Chapter 48: Saving People

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Saving People

They had been on the trail for so long and had even found one of the hideouts.

If they could find his colleagues, it would be a huge help to the case.

Barry Quinn was very confident about that.

Another critical reason was Barry Quinn’s fear that his teammates were also severely injured. If they weren’t treated in time, they might not survive the mission.

Zoe Sawyer glanced at the chief, seeking his opinion.

’She wouldn’t refuse if it were up to her, but the case was urgent. What if they needed her for something else? Would going to help delay the main investigation?’

Barry Quinn noticed Zoe Sawyer’s look and immediately understood her hesitation.

He turned his gaze to the chief standing nearby.

The chief lowered his head in thought. Logically and emotionally, there seemed to be no reason to refuse Barry Quinn’s request.

The fact that they were assigned to this mission meant they were top-notch in every respect.

If Zoe Sawyer could bring them back, it would be a major boon for the department.

"Go on, give it a try, but don’t push yourselves too hard." The chief patted Barry Quinn’s shoulder, a hint of warning in his voice. "Quincy, I’m lending her to you, but above all else, her safety must come first."

Barry Quinn saluted the chief. "Understood!"

’And he was right—Zoe Sawyer’s safety had to be the priority. That went without saying.’

"Perfect. I’m still in my gear, so I don’t need to change. I can jump right in." Evan Keller took a step forward, stood beside Zoe Sawyer, and looked at the chief with a determined expression. "Evan Keller, requesting to join this rescue operation. The two of us working together will be much more efficient."

The chief nodded his approval.

Zoe Sawyer had managed to evade that pack of criminals and bring the last person back mostly through sheer luck.

The others still out there might not be so fortunate.

Having Evan Keller along would certainly be more reassuring.

"Heath Hale, you go with them. Keep an eye on Zoe Sawyer," the chief said, glancing at Heath Hale, who was standing silently to the side.

Heath Hale nodded in agreement.

The rest of the team immediately threw themselves back into the case.

They had just caught two big fish, so they had to strike while the iron was hot and conduct a thorough interrogation. Perhaps they could extract some other information.

Elder Crowe left as well. He was very interested in the newly captured Ruby and wanted to pry more information out of her.

Soon, only the four of them were left in the office.

Barry Quinn handed Zoe Sawyer the basic information and photos of his teammates.

"Alright! I’ll give it a shot!"

Zoe Sawyer took the files, memorized the first person’s face and information, then gripped the doorknob. Closing her eyes, she silently repeated the man’s details in her mind.

When that strange sensation washed over her once more, Zoe Sawyer again pushed the door open.

This time, however, she only opened it a crack, just enough for them to observe the situation outside.

The moment she opened the door, all they could see was a sheet of metal, surrounded by stacks of wooden crates.

They could hear a commotion from beyond the metal wall, and every now and then, something would bang heavily against it.

Zoe Sawyer frowned. ’What are those people outside jabbering about? I can’t understand a word!’

Barry Quinn’s expression, however, turned grim. It was the language of a small country near the Yulane border.

He had been on a mission there for a time, so he could make out a few words.

’They’re looking for someone!’

’Could they be looking for my teammate?’

At the thought, a hint of anxiety crept onto Barry Quinn’s face.

Evan Keller carefully deployed a remote-controlled car, letting it do a full circle. Once he confirmed there were no suspicious individuals nearby, he stepped through the doorway.

"Looks like a shipping container. I’ll check around the crates first. You stay put," Evan Keller instructed, then slipped outside.

The arrangement of the crates was strange. Unlike a typically packed container, these were placed haphazardly, leaving gaps between them large enough for a person to hide in.

A slender person could easily curl up and hide in the gaps.

Evan Keller quickly swept the area, his gaze finally settling on a stack in the farthest corner.

As he drew closer, Evan Keller noticed the faint sound of breathing coming from a gap.

His pulse quickening, Evan Keller followed the sound and peered into the gap. A small, thin child appeared before his eyes.

It was a little girl, filthy from head to toe. Her small hands were clamped tightly over her mouth, her large, exposed eyes filled with terror.

A man held her tightly, shielding her in his arms.

Seeing the clothes on the man behind the little girl, Evan Keller’s heart leaped. ’Found him!’

Evan Keller’s keen eyes noticed the faint rise and fall of the man’s chest.

’Good news: he’s alive. Bad news: he’s barely breathing.’

’Any later, and he might not have made it.’

"It’s okay, little one. I’m a police officer. I’m here to rescue you." Evan Keller holstered his weapon, carefully moved the crate aside, and reached out to the little girl.

The little girl’s eyes fell on the patch on Evan Keller’s arm, which wasn’t covered by his tactical vest. She remembered this was the symbol her mom had taught her about, the one on a police officer’s uniform.

Her mom had said that she could always ask them for help if she was in trouble.

"An officer?" the little girl asked, her voice filled with a piteous sort of disbelief. When she saw Evan Keller nod, her eyes instantly filled with tears.

Not daring to waste a moment, Evan Keller murmured reassurances to the little girl as he scooped her into his arms and quickly brought her back to the office.

The footsteps outside were growing more numerous. ’No time to waste!’

’It would be disastrous if they ran right into us!’

After handing the little girl to Zoe Sawyer, Evan Keller went back through and carefully extracted the man curled up in the tight space.

The man was unconscious, and the space was tight, so moving him inevitably made a considerable amount of noise.

It quickly drew the attention of the people outside.

Seeing this, Evan Keller had no time to think. He rushed back into the office with the man in his arms, then immediately slammed the door shut, leaving the danger completely behind them.

"Captain Quinn, is this your teammate?" Evan Keller asked, laying the man on the sofa and looking at Barry Quinn.

Staring at his teammate’s unconscious face, Barry Quinn nodded excitedly. "Yes! It’s Monkey! My teammate!"

Heath Hale quickly opened the office door and had someone call for a doctor; they had two casualties in need of medical attention.

Meanwhile, back in the shipping container, a group of armed men rushed in. They quickly bypassed the crates stacked near the entrance and arrived at the spot where the little girl and Monkey had been hiding.

Surveying the disheveled scene, the leader’s expression turned grim. He pulled out his phone and called his boss.

"Boss, looks like someone escaped. You might want to ask Ruby who was being held in this container."