency drill going on?"


    Some students craned their necks toward the entrance, trying to get a better look.


    But the security guards blocked their view. "An emergency drill is


    happening inside. For safety


    reasons, all unauthorized


    must leave immediately."


    The students were stunned by the dapper, ck-suited security guards they''d


    never seen before. And it wasn''t just one or two of them.


    By the time they realized, the school was surrounded by these guards, sealing off any possibility of sneaking a peek inside.


    Half an hourter, no students or onlookers were lingering within 500 meters of the school.


    Inside the campus, Alec was already standing in the center of the field.


    James stood at the school building''s entrance, eyeing Alec on the field. He said, "Your test is simple. If you can break through these fifty guys, I''ll trust you can protect Fiona


    "Fifty? Are you serious, James?"


    Fiona stood nearby, her face turning a shade whiter. Even in their drills at the


    Costello family estate, they''d never faced so many at once.


    Before Fiona could finish her anxious rambling, two vans unloaded a neatly organized row of mercenaries.


    d in ck bulletproof vests and armed with cutting-edge firearms, they were a far cry from the paintball guns used in practice. Fiona could easily tell these guys were packing real heat.  en


    This was no game. This was serious business.


    "James, I—I''m just not cut out for this. I don''t need Alec to protect me, I..."