42 I want in
1821 Words
Both Trae and Max leaned in so they could listen to the plan that the seemingly feral detective had concocted.
“I want us to stage a stakeout, and potentially a rescue… not as police, but as civilians.”
The two gasped in surprise at the words that they heard.
“For real?” Trae asked.
“Yes.”
“Like, with real bad guys and s**t?” Trae pressed.
“Uh, we call ‘em perps… but yes.”
Max nodded his head and interjected.
“I want in,” he said with the utmost seriousness.
The detective smiled in both satisfaction and amusement.
“I knew I could count on you, Max,” he said as he turned back to Trae, who was clearly nervous about the whole thing. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
Trae thought about the time that he was worried about disappearing and not being able to take care of his mother. Flashbacks came back to him about that one phone call that he had with her, and how she said that she was happy with where she was. And that he should do what he felt was right. And right now, he felt that it was only right that the members of XMC tech, would be a part of this operation.
“Fine, but we gotta do this quickly and safely,” he said as he agreed to the potentially lethal mission.
“Thank you man, we will,” Max said, smiling back at Trae.
Suddenly, the door swung open causing a loud bang as the edge of the door hit the wall of one of the steel cabinets. The three looked to see who it was that caused the racket, to find both Jules and Charlie standing through the other end of the door.
“I want in,” Charlie said, immediately finding a seat and sitting next to Trae.
“Same here,” Jules said, as she sat next to Max.
She gripped Max’s hand and whispered into his ear.
“Sorry I took so long.”
She tried her best to look serious in front of the detective and tried to avoid eye contact with Max as possible. But he didn’t care because, at this moment, his morale was at its peak. He squeezed her hand and looked back at the detective.
“Can they join as well?”
3D looked puzzled at the unlikely group of youths who claimed to be ready to lay their lives on the line for a friend. Just the idea made him burst into laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Jules asked him.
He stopped laughing after catching his breath and wiping a tear from his eye.
“Oh, nothing… It’s just looking at all of you being here and ready to go right into danger… Makes me think you’d make great cops. And the fact that you’re doing this with the utmost sympathy for human life… makes me CERTAIN, you’d make great cops.”
The group smiled at each other, with even Charlie looking at Max a little better now. They were almost completely together again, and what mattered now ensuring that they’d all be complete. So that meant, they had to get Lina.
“I guess I don’t have a choice in this, do I?” he said.
“No sir, you don’t,” Max replied.
“It’s 3D damn it,” the detective said chuckling. “Fine, in that case, I will proceed with the briefing.”
3D brought out a couple of pictures of Ivan from his release from jail, footage in the police cruiser, as well as stills from the body cameras of the officers that were dispatched on the scene.
“So the subject in question right now is Ivan, who previously was what to you?”
“Colleague,” Max said coldly.
“Though he ain’t welcome in our ranks now,” added Trae.
“Hmm, I see. Anyway, Ivan was in touch with inside operatives of the Wolfpack and initiated the kidnapping of Lina Kusonoki. With the information that Max has presented to us, we are sure that he has sure links to the group. At this point in time, we have our own operatives stationed around the city for stakeouts in different highly suspect locations. These are places where the Wolfpack could be hiding out in. If we get a hit, that will be where Lina will most likely be.”
Jules interrupted.
“I’m sorry, operatives?”
“Yes, Julia. I mean as effective a team you already are, I’ve assembled my own group of people to help us out. These are good cops, who don’t want to see an innocent get hurt. Cops who aren’t afraid to do what’s right.”
Jules smiled at 3D, which he reciprocated.
“Anyway, just so none of them are given away, they will not be divulging any sensitive information, as well as their names. But you can trust me that they are good people.”
“Got it,” Jules said in reply.
“Alright, back to the topic. At the moment, our operatives have pinpointed several hot spots that could likely be where the Wolfpack might be operating.”
He laid out a map of New York which took almost the entire table with how large it was. There were three large red circles drawn on it, signifying where the spots were. The first was in northern Manhattan, close to the entryway into the Bronx. The second was in west Manhattan, nearer their own school. The final circle was in south Manhattan. The students studied this map up and down and eventually looked back at 3D for confirmation.
“Alright, so these are the most likely places where the illegal activities are going down. Not only that, but as soon as confirmation of the area is reached, all of the operatives in the other areas will rush to the target area, and swarm the building. It is then that we will hopefully capture the individuals inside, and determine the location of Lina, or if we’re lucky, find her there as well.”
Charlie then interrupted the speaking detective.
“Hi, sorry. I get the plan. But you mentioned confirmation. How are we going to confirm the target location?”
“Good question. That’s where Max’s information is going to help us out. Knowing that Ivan has ties to this group, it’s only natural that the Wolfpack punishes Ivan for getting the job done wrong. After all, they got the wrong girl.”
Jules lowered her head upon hearing this.
“Don’t worry about it. She was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. There’s nothing you could’ve done. But now you’re doing something, and that’s what matters,” said the detective, as he gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder.
She smiled at him.
“Thanks, 3D.”
“Thanks, yourself,” he said, turning his head to Max. “She can get my name right, why can’t you?” he said in a joking manner. “Right… Anyway, we assume that Ivan will be picked up by the operatives of the Wolfpack. Classic bait and switch. Say you’re gonna reward someone, and then have the rug pulled under you. Now, this is where your kids come in. Namely the ones that haven’t been seen by the members of the Wolfpack before. Those of you who’ve never been seen by any Wolfpack members are going to tail the vehicle that Ivan takes, along with another one of our operatives. Once we determine the location, those people will alert all the point person of each squad to rush to the target area.”
“There’s a problem there, 3D,” Max said.
“What is it?”
“Three of us here have been seen before.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. Me. Trae. And Jules.”
3D then looked at Charlie who looked nervous under the pressure of the operation that was unfolding before him.
“I guess we can send other operatives in your places,” said 3D.
Suddenly, Charlie spoked up.
“No! I can go with the other operative. I want to be there… If Lina is going to be there, I have to be there!”
3D raised an eyebrow but applauded the youth’s enthusiasm.
“Brave boy. Fine, ok.”
Charlie nodded his head, determined to rescue the friend that he had come to cherish and the girl that he had realized he loved from a distance. In his mind, it was time for him to man up, and make sure that she came home safely.
“Alright, finally. As for the raid, we have to be completely stealthy when it comes to coming into the area. Knowing the Wolfpack… there will definitely be a firefight. All of us are specially trained, so we will be able to perform. But under any circumstances are you to approach the target location without any of us present. We will only be allowed to mobilize when the entire force has been gathered. Do you understand?”
They all nodded in unison.
“Good. Finally, here are all of your assignments. Charlie, we already established that you are going to be our signal to switch locations. Trae, you will join our other operatives in North Manhattan. Julia, you will follow us to our West Manhattan Location. Max, you will go South. And once the signal is given, each one of you is the signal to the rest of our forces to move to the target location. The forces in the target location are to lie in wait until the rest of the unit gathers up. Any questions.”
The youths shake their heads.
“Alright then. In that case, we have quite the morning tomorrow. We gather at 3pm. Best ready your excuses to your professors.”
Everyone started to pack their things, including Charlie. Just as Charlie was about to leave, he was stopped by the detective.
“Uhh, Charlie. I need to give you something, please be sure to hang onto it.”
Charlie looked at the detective who seemed to be completely serious at the moment.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can handle holding onto a gun,” Charlie said regretfully.
The detective chuckled.
“Smart kid. Though you’re not far off, that’s not what I’m giving you,” he said as he handed over a small stun gun. “I mean this entire thing could get me fired… But I’m not stupid enough to give a loaded gun to a student.”
Charlie took the stun gun and felt it in his hand. It was heavy. He looked at the electrical prongs that protruded from the top. The shine of the steel. The red trigger. Out of curiosity, he pulled the trigger and jumped at the intensity of the sound that cracked from the prongs.
“Careful with it. You’re the only one who will be in contact with the enemy from the get-go. So you’re the one who needs the extra protection. Don’t do anything stupid alright?”
“Alright. Thank you, 3D.”
With that, 3D walked out of the room and allowed the students to get ready for a battle. The battle that would determine the freedom of their precious friend.
- Writer
