Chapter 112: Drone Reconnaissance

Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Drone Reconnaissance

Evan Keller stroked his chin, and a candidate immediately came to mind.

When they returned to the abandoned house, Zoe Sawyer opened the door to greet their backup, only to see Vivian Dunn standing there, holding a wooden box.

"So the ’expert’ Evan Keller mentioned was you, Vivian! You’re incredible!" Zoe Sawyer’s eyes were fixed on the policewoman, her voice filled with immense surprise.

’The station is just full of hidden talents!’

’The normally quiet and unassuming Vivian Dunn is actually an expert drone pilot!’

Vivian Dunn rubbed her nose, a bit embarrassed. It was a hobby of hers, and she had gotten professionally certified at a friend’s suggestion.

It wasn’t something she got to use much at the station, so most people didn’t know about it. Her skill only came to light after Evan Keller happened to see her flying for fun in a designated airspace.

She figured the most she’d ever do was fly a drone to film sports events or promotional videos. She never expected to be called in to help with an actual case.

When Vivian Dunn received Evan Keller’s request, she agreed without a second thought.

Everyone wants to distinguish themselves. This was a rare opportunity, and Vivian Dunn certainly wasn’t going to pass it up.

"Alright, I’ve already filed the paperwork. From here on out, fly with confidence. If anything comes up, contact us through your earpiece." Evan Keller patted Vivian Dunn’s shoulder, his voice full of trust.

The drone would fly ahead with them following behind. If they encountered any guards along the way, they could take them out beforehand, clearing a path for the main team.

Vivian Dunn nodded, a little excited, and quickly assembled her equipment.

After confirming everything was in order, the drone lifted off at Evan Keller’s signal.

Soon, a view of the mountain path appeared on Vivian Dunn’s screen.

"Won’t they spot the drone?" Zoe Sawyer asked, watching it take off with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Don’t worry, Zoe. With a normal drone, you usually can’t hear it once it’s over 50 to 150 meters high. And once it’s above thirty or forty meters, it’s basically invisible to the naked eye.

And this is a military-grade drone I borrowed from the armed police. Its performance is way better in every respect, so it won’t be easily spotted." Vivian Dunn’s voice was filled with excitement.

The local police department had no need for such equipment, so she’d only ever handled civilian drones. Their performance couldn’t even compare to military-grade ones.

Now that she had her hands on it, the difference was palpable. She already didn’t want to give it back.

After confirming the next stretch of road was clear of guards and cameras, Evan Keller and his two companions decided to move out.

Zoe Sawyer wanted to go with them, but Heath Hale stopped her. "No, you need to stay here."

Perhaps worried she’d take it the wrong way, Heath Hale quickly explained that not only would a larger group be easier to spot, but Zoe’s stamina also wouldn’t allow her to keep up with their pace.

If a fight broke out, they’d have to worry about her safety, which would hold them back.

It was better for her to stay here and be ready to open the door for them at a critical moment.

Zoe Sawyer wasn’t dead set on going anyway, so after hearing Heath Hale’s reasoning, she readily nodded in agreement.

And since Barry Quinn and Monkey were assigned to protect Zoe, they naturally wouldn’t be going up the mountain either.

Evan Keller’s team of three checked their gear one last time. Once they were sure nothing was missing, they gripped their tranquilizer guns and cautiously started up the mountain.

Not wanting to just sit around, Zoe Sawyer walked over to Vivian Dunn and peered at the screen to see what was happening.

Vivian Dunn was calm and focused as she worked, her control of the drone masterful. Zoe was thrilled just watching her.

"Someone in the bushes, three hundred meters ahead, ten o’clock. Everywhere else is clear."

The drone’s ultra-high-definition camera gave Vivian Dunn a crystal-clear view of the mountain path. ℯℯ𝑙.

She could spot the slightest movement instantly.

Evan Keller’s gaze hardened. He tightened his grip on his tranquilizer gun, lightened his steps to avoid the fallen leaves, and swiftly moved into position behind the bushes.

The man squatting in the bushes was hunched over, playing a game on his phone, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

"Nobody ever comes up here. The boss is just being paranoid, making us stand guard and feed the damn mosquitoes." The guard muttered, his fingers flying across his screen.

He had several red welts on his arms and face, clear evidence that the mosquitoes had been feasting on him.

Heath Hale didn’t hesitate. A tranquilizer dart shot into the guard’s neck, taking him down instantly.

The whole thing was over in less than five seconds.

Evan Keller stepped forward and caught the man before he could hit the ground.

He then cuffed the man, gagged him, and carefully concealed him in the undergrowth.

’He can stay here for now. When the main team arrives, they can pick him up and take him to the station.’

With the help of Vivian Dunn’s drone, Evan Keller’s team neutralized several more guards hidden in the bushes along the path and soon reached a crucial fork in the road.

One path showed clear signs of foot traffic. The other was overgrown with weeds and looked rather ominous.

Normally, anyone would instinctively choose the well-trodden path.

But as Vivian Dunn’s drone swept over that path, she spotted something wrong.

"That path’s a trap! There’s a huge pit in the middle of it, and there are several armed men hidden in the trees nearby. Don’t go that way!" Vivian Dunn’s voice was edged with urgency.

There were even a few shoes in the pit, a sign that plenty of people had fallen for the trap.

The three men, who had been about to cut through the woods, froze.

"Find a place to hide. I’m going to check the other path," Vivian said, maneuvering the drone toward the overgrown trail.

’There are only a couple of paths. If this one’s a no-go, the way in must be the other one.’

Sure enough, the path that initially looked untraveled suddenly showed more footprints further along, and the signs of human activity became much clearer.

Correspondingly, there were also far more guards, both in the open and concealed.

Thankfully, Vivian Dunn had raised the drone’s altitude just in time to avoid being spotted.

Soon, the village that "Number Three" had mentioned came into view on Vivian Dunn’s drone screen.

The village consisted of just a few scattered, dilapidated-looking houses. It looked deserted.

But the clothing of the people milling about, and the large gold rings on their fingers, stood in stark contrast to the decrepit buildings.

What’s more, people were constantly emerging from these rundown houses.

"Something’s not right. That house doesn’t look very big. How could it hold so many people?" Zoe Sawyer murmured, her gaze fixed on one of the buildings, her tone filled with confusion.

From the drone’s perspective, it looked like a simple, three-room mud-brick farmhouse, yet she had already counted no fewer than seven people coming out of the same room.

The last person to emerge even turned and waved back into the house with a wide grin.

’There are clearly still people inside!’

"I’m guessing these houses have cellars or basements underneath.

That must be their main area of operations."