Simon instructed his subordinates then went to take down more of the gunmen. His luck ran out soon after as those who remained became more vigilant, most likely because word of what happened to their comrades had reached them. Because of that, he was forced to slow down a little and that let to his stress building up as more and more children were being taken away.
Contrary to his expectations, whatever operation those gunmen were involved in, it wasn't a small one. Their main goal appeared to be kidnapping young children. They seemed to have detailed intelligence on the residents of the old city and were going after those who had kids younger than fifteen.
The parents who tried to stop them were killed with no questions asked. The kids then got taken to a single retrieval location where more gunmen waited around a bunch of trucks where the kidnapped children were being kept.
The trucks weren't your average everyday vehicles either. For one, they had much better armor than anything normal civilians could get their hands on, but more importantly, none of them seemed to have wheels. Simon had planned on poking holes in the tires to stop them from running away but was forced to think of something else.
Simon considered going back to try and stop them from taking any more children, but he knew that would only lead to the worst outcome possible. He couldn't risk those at the retrieval point escaping when they realized no more of their accomplices would return.
after observing them for a while, he retreated and regrouped with the rest of his gang.
"Boss, we have done as you told us." One of them said, looking down at a pile of clothes and weapons stripped from the gunmen he had killed.
Simon was quick to notice his grim expression, but he didn't think it came from taking clothes off dead bodies.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"They got Mark and Randy." The gangster replied.
Simon's eyes widened for a moment and anger took over right after. He said nothing and forced himself to calm down and went down to pick some of the clothes.
"Let's save the kids first." He said.
Seeing him collapse, he turned to the other one on the ground and prepared his shotgun.
"Guess the folks around here aren't all pushovers," The kidnapper said. "Don't take it personally. We're just doing our job."
"You aren't... very smart, are you?" Simon said. "You think the Resistance will let you go?"
"If you were so sure then you shouldn't have tried to stop us. Well, I'm getting paid as long as the trucks make it back. What happ-"
Blood splattered and the kidnapper fell to the ground. Simon pushed the corpse off of him and removed his mask. He had just survived a very bad situation, but the look on his face showed he wasn't that pleased.
"I see your skills haven't dulled." Came a feminine voice.
"Same for you." Simon replied. "Your steps are as quiet as ever."
The one who had just saved him wasn't someone he had expected to see, or rather, he wished they wouldn't meet. Sara checked her ammunition and adjusted the gun in her hand. A long silencer extended from its barrel, which explained the lack of sound when she fired it just now.
The reporter was strangely calm as she lighted a cigarette. Simon was tempted to do the same, but he chose not to. Smoking could wait until his job.
There were two more kidnappers hiding in the remaining trucks. One of them tried to drive off but was shot in the head by Sara. The other took one of the children and suffered the same fate.
Once all the kidnappers were taken care of, Simon called for his subordinates and tasked them with taking care of the children. The one who helped him get close to the trucks was safe as well thanks to the bulletproof vests they stole from the gunmen.
Simon was about to approach Sara intending to discuss what was happening with her, but at that moment one of the gangsters came running to him with a phone, a disturbed look on his face.
"Boss! It's Antony!" He shouted. "They got him and his wife!!!"