The alarm within the President's Mansion reverberated through every corner, gunfire erupted downstairs, clearly indicating that Ferrari and Jiang Feng had already begun exchanging fire with the approaching Guard soldiers.
Ti was becoming more and more pressing.
The only reason Jiang Feng and the other two could still hold off the attack was that most of the Guard soldiers had been lured to an adjacent street by Hassan's decoy strategy.
If they realized it was a trap and returned to the President's Mansion with reinforcents, they would definitely beco sitting ducks.
Fortunately, everything seed hopeful now.
Noel was in their hands.
Song Heping grabbed Noel by the collar, with the gun muzzle pressed against his lower back, pushing him quickly through the red-carpeted corridor.
Isabel clutched her bleeding leg, staggering behind, tears cutting two ravines through her delicate makeup.
"Move faster!" Song Heping shouted harshly, and simultaneously called into the radio, "Collins, report the situation!"
"The helipad is under control, but the Presidential Guard is regrouping!" Collins' voice mingled with gunfire, "We can only hold out for three minutes at most!"
Song Heping glanced at his watch, sweat trickling down his temples.
Three minutes, from the third floor to the helipad, with two burdens, one a young woman with a leg injury, the other a dictator nearing sixty.
This was almost an impossible mission.
"Jiang Feng, co upstairs to support !" commanded Song Heping.
"On my way!"
Jiang Feng imdiately responded.
At this mont, Song Heping needed assistance.
He had to bring the wounded Isabel along.
This was the best leverage to control Noel.
Without Isabel, he couldn't be sure Noel would still obediently comply.
Five fully ard Presidential Guard soldiers were charging up the stairs.
Seeing the hostage president and the wounded Isabel, they froze instantly, hesitation filling their eyes.
"Drop your weapons!"
Song Heping pushed Noel to the front, the muzzle of the Glock 17 pressed against the president's temple, "Otherwise, your president's head will explode!"
For a mont, even Song Heping found it comical.
What had happened?
He was a retired Special Forces officer and now the boss of a large Defense Company, yet here he was, reduced to being a kidnapper.
He felt sowhat degraded...
But he quickly ca to terms with it.
He was now on Arica's list of terrorists, confird by the UN.
Now he was undoubtedly a terrorist.
Should terrorists have a moral burden?
Absolutely not!
Damn it!
Song Heping cursed inwardly, pressing the pistol hard against Noel's temple, the latter hissing as he inhaled sharply.
Seeing Noel grit his teeth in silence, the Guard soldiers blocked the corridor, unwilling to make way. Looking at Isabel, Song Heping didn't hesitate to shoot her other good leg.
Bang—
"Ah—"
This ti, Isabel couldn't even stand, collapsing to the ground and wailing.
The soldiers hesitated, their gun muzzles wavering uncertainly.
"Do as he says!" Noel scread, his voice full of fear, "Drop your weapons! That's an order!"
The guards exchanged looks, eventually slowly placing their rifles on the ground.
These soldiers were absolutely loyal to Noel, never disobeying his orders.
"Step back! Stand against the wall!"
Song Heping commanded.
The soldiers sluggishly moved to the wall, but still stole glances at Song Heping, seemingly looking for a chance to counterattack.
Isabel groaned in pain, lying on the ground like a wounded bird, lanting.
Finally, Jiang Feng arrived just in ti.
"Boss, the firefight at the helipad is intense," Jiang Feng reported, "Collins and the others can't hold out much longer, we have to hurry."
"Have those guys carry the girl, you keep an eye on them!" Song Heping ordered, "I'll control the president."
Jiang Feng nodded, pointing to the soldiers, "You, help her!"
The soldiers exchanged glances.
Song Heping raised his gun again.
Noel imdiately shrieked, "Quick! Help my daughter! Listen to him! Do as he says!"
Upon receiving the order, the soldiers finally stepped forward to support the faltering Isabel.
The girl instinctively wanted to struggle, but blood loss left her too weak.
"Don't harm her..."
Noel pleaded softly with Song Heping, the authority of the once-dictator vanishing completely.
"I'll go with you, just don't hurt my daughter."
"Shut up, keep moving forward!"
Song Heping gave him a push.
"As long as you cooperate, I guarantee your daughter won't be hard."
Jiang Feng held a gun on a few guards, who in turn restrained Isabel, while Song Heping used a gun to control Noel, trailing at the end.
The group passed through the corridor, entering the fire escape, and descended the stairs, finally reaching the first floor.
The first floor hall was already crowded with more than twenty guards.
All their guns were pointed at Song Heping and Jiang Feng.
The air was thick with the sll of gunpowder, the entire President's Mansion was like an explosives warehouse filled with gunpowder, just a single spark could set it off.
"Make them withdraw! Get out of the hall, order your n to cease fire imdiately, we need to take your helicopter!"
Song Heping, stuck close to Noel's back, commanded him, just like inputting a command to control a robot.
Noel was hesitant; if it were just himself, he'd risk it all, and if he died, so be it.
But with his daughter held hostage, the situation was entirely different.
Being involved in political struggles was his choice.
His daughter was innocent.
Moreover, back then, he also ca to power through a coup, during which he was chased by the then-president, implicating his wife...
This was a deep-seated issue for him, one that couldn't be touched.
Also, because of this, Noel always felt he owed his daughter, and seeing her being held hostage imdiately made him submissive, willing to follow any demands.
"Didn't you hear?!"
Noel, a bit hysterical, shouted at his guard soldiers: "Get out! Get out! Make them cease fire! Stop shooting!"
The lieutenant leading the guards, who was Noel's confidant, imdiately spread his arms wide upon hearing this, signaling all his n: "Put down your guns! Follow the President's orders! Withdraw!"
Everyone lowered their guns, slowly withdrawing from the hall.
A mont later, the gunfire outside ceased as well.
"Thank you for cooperating."
Song Heping smiled and said, "I promise as soon as we're on the helicopter, I'll release your daughter."
Noel turned to stare fiercely at Song Heping, with a murderous look: "I hope you keep your word."
As he exited the side door of the President's Mansion, the scene in front of him allowed Song Heping to ease his heart.
The Mi-17 helicopter was still on the helipad, and the earlier firefight hadn't resulted in any collateral damage. It seed intact and undamaged.
"Collins! Ferrari! Follow up! Board imdiately!"
No ti to waste.
Song Heping urged everyone to board the helicopter imdiately, fearing for any delay which might bring unforeseen complications.
When the group finally reached the helicopter, holding Noel and Isabel hostage, Collins was the first to climb up and open the hatch.
"Hurry, push him up!"
Collins motioned to Jiang Feng and Ferrari below the plane.
Noel resisted with all his might, turning his head to say to Song Heping, "You promised to spare my daughter!"
Song Heping couldn't be bothered to explain to this guy, he grabbed Isabel and directly pressed the gun to her temple, ordering Noel, "Board imdiately, or I'll send her off first!"
"You bastard!"
Noel cursed powerlessly, but his feet loosened, no longer resisting, allowing Jiang Feng and the others to pull and push him into the cabin.
"Young lady, I generally don't kill won unless absolutely necessary; you're free now."
After saying this, Song Heping turned and grabbed Collins's hand, who pulled hard, and Song Heping jumped into the plane.
In the cabin, he instructed Jiang Feng: "Keep an eye on him. If the soldiers below start shooting, use Mr. President as a shield."
Then he turned and shouted at the distant guard soldiers: "Take one step closer and I'll kill your president!"
The soldiers hesitated at the edge of the helipad, stopping in their tracks.
"Go!"
Song Heping closed the cabin door and walked towards the cockpit.
After entering the cockpit, he sat in the pilot's seat and called back to Ferrari: "Ferrari, get in here and help!"
"Boss, can you really fly a helicopter?"
Collins followed Ferrari into the cockpit, glanced at the array of instrunts, and asked in surprise.
"Didn't I say I learned a bit in South Arica before? It's just flying a helicopter..."
As he replied, Song Heping began checking the instrunts.
But soon, he was stunned.
"Oh damn!"
After being stunned for two seconds, he cursed.
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