Chapter 610 27 West Gallon Street (1)
Erik stepped out of the building, the weight of new information settling in his mind. He pulled his phone from his pocket, his fingers swiftly dialing Rebecca's number.
As he heard the phone ring, apprehension buzzed within him. When her voice answered, he couldn't help but let a triumphant smile cross his face, even though she couldn't see it.
"Rebecca, I have great news," he announced, his voice filled with satisfaction and urgency. "I've got an address. I'm going to check it out."
Rebecca's voice, tinged with excitement, replied, "All right. I'm on my way. Send me your coordinates."
Erik paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Actually, Rebecca, I need you to stay where you are."
He could almost hear the change in her tone—a subtle shift from excitement to confusion. "Eh? Why?!" she asked, her voice filled with surprise and bewilderment.
"There are two reasons. The first is that we need to keep an eye on Sara. Watch where she goes, see if she seems alarmed or in a hurry, and let me know. Her movements might give us more clues," Erik explained, his voice steady.
Then he chose to spin a small lie—something to protect her feelings but also to make his point clear. "The second reason is that I need to be incredibly stealthy now. I trained for this kind of thing," he lied, "and this time, it's not about going into apartments or posing as customers in public corporations. It's different, and I need to handle this part alone."
There was a pause on the other end, a silence that spoke volumes of the woman's feelings. When Rebecca finally spoke, her voice was calm but tinged with a hint of indignation. "All right, Erik. I understand. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Sara."
Erik's heart ached a little due to the feelings he recognized in her voice. He knew that she had become devoted to their mission and that she had grown to trust him and their partnership. To ask her to step back now was painful for her. However, while he could understand, it doesn't mean he could simply put the mission at risk to make her happy. Though it was clear, he had to say something to calm her down, at least a little bit.
"Rebecca," he said gently, "I want you to know that I appreciate everything you've done. You've been a valuable partner in this, and I couldn't have gotten this far without you. But this next part... I need to do it on my own."
The woman sighed. There wasn't anything she could say to make Erik change his mind. "I get it, Erik. Really," she replied, her voice still carrying that hint of disappointment. "Just be careful, okay? And keep me updated."
"I will," he promised, feeling a mixture of relief and guilt. "Thank you, Rebecca. Stay safe."
He ended the call, staring at the phone for a moment, a myriad of emotions swirling within him. He knew he had made the right choice, but it didn't make it any easier to tell her.
With a deep breath, he refocused on his mission, knowing that there was still much to do. The address he had uncovered was a lead—a path that could bring him closer to Catrina. He couldn't afford to lose this opportunity.
Erik stood on the bustling city street, his eyes trained on the distant skyline where the address he was heading to was located. He knew he needed to act with both caution and swiftness, so he pulled out his phone and called a cab. The flying vehicle arrived minutes later, landing smoothly in front of him.
The driver glanced at Erik as he entered the vehicle, his eyes briefly flicking to the mask concealing Erik's face. However, there was no hint of recognition in those eyes. Erik understood that in a city teeming with mercenaries and operatives, masks were a common sight.
His choice of a rather nondescript one for this mission helped him blend in seamlessly, a necessary precaution in a city rife with secrets and concealed motives.
"Where to?" the driver asked, his voice casual.
"Bring me here," Erik replied, showing him the location on his phone.
The driver nodded and took off, the cityscape passing by in a blur as they made their way to the destination. Erik's mind was abuzz with thoughts, plans, and calculations.
He looked out the window, watching the buildings and streets glide by, lost in thought. The world outside seemed almost surreal. The knowledge of just one of the many inhuman things that happened in the shadows changed completely his perspective of this nation. He thought this place was better than Frant, but in the end, both places were shitholes where the ones in charge played with other people's lives.
Finally, the cab began to descend, landing on a street that was close to the address but not directly in front of it. Erik paid the fare and stepped out, feeling a rush of hot air in the air as he pulled his hood tighter around his head. The temperature was high, but he couldn't take off the hood.
"Have a nice day," the driver said.
"Thanks," Erik replied with a nod, watching as the cab lifted off again and vanished into the traffic above.
He turned and began to walk toward the address, his steps firm and determined. The mask hid his face, but his eyes were focused, and his mind was clear. He knew what he had to do, and he was ready.
As he moved through the streets, his senses were on high alert, taking in every detail, every sound, and every movement. He knew that the smallest mistake could cost him dearly, and he was not about to let that happen.
The address grew closer, the building taking shape in the distance. It looked ordinary enough, but Erik knew that appearances could be deceiving. What lay inside was a mystery, one he was determined to unravel.
With a final glance around, he approached the building. It was ten stories high, and his eyes narrowed as he circled it. The exterior gave no hint of the secrets that might be hidden within. It looked perfectly ordinary, blending seamlessly with the other structures in the area. But Erik knew better; there was always more than met the eye.
He reached into his mind, calling upon the biological supercomputer and asking it to scan for any hidden cameras inside the building. To his surprise, it came back with nothing.
No cameras, no obvious surveillance. This was highly unusual, given this target's personality. However, he knew this was a smart move. Yes, it was harder to coordinate the patrols and guards or to find intruders, but this also meant that the level of privacy was much higher. Catrina was a different beast compared to Doran.
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