Chapter 94
The van was eerily silent. Karl sat in the middle seat, staring blankly ahead. Ella was next to him, her arms crossed tightly, radiating coldness. Lucy sat at the back, her sharp eyes focused on Valencia, who was in the front, directing the driver.
The only sound was the hum of the van’s engine as it cruised through the night. A faint chill crept in from a small crack in the window, adding to the awkward tension hanging in the air.
Karl finally broke the silence, his voice hesitant. "Where exactly are we going, Valencia?"
Valencia, busy with a small tablet in her hands, replied without looking up. "My place. It’s safe. No one knows about it, not even the Neosia."
"Safe?" Ella scoffed, her voice dripping with skepticism. "How do we know that? You haven’t explained anything."
Valencia sighed deeply, turning her head slightly, her face showing irritation but staying composed. "Listen, Little Girl. I don’t need to convince you. If you don’t want to come, you can get off now and try surviving on your own."
Ella’s hands clenched into fists, her face red with anger. "Stop calling me Little Girl! I’m old enough to know who to trust!"
"Oh, really?" Valencia chuckled lightly. "Because so far, all you’ve done is cause more problems than solutions. So forgive me if I’m a little skeptical about your maturity."
"Enough!" Lucy’s calm but firm voice cut through. "Both of you, stop. We don’t have time for this argument."
Karl glanced at his mom briefly before looking at Valencia again. "What’s at your place? Can we really stay safe there?"
Valencia nodded slowly, her tone serious. "Not just safe. We’ll have time to plan our next steps. You don’t want your mom and sister to keep being targets, do you?"