Adam and Tia arrived back at the car, gunfire still echoing faintly in the distance. As they approached, Adam immediately spotted David lying across the back seat, unconscious but breathing.
Tia rushed over to him, eyes filled with worry. Sarah glanced back from the front seat, her voice calm. "He's stable. Most of the injuries are just bruises. I don't think they intended to kill him."
Arnold nodded from beside her. "Indeed. It feels more like they wanted to teach him a lesson than actually take him out."
Adam glanced around, scanning the area. "Beth's not back yet?"
Sarah shook her head silently.
They settled into a tense, quiet wait, letting the weight of the night sink in. Adam stared out the window, his mind heavy with the memory of blood and violence.
I've killed people.
The thought didn't come with regret, but it didn't feel right either. He rubbed his face, exhaling slowly.
I also forgot to picked up the knives.
Sarah gave him a quiet look. "You're sighing again."
Adam didn't look at her. "Yeah."
Arnold turned to Peter, who sat quietly in the corner. "You know where Beth is?"
Peter pointed at a direction. "They left that way. No idea where they're hiding now."
Arnold opened his mouth, maybe about to go after them, when everyone turned toward the approaching sound of footsteps.
Two figures emerged from the shadows—Beth and Jackie, walking back toward the car.
No one said a word as the pair climbed in. Jackie looked around, confused by the heavy silence. "What's going on? Did I miss something?"
Nobody answered.
Beth cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "I just got word—the raid was successful. Most of Viper's leadership either surrendered or managed to flee. The rest are in custody."
She paused, then looked at the group. "Want to join the interrogation?"
The question surprised everyone.
Jackie raised his hand immediately.
"Me! I'm in."
Adam thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Count me in too."
Arnold gave a grunt of agreement.
"Same."
One by one, the rest of the group nodded silently, each bearing the weight of the night's violence but wanting answers. Except for Tia, who wants to stay to take care of her brother.
Beth nodded. "Alright. Let's go see them."
She started the car, and they drove off, heading back toward the smoldering remains of the old factory.
They arrived at the gate where five heavily armored cruisers were parked in a line, their dark surfaces gleaming under the floodlights. A member of the Wist City Special Response Unit stepped forward, raising a hand to signal the incoming vehicle to stop. Beth slowed the car and parked behind one of the cruisers.
Everyone stepped out one by one.
Beth led the group toward one of the commanding officers. She gave a crisp salute before addressing him. "Good evening, sir. We're here as you invited."
The raid leader, a grizzled man older than Arnold but with sharp eyes and a commanding presence, smiled as he saw her. "Good to see you, Bethany. You're just in time. We haven't started yet."
He turned and began walking toward a circular building nearby—one clearly meant for recreation or gatherings. Adam recognized it immediately.
That's the building I didn't manage to infiltrate.
As they walked, the old raid leader spoke casually, though his tone carried weight. "I'm torn. If the Flaier case ends with these fools, at least we're done... but if not, we'll be back chasing ghosts across the city."
Beth frowned. "I don't believe the Vipers are involved, sir. It's too... stupid. There's no benefit to gain."
The old man sighed, shaking his head. "I know. That's what worries me. If these idiots are responsible, and the Flaier girl is truly gone... the city's future is in danger. Without their tech, we'll fall behind the other major zones by twenty years."
Adam glanced sideways, recalling Peter's words.
The Flaiers are truly hegemons in technology.
Beth muttered with resignation, "Let's just hope they've still got some brains left."
Eventually, they arrived at an open area, floodlit and ringed with armed guards. Lined up in the center were several men on their knees, handcuffed and silent. The core leadership of the Viper gang.
Adam leaned toward Beth and whispered, "Which one's Viper?"
Beth didn't respond immediately—she didn't seem to know either. But the old man had overheard.
"That one," he said, pointing to a man in the center of the line.
Adam's eyes followed the gesture. The man was older, but there was nothing frail about him. His eyes were sharp, his posture straight. Cunning radiated off him in waves, along with a surprising sense of dignity.
Beside him knelt a teenage boy with similar features—clearly family.
Sarah's eyes narrowed at the older man. Adam, confused, asked quietly, "Why's there a teenager here?"
The old man responded without looking back. "That's the Viper's grandson."
Adam's brow furrowed, but they were already approaching the interrogation site.
They arrived just in time to hear the boy shout in frustration, "—I told you! I had no plans to hurt Lena!"
One of the interrogators turned, stood, and saluted at the old man.
"At ease. I'll take it from here."
The old gave a small nod to the interrogator, then addressed the Viper directly. "Alright. What's your gang's involvement in the Flaier disappearance?"
The boy cut in again, his voice rising with fury. "I already told you—"
The older man lifted a hand calmly, stopping him. "Enough, boy. Anger will get us nowhere." He turned his gaze to the group, his eyes briefly scanning Beth and the others.
"We didn't touch the Flaier girl. We don't do kidnappings anymore. You know that, Enzo."
Enzo smirked and gestured toward Beth's group. "Then explain it to them."
Beth stepped forward, eyes cold. "Why did you kidnap a teenager named David Sofer?"
Confusion flickered across the old man's face. "I don't know that name."
Jackie took a step forward, pointing at the teenager. "He was kidnapped by young master here."
Viper turned, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the boy beside him. "Did you really do that?"
The boy gritted his teeth. "I told you, Grandpa—he was the last person seen with Lena. I asked him at school if he knew anything. He just shrugged me off!"
Everyone stared at him as he continued, agitated. "So I had Rouf and the guys bring him in. I just wanted to scare him into talking! I didn't expect the bastard to be so stubborn. I was going to let him go after I got some answers."
Adam ran a hand down his face, the absurdity of it all weighing down on him.
All this trouble and death... just because someone didn't like being ignored.
Enzo exhaled slowly, clearly processing. "Bethany. Bring the Sofer boy here. I want to hear his side of the story."
Beth nodded and turned to Arnold. "Go get David and Tia. He should be awake by now."
Arnold gave a firm nod, then disappeared at high speed.
Adam looked at Beth. "Beth."
She understood immediately and gave a small nod. "Go ahead. Ask."
Adam took a breath and turned to face Viper directly. "You said your gang doesn't do kidnappings anymore. But nearly a month ago, one of your men tried to abduct her. For organ trafficking." He gestured toward Sarah, who stared at Viper silently, her expression unreadable.
Viper's gaze shifted to Sarah, then back to Adam. His tone was firm. "Impossible. I've enforced that rule strictly. The last time we were involved in a kidnapping was over a decade ago."
Adam didn't back down. "One of them called himself Bog. The other... I don't know his name, but he carried a knife and fought like someone trained."
He quickly described both men in detail. Viper's brow furrowed deeper with each word.
"I don't recognize either of them," he said, then turned toward his lieutenants. "Any of you know who these two might be?"
The other gang leaders began murmuring among themselves, confusion and concern flickering across their faces. One of them eventually raised his voice.
"I think Ryker mentioned something a few weeks back," the man said. "Said two of his guys had gone missing. He was trying to dig into it, but nothing came up. Might've been those two."
Viper's expression hardened. "Ryker... He's one of my senior men. Not present tonight—he handles our operations in the commercial district. It's a tough territory. All the gangs fight over every piece of territory there. But the returns are worth it."
Commercial district? That checks it.
His voice dropped a little as he went on, more to himself than anyone else. "He's been making a lot of money lately. A little bit too many. I thought it was because of new investors in the district—or maybe he struck a deal with some rival crews."
He looked back at the group. "I don't restrict my men from forming alliances. I believe in autonomy—so long as they remember and respect that they wear the name, Viper. And follow my rules."
Adam narrowed his eyes, sneering. "Looks like he doesn't respect you enough."
Viper exhaled, slowly. "The world's been chaotic lately. I've had my attention divided... the war, the power shifts... I didn't think any of mine would break the code. To think he'd resort to kidnapping again..."
The conversation halted as the sound of new footsteps echoed through the area.