Chapter 374: The Critically Injured

Chapter 374: Chapter 374: The Critically Injured

Looking at the man in front of her, who was about the same age as the Chief but clearly more imposing, Zoe Sawyer nervously shook his hand. "Hello, sir."

The man was perhaps amused by Zoe Sawyer’s form of address, and his expression softened considerably. He then said, "No need to be so formal. I came here today not only to borrow Barry Quinn and Monkey, but also for another important matter. I’d like to ask you for a favor."

"Me?" Zoe Sawyer asked, a little confused, but she already had a general idea of what he wanted.

"Yes. Barry Quinn and his team’s mission is very high-risk. I need to make thorough preparations.

During the mission, I want to be able to contact you at any time. If Barry Quinn’s team runs into any trouble, we’ll need to be able to intervene immediately." The man explained his plan to Zoe Sawyer.

Seeing his solemn demeanor, the others in the office straightened up.

Zoe Sawyer’s expression turned serious. Her gaze shifted to the Chief, and after receiving an affirmative nod from him, she agreed.

’After all, I work under the Chief now. If I’m going to take on extra work, I still need to run it by him.’

"Someone will deliver the equipment later. I hope you can all keep today’s matter confidential." The man’s gaze swept over the others in the office. His tone was calm, but the pressure he exuded was real.

The atmosphere in the office instantly grew heavy.

Just then, the Chief spoke up. "Don’t worry. They’ve all signed non-disclosure agreements. Nothing concerning Sawyer can be spoken of outside these walls.

You don’t have to worry about them leaking any secrets."

Those who were chosen were all meticulously selected by the higher-ups. They dug into their backgrounds for generations to ensure there were no problems before they were allowed to stay.

I can’t speak for other things, but when it comes to confidentiality, there’s absolutely nothing to worry about.

The man clearly knew the situation as well. He said no more, simply smiling at the group before leaving with Barry Quinn and Monkey.

After seeing the man off, the Chief returned to the office and once again warned Evan Keller and the others, "I shouldn’t have to repeat myself. You should all be clear on what can and cannot be said."

"Don’t worry, Chief. We know what to do," Evan Keller said.

The others all nodded, indicating they knew what to do.

Zoe Sawyer didn’t have to wait long. Less than half an hour later, someone delivered a box to the Chief, specifying that it was for Zoe Sawyer.

Looking at the familiar face before him, the Chief rubbed his temples in weary resignation.

’Good thing I know the guy who came. If it had been anyone else, I would’ve had to pin them to the ground, inspect the box, and only hand it over to Sawyer after making sure there was nothing wrong with it.’

"Alright, alright, I get it. You can go back and report to your superior," the Chief said, waving his hand to dismiss the man.

After the man left, the Chief personally took the box and handed it to Zoe Sawyer.

’This thing is too important. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with it. It’s better if I deliver it myself.’

"Sawyer, for the next few days, why don’t you stay guard by the door? That way, if anything happens, you can act immediately." Looking at Zoe Sawyer cradling the box, the Chief pointed to the nearby door, a hint of suggestion in his tone.

’This mission is probably no simple matter. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have come running over, desperate to borrow our people.’

"I understand, Chief. Don’t you worry." Zoe Sawyer had naturally caught the implication in his words. She patted her chest to show she understood completely.

After the Chief left, Zoe Sawyer took the box, sat down next to the door, and opened it, revealing the device inside.

It was a palm-sized communicator, small and delicate-looking.

Beneath the communicator was a piece of paper with a simple message written on it: *Device is on. No action needed. Await call.*

The meaning was clear. Zoe Sawyer didn’t need to do anything but hold onto the device and wait for Barry Quinn’s team to contact her.

The next few days were quiet. If not for the communicator sitting nearby as a reminder, Zoe Sawyer would have thought the man’s request for help was just a joke.

Sometime after eight in the evening, just as Zoe Sawyer was about to get something to eat, the communicator on the nearby table suddenly vibrated, letting out a "BEEP BEEP" sound.

The others in the office who hadn’t left yet all turned their heads to stare in Zoe Sawyer’s direction.

Without hesitating, Zoe Sawyer picked it up and answered.

"Zoe Sawyer? It’s Barry Quinn! Open the door! I have a critically injured team member who needs immediate medical attention." Barry Quinn’s voice was frantic as he quickly rattled off his current location.

The sound of several explosions could be heard intermittently in the background.

"Okay, hang on, I’m on my way!" Zoe Sawyer set the communicator aside. As she gripped the doorknob, she looked over and yelled urgently, "Evan Keller, critical casualty!"

No other explanation was needed. Those two words were enough for Evan Keller and the others to understand the situation.

They quickly cleared a path, and several people stood by, ready to provide support at a moment’s notice.

From the moment Zoe Sawyer spoke to the path being cleared, less than a minute had passed.

By then, Zoe Sawyer had locked onto Barry Quinn’s location. She opened the door, revealing a group of people on the other side.

Unlike the calm and composed man from the station, Barry Quinn was now covered in grime from head to toe. His clothes were torn in several places, revealing the wounds underneath.

With one arm, he supported an unconscious man, while his other hand clutched a pistol, his eyes warily scanning the surroundings.

Several other helmeted team members were protectively surrounding Barry Quinn, each bearing wounds of varying severity.

But at a glance, their injuries seemed manageable and didn’t overly impede their movements.

The instant Zoe Sawyer opened the door, the hyper-vigilant group sensed something was wrong. Their pistols snapped up in unison, all aimed in her direction.

But when they got a clear look at the scene on the other side, they all paused, the hesitation almost imperceptible.

The door that had suddenly appeared was bizarre, but the attire of the group behind it was very familiar.

"Barry Quinn, quick, bring him over!" Zoe Sawyer yelled to the man standing in the center.

Barry Quinn, who had been on high alert, whipped his head around at the sound of Zoe Sawyer’s voice, his own tone filled with surprise. "Zoe Sawyer? Hurry, he’s not going to make it!"

Hearing it was someone their captain knew, the group, still on guard, lowered their weapons and cleared a path.

Meanwhile, on the office side, the team that was already prepared to assist rushed over at top speed and took the man from Barry Quinn’s arms.

When they got a clear look at the man’s injuries, Zoe Sawyer and the others sucked in a sharp breath.

A large gash had been torn open across his abdomen. Even though it had been bandaged beforehand, blood was still gushing out, and you could even see a hint of his internal organs.

"What about you? Do you need anything?"