Chapter 123: The assignment ends

Chapter 123: The assignment ends

The assignment our unit received from Ahmya Xinzumi was very straightforward: gather information on two men.

Both of them were connected to the illicit businesses of human organ harvesting and drug trafficking.

The first profile belonged to a lower-level operative named Henry Morris, operating on the streets.

The second profile was a middleman known as Jack Williams.

There was more to this case, of course, but these are the only two profiles we were told to handle, so other things doesn't even come to my head.

There was minimal information available regarding Jack Williams.

I checked the academy records, but I was unable to find much about this guy.

I thought that the academy would provide us with a pre-solved case, but it appears they are testing our mettle in a real-world scenario.

"So, what's the deal? Why'd you call us to this cafe?" Kai Lee asked, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed.

Hannah chimed in, her presence just as matter-of-fact as everyone else's. "Yeah, what is it Noah?"

"I wanted to discuss our approach to the information gathering," I declared.

Turning to Kai Lee, I asked, "Any leads on either of those guys?"

He shook his head, "Nah, we tried digging into the whereabouts of this Jack Williams, but came up empty-handed."

"Right. Any of you got any bright ideas on how we can gather intel on these guys?" I asked, making eye contact with each member of the group.

Immediately Nola raised her hand.

"I am ears."—I replied while drinking my Kopee Luwak.

She began, "How about we ask street vendors, shops and locals? They might-",I immediately cut her off.

"Are you stupid, Nola?" noVE-lb-1n

She appeared stunned by the sudden iciness in my tone, her gaze dropping to the table as a sense of sadness washed over her.

Perplexed by her uncharacteristic reaction, I fancied,'What's with the change in demeanor? Wasn't she more of a rowdy?'

Oh well, whatever.

"Any of you guys?"—I asked eyeing the other three.

Hannah shook her head.

Kai's response wasn't much enlightening, as he struggled to articulate a coherent thought. He eventually proposed, "What if we hire an informant?"

"That could work," I agreed, nodding in approval. "But we have Ahmya, so I don't see the point."

Finally, I turned my attention to Karthik, who appeared lost in deep thought.

I waited for his response, and after a brief pause, he finally spoke. "How about we beat up some local low-level criminals and see if they have any information?"

I raised an eyebrow, considering his suggestion. "That's a viable option, but I have my doubts about its effectiveness."

"T-then do you have a plan?" Hannah asked.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts before responding, "Yes, I do have a plan. But, I need all of you to trust me and follow my instructions."

I explained,"Our primary objective is to gather information, and that's exactly what I intend to do."

Karthik's frustration was evident in his tone as he interjected, "And what makes you think we'll blindly follow your orders? Can't you at least discuss the plan with us first?"

I sighed softly, replying "I could share the details with you, but honestly, what I have in mind is not a plan. It's more of a strategy that might produce results. Your suggestions weren't convincing enough, I thought you all might be interested in trying something different," I explained.

Kai Lee didn't seem to have any issue with my idea, and the same went for Hannah and Nola.

The only one with an apparent problem was Karthik.

Just as he was about to speak, I sealed his mouth. "Karthik, did you forget what our lovely supervisor Ahmya told you? She clearly instructed you to work together as a team," I said, subtly twisting the meaning of Ahmya's words as I glanced at Nola.

"And rest of them seems to have no issue with me? If you want, I can call Ahmya and-"

Before I could finish my sentence, he cut me off. "No need. I get it."

"So what is the plan?"—Kai asked.

I leaned back, saying. "There is no plan. I do have suggestions though. Gathering direct information on Jack Williams won't be easy since he's a middle man. But, that's not the case for Henry Morris."

I glanced at Hannah and Kai, giving them a nod. "Your task is to dig into Henry Morris. Check out his past incidents, known associates, and any public records or news articles you can find."

After a short pause I continued, "I came across a small mention in the profile Ahmya gave us, hinting at a bad reputation he had in the media. Look into journals, printing press, news companies, you might stumble upon some info about his involvement in drug related crimes."

I looked at Karthik. "Karthik, you do your thing. Stay in touch with Kai. Your role is surveillance and execution. Make use of any contacts that Kai manages to find and uncover any associates connected to Henry. Nola, you'll be partnering up with Karthik," I said, directing my gaze towards Nola.

But, to my surprise, Nola quickly interjected, standing up. "But I wanna come with you!", she protested.

Caught off guard, I tilted my head in confusion. "Why's that?"

Nola stumbled over her words, trying to come up with a valid reason. "I-I, uh, I just don't want to go with this simp!" she blurted out, pointing her finger disdainfully at Karthik.

"If you don't want to go with Karthik, then just go with Kai," I shrugged my shoulders.

Nola's expression tightened as she replied firmly, "No. I want to be with you."

I snapped, "Why?!"

Nola hesitated, fidgeting with her fingers. "I-I just want to!" she stammered.

I facepalmed in frustration before replying, "You won't be able to come with me. Trust me, it would only cause trouble..."

.

.

.

After much convincing, Nola finally agreed to go with Karthik.

Kai and Hannah followed my instructions and went off to gather information.

Meanwhile, I found myself heading towards a red light district area.

With Nano's help, I managed to dig up some details about Jack Williams. Turns out, he had relationship with a prostitute named Ivy.

Using the information I had on Jack Williams, I devised a simple plan.

I was going to tempt this unholy gf of Jack with spilling beans for money.

***

Third Person's POV:

Ranch69, a small area in Feistia city, had gained notoriety for its singular focus: adultry establishments, brothels, and strip clubs.

The streets were alive with the glow of neon lights, attracting those seeking pleasure.

The majority of the inhabitants of this area belonged to the middle and lower classes, making ends meet through various jobs associated with the industry.

On the other hand, the affluent people, adorned in luxurious attire and arriving in fancy vehicles, were the customers. They were the ones who brought in the money.

The moon up in the sky was like a decoration for the night.

Down on the road, one could see folks going about their business.

And right in the midst of all the pedestrians, was a guy, strutting along as if he ruled the whole place.

His eyes were like deep, dark voids of space. And his pale skin just added to his charm in some mysterious way.

A single glance was all it took to see that he was drop-dead handsome.

But there was something more to him, something one just couldn't deny. Drip.

His gait. His swagger was on point, and his outfit —a clean white shirt, black pants, and a stylish overcoat.

Even though it was a simple wear, it just screamed style and drip.

Noah knew how to switch it up before stepping foot in the red light district.

Instead of heading straight to his destination, Noah decided to take a little detour to a nearby joint that doubled as a brothel and a nightclub.

As soon as Noah slid some cash to the bouncer and made his way into the nightclub, all eyes were on him.

The hookers working their magic couldn't resist locking their sights on this fine specimen.

Without paying much attention to the lingering stares, Noah confidently marched toward the bar counter.

Before the bartender could even ask about his drink of choice, Noah swiftly silenced him by raising his hand.

Sliding a small card across the counter, Noah made his intentions clear, leaving the bartender to acknowledge it with a nod, "Right away, sir."

After a while, a stunning lady entered the scene.

She took a seat right beside Noah and casually propped her head up with her hand, elbow resting on the bar counter.

"Damn, you're so fine, why the need for hookers?" The lady smirked, giving Noah a thorough once-over.

"Everyone has their needs?" Noah chuckled, flashing a mischievous smile and giving her a playful wink. It was kind of a gesture that had the power to melt any woman's heart. Heart and certain other places.

"Well, money or not, I wouldn't mind spending the night with you," the lady purred, subtly licking her lips as she gazed at Noah intently. "The name's Selena, by the way."

Noah locked eyes with Selena, a grin spreading across his face before he replied, "Alright, Selena, show me what you got." He finished off his non-alcoholic drink from earlier, getting up.

***

Noah's POV:

I tied up Selena with cuffs to the bed. I could see her eyeing me hungrily with intense gaze, her breath was ragged.

I took a knife from the nightstand by the bed.

"Y-ah, hah—exhtra charges for tearing cloths. They are not mine...."—Selena said, her cheeks now red.

"Sure."—I replied before sitting on top of her lap and bringing the knife near her lace bra without making the contact.

I could see her eyes quivering and her breath becoming hot as she offered herself to me like a meal.

Getting close to her face, I swiftly moved the knife over her bra without ever letting the sharp steel touch the fabric.

Finally I put the knife on her neck as my eyes grew cold. She could sense the sudden shift in the atmosphere.

Her brows raised in sudden terror.

"Who are you?", she asked franatically, afraid of the sudden shift.

"Your customer, Ivy," I called her by her real name as a look of surprise flashed in her eyes.

"How do you know that name?Who are you?" she asked in a more serious tone, clearly concerned. "I will scream-"

I cut her off, "Scream". I pushed the blades edge in her neck leaving a small trickle of blood. "Call the authorities."

"Pl-please don't kill me, I will give whatever you want!"

"I am sure you will. You will be compensated generously. But try to act oversmart and this will be one painful night you will never forget."

"At least first tell me what you want!"—She pleaded.

"I want to know about your boyfriend."—I replied.

"Which boyfriend?", she asked.

Which? Seriously? How many boyfriends does this woman have?

Regaining my composure I replied, "Jack Williams."

And the assignment ends here.

I have no interest in hookers. I wanna get the hell out of this dirty place ASAP.

I may be twenty-four years old but, I was a guy with certain values.

***