Chapter 3

Perhaps fueled by some twisted mutual wavelength, I slipped off my backpack and cracked my knuckles. "Giving up is not an option. Look at your pedigree, Julian! Every clue we cross paths with belongs to us!!!"

Julian grabbed my arm instantly, trying to hold me back. "If you want to get yourself killed, fine, but do you have to drag me down with you?"

What kind of slander was that?

I patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Come on, bro, why so distant?"

Small talk over, I took a running sprint and launched myself straight toward the water. An alligator, spotting a free delivery meal arriving at its doorstep, opened its cavernous, tooth-filled maw. Without hesitation, I slammed one foot directly onto its scaly snout, kicked its jaws shut with sheer brute force, and used the momentum to vault toward the next reptile.

I literally parkoured across the gators' snouts straight to my four o'clock target, bent down to snatch the red ribbon, and dashed back to dry land. The entire stunt took less than two minutes.

[Pulling off something that badass—are you tired of living?!]

[Holy crap, 6666666! Felicity, what other secret talents are you hiding from us?!]

[Who needs men when our girl is this terrifyingly cool?]

The red ribbon read: "Banana Leaves."

Banana leaves to the east.

Before I could climb another tree, Julian beat me to it, scaling the trunk in smooth, fluid motions. He scanned the horizon and led the way along the riverbank.

When we successfully reached the grove of wild banana trees, I noticed fresh boot prints in the mud. I slowed my pace and crept closer. Faint voices floated through the foliage.

"Should we give that damn scientist something to eat?"

"No need. A grown man can survive on one meal a day. Feed him too much and he'll have the energy to run. Finding someone in this damn jungle isn't easy."

"Once we wrap up this job, we can retire in the shadows."

Julian peeked through the leaves, his brow furrowing deeply. "That scientist is Dr. Wendell. He went missing a while back. I didn't expect him to be kidnapped out here. Look closely—one of those mercenaries is a foreigner."

Damn, the movie star really was well-informed.

I’d deduced as much from their gear. They looked like high-level corporate spies or mercenaries. "Mr. Vance, if I take these guys down, do you think I can boost my industry status?"

Ten years of playing the delicate flower, totally unnoticed; one day of smut, and everyone knows my name.

[Forget boosting your status, you'd shoot straight to the A-list!!]

[If you actually take down foreign mercenaries, Felicity, you're going to be a national hero! I just hope you can handle that level of insane fame!]

My hands itched with anticipation. "Gotta risk it for the biscuit."

It wasn't that Julian was hiding behind a woman; my physical speed was simply inhuman, and he couldn't stop me in time. Left with no choice, he had to trail behind me, practically sweating bullets.

"Retire in the shadows? How about I give you an inmate number instead?!"

At the sound of my voice, the kidnappers reacted instantly, reaching for their weapons. I darted in, dislocated one guy’s shoulder with a sharp twist, and executed a textbook hip throw that sent him crashing into his buddies like a bowling ball, knocking them down in a tangled heap.

There were three kidnappers in total.

I kicked their weapons out of reach, delivered a swift, punishing kick to each of their ribs, and cockily flipped them off. "I've never seen such pathetic amateurs. Kidnapping our top research scientists? Who gave you the audacity? Without my permission, nobody feeds these clowns a single crumb!!"

The overhead drones captured the entire takedown. The authorities watching the live feed immediately contacted me via the emergency comms.

After safely handing Dr. Wendell over to the rescue squad, the reality show was forced to shut down early.

In recognition of my outstanding contribution, the grand prize money was wired directly into my personal bank account.

#FelicityAPredatorInDisguise

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#TheFakeSweetheartRevealed

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Oh baby. I finally claimed the number one trending spot all on my own!

I immediately fired off an Ins post: Certified badass. Please feel free to replay the footage on loop!!