Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 112: Sis Marv Again

Chapter 112: Sis Marv Again

When Todd and Caesara arrived, Lyra had a gut feeling that the new secretary, who had taken over Morrison’s responsibilities, might not be up to the task.

So, she decided to head to the airport herself, despite having a class earlier that morning.

By the time she got there, though, Todd, Caesara, and their entourage were already gathered around the secretary.

Lyra didn’t rush. She stood back and watched.

Caesara, known for her playful charm with both men and women, had an arm slung around the petite secretary, teasing her. "Come on, sweetheart, you’re really keeping quiet, huh? All I asked was how Sis Marv’s profits have been, and you won’t even give me that?"

The new secretary, Debbie, was dressed in a neat black suit and skirt. Her hair was messily pinned up with a pen—a clear sign of how busy she’d been.

Her words came out fast, almost like rapid-fire, "Miss Caesara, don’t ’sweetheart’ me. I just work for whoever signs my paycheck. Plus, I just got this job! I’m not spilling coffee or anything, and I’m already proud of myself. If you really need answers, maybe ask someone tougher than me—like our boss."

She shot a quick glance at Caesara’s waist. ’Wait, is that a gun tucked in there?’

’Oh God, help!’ Debbie thought, her panic rising.

Caesara seemed to pick up on the silent SOS because she suddenly let Debbie go and turned around.

The airport was packed, but standing a few feet away was a girl in a tank top and cargo pants.

Her slightly messy black hair was tied back, giving her a small frame, but the sharp look she carried instantly commanded attention.

"She’s bad news," Caesara muttered, her playful grin fading as her hand brushed over the gun at her waist.

Todd pushed his glasses up. "What are you talking about?"

"She’s got a more dangerous vibe than you right now."

Those who’ve faced life-and-death situations develop a keen sense of danger. And with Caesara’s space-related abilities, she was even more attuned to shifts in energy.

The moment Lyra stepped into Caesara’s heightened awareness zone, the superpower particles shifted, almost crackling with tension.

Todd’s eyes narrowed. "She’s hit level six?"

"Obviously."

While they quietly whispered about this new development, Debbie took the chance to sneak back behind Lyra, letting out a relieved breath.

"Everyone accounted for?" Lyra asked, taking in the group’s size with a brief flicker of unease in her eyes. The energy surrounding this crew was more intense than they were letting on.

Caesara draped her arm around Lyra’s shoulder, her grip tightening just a bit too much. "There’s big money on the table—I brought my best people."

Her fingers dug into Lyra’s shoulder, hard enough that anyone watching would wince.

Debbie sure did. Ouch, that had to hurt! But Lyra didn’t even flinch. She calmly removed Caesara’s hand, her thin wrist tensing with hidden strength.

The quiet standoff between the two women ended with Lyra standing firm, while Caesara’s expression stiffened, just for a second.

Seeing this, Todd took in the situation more clearly. "We’ve also brought the necessary tech team, Miss Shedd. Ready to collaborate."

"Glad to hear it," Lyra responded coolly.

With that, the group headed out to the manor in the suburbs.

Originally built as a vacation spot, the manor had been stripped of its surrounding greenery and flowers.

Engineers like Sean had fortified the place with protective shields, and drones now buzzed overhead.

Hidden security systems, including infrared traps, were in place, ensuring anyone foolish enough to intrude wouldn’t last long.

Behind the manor’s lawn, nearly a dozen workshops were up and running, producing a range of products, including medical devices. But the most important one—the "core" workshop—was located directly beneath Lyra’s office.

This whole place had turned into a major cash-making operation, a hub for cutting-edge technology.

Todd had heard the rumors, but seeing it for himself was something else.

In just six months, Lyra had built a small empire.

"The operation’s just starting to get on track," Lyra said with a quick, plain tone.

In truth, though, the profits hadn’t really rolled in yet. The massive costs of setting up the workshops, building the manor, and all the machinery were still looming large.

If it hadn’t been for the stash she saved from Voidstar and the extra cash she cleverly snagged during the mecha competition, she would’ve run out of money long ago.

To see real profits, they’d have to dive deep into Wyrmtrace.

When Caesara caught sight of the lavish, castle-like villa in the distance, a wave of excitement hit her.

After spending most of her life in rougher places, the idea of staying in a place once owned by an admiral had a certain appeal.

But before she could get too comfortable with the idea, Lyra made a sharp turn, leading them down a path through a small forest next to the villa.

Ahead, a few simple white buildings appeared.

"For now, you’ll stay here before we head out. Meals are in the cafeteria, help yourself," Lyra said, her tone casual.

As they moved further from the castle, Caesara’s excitement turned to confusion. She stared at the plain buildings and finally blurted, "Wait, we’re staying here?"

Lyra turned around, eyebrow raised. "Unless you’re paying for your own hotel?"

Caesara was taken aback. "What? You’re serious? We came all this way to help, and you won’t even let us stay in the villa?"

Lyra’s expression stayed cool. "I’m paying you. Don’t act like this is charity. You’re heading to Wyrmtrace for your cut, not out of the goodness of your heart."

If Lyra hadn’t needed extra hands to manage this massive opportunity, there was no way she would’ve let Snakehead and Caesara get involved.

"Sis Marv, why are you being so stingy?!" Caesara whined.

Todd quickly stepped in, trying to smooth things over. "This place is fine."

With so many people, staying anywhere else would be ridiculously expensive.

Plus, Todd had a feeling that the villa held more significance than Lyra was letting on. There was no way she’d let them into that space so easily.

The tension between the three leaders simmered, while Debbie shrank back slightly, watching the interaction with wide eyes. Her boss didn’t back down for a second—tough as nails.

"Debbie?" Lyra called out suddenly.

"Yes!" Debbie immediately straightened up. "As per Miss Caesara and Mr. Todd’s earlier instructions, I’ve already arranged the rooms and made sure the cafeteria is set up for everyone’s comfort."

She flashed a polite smile at Caesara and Todd. "If you need anything before we head out, just let me know, and I’ll do my best to assist."

Lyra gave a brief nod. "Good. You two, get some rest. We’ll talk more over dinner."

With that, she turned and headed back to her office, ready to go over some tasks with Morrison.

A short time later, Debbie rushed into the office. She was a little flustered, wiping sweat from her brow as she quickly began organizing files.

"Mr. Morrison, you’re back?" she asked, glancing at her old supervisor.

Morrison nodded and then said to Lyra, "I’ll start getting everything ready now, boss."

Lyra gave him a small nod, indicating he could go ahead. Then, she dove into the files Debbie had just straightened.

Debbie had been a recruit from a university job fair, brought in by Morrison. She had grown up in an orphanage, and although her resume didn’t stand out among the others, one sentence had caught Morrison’s eye: "I’ll do anything, but I need a high salary."

She needed the money to support the orphanage.

During her probation period, Debbie hadn’t been the most remarkable employee, but one thing was clear: she picked things up fast and never shied away from a problem. Though timid at times, she faced challenges head-on and learned quickly.

Morrison had taken her under his wing, and before he headed out to Wyrmtrace, she’d finally reached a point where she could manage the factory’s affairs on her own.

Once everything was set, word came in from the Mendez that the ship was prepped for launch.

Lyra stood at the spaceport, watching as the ship lifted off, her expression darkening as the sky swallowed it up.

"Boss, is Morrison going to be alright?" Debbie asked, her voice trembling slightly. With her limited experience, she couldn’t fully grasp just how tough the mission on Wyrmtrace was going to be.

Lyra’s response was calm, almost reassuring. "Everything that needed arranging has been handled."

Morrison held all the critical details—the launch key for the ship, the location of the storage, and the passwords.

On top of that, they had Cohen on Wyrmtrace as a backup, something even Caesara and the others weren’t privy to.

Lyra could already picture their reactions once they realized what was really going on. The surprise would be priceless.

When it came to splitting the profits, Lyra was confident they’d figure out a way to work together. After all, money had a funny way of motivating cooperation.