Chapter 46: Chapter 46

Raymond signals everyone—including Frederick and Lucas—to follow him into the building through the back. As expected, the guard at the rear was just as strict as the guard at the front. While hiding in the trees near the building, he watched everyone on guard there, carrying AR-15 rifles.

'How long will the numbing gas works?' Raymond studied the drone in his right hand. Seeing the shape that was bigger than the first drone type, he was a little reluctant to use it.

'In ten minutes,' Edward took out some of the drones he was carrying, complete with hologram tablets that were used as controls. 'They are equipped with artificial intelligence. I have included the map for this mansion as well.'

'But it looks like their job will be difficult,' Raymond took the hologram tablet from Edward's hand, activating the drones, which frustrated him with instantaneous frustration. 'I wanted to ask you since earlier. Why are you putting emojis like this on the drone screen?'

'It's cute, right? So it's not tense to see them.'

Raymond narrowed his eyes, charging the real reason the man putting an emoji on his drone screen.

'To weaken their guard. If they are underestimated the drone, they'll definitely let their guard down. It's better if you see it by yourself how this second type of drone works.'

'But I already saw it before.

'It's different from the first prototype. That was just an external test. I'm planting a secret feature secretly inside the drone.' Edward looked enthusiastic as he said it, making him unable to stop smiling because he saw Edward's expression which in his eyes was so cute right now, erasing the gruff face that man always showed in the cafe. Edward took the hologram tablet back from Raymond's hand, locking his gaze onto the screen of his hologram tablet. 'Ready?'

'Anytime.'

Edward grinned as he pressed the 'Enter' button. The drones were active, creeping rapidly into the building, hiding occasionally from the sight of the guards there. A little anxious, he watched the drones from a distance. As he thought, it only took a few minutes for the drones to hide, because the guards found out their existences. Unconsciously he bit his lower lip, afraid that he would have to adopt a contingency plan that he was unsure if he could do it successfully or not.

'Where did this drone come from!?' a man screamed hysterically as soon as he saw the drones moving towards them, shooting at the drone repeatedly.

'Tell Mr Gavin! Hurry!' one of the guards there shouted for his friend to immediately report to the man called Gavin while pointing his rifle at the drones approaching them.

'Who is Gavin?' Raymond whispered to Edward, not taking his eyes off the guards, who now looked even more panicked when they learned that the drones were still moving despite being hit multiple times.

'The old man who attacked you at that time. Remember?' Edward replied.

'Oh. So, that's the feature you mentioned earlier? Bulletproof?'

Edward shook his head. 'Wrong. Too expensive if I make a bullet-proof feature.'

'Then?'

Edward pulled a binocular from his jacket pocket. 'Look with this.'

He obeyed, accepted the binocular. Only then did he understood what Edward meant. The drones continued to move, displaying smiley emoticons out of sync with their movements as they were now creeping up on some of the already frightened guards. Around them, there was a thin haze of smoke evaporating from the body of the drone—not clearly visible, spreading to all corners.

'When they have destroyed the drone, the gas inside them became active. Ah, besides, the nerve gas I use is environmentally friendly. They work like poison, but without an antidote. So they will die for a very long time without being able to move their limbs.'

Quickly he returned the binoculars back to Edward. 'I like your idea.'

Edward smiled with satisfaction at his compliment, then turned to face the Umberbridge members who were hiding around them. '

'We'll wait until the gas disappears, then we'll enter.'

'For how long?' asked Lucas, who had been standing behind Raymond all along, interested in observing the drone's movements from Edward's hologram tablet screen. 'Do we need to wear masks? Or hold our breath?'

'Ten minutes is enough to eliminate the gas. Without a trace. It's been tested several times with my acquaintance, so it's safe.'

Lucas nodded in understanding.

They heard the screams of the guards firing their rifles and started to lose control of their bodies due to the effect of the numbing gas that started to work. The shot stopped as their bodies slammed into the ground accompanied by the sound of their screams of pain that gradually began to turn to a whispered.

'I actually don't like this method, but I think it's fine this time. Simon deserves it,' Edward whistled to celebrate the victory that Raymond thought was too early to celebrate. Then the man touched his earphones. 'The back is clear.'

***