Chapter 66: Route Part 2
One week passed, and still no trace of Terrence was found.
How could they? By now, he was already back in the United States.
After slipping past the border, he made his way through the forests on foot until he reached a small city in Estonia.
There, he finally managed to contact Dr. Ivan using a secure channel through the dark web.
Dr. Ivan didn't waste time.
Within days, a new identity was arranged for him . A fresh passport, new records, and a clean set of travel documents.
From there, it was just a series of carefully planned train rides, each leg chosen to avoid cameras and minimize checks.
He moved like a ghost, blending in among tired commuters and tourists who never even looked up from their phones.
Finally, with his new papers and a ticket, he boarded a flight to New York.
By the time the Russian and European agencies realized they had lost him, he was already stepping out of the airport terminal into the humid summer air of his home city.
He took a moment to breathe it in.
'I'm back.'
The crowded taxis, the smell of roasted peanuts from street carts, the endless noise .It all felt strangely comforting after the frozen silence of the Russian border.
He pulled his cap lower and adjusted the strap of his bag. Even back home, caution was second nature to him.
'Should I go straight to the lab?'
It was a tempting idea, but then he remembered his aunt, whom he hadn't contacted yet. She must be worried sick about him.
"Taxi" He hailed a cab and gave the driver the address.
Soon, he found himself back at his apartment.
The moment he stepped inside, Effie rushed at him, throwing her arms around his neck.
She clung to him so tightly that her whole body began to tremble, her face burying into his chest as if she never wanted to let go.
Within seconds, he felt the warmth of her tears soaking through his shirt.
"Where have you been!" she demanded, her voice breaking between sobs.
"I—I thought something happened to you! You weren't answering any calls, no messages, nothing!"
He hesitated for a moment before leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, his fingers threading softly through her hair in a comforting, protective gesture.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "There were… complications. Work stuff. Nothing dangerous."
She pulled back just enough to look at him, her eyes red and puffy.
"Don't lie to me,"
He cupped her face, wiping her tears with his thumbs
"I'm not lying. I promise you."
Without waiting for her response, he leaned in and kissed her again — this time on the lips.
The kiss was gentle at first, almost hesitant, as if he were asking for her forgiveness through every brush of his mouth against hers.
They moved to the sofa, and he helped her sit down carefully.
She clung to his sleeve, refusing to let go even as he tried to pour her a glass of water.
When he finally sat beside her, he spun a simple story — a delayed assignment, unexpected detours, some technical failures with his cellphone.
He was careful. Just enough detail to sound real, not enough to raise more questions.
Effie listened, wide-eyed, her fingers twisting the hem of his sleeves.
And when he finished, she let out a breath and nodded, collapsing into his side.
"Please… next time, just tell me. Even a single message," she mumbled into his shoulder.
He wrapped his arm around her, resting his chin on her head.
"I promise," he said, though they both knew he couldn't truly guarantee it.
"Don't just say it — you have to mean it," she murmured, settling onto his lap as she began to undress.
Fully nude, she took his hand and guided it to her breast, a soft sigh escaping her lips as his fingers made contact.
"Touch me... I missed you" she whispered seductively.
He complied, his hand cupping her gently, feeling her flexible tits.
"Like this?" he murmured, his thumb brushing over her nipple, eliciting a shiver from her.
She arched into his touch, a soft moan escaping her throat. "Yes, just like that. Don't hold back."
Unable to hold back any longer, he grabbed her other breast, his mouth capturing her nipple in a fierce suction.
His teeth grazed the sensitive flesh, eliciting a gasp from her as he bit down .
"You taste so good" he muttered, his tongue swirling around her nipple before biting down again, drawing another cry from her lips.
"Don't stop," she pleaded, her voice a breathless whisper. "I need more than this… after you were gone for so long."
"Sure thing," He lifted her effortlessly, carrying her to a longer sofa, where he laid her down gently, his body covering hers.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer for a French kiss, her breath coming in short, desperate gasps.
"I want you inside me."
He followed her request, his pants dropping to the floor as he positioned himself at her already soaking wet slit.
But instead of taking her right away, he leaned down, capturing her to make his manhood harder.
She moaned into his mouth, her body arching off the sofa, seeking more of his touch.
"Please," she pleaded, "I can't wait any longer."
"ARGGGH" He growled in response
With a single, powerful thrust, he filled her completely, their bodies joining.
The sofa creaked beneath them, the sound of their passionate rhythm threatening to topple it over.
Meeting each thrust with a lift of her hips, their bodies moved in perfect harmony, lost in the intoxicating rhythm and overwhelming pleasure of their union.
"Harder," she demanded, her nails dug into his back, . "I need more."
Her words came out more like a challenge than a plea. In response, he began channeling his mana, making his manhood swell larger than usual.
"Get ready."
Terrence changed his grip, his hands sliding firmly beneath her thighs as he lifted her legs high and folded them toward her chest, hooking them almost around her head.
Gasping, her body stretched to accommodate him, the pleasure so intense it bordered on pain.
"Yes, like this," she moaned, "Don't stop."
He pressed forward relentlessly, each powerful thrust sinking all the way to her vaginal entrance, the angle making every movement hit deeper.
Arching off the sofa, she clawed at the cover with trembling fingers as he held her firmly in place.
But he wasn't done yet. His pace kept rising, becoming so intense that blood began to trickle from her slit.
Seeing this, he decided to slow down.
"Don't… I can take it," she gasped, her fingers tightening around his hand.
This made him hesitate, a part of him wanting to stop entirely. But he realized that stopping now would only frustrate and hurt her more.
So he resumed his pace, rising again — but this time, he refrained from using mana to enlarge his crown jewel. Which was already very large to begin with.
The sensations became more manageable for both of them.
Their rhythm settled into a deep, steady cadence.
Finally, with a shuddering groan, he released inside her, his body trembling as he emptied himself completely.
.
.
.
It was already nighttime when he woke up, finding Effie sleeping soundly beside him.
'I'll just head there tomorrow,' he muttered to himself, deciding to rest a bit longer.
But then he heard his phone buzzing from the other room — the same phone he had left behind in his office, which explained why Effie hadn't been able to contact him all this time.
It was a text from Anna and another from Hannah, both women worried sick about him.
For now, he chose to send brief replies, reassuring them that he was safe but needed to rest, promising to contact them properly the next day.
.
.
.
Back in Anna's apartment, her phone vibrated with a new message.
She smiled for a split second, relief flooding her features — but then her expression quickly shifted into a troubled frown.
'Is this really you?' she mused to herself, eyes fixed on a video she just received.
It had come from one of the mercenaries' recordings at Barron's mansion.
In the footage, Terrence moved with inhuman speed and strength, controlling flames as if they were extensions of his own will.
His superhuman abilities were laid bare for anyone to see.
Anna's heart pounded as she watched, torn between awe, fear, and confusion.
Although her father had always insisted that such powers were possible if one mastered mana, hearing about it and seeing it firsthand were completely different things.
If he were ever exposed to the public, humanity's entire understanding of genetics, DNA, and human potential would be turned upside down.
And that realization filled her with fear, because it meant he was in great danger.
It was the reason Dr. Ivan was so determined to keep Terrence's existence hidden — so determined, in fact, that he had even ordered the elimination of everyone involved in the mission.
What he displayed there was too overwhelming, a blatant demonstration of mana far beyond what even Dr. Ivan had anticipated.
If Ivan had known that Terrence's power was at that level, he would never have risked sending him there in the first place.
Anna, of course, knew nothing of this side of the truth.
All she knew was that her father and him were working together.
'Did he date me because he wanted to get close to father?'
She wondered. But then she recalled how she was the one desperately chasing him from the start. So, it couldn't be the case.