Chapter 297: A Stratagem to Lure the Snake Out of Its Hole

Chapter 297: Chapter 297: A Stratagem to Lure the Snake Out of Its Hole

Her tone was sinister as she uttered the last few words.

The man nodded quickly, promising he would keep a close watch on the police station and not miss a single thing.

"Get out. Just looking at you morons gives me a headache." The boss waved her hand in frustration. Only after she’d shooed him out did she rub her temples.

The man fled as fast as he could. He didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until he was sure he was safe, wiping the sweat from his brow.

’I almost lost my life back there.’

The man didn’t dare to waste any time. As he walked out, he pulled out his phone and messaged his subordinates, telling them to find a secure spot and keep an eye on the police station’s every move.

’There can’t be any more mistakes on this mission. Otherwise, I’m really a dead man.’

Meanwhile, after a bumpy few-hour journey, Zoe Sawyer and her team finally arrived at their destination.

As Zoe Sawyer’s group entered, a policewoman who had been waiting by the door came up to meet them.

"Good afternoon. Please, come with me." The policewoman nodded to Zoe and the others, then turned and led them toward the elevators.

The elevator soon stopped on one of the floors.

"You’re here. My name is Taylor. Time is short, so I’ll be brief. We’ve identified a team of foreign agents who have stolen state secrets and are preparing to flee.

This information is critically important. We have three days to catch them and recover it. Failure will have extremely serious consequences.

That’s why I requested backup from my superiors. I’m aware of Sawyer’s unique abilities. The office next door has been prepared for you, so don’t worry. Besides me, no one else has the password, and they won’t be able to see what’s happening inside," said a middle-aged man who had been waiting by the door, coming forward to greet them as they stepped off the elevator.

After this quick summary, he led Zoe Sawyer and the others to the adjacent office.

The officers moving through the halls were all in a rush, each one clutching a stack of files.

They didn’t even spare Zoe Sawyer’s group a passing glance.

A flash of understanding went through Evan Keller’s mind. ’No wonder the chief was so vague on the phone.’

’So state secrets have been stolen, and the higher-ups have set a deadline for the arrest. That explains why they asked for help from Zoe Sawyer and Beau.’

Knowing the situation was urgent, Zoe Sawyer’s team wasted no time and filed into the office.

"Captain Taylor, what’s the current situation?" Evan Keller asked.

Captain Taylor pushed the laptop on the desk toward Evan Keller and gave a brief explanation. "It’s not good. We spotted it right away, but the target is too cunning. He keeps ducking into secluded alleys, and our people’s hands are tied out of concern for the residents.

But we haven’t lost him. He’s under constant surveillance. We’re hoping to use him to uproot the entire group behind him."

Evan Keller quickly scanned the information on the screen, getting the gist of the situation. He nodded and said, "I understand. We’ll get to work right away."

Captain Taylor nodded and left the room to Zoe Sawyer and her team.

After he left, Zoe Sawyer finally spoke up. "That Captain Taylor doesn’t seem like a regular cop. He has such a strong, intimidating presence."

’When he looked at me, I felt like his eyes could see right through me.’

Zoe Sawyer had only ever felt that from the chief and a few others, and only once before.

"He’s from State Security, so of course he’s different," Heath Hale explained to a curious Zoe Sawyer and Beau. "Anyway, this case is urgent. We’d better get it solved quickly."

Their curiosity satisfied, Zoe Sawyer and Beau quickly switched into work mode.

"How did these people get their hands on the state secrets?" Zoe Sawyer asked with a frown.

"Someone in their group was turned before he even joined the research institute. But he wasn’t yet in a position to access classified material.

This leak happened because there were several small-scale explosions at the institute that day. A significant portion of the surveillance system was destroyed, and he used the chaos to copy the data and get away." As Evan Keller read from the file, his tone became a little hesitant toward the end.

’Was it really that simple?’

’Something feels off.’

"Is it really that easy to copy data from the institute’s computers? Could there be more to it?" Aside from Beau, whose mind was clearly elsewhere, everyone else sensed that something wasn’t right.

’Would data from such important research really be so easy to get?’

Zoe Sawyer briefly recalled the expression on Captain Taylor’s face. He seemed anxious, but not *that* anxious.

’It seemed more like he was just eager to catch the spy.’

Zoe Sawyer quickly put the pieces together. ’This must be a setup to lure the snake out of its hole.’

’They used fake data to expose the mole in the institute and, at the same time, round up any other spies lurking in the country.’

’Of course, the police had to play their part convincingly. If the spies sensed something was off, the whole plan would be for nothing, right?’

"As long as you understand, keep it to yourselves. And don’t forget why we’re here," Evan Keller warned in a low voice, his eyes sweeping over the group.

Zoe Sawyer and the others nodded. This wasn’t their first mission; they understood what was going on.

"Alright, enough talk. Zoe Sawyer, this is the file on the researcher, Zane Vance.

According to his location data, he’s still at home. Use your door and see if you can hear anything." Evan Keller handed the file to Zoe Sawyer.

Beau was given a different task.

Evan Keller had asked Captain Taylor for all surveillance footage of Zane Vance from the last few days.

Beau had a knack for recognizing people; maybe he could spot something in the footage.

The rest of the team was on standby, ready to provide immediate support if Captain Taylor’s side needed it.

This was a listening operation, so she didn’t need a large door.

So Zoe Sawyer asked Beau for a blank piece of paper. She drew a small door on it, wrote down the address, and was just about to open it when Evan Keller stopped her. "This guy is going to be on high alert. Be careful. Move the door to an inconspicuous corner."

"I understand." Zoe Sawyer nodded. She closed her eyes, sensing the layout on the other side, and moved the door to a spot underneath a coffee table.

Once she was sure it was safe, Zoe Sawyer carefully opened the door.

Because she wasn’t sure if Zane Vance’s room had any bugs or signal jammers, Zoe Sawyer didn’t pass a camera through.

Everyone in the office saw the door open and held their breath, afraid that the slightest sound might be heard on the other side.

Soon, the sound of footsteps came from the other side. A pair of slippered feet stopped in front of the door.

An anxious male voice suddenly spoke. "What’s the plan?

Things are getting tense at the institute. If we don’t move soon, I’m going to be discovered!"