She Was the Treasure All Along novel Chapter 297

"Oh, yes. They have to come ashore for medical treatment periodically. The rheumatism is apparently quite severe," Loyce said.

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

Loyce reached out and poked the corner of his mouth, forcing it into a stiff smile. "Isn't it funny? Even though it's all true."

"Should I even ask how you know a pirate?"

"I'd rather not answer that right now," Loyce said, withdrawing her hand and popping a cookie from the table into her mouth. "I just wanted to show you that I'm the most qualified person for the job."

And he couldn't argue with that. In the end, he insisted on only one condition. "I want to see your location and vital signs at all times."

"I'll implant a tracking chip myself," Loyce replied. "Gavin is already panicking. He won't be looking for the finer details."

...

The operation was top-secret. Lucian went to the military base as usual, maintaining his routine.

Meanwhile, at Blossom Hospital, Loyce sat on a hospital bed while Gerard worked on her face.

"This is my latest custom-made bio-silicone prosthetic," Gerard said proudly, adjusting the mask. "What do you think, Boss?"

He held a mirror up for Loyce. The mask subtly altered the height of her cheekbones, the line of her jaw, even the curve of her nose. Combined with masterful makeup, her vibrant face was replaced by the pale, gaunt, chronically ill features of a middle-aged woman. Special dark brown contacts hid the brightness of her eyes, and her hair was dyed a dull, grayish-yellow and tied back messily.

To change her posture, Gerard applied special gel pads to key areas, simulating the emaciated, slightly stooped frame caused by long-term illness and malnutrition.

To top it off, she was injected with a drug that temporarily altered her muscle tension, body temperature, and other physiological indicators, making her appear weak and her breathing shallow. Even a professional doctor would be hard-pressed to spot the deception without instruments. A special film even temporarily altered her fingerprints.

"Not bad," Loyce commented.

Sapphire pushed the door open just as Gerard was packing up.

"I'm off," he said, waving. As he passed Sapphire, his fingers brushed against her white coat.

"Don't steal anything from the hospital staff," Loyce called out sharply.

Controlled by the chip in his brain, Gerard's hand shot back. "Yes, ma'am!" he yelped.

Loyce played her part, looking weak and confused, her eyes unfocused.

The other man roughly pinched her arm, lifted a corner of her oversized hospital gown to inspect her skin, and even listened to her heart with a stethoscope. The drug had already slowed it to a weak, faint rhythm, and the man found nothing amiss.

Finally, a handheld scanner was swept over her entire body. The only thing on her was the micro-satellite device implanted under the fake skin, its special material designed to evade such scans.

"You did good for your first time, Sapphire," one of the men praised her. "The 'donor' checks out. I'll tell Mr. Gavin Quinn the transaction is proceeding smoothly."

Sapphire forced a smile, a wave of relief washing over her. Right then, she truly started to believe in Loyce's strange and formidable abilities.

They gave Loyce a shot of a powerful sedative. Her eyes quickly glazed over, her body went limp, and she completely lost consciousness.

The truck rumbled along, finally stopping at a hidden private port.

The groggy Loyce was transferred to a nondescript, medium-sized cargo ship. The vessel was old, reeking of a mixture of engine oil and fish. She was locked in a small, dark cabin on the lower deck that smelled of disinfectant and mildew. The room contained nothing but a hard plank bed and a bucket.

Loyce lay curled on the bed, feigning unconsciousness.