Chapter 1574

[ 605 words ]

Stephen’s commanding view of the tactical map allowed him to instantly see through Graves’s smoke and mirrors.

He didn’t care if the other units chased ghosts; his cruiser remained firmly locked onto the true target.

Jace, tailing closely behind, maintained an open comms line with Stephen.

Fully confident he could dismantle the three kidnappers single-handedly, Jace asked

if Stephen wanted to initiate a tactical takedown.

“Let the decoys do their job. Pretend we fell for it and keep tailing them!”

“I need you to stay completely off their radar, Jace. Do not lose that car.”

“Their final destination definitely isn’t the bus terminal.”

Stephen’s analysis was spot-on.

If the kidnappers truly intended to board a bus, they wouldn’t have orchestrated a

massive multi-car shell game.

They were clearly setting up a much larger escape route.

But where was the perfect place to vanish?

Stephen’s eyes darted across the digital map.

Dane leaned over the console, his finger tapping the screen. “Look at this.”

“Right near the terminal, there’s a wildlife reserve, a public park, the massive forest park, and even a university campus.”

“The foot traffic in those areas is immense.”

“Kingston is a major tourist hub. Those zones are packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people.”

“Where do you think Graves has the highest chance of slipping away?”

“The forest park!” Stephen and Dane said in unison, their eyes locking onto the sprawling green expanse.

Though it wasn’t the closest location to the terminal, the forest park bordered the massive Silverpeak Reservoir.

The water spanned an enormous area. Whether they vanished into the dense woods or took to the water, tracking them would be a nightmare.

If they managed to hit the opposite shore and disappear into the mountains, they would be gone for good.

“This guy is a slippery bastard.”

If Graves hadn’t been orchestrating every move, these low-level thugs would have been in handcuffs hours ago.

But Stephen was playing the long game; his ultimate goal wasn’t to bust a few disposable pawns.

He wanted Graves.

Where would the mastermind be waiting?

Most likely hidden somewhere along the shoreline.

Graves was notoriously paranoid. His plan was clearly to secure Claire and smuggle

her out via an underground route.

If he had to take the long way back to Sundara, there was no guarantee his superiors wouldn’t screw him over.

And if he failed to return, he’d probably end up in a Kaston chop shop, having his organs harvested.

Stephen issued rapid commands, deploying specialized units to lock down the forest park and the reservoir’s perimeter.

But the water was too vast; pinpointing Graves’s exact location quickly was impossible.

A ghost like Graves would never step out into the open.

Stephen was running a joint operation with the military.

Those soldiers thrived in brutal woodland terrain and aquatic warfare.

Wherever the environment was the deadliest, they were in their element.

Stephen patched directly through to Officer Miller, handing the hunt for Graves over to the military’s tactical teams.

Stephen’s units would flush the prey out, and Miller’s men would spring the trap.

Once the two forces converged, they would close the net.

Executing a perimeter this massive required immense manpower.

The police couldn’t do it alone, but Miller was more than ready for the challenge.

His troops were already fully mobilized, Graves’s face flashing across their tactical tablets.

“Memorize this psycho’s face. If you see anyone matching his build or height, you call it in immediately!”

Terrified of letting the target slip

through the cracks, Miller

thrilled the r

importance into his content

When the soldiers learned this

fugitive was tied to the Syndicate’s illegal human experiments, a dark fury ignited within their ranks.

They had lost good men in the Aila Highlands, and they were starving for payback. “Consider it done, Captain. We will drag that rat out of the shadows!”

Meanwhile, miles away, Graves had

flawlessne

himself,

completely blending in as the vel

rugged

captain of a small fishing boat

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