Chapter 0156

Luke's eyes scanned the area, his mind racing for an alternative. "Ava, follow me!" he whispered, pulling her towards a side door marked "Authorized Personnel Only".

They slipped through the door, finding themselves in a narrow corridor behind the scenes of the airport. Luke led the way, his long strides eating up the distance.

"This way, we can avoid the crowds and get to Jackson before he boards the plane," he explained, his voice low and urgent.

Ava nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. They were getting close.

But just as they turned a corner, they were confronted by two burly security men. "Halt! Where are you headed?" one of them growled, blocking their path.

Luke tried to think fast. "We're, uh, airport staff. We need to get to the...uh... baggage handling area."

The security men exchanged skeptical glances. "I wasn't notified of any staff needing access to that area," one of them said, his hand resting on his hip.

Ava's mind raced. They couldn't afford to be delayed. She sp