Adventure in the World of Crimes

2.22 Simultaneous Conflicts

"Hello, Theodore? What do you need?"

Warren heard Mrs. Merit spoke on the other line, stern and curious, her husband never called her unless important, or she asked her to, or the man just wanted to check on them, but he rarely called them especially in the middle of the day where he knew both of them were busy.

However, the man calling him was not her husband.

"Mrs. Merit, hello? This is Officer Warren."

Mrs. Merit's forehead creased, "Warren? Where is Theodore? Did he forget his phone? Is he coming home now?"

Warren sighed, he was seated in the hospital's waiting chairs, waiting for the doctor who was currently checking the still unconscious senior. He had almost dropped his heart in shock of seeing the senior with a bleeding head, he rushed to him in thought that he might be shot there, that he failed to protect him, but thank goodness, though he was still hurt, still thankful that he took the occurrences from the worst, he just hit his head on the cabinet's edge.

"No, Ma'am. He's... unconscious."

He heard something dropped, followed by a loud exclamation of, "What!?"

"Aww." He rasped, scrunching his face as he took away the phone from his ear as the woman shouted loudly, even worse than Laura's. He also heard the other line became noisy and the other tailors asking her what happened but she just answered them with she didn't know yet.

One thing that she knew about the Merit Family was they were low-key, they were not trying to gain attention from everyone though Senior Merit was highly respected. They kept themselves private, not telling everyone what was happening within their family or shutting off those people who were asking them about the latest news because of course, police always had the first ones to know the news.

"Warren, can you fetch me and my son?" She asked after a while, fixing her things while all eyes of the tailors she was working with were all on her and probably threading now the false news they were going to spread to the community. Mrs. Merit really despised that kind of people.

Warren stood up, looked to his left and right, conflicted if he was going to leave the Senior alone to fetch his family. If he left, there wouldn't be anyone the doctor would talk about the senior's condition, but if he didn't fetch his family, then they would have a hard time coming here.

Warren huffed, scratching his head. Then an idea came to his mind. He was not Warren Velmont for nothing.

"Warren? Hello?"

"Yes, ma'am. Just wait for me outside T's school."

"Okay."

Warren ended the call, walking out of the hospital as he switched his phone to another administrator just also in his phone, like those of in computers that can change administrators, it was specially made by Dale.

In there included his agent phone number, the agency's hotline number, and the other agents, especially his students. Like his friends, they rarely used it and often operate the other administrator which they could spread to whoever they want, that number was out of Dale's hold, though she could hack it and see their messages, she wouldn't go to that extent without any reason. Every top agent had that dual administrator phone, it was to still keep track of them wherever they go, and it was only exclusively for the agents because only Dale could do that.

He went inside the car, dialing a number there to which he was instantly answered.

"Greetings, Sir Warren. Do you need another set of jellies?" The agent on the other line asked. It was his student that had always been going back and forth in his apartment to bring him what he needed.

"Uh, now that you mention it, yes, please," Warren answered, falling weak when it comes to his babies. "But that's not the reason why I called, I need you to come now to the hospital and look out for the room number that I will send to you. Also, talk to the doctor about the patient's condition, I will just get his family. Do you understand, Mikael?"

"Yes, sir. Send me the details." He replied. Warren heard the opening and closing of the car followed by ignition.

He couldn't help the smile of his students' diligence and promptness whatever time it might be, though that was one of their training, it was good to know that they were taking the training seriously because they will soon be the next representatives of Themis Agency.

After sending the information, Warren drove out of the hospital. He saw the envelope at the back seat and the white paper just above it. He saw the white paper on the first floor's ground, he was rushing down with Senior Merit on his shoulder and was about to open the door when his gaze ran through the white thing that was not there when he closed the door. He had no time to check it in worry for the senior but he picked it up together with the envelope.

He even saw the glimpse of the car of the person who shot them, and he had no plate number. He might want to follow him but the senior's bleeding head was concerning to think otherwise, he just let him go for now, and went straight to the hospital.

He arrived at T's school after a few minutes, seeing the two already there and Mrs. Merit was crouching down to T with her hands on both of his hands like they were having a serious talk because T looked afraid and teary.

He beeped the car and parked it right in front of them, T immediately hugging his mother. He went out of the car with a curious gaze, the two looked relieved upon seeing him. He led Mrs. Merit on the passenger seat as the boy opened the back seat for himself.

"What happened to Theo?" Mrs. Merit asked as soon as they were all settled, her face 1ooked anxious and worried.

"He hit his head on the edge of a cabinet in the late Officer Mury Kramer's house. Good thing-"

"Why are you in his house? Is he still investigating that case despite what he did to him?" She interjected, brows furiously threaded, obviously still held grudges against the poor officer.

"I think Senior Merit had not explained it all to you, Ma'am, but he was about to, it was supposed to be this night especially that we found crucial evidence. But we didn't expect, and we didn't know in the first place, how there had been a man across the house who shot us. Senior Merit got hurt avoiding the bullet, but it was still better to happen than the worst case possible."

The woman sighed loudly, did the sign of the cross, and clasped both of her hands together. "Thank God, How was he?"

"Still unconscious, his head was bleeding a lot earlier. The doctor was still checking him when I went out." Warren said, looking at the side mirror and noticing a black van at the back.

"Then who would talk to the doctor once he goes out? We should hurry."

"I called my stu- friend to look for him for a moment while I fetch you, Ma'am. Don't worry about it." He replied, overtaking one car in front as he observed the van behind, and he was right, it was following them.

"Mom, it's the car earlier, it's following us." T suddenly said, his knees were propped on the car seat as he was looking behind.

"What do you mean?" Warren asked, overtaking another one, and the van did the same.

"That van was asking us to get inside, telling us that you made them fetch us, but they looked skeptical since you yourself agreed on meeting us and there were like three men inside, all wearing black so we kept on insisting no, if not for the school guard and the other parents who were looking at our side they wouldn't go." She explained, looking back to see the suspicious van.

Warren turned serious, they know him. They know that he will fetch them, they used his name for a possible a*******n, they took advantage of the situation where Senior Merit was unconscious to take his family. The death of the two commanders, the shooting, it was all planned.

"T, buckle your seatbelt. Duck and close your eyes, same goes for you, Mrs. Merit." Warren instructed, carefully watching the men in the van while they were stuck in a few cars away from them while they rest before the stoplight.

He checked at the two, they followed his instruction, ducking while holding on the strap of the belt tightly. He shifted his gaze on the countdown number until it the light changed again. He exhaled calmly, gripping the steering wheel tightly as readied his foot.

On the count of one and the light turned green, he abruptly stepped on the gas and drove fast, the two inside yelled silently with still their eyes closed. Warren looked at the mirror, the van had also hastened their speed, but was not enough to get close to him.

He turned to the left, blending into the volume of cars there so he would be hard to find. He decided to park the car in one of the convenience stores while they were still not turning to their side.

"Duck, still," Warren instructed upon seeing Mrs. Merit slowly looking up. He was also ducking, looking at the side mirror, and identifying every car going past the store.

Finally, the van drove past the store, he saw the men inside craning their heads in front to look at their car. When they were out of sight, Warren sighed, sitting properly.

"You can now breathe." He announced, checking the two. "Let's wait for a while before we go straight to the hospital."

"Who are those people? Why are they after us? Is Theodore been involved to something that he had built enemies?" Mrs. Merit asked continuously, she had been reminding her husband continuously to stay away from trouble that might cause their involvement but seemed like Senior Merit didn't listen.

"I don't know too, Ma'am. We'll ask Senior Merit as soon as he recovers." He replied, taking his phone out of his pocket when it suddenly rang. It was Mikael.

"Sir, there were men who tried going inside the room. I let them."