Chapter 1685
[ 621 words ]
And what about the old man?
Claire didn’t voice the question, but Tandy saw it in her eyes.
“He wasn’t eaten, but he sustained fatal injuries from a fall and didn’t receive medical attention in time, so…”
It sounded like the young granddaughter had tried to lure the bear away to give the old man a chance to survive.
Unfortunately, fate hadn’t been kind to either of them.
“You didn’t happen to know him personally, did you?”
If this was just a story about strangers, it was a tragic anecdote.
But if it was a family member, that was an entirely different weight to carry.
Claire asked the question delicately.
Tandy fell silent for a moment. “…They were distant relatives of mine.”
Just as she suspected.
“I’m so sorry, Grandpa Tandy. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”
Tandy reached over and patted Claire’s shoulder. “Alright, relax, I’m messing with you. Once we cross the border, you need to keep your emotions in check.”
“I might just be a military doctor, but I’ve run plenty of field ops. You still have a lot to learn.”
Claire was speechless. With him acting so cheerful and optimistic, she genuinely couldn’t tell when he was telling the truth anymore.
“Understood. I’ll be sure to learn everything I can, Grandpa.”
Tandy was thoroughly impressed by how quickly Claire slipped into character.
Some people were just born with unparalleled talent, no matter the field.
“Once we arrive, a contact will meet us and coordinate our rendezvous with Silas’s team as quickly as possible.”
“Thank god they ran into some of our country’s businessmen over there, or the consequences would have been unthinkable.”
As to whether the ‘businessmen’ were actually informants, Tandy didn’t elaborate, and Claire didn’t ask.
It wasn’t until their plane touched down near the Montara border that Claire spotted Stephen James.
Stephen was in disguise. He was the operative sent to take over Silas’s compromised mission.
But Claire recognized him instantly, despite the thick fake beard and the local ethnic attire he was sporting.
She didn’t initiate contact. Instead, Stephen approached them, speaking Mandarin with a heavy, practiced accent.
“Hello there. Where are you folks headed?”
Claire glanced at her ‘grandfather’ and rattled off an address.
“We’re heading to a small town over there to purchase some medicinal herbs. What about you, sir?”
“What a coincidence. I’m heading
that way too. It’s right by our country’s border Im going to look
some gemstones the nook at
the
wealthy ladies go crazy for
Stephen paused, then added, “Did you bring security? It’s not peaceful over there.”
“We brought a few people. They’re my older cousins.” Claire fell right into her role.
She glanced back at the group
trailing her. “My cousins are young and strong. Whether it’s working the fields or throwing punches, they’re top-tier.”
Stephen’s mouth twitched slightly. “If you don’t have weapons, it’s very dangerous out there.”
“Your people might look tough, but they definitely aren’t as professional as mine.”
“How about this: since you’re doctors, we’ll travel together.”
“My guards can protect you, and if anyone on my team gets sick or injured, we’ll trouble you for a consultation.”
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Claire instinctively looked to Tandy.
It was a decision she supposedly couldn’t make on her own; she had to defer to her elder.
Tandy gave a curt nod, prompting Claire to smile. “Alright then. We can help each other out.”
It was perfectly normal for two groups meeting on the road to team up and share resources.
Everyone was driving themselves, and they were incredibly close to the border. The distance from Monroe County to the Zen Marches was extremely short. Hearing that the area was dangerous, they had brought a sizable entourage. However, Claire hadn’t brought the female twins this time. She only brought Rory, Jace, Steele, and Finnian.
The other two weren’t suited for international travel and were currently on leave. Having too many women in a single squad would naturally draw unwanted attention.
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