Contract Marriage with My Secret Partner in Crime-Chapter 78: Take the Bait

One second he was still. The next, he was a blur, cutting the space between them with terrifying speed.

Reynold’s instincts kicked in. He threw himself sideways just in time, the wind from Ted’s movement brushing his coat like a blade passing too close.

Jeric stumbled back, flashlight clattering to the ground.

"Move!" Reynold shouted, hitting the floor and rolling toward the far wall.

Ted didn’t stop.

He pivoted with inhuman precision, his body twisting midair, landing on his feet like a creature designed for one thing only—pursuit.

Jeric scrambled for his flashlight, breathing fast, panicked. "What the hell is wrong with him?!"

"I don’t think it’s him," Reynold muttered, chest heaving.

Ted stopped again.

He turned slowly, his eyes flicking between them. There was no recognition. No flicker of familiarity. Just a cold, patient hunger behind his stare.

Something else was in him.

Something not human.

Jeric raised the light and aimed it directly at Ted’s face.

Ted didn’t flinch.

He started walking forward, slow, controlled steps like he had all the time in the world and nowhere else to be.

Jeric backed up, voice shaking. "What do we do?"

Reynold rose to his feet, eyes never leaving Ted. "We stall. Buy time. Hope someone’s watching."

The lights above flickered.

Then the voice returned.

Not the warm, soothing tone from before.

This one was distorted. Glitching.

"Test... phase... failed..."

A sharp buzz rang through the air, and Ted stopped mid-step.

His body jerked, like something inside of him had been shocked.

Then he dropped to one knee.

His hands gripped his head.

For a second, it looked like he was fighting something.

Then a scream tore out of his throat.

Not human.

The lights above exploded in a shower of sparks.

Reynold pulled Jeric behind him, shielding him instinctively as the room was plunged into red emergency lighting. The walls shifted again, this time violently, mechanical arms sliding out from hidden seams. A door appeared behind them, metal and half-open.

"Go!" Reynold yelled.

Jeric didn’t hesitate. They ran, feet pounding the floor, the door sliding open just as they reached it. Behind them, Ted’s screams continued, warping into something raw and unbearable.

They didn’t look back.

---

[Watching Room – Emergency Response]

Cassius stood still, his gaze locked on the monitor as the emergency lights cast long, sharp shadows across his face. The usual smirk he wore like armor had disappeared, replaced by something much colder, more calculating. His fingers drummed lightly against the console, betraying his attempt to keep his emotions in check.

Sophia, standing a few paces behind him, shifted uncomfortably. She had been watching the events unfold, but her mind was already racing through the possibilities. She wasn’t one to show much, but the tightness in her jaw told Cassius everything he needed to know. She was worried, just like him.

"Retrieval team’s en route. ETA five minutes," she said, breaking the silence that had settled between them.

Cassius gave a short nod but didn’t look at her. His attention remained on the screen, his eyes scanning the data as it poured in. Every second that ticked by was another one they didn’t have. He needed to move fast, but the gears in his mind were grinding slowly, making sure every decision was precise.

He grabbed a handheld suppressor from the weapons locker, checking its charge as he continued to assess the situation. "Pull all records of Subject Eleven. I want every test, every log, every decision made by anyone connected to that containment."

Sophia’s eyes narrowed as she began tapping at the console. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, but she could tell Cassius wasn’t done speaking. He was far from finished, and they both knew it. A moment of silence passed before she spoke again.

"You think someone let him out on purpose?" she asked, her voice softer than usual, as if she were treading carefully around a topic they both knew was too dangerous to discuss openly.

Cassius paused, his hand frozen mid-motion. The words he’d been about to say died in his throat, and he slowly turned to face her. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes were sharp—too sharp for anyone to miss. There was something deeper at play here, and they both knew it. Whatever was happening in that facility was far more complex than anyone had anticipated.

"I don’t think," he said, his voice cool, "I know."

He turned his attention back to the monitor, but his mind was elsewhere. The plan had been in motion for months, but now that it had begun to fall apart, Cassius wasn’t sure if they were in control anymore. The variables had changed. And when things started spiraling like this, you had to think ahead.

He could feel Sophia’s gaze on him, but he didn’t meet her eyes. Instead, he focused on the data streaming in, piecing together the puzzle as best as he could. Finally, he spoke again, this time with a more deliberate tone.

"We need another plan," he muttered under his breath, barely loud enough for her to hear. His eyes never left the screen. "We need to make Reynold take the bait."

Sophia raised an eyebrow, the smallest hint of surprise breaking through her usual poise. "He’s been involved in this for longer than we expected. What exactly do you want him to do?" she asked, her voice low but questioning. She knew him well enough to understand that he rarely spoke without purpose, and this time, his words carried the weight of a thousand unspoken thoughts.

Cassius’s lips twitched upward, the faintest sign of amusement. It wasn’t a smile, but it was something. "He needs to go deeper into this," he said. "The only way we’re going to move forward is to get him tangled in it—completely. He’s our key."

Sophia frowned, clearly thinking this over. She knew Reynold, and while she understood the necessity of involving him more, it wasn’t going to be easy. Reynold was careful, too careful at times. He didn’t trust anyone easily, and getting him to take the bait wouldn’t be simple.