Chương 29: City of Ravens (15)

"How are you doing?" the voice sounded out the moment I accepted the call. As expected it was Evelin with her cold voice, combined with words that should be caring and worm made it weird.

"I'm fine, how did it go on your end?"

"It was a success, for the time the MCA will hire a negotiation firm to settle differences between the Artists. If it works well, they will consider making their own team of mediators, but before that, they appointed a team to think of a way to replace the current challenge system. I was appointed as the head of that team."

"Congratulations. That sounds like a big promotion, but who will be my handler now?"

"Don't worry, I will assign you a good handler. But I called with a different purpose. This phone call is officially my last phone call as a handler, so I need to inform you about the situation with Alexander Novakovic. Since he was looking to settle a dispute with you, he is now legally not allowed to confront you, if he breaks the rule you need to inform the MCA."

"That's fine, we didn't have any conflict from the start, and if he wants revenge after the fight… I will be fine."

"I don't think he will seek revenge. He asked for a conversation with you."

"Really? Why does he want to talk with me?"

"He didn't say why. But he insisted on talking. What should I do?"

"… Tell me where and when."

I arrived at the hospital less than twenty minutes later. After asking for the room number I arrived in the room, Alexander Novakovic was in. He was standing in front of the window and looking into the distance. I closed the door behind me and approached him while saying. "What do you want?"

He turned around and looked me in the eyes. "I'm sorry for calling you here, but I wanted to ask you for help."

"Help? Why would you need my help? And why would I help you?"

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Nate McDade is after you, and I don't want to be a dog of his anymore."

"What do you mean? I remember you saying that you are doing it for a 'briefcase full of money.' Where the 'being his dog' came from?"

"He had someone watching the fight, but this place is safe. Like I said, I want to ask you for help. If just hear me out."

"Go on."

"Five years ago, after my parents died, I found out that I have a sister, a half-sister. Her mother died during labour, and since then my father was paying a nanny to raise her. After his death, there was no one to pay for that, but I was soon to graduate, and with the full training I could easily work in the hunting grounds or as a bodyguard. But I still needed money, that's when I met Nate McDade. He offered me a job, not the most legal but well-paid one. And for a while, it was all well, until he learned about my sister."

"He blackmailed you?"

"No. He kidnaped her."

"What?! You didn't go to the police? Or the MCA?"

"I can't. There is no evidence connecting him to the kidnapping, he never wrote a text or a phone call where he mentioned it, and the only way to talk to him is after a search. Even if I do inform the authorities, they won't be able to do anything."

"You don't know where she is now, do you?"

"No. I only get a few pictures and a video call every month, she believes that I work and can't come to visit her. From what I saw there, he placed her in a nice house, and there is someone taking care of her. And as long I do as he says, she will stay safe."

"What do you need me for then?"

"To rescue her. We will go to Nate, interrogate him and rescue my sister. Most of the time he has two bodyguards watching him. If they are not there, then gangsters with guns. He doesn't leave his house without protection, which in itself is like a fortress. Having dozens of muzzles pointed at me doesn't seem like a good idea, we will attack when there are only the two bodyguards and take him to a secure location."

"I'm guessing that the bodyguards are Artists; otherwise you would already take them down."

"Yes."

"Sigh… I want to help you, but everything you said is just… convoluted. If you could give me more time, I will get more information and get back to you how does that sound?"

"I understand."

When I left the hospital, I rushed back to the apartment and told Emily about the situation. When she heard the whole story, she gladly took her laptop and began to type.

On the other hand, I considered the request Novakovic made. He had no idea where his sister was, and if he informed the authorities, considering that Nate has people inside the MCA, he must have some in the Police, his sister could get hurt.

As for his plan, none of the options were good. Chances are that we would have to attack in the middle of the city if a big fight breaks out… everyone would get prison time. And if the gangsters protect him, like he said, 'dozens of muzzles pointed at me doesn't seem like a good idea.'

"How is it Emily? Did you find anything?"

"Not me. But there is something. Nate is receiving regular phone calls from a few numbers, they are checking them now, one of them may be from the person that is with Alexanders sister."

"Who are they?"

"Just people I met online. Wait, we have their files. Take your laptop and make an account, you will help search through them."

When I made an account, I could help but to be surprised, it was THE Forum. One of the most infamous hacker groups in the world! I don't know how she found them, but the fact that she can get help from them to get so much information means that they somehow trust her!

When I made an account the chat for a second was filled with greetings before getting silent. I began to search through the files they gathered, I was going through the billing information of some poor bastard when a message from one of the Forum members showed up.

'[R@] – I found something. This woman has history babysitting, she doesn't have any permanent address or a job. But every month she pays in a large amount of money to her bank account. I used her phone GPS and found where she spends most of the time. A small house with a sophisticated security system. Lol. I hacked their cameras, sending you the live camera feed.'

On the camera view a child, six or seven years old was playing with a dog while a woman in her thirties was watching over. On the other cameras, it looked like there were a few people stationed around the property all looking like gangsters. I counted six in total, but there could be more in the blind spots.

If this girl is Alexander's sister, then there will be no need for him… us to attack Nate. The mission will change into a rescue mission.

With no time to waste I took a photo of the girl and went back to the hospital. Alexander was still staring at the window, but when I entered he jumped up and hastily walked up to me. "Did you decide?"

"You could say so. First, tell if this is your sister." I showed him the picture of the girl, and immediately his eyes widened, and tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. "I will take that as a yes."

"How did you get it?" his eyes didn't leave the photo even for a second. "This is her, my sister Claudia."

"My friends are good with computers. That's all you should know. But you should know I will help you. We know where she is kept, and we are gathering information on the people that are holding her there. Today night we will go for her."