Chapter 87


    Setting a trap A few minutester, Aren and I were back in the car on our way to meet Jack and a group


    of military specialists gathered by Aren to help. They were operating from the basement of one of the


    buildings that belonged to Lan Diamond Corporation. The ce wasn’t too far away from the Federal


    za, but since the whole building was locked due to renovation, no one even got near it. Despite the


    inconspicuous fa?ade, the inside of the building was filled with high-tech security equipment, including a


    thermal imaging scanner at the door and a row of cameras in every corridor. Once we got down to the


    basement and entered the temporary center ofmand, everyone stood up and bowed before Aren as


    if he was their gen There were six men, including Jack, in the room. Two of them were listening to the


    live signal with their headphones on. Two others sat by theirputers, trying to clear the sound of the


    previously recorded fragments. Jack and the fifth man, who seemed to be the group’s leader, were


    leaning their backs against the table and drinking coffee. Aren led me their way, and I didn’t fail to notice


    the way that the man next to Jack observed me with a faint, curious smile. The curiosity was mutual.


    That dark-blonde man in military pants and a ck fitted T-shirt seemed to know Jack


    w Jack quite well. He was also the only person in the room who gave Aren a quick nod rather than a bow


    when we entered.


    Aren introduced me to the dark-blonde man with the coffee cup, “Chris, this is my wife, Cora, “before


    shifting his gaze to me. “Sunshine, this is Christopher Valentine, an excellent martial artist, and military


    operations, specialist.”


    Chris reached out his hand, a smug smirk crossing his lips. “I was dying to meet you, Cora. Hear a lot


    about you.” I smiled nervously, shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you too… I think.”


    “What’s the situation?” Aren motioned his head at Chris while pulling out a chair for me to sit in.


    Chris observed Aren’s behavior with unhidden amusement and surprise, and he grinned at me.


    “Chris?” Aren’s harsh tone pulled him out of a daze.


    “Packton is going to meet someone at one of the warehouses in the Red Hook Terminals. The meeting is


    nned for 9 PM, Sir,” he answered. “Do we know who he is meeting with?” Aren questioned, standing


    behind my seat, his hand on my shoulder.


    Chris smiled wryly. “Hear it for yourself.” He pointed at one of theputers and gestured at us toe


    closer. As we stepped toward the technicians sitting there, they nodded and yed the fragment of


    Packton’s conversation on the speakers.


    “Hello, Mr. C., everything went ording to n.” Packton seemed to be on the phone with someone.


    “Collins is suspended, and I even got Winton’s real phone back today. We are cutting loose ends like


    always. The only problem we might have is with Aren Lan and that little wench of his…”


    Sot nga trap


    As Packton paused, he could hear the vague, distorted voiceing from Packton’s phone. It was far


    too faint to distinguish anything aside from the fact that it was a man’s voice, and the person on the other


    side of the phone was clearly angry.


    “No Sir!” Packton called out agitatedly, answering whatever question the mysterious Mr. C. asked. “We


    would never act before contacting you.”


    Mr. C. must have given several instructions to Lester Packton, since we could only hear him saying “yes,


    Sir” for another minute of recording.


    “Red Hook, blue container no 9., at 9 PM sharp. I’m d that I can finally meet you in person, Sir,”


    Packton said, sounding joyous. “Thank you, Sir.” He was even humming happily right after he ended the


    call, and that could only mean one thing-he could smell the money. “Doesn’t it feel as if we hit the


    jackpot?” Jack chuckled,menting on what we had just heard.


    Aren stood silently for a minute, obviously crafting a n in his mind.


    “What do you think? Do you know anyone who could be Mr. C.?” Chris asked, teasingly prodding Aren’s


    elbow. Aren shook his head. “No idea, but if he’sing tonight, then we will soon find out, won’t


    we?”


    Chris leaned against the technician’s desk and crossed his arms. “How do you want to proceed? Are we


    going to watch, get the evidence, and do nothing, or are we going there to capture the bad guys?”


    Còntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Jack’s face turned pale as he listened to Chris’s proposal. “Hey! Don’t do that, man! I need it all to be


    clean and legal! If anyone catches those guys, it has to be the authorities, not some secret fucking


    avengers!” he roared. “I’d also like to point out that I can’t even be there officially because I’m


    suspended.” Aren smirked. “Fine, let’s have it your way then.”


    Jack sighed. “Thank y,” “I didn’t finish.” Aren sent him a meaningful stare. “We will go there to watch, to


    listen, and to get all the evidence we can, and when they finish, we will catch them all.”


    “Aren, you cannot do this!” Jack protested, ncing at me as if he sought my help.


    “Rx, Jack,” Aren smirked and nced at Chris. “We will tip the NYPD anonymously, telling them that


    there will be a big drug transaction at Red Hoor… by container no. 8. It doesn’t matter if they can’t catch


    those bastards themselves. We can catch them and deliver them to the police. Then we will also send


    them copies of the evidence of the transaction. Even if there won’t be any drugs, Packton will go down


    for bribery.”


    “I like your idea.” Chris grinned before turning to Jack.


    Jack didn’t seempletely convinced but still nodded. “Fine… Let’s catch them all.”


    Aren patted his shoulder and looked at Chris. “Gather a group of at least twenty men. We don’t know


    what to expect, and I don’t like surprises.”


    p


    Chris nodded and left us to start making arrangements. I stood silently, observing everyone’s increasing


    agitation, and frowned. “What about me?” I asked, pissed that all of them seemed to ignore me.


    Aren stepped toward me and ced his hands on my shoulders. “You will stay home and wait until it’s


    over.”


    “Over my dead body!” I announced, making most of them stifle augh.


    Aren red at me. “May I remind you that you have already been attacked by Packton today, and barely


    made it out of his office?! Do you want to meet that sociopath again?!”


    I sighed and shot him a crooked smile. “May I remind you that I’m the only one who can recognize the


    one who kidnapped me by voice? I want to be there and see if it’s him or someone else.”


    Aren took a deep breath, a deep concern surfacing in his expression. “I cannot send you anywhere near


    them.”


    “Then don’t,” I said confidently. “I’m sure you’ll have some remote operating center since you need to


    control your surroundings. You can ce me there, and I promise not to go anywhere.” I grinned, cing


    my hand on my chest.


    Jack gave Aren a thin smile as he stepped toward us. “Just let her stay in the van. I’m sure she’ll be


    calmer hearing everything and knowing that you are all right,” he said before shifting his eyes to me with


    a wink.


    A sound of frustration escaped Aren’s throat. “Fine! You will sit in the van the entire time and you will not


    leave that van no matter what! Understood?!”


    “Yes, Sir,” I eximed and blew him a kiss.


    Aren sighed, shaking his head. “I’m already regretting my decision…” I grinned and blew him another


    kiss. I wish I knew at that moment what I was getting myself into…