FINDING VERA

Victoria was too consumed by jealousy, getting rid of Vera was all she could think of

Hello. ''I know where your daughter is,'' she said into the phone.

There was a pause on the other side of the phone. It seemed like the person wasn't happy to get this call. Victoria couldn't see Sandra Zu Chon's face.

'' Where is she and who are you?

'' Who I am isn't important, but I know where your daughter is, do you want her or not? Victoria gritted her teeth as she spoke.

There was a light laughter from Sandra, who sensed a little aggression from Victoria's voice.

"You seem to be in a hurry to get the reward of a million dollars. Many people have called, but all the leads have taken us to dead ends. How am I sure you are genuine?" Sandra sat in a very comfortable chair in her room, facing her mirror and wearing her makeup. When Victoria's call came through, she paused to answer the call. 

'' Well, the money is not so enticing, but getting her away from the side of my man is more important.'' Victoria continued,

Meet me at R. Mason Hospital by 3:00 pm tomorrow. I will take you to where she is. Unknown to Victoria Jack had taken Vera to the police station as she spoke to Sandra Zu Chon.

On the other side at R. Mason Hospital. Jack and the others got ready after deciding what should be done, they went straight to the police station.

Selena contacted the head of the police department before they arrived, so he was already waiting to greet them at the door, the meeting was brief and simple after they sat in his office.

'' Miss Selena, he extended his hand for a handshake with Selena, Jack, Vera, and Grace. While Rueben and Thomas remained in another car parked outside.

The head of the police district spoke respectfully; Jack told Selena to keep his identity hidden.

'' From what you've said the person in question has no memory of her past life, all she recalls is waking up in the hospital after being rescued by you and Jack, he asked.

Nodding Selena agreed and retold the story of how Vera was rescued by Jack and herself.

Turning his face to Jack, the head of the district police showed appreciation to Jack and Selena. 

'' Thank you for your great work to humanity, can I ask Vera some questions, please? Mr. Chan asked

''Sure you can'' reply Jack

Miss Vera, Chan turned to face Vera, can you tell me anything you remember at all, maybe by the stream or just anything?

'' I can't remember anything at all. I can only remember all I have seen and experienced since I woke up at the hospital. 

Can you remember who these people are?

Chan placed some pictures directly in front of Vera, some of these pictures she had seen on Jack's laptop. He showed them to her, they were pictures of her stepmother and her Dad, her biological mum's brother, and some of the butlers at home.

After glancing through she shook her head

'' I don't know them, should I know them she asked.

 Chan relaxed a bit into his chair looking directly at Vera with a confused expression on his face. '' Vera, these are your parents'' pointing at the individuals in the pictures he said, looking at her to see her reaction but he noticed nothing.

Chan continued, '' So you should know them, is there no memory at all? Try and think deeply, he probed further.

Looking at the pictures, Vera felt a headache, all she could remember was Grace's words about how she had been continuously poisoned for years. All she saw were people she could never trust or go back to

She opened her mouth to speak.

'' I have a headache she said, facing Grandma Grace as she placed her hand on her forehead, visibly sweat-like beads formed on her forehead.

Grace felt the pressure from Chan was getting too much, so she quickly intervened.

'' This should be okay for now, Mr. Chan. She is still undergoing treatment for now and pushing her hard will make her lose more memories. It should be a gradual process. Can we reschedule another visit?

She quickly stood up, helping Vera up, and then they walked out of the office. Jack and Selena, remained in the office to finalize with Chan.

"Mr. Chan, here is my official card," Selena said, handing over her card. "You can always reach us after informing her family about her rescue. We'll be expecting your call."

Jack and Selena left the office.

"Do you trust the officer?" Jack asked quietly, glancing at Selena as they drove away.

"I'll keep an eye on him," she replied. "He doesn't strike me as someone with a double standard."

Her tone shifted slightly. "We also have a white van following us, Your Majesty. Don't look back, but it will be taken care of."

Selena touched her earpiece and spoke in a calm, commanding voice.

"Get several identical vehicles with the same license plate number as ours. Code Q. Quietly intercept us. We're heading toward the traffic light just past the district police station. Also, send Code P to the station to monitor their head.

"Code Z, are you there?"

"Yes, Red Rose," a voice replied through the earpiece.

"After the interception," Selena continued, "force the traffic light to switch back to red again. Make it look like a malfunction.

"Make no mistakes. I repeat, make no mistakes. And check how many other vans or cars are trailing me. Be quick."

She switched to another channel. "Thomas, we've got company. Be on standby."

"Okay," Thomas replied, glancing at his rearview mirror. He spotted a white van following them at a distance.

"I see the van," he added into the earpiece.

"Good. Stay close," Selena instructed. "My car has a red dot on the side of the driver's windshield. I'll make it visible only to you, Thomas—not to anyone else."

Within moments, identical vehicles with the same license plate as Jack's began converging on their location. Some overtook Jack's car, others stayed behind, while a few took positions in adjacent lanes.

The driver of the white van, Roger, frowned in confusion as the convoy stopped at the now-red traffic light. His bewilderment grew as he noticed more than twenty identical cars—all the same color, make, and plate number.

Roger grabbed his communicator. "Dave, do you see the car we were following?"

"No," Dave replied, his voice tense. "I think we've been compromised. Should we retreat?"

"Manuel, what about you?" Roger demanded. "Can you identify the target?"

Manuel sounded equally flustered. "Boss, all the cars have the same plate numbers and color. They're identical! I think we've been discovered. Retreating might be our best option."

Meanwhile, twelve additional vehicles moved to intercept the vans. Daisy's subordinates identified three suspects: one blue van, one red, and one green.

Daisy's voice crackled in the earpiece. "Split into three groups. Assign four cars per van. Do not lose them, no matter what. Engage only when clear of civilian traffic. Code F is in play."

The twelve vehicles peeled off in perfect unison. Group One tailed the white van, Group Two followed the red van, and Group Three pursued the blue van. The pursuit unfolded like a coordinated dance—precise and relentless.

The white van accelerated sharply, trying to lose its pursuers in a series of sharp turns through narrow alleys. Group One stayed on its tail, their drivers expertly navigating the maze-like streets. One car in the group surged ahead, blocking the van's path, while two others closed in from the sides. The fourth car stayed behind, cutting off any chance of retreat.

"White van contained," reported a voice in Selena's earpiece.

Meanwhile, the red van took a different approach, weaving through busy intersections in an attempt to blend with traffic. Group Two responded with calculated precision. Two cars flanked the van, forcing it toward an empty side street, while the other two boxed it in from the front and rear. The van skidded to a halt, its tires screeching as it was pinned against a wall.

"Red van neutralized," another voice reported.

The blue van sped onto the highway, hoping to outrun Group Three. However, Daisy's team had anticipated this. Two cars pulled alongside the van, applying subtle pressure to its sides, while another cut sharply in front, forcing the driver to slam on the brakes.

The final car trailed close behind, ensuring no escape. The van swerved but eventually slowed to a stop on the shoulder.

"Blue van secured," the final report came through.

Each van was escorted to a secluded warehouse on the outskirts of the city, where Daisy's subordinates had set up a secure perimeter. The warehouse was dimly lit, the air thick with tension as the subdued van drivers were dragged out and restrained.

Daisy entered with a skin mask on her face to change her facial appearance; her presence was commanding and cold. She surveyed the captives, her expression unreadable. However, Jack sat in the car quietly watching from the body cam attached to Daisy's body and connected to his phone. 

"Who sent you?" she demanded, her voice sharp and unyielding.

The captives remained silent, exchanging nervous glances.

She turned to her team. "Separate them. Start with the one who looks most nervous," she ordered, pointing to Roger. "Make sure they understand the cost of silence."

As her subordinates moved to carry out her orders, Selena stepped back, her gaze never leaving the captives. The interrogation was about to begin, and no detail would escape her scrutiny.

She turned to Code Q, get me the Asian lady, have you rendered her powerless? Code Q nodded and left, returning within seconds as she pulled an almost lifeless woman along with her.

She noticed the shock on Roger's face when he saw the Asian woman, Daisy immediately realized they were together, and she remembered the hidden poison in her teeth, it also meant all three who just came in also had it.

Without wasting time, she shot her tranquilizers at the three men, while they were busy screaming, an antidote was poured into their mouths simultaneously, they had no time to gnash their teeth by the suicidal exit.

The men were dazed. Mostly Rogers.

'' Now we can talk,''

Daisy said. Her aura was as cold as ice, she glared at Rogers who seemed to be the commander of the three men who were caught.

The Asian woman has calculated that there was no need for Rogers to lie, Rogers was her backup and since he had been compromised along with the other two, they had lost hope. They knew no one would come to rescue them. She decided to spill so she could save Rogers and the other two.

'' They are with me, she said weakly, they were supposed to be my backup but now since no one will be coming for us, what's the use?

Dejection was all over her face, all she wanted was to rest in peace but Daisy wasn't ready for that yet.

'' Lock all of them up separately,'' she ordered. But not before glancing at Rogers, she noticed a side of his face was peeling. Daisy was the master of skin masks, without moving she ordered another subordinate.

Pull his mask off, as she pointed to Rogers, and do the same with the other two. Daisy realized they may all, just be wearing skin masks, even the Asian lady.

Immediately, Rogers's face was held up, and the mask was forcefully removed, including the other men. They were all people that Red Rose knew. She pointed at the Asian lady who was trying to refuse

''No, no, don't touch me, don't come close to me, let me be, please don't touch me,''

She kept yelling. If only yelling could manifest strength, but it couldn't. She was pinned down and her face was held up as the tightly fixed facial mask was pulled off her face...

Daisy staggered back with a few steps. The room fell into grave silence. Jack watched silently in the car; he wondered who the beautiful young lady was that made Daisy almost trip on her steps.