Chapter 11 - Field Work

The print shop was nestled in a corner of the small business district, concealed in a discreet alleyway that remained resolutely veiled from the watchful eyes of the city's ubiquitous surveillance. It was a strategic haven for those seeking discretion in their printing needs. Jason and Amber ventured into this quaint establishment during the early afternoon, encountering only a handful of customers, who all looked at them with watchful eyes. In this Holographic age, the art of printing had experienced a revival, its timeless allure drawing seekers of classic hard forms of communication. As with most things, they come around again in the never ending revolving door of popularity. 

After approaching the shop's counter, Amber presented the holographic image of the unidentified van driver to the attendant. The attendant nodded their head in affirmation, noting that he was a regular, but didn't know his name. So for the remainder of the afternoon Amber and Jason waited, staking out the entrance to the alley in a parked car across the street. Danika had gone to stay in a hotel whilst they were out. Amber had told her she could go back to her boss, but it appeared she wanted to oversee the operation. 

Amber, now with a more serious tone than the reminiscences of her past life as a teacher that had filled the hours of waiting, inquired, "Is it a secret how you deduced that this print shop was the source of the note?"

Jason, graced with a faint smile, responded, "No, it's not a secret; rather, I would prefer only a select few know, and I don't mind sharing with you. It's a unique ability granted by Malcolm—it enables me to discern the origin of any object. For instance, I can tell you that this car was manufactured in Japan, shipped to Cloud City, and sold at a dealership in the middle city." 

Amber marvelled, "That's truly remarkable. It's almost as potent as my own ability. If you develop any more talents like that, I might find myself out of a job," her voice tinged with a playful giggle.

Jason brushed aside her jest with a genuine compliment, asserting, "I highly doubt that. Your skills are indispensable in this line of work."

Blushing slightly, Amber replied, "You're too kind. Do you possess any other abilities that might aid us?"

Before Jason could respond, a grey van fitting Amber's description reversed into the alley, parking inconspicuously across the road from their vantage point. A familiar hooded figure emerged from the van, making his way toward the print shop. Amber and Jason exchanged knowing glances and, without delay, left their vehicle to approach the van while the man went inside the shop.

Sensing an opportunity, Jason decided to employ Sarah's "thin wall vision" to peer inside the back of the van, searching for clues about its contents. Being this man was a courier for the underworld, he could have any number of illegal goods in his van. 

On the sheltered side of the van, down the alley, away from the view of the main street foot traffic, Jason activated his wristwatch's holo-panel, placing it against the vehicle's rear. Simultaneously, Amber retrieved a tracker from her pocket, discreetly attaching it to the van's underside, out of view. Noticing Jason's wall hacks, Amber looked at Jason with a face of astonishment. Saving her questions for later, Amber knelt down beside him and peered inside the van. The interior of the van, though dimly lit, revealed the outline of a large sealed wooden shipping crate resting on a pallet. The crate bore no distinguishing markings or logos, concealing its contents—a possibility that ranged from books to illicit weaponry. Eager not to attract undue attention, they retreated to their car, just in time for the man to return.

Amber chuckled, "Any more surprises waiting for me?"

"Not at the moment. Do you have any theories about what might be in that box?" asked Jason, curious if Amber had any more insight than him.

"It's hard to say, but we may uncover the truth when he reaches his final destination," Amber mused.

"Are we tailing him, then?" Jason inquired, probing Amber's intentions.

"Yes, but discreetly at a distance, thanks to our tracker," Amber affirmed calmly as she initiated the car's engine. They trailed the man as he traversed the city, progressing from the central to the outer districts and ultimately to a sprawling industrial zone. The afternoon was beginning to drag on, as they had been driving for some time. Upon entering a seemingly abandoned warehouse, the man parked his van, whilst Jason and Amber parked out of sight, just around the corner. 

"Now, we wait. As the tracker also has a microphone, we might overhear something important," said Amber, explaining their strategy to Jason. 

From their vantage point, they observed the road leading to the warehouse, devoid of traffic. The man remained inside the van, an eerie silence hanging in the air, broken only when the action finally commenced about half an hour later, as it was starting to get dark. A convoy of two imposing black vehicles sped toward the warehouse, one a limousine, the other an SUV. Their embedded microphone captured the sound of the vehicles entering the warehouse, followed by a few different car doors slamming as multiple people exited their vehicles. 

"Have you brought the merchandise?" a first man asked expectantly. 

"Of course! Have I ever disappointed you?" replied a second man with a distinct English accent—the presumed driver of the van.

The rattle of a forklift echoed through their microphones as the pallet of goods was extracted from the van. The top of the mysterious box thudded onto the warehouse floor.

"Ten high powered laser rifles, as ordered," declared the Englishman. 

The transaction continued, the conversation centering on the loading of and payment for the illicit weapons. Quickly the realisation struck Jason, this was a shady exchange. As he reached for his phone, contemplating contacting the authorities, he voiced his concern to Amber, "This is an illegal arms deal. Shouldn't we inform the police?"

"And lose our one lead thus far because he's in jail? We are in the business of solving cases, not informing the police of illegal activities," replied Amber, unexpectedly ruthless. 

Jason, taken aback by her unwavering determination, recognized there might be hidden motivations driving her actions, but wasn't familiar enough with her to ask. He pocketed his phone and settled in to listen to the deal's conclusion, which arrived swiftly. Following the departure of the convoy, only the Englishman from the van remained within the warehouse. Amber, resolute, started the car and headed toward the warehouse. As they approached, the man had just finished locking up, in preparation to return to his van. Amber parked the car in front of the van, blocking his escape. She quickly jumped out of the driver's seat, with the vehicle still on and pulled a gun from her hip, pointing it at the man as she approached, her demeanour leaving no room for negotiation. The man turned around at the commotion, but was too late, he already had a gun trained at his head, and being from the military, Amber was not afraid to use it. 

"Woah. Woah. Who are you and why are you pointing a gun at me?" asked the Englishman. 

"We need to talk. Turn around," Amber commanded.

Meanwhile, Jason remained in the passenger seat, observing in awe as Amber's audacious confrontation unfolded. A couple of his gods, curious to see how this played out, materialised around the car. The man turned around, his hands in the air. Amber searched him for weapons, and as she disarmed him, he attempted a desperate manoeuvre to gain the upper hand. He grabbed her arm and attempted to pull her forward to throw her on the ground. Unfortunately for him, Amber was highly trained and ruthlessly efficient. She countered his move and before the man knew it he was on the floor, on his back, with Amber's foot on his neck. Amber let her foot linger for longer than she needed to, until the man started choking a bit, before releasing it.

"She is majestic," commented Talon, in awe of Amber's prowess. 

"Now we've danced, and you've tasted the dirt, tell me what I want to know," Amber declared with confidence. "We're not the police, so once you've provided the information, you won't hear from us again."

Although Jason didn't remember his time at school anymore, if Amber was his teacher at any point she must have been ruthless. He made a mental note to never cross her. Amber waited as the man regained his composure, coughing and clearing his throat.

"Fine, you ruthless bitch. What did you want to know, but I ain't ratting on my clients," the man conceded. 

"So, you're an independent courier for illicit activities?" Amber questioned, her tone unyielding and her gun still pointed at the man's face, probably a little too close for comfort. 

"Yes, people pay me good money to take things places, I don't ask questions and they get what they want," said the man, spitting sand out of his mouth. 

"Six months ago, you dropped a young naked girl off in an alleyway behind a hotel. Tell me about that job," demanded Amber. 

"Ah, fuck me dry, I knew that job would come back to haunt me one day. I didn't know who she was until afterwards, ok?" replied the Englishman with regret in his voice. 

"Where did you pick her up?" Amber probed further.

"They dropped her off right here in this warehouse. I have no idea how they got in," he admitted.

"Ok, take us inside," Amber ordered, her resolve unyielding.