It's Just My Luck

"Good morning, Mr. Hopefield," I greet a man who sits behind his desk in a room I'm entering.

"Good morning.. ?" the man greets me back with a frown on his face.

"I'm Jonathatn Lee. FBI," I say to him casually while flashing my fake ID that I tug on my waist. The man immediately stands up.

"FBI ? Why are you .."

"I need your help on the investigation of Robert Liam's homicide case," I say to him.

"I don't know any Robert Liam, Sir," Mr. Hopefield defenses himseld. I nod.

"I know you don't know him personally, but Mr. Liam came here just a day before his murder. We have information that said he took his container at that day."

"Let me check my record first, Sir. There is no container can enter nor exit without being recorded first," Mr. Hopefield says. He then sits and checks on his computer. Less than two minutes he has the record already. "Oh.. it's him!"

"You remember him now ?" I ask.

"Mr. Liam came here twice. First, at the evening to see his container. But he didn't take it out. Instead he came to this office the next morning to ask for a CCTV footage on his container's area. When I asked him the reason, he only told me that his stuff in the container was missing. I asked him to make a report to the police first. He got upset then took out his container instead," Mr. Hopefield explains.

"I will need to see the footage also," I tell him.

"Sure.. If it is for the cop, I definitely give it. That's what a good citizen does, you know," Mr. Hopefield says. I just smile and stand behind him. "We keep footage of all areas for the whole year on our standalone server before we delete it every new year. Which footage you want ?"

"When he came here in the first time," I request him. Mr. Hopefield operates his computer and soon his monitor is shown a video footage I requested. Mr. Liam came to the container with two men.

"One on his right is McGee, our on-duty officer at that night," Mr. Hopefield informs me. I nod while keeping my eyes on the footage. McGee was unlocking the container. Not long after, he opened it. Mr. Liam came into the container with the other guy.

Five minutes later they came out. But Mr. Liam's face drastically turned ugly. He then had conversation with McGee. The footage doesn't have sound. From their body languages, it was more precisely to be confrontation. Mr. Liam just figured out about the missing weapons. He didn't lie.

"When did his container come ?" I ask. Mr. Hopefield looks at his logbook.

"On 23rd," he answers, showing me the logbook.

"I need a copy of video footage from when the container was placed there until it was taken out," I tell Mr. Hopefield, giving him a flash disk. Mr. Hopefield nods to agree.

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I blink my eyes a couple of times to moisten it. It's been more than four hours I watch the footages. It is a three days footage and I tripled the speed but all I see since the container was placed is only the container it self. Nothing moves despite a lifting vehicles that crossed over in front of the container twice a day.

I yawn, then sip my coffee. I just put my coffee mug back on its place when my eyes see something. The video still shows the container alone with nothing is changed. Well, maybe almost nothing.

I click the slider tool to rewind the video a little bit. Video shows the container with no movement then suddenly I see it again. I don't know what. The video is still showing the container, but something is different. I rewind it again. And again. Something odd.

I'm slowing the speed until normal and watch it carefully. There ! I quickly stop the video. rewind it 10 second back then set the speed to half the normal. Then I see it. I glances at the timestamp. 24th April 9:46:32 PM.

The moon at 9:46:31 PM was unseen, then a second later, the moon suddenly popped out of nowhere. There is no way a moon can suddenly pop up like that within a second. The cloud that covers it definitely gradually vanish, not in a sudden. This footage was either being edited or hacked. My instinct tells me it is the latter.

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The next evening I drown my self again with more video footages I got from the port. This time I asked all CCTV footages. They have around fifty CCTV cameras. Fortunately I only need to inspect for the specific time 24th June between 8.30 until 9.44 PM. I have my coffee ready.

After searching for more than half videos, I found nothing in video footages from the containers area. But something interesting happened in one of the video from outside the port area.

A black van was parked far from the gate, in front of the wired fence. Then someone came out of the fence. He dragged some kind of briefcase or container out from the fence. Then another man came out of the fence. They both lifted the container to the van. The last guy then went back to the fence. Sparks of fire then appeared. He welded the fence back.

I zoom in the video trying to see the car's plate. I can't see it. Damn, this people are not bad. But then I see something, a sticker on the back glass of window. A phone number. It's a rent car.

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On my lunch break, I go to the rent car company. Mr. Chekhovsky permits me of course, but I tell my men that my girlfriend has an accident.

"Jonathan Lee. FBI," Once again I flash my fake FBI ID. I'm glad Andy is already home to help me made it. I even dare to enter FBI headquarter with the ID he made. "We are suspicious that one of your car was being used for illegal activity," I add.

"It's a rent car company, Sir. What my renters do with the car they rent is not my responsibility," the owner says in calm.

"Well, unless it has something to do with terrorism, that is," I tell him. He bulges his eyes.

"Te.. terrorism ?!?! Look officer I have nothing to do with it, okay ?"

"That depends on what we will find and your cooperation."

"Sure.. sure.. I will cooperate. I will give anything I can provide."

"I need the name and contact of a person who rented your black van on 24th of April."

"We have three black vans, Sir, and all being rented on that day."

"Give me all of them. And also GPS records of the three cars that day."

"Of course, Sir.."

Five minutes later I'm out of the company with a list of three people that rented the black van. I take a picture of it, then send it to Thief with some intro about what I need her to do with it.

---------

I check my phone. Thief still hasn't read my message. That is something unusual. She usually reads my message almost immediately. But suddenly just like being cued, Thief messages me.

[Sorry, I just got out of a flight. I'm at country B now visiting my grandma with my mom. I don't bring my laptop so I can only help you after I'm back]

[When ?]

[Only for this long weekend. I'll be back Monday afternoon. Is that okay ?]

[Sure. Have fun]

I lightly throw my phone on the coffee table before throwing my self to the couch. It's long weekend. Fortunately, Mr. Chekhovsky thinks that weekend is his time for his family. So we, his office bodyguards, can have our weekends, too. Hmm.. what should I do for this weekend ?

I grab my civil phone and turn it on. Yes, I have three phones actually. One for my undercover, I change the number after a mission is complete. One for my actual job related such as taking order from clients and arranging job with Thief, Andy, or others like Bob and his mates. The last one is for my social life as Scott Bennet. I need to have a life, too.

No message from the girls. I sigh in complaint. I was too busy with my jobs that it caused my popularity. I refused their invitations many times that they might not want to invite me anymore. So. I click on the first number of a girl and starts texting her.

[Hi.. Busy tonight ?]

[Hi, Scott.. Kinda. I already have a date tonight :(] Amanda answers

[I'm at my hometown] That's Chelsea.

[I'm throwing an orgy party. Wanna come ?] Nope. I'm not into orgy, Demi.

[No. I'm waiting for my HIV test, though] Okay. Hope for the best, Phebe.

...

[Maybe next time ?] That's Yolanda, the last girl on my phone list.

[Sure. Have fun] I text her back, then just put my phone on the coffee table.

It is just my luck. I contacted more than twenty girls and they all are not available. Well, I contacted almost all of them. I skipped one name. Jennifer.

It's not that I'm upset she was paying me. It's just.. she hasn't called me. It's kinda hurt my ego. I mean.. all of other girls called me a day or two after we had sex. Usually it was me that making excuse for not being too attached with them. But this girl.. she didn't call me, and it was her first time. She should be clingy, but she doesn't.

Is she still in pain ? She said to that Marty guy she didn't want to do it. Is she traumatic ? But she wanted a second round that night. Bob told me that she didn't go out except that Tuesday. So she hasn't done it with other yet. At least not at home.

Her office is in a thick brick walls so Bob couldn't see a thing. Maybe she lied to me, as always. Maybe she has a boyfriend at office. Maybe she finally has sex with him after... my phone rings. Jennifer. Shit! This girl can telepathy.

"Hi, Jen," I answer as casual as possible.

"Please tell me you don't have plan this long weekend," she says with sulky voice.

"Why ?"

"I was planning a get away with friends to F beach but suddenly they all canceled it."

"Why is that has something.."

"I will pay you if you want to accompany me this weekend."

"Accompany you ?"

"Look.. I bought a box of condom already for the trip. And it is canceled that makes me upset. Then because of upset, I become.. a little bit horny." I smirk. Finally.

"Don't you have many options.."

"Look.. if you don't want to come ..."

"I'll come by " I cut her.

"Thanks."

"Just one condition."

"What ?"

"Don't pay me."

@@@@@AUTHOR'S NOTE@@@@@

Early warning!

The next chapter will be contained 18+ Material only. So you may skip it if you are under 18 or just not into that scene ;)