Chapter 104: Women

[Chapter 104: Women]

After leaving the hospital, Ian made a quick stop by Elk Street. His mother had already prepared dinner for him.

After dinner, Ian changed his clothes before heading out. Mrs. Carr looked at her son and asked, "Are you off to get the news again? Another gang-related incident?"

Ian was surprised, "How did you know, Mom?"

Mrs. Carr replied in a somber tone, "That cowboy outfit is durable and cheap; if it burns up, it won't bother you. Every time you go out wearing that, there's bound to be some big news, and usually bad news at that."

A mother's intuition! Even though she rarely asked about his activities, she had always been concerned for him.

Ian shrugged, thinking as he put on a black trench coat. It gave off a Godfather vibe, even though the cowboy outfit underneath seemed out of place.

He walked over to his mother, hugging her and kissing her forehead. "I know you're worried about me. Don't worry, Mom; I'll be fine."

His gentle reassurance calmed her fears.

He stepped outside, and a black sedan was already waiting at the curb.

...

Creps himself was driving, taking Ian away.

The car drove through the city before stopping at a desolate street.

Just beyond was the turf of the Bloods gang. Under the gang's diligent management, the area was rundown, littered with debris.

From the power lines above, someone's old sneakers dangled, and broken windows could be seen in the nearby buildings, with occasional evidence of bullet holes. Three out of four streetlights were out, leaving just one dimly lit.

Ian sat in the car, watching as a few tattooed Black men loitered at a doorway, joking among themselves, with some prostitutes plying their trade on the corners.

He pulled out his phone and said, "I'm here."

On the other end, Phil Leyso's voice replied, "I'm here too; I see your car; the cameras are set up."

"Don't start filming yet; wait until I clear things up first."

"Got it."

...

Putting away his phone, Ian took out a camera to hang around his neck, then grabbed a round fedora from the back seat.

Few people wore this kind of hat these days, giving Ian an oddly nostalgic feeling.

Stepping out of the car, he told Creps, "You should head out now and wait for Phil's call."

With that, he walked toward a corner.

...

Once in a dark area, Ian made sure Creps had driven away before looking towards the street.

Through his perspective, everyone seemed vividly alive in his view.

The extensive tattoos gave them an intimidating, bloodthirsty appearance, making it easier to deal with them.

At that moment, just as Ian decided to take his gun and charge in, he suddenly froze, "Wait?"

In his line of sight, a familiar woman passed by.

"Is that her?"

...

In the darkness, Katherine was still moving carefully.

Her target was the large house in the center of the street, with laughter faintly audible from behind the closed curtains.

Katherine crept closer to the house, jumped into the yard, then came to a window below.

Gun in hand, she edged along the wall, moving past the yard to a nearby basement.

Katherine put away her gun and lifted the wooden door of the basement, relieved to find it unlocked.

With the door lifted, she took out a flashlight, holding it in her left hand and her gun in her right as she descended into the dark.

At the bottom of the stairs, she found a spacious area.

The basement was huge, with even two separate rooms, and from behind one door, she could faintly hear a woman crying.

Hearing the cries, Katherine rushed to open the door, only to find it locked.

Fortunately, there was a crowbar nearby, and she grabbed it to pry open the door. The noises outside evidently made those inside tense, as the crying stopped.

Katherine strained to force the door open, and when she finally did, her flashlight illuminated several frightened girls huddled inside.

"Shh!" Katherine held up her finger.

"I'm here to save you; come with me."

One girl looked at her in terror and said, "Don't kill us. We had nothing to do with this!"

Katherine replied, exasperated, "I told you, I'm here to save you!"

Suddenly, a voice from behind her said, "She's not talking to you."

Katherine turned to see a hefty fist coming right for her.

...

Splash!

A bucket of water splashed on Katherine's head, and she groggily came to.

Above her head, the hanging light swayed, and several Black faces looked down at her, grinning wickedly.

Katherine realized she was in a room, her hands tied, surrounded by tattooed men.

They were drinking, doing drugs, and some were joking with women.

Two large Black men picked Katherine up, and seated behind a desk opposite them was a stout man in a sharp suit.

His large gold watch gleamed as he puffed on a cigar.

He smiled at Katherine as he said, "You shouldn't have come here, Miss Katherine."

Katherine took a deep breath, "I'm a cop! Crazy Jett, you better know what you're doing!"

Jett frowned in displeasure, "I hate that nickname. My friends usually call me Gold Jett, but clearly, you're not one of them, so I can forgive you."

As he spoke, he pulled out a white handkerchief to wipe his mouth and said, "Most times, we don't want to deal with the police; we all have our responsibilities. Mutual respect is how we coexist. But you've crossed the line!"

Katherine shouted, "You're a scumbag! Let those women go!"

"They're my cash flow, you know. It took a lot of effort to get these top-notch goods." Jett shook his head. "Each woman can earn me at least ten thousand dollars a night. But you know what the key is? The ones who can afford to spend that much money are the big shots. While you provide services for them, you get dirt on them, and they can protect you."

He laughed, proud of himself. "Only a fool would care about how much money can be made in a business transaction! You need to see the underlying value! The invisible profits are your most crucial assets!"

Standing up, he looked at Katherine with a regretful expression, "I know your father is with the FBI; you've got some talent. It's such a waste for a woman like you to be a cop! Why waste your gifts? You do realize that I can't put you to work for those big shots, right? I'd be worried you'd bite their dicks off!"

He added, muttering, "But maybe I could consider blinding you, cutting out your tongue, and shattering your teeth. Some people prefer the beauty of imperfections."

Katherine was shocked.

How could someone say such inhumane things?

Then he bent down, grasping Katherine's chin, smiling innocently, "But before that, you need to tell me how you knew there was new merchandise coming in today."

Katherine glared at Jett, refusing to speak.

This made Jett slightly disappointed.

He shook his head, "There are always people using my money to betray me; that's bad. Give me the name, and maybe I can keep you whole. Otherwise, I'll chop off your fingers, your tongue, and shove a hot iron up your ass."

Katherine trembled.

She used to believe she was someone who would bravely risk her life for justice, but at that moment, she felt true fear.

She shook her head repeatedly, "I didn't get the information from you; I'm watching the Crips. "

"The Crips?" Jett was astonished. "Are they after me?"

Suddenly realizing something, Jett paused, "Ian Carr... Crap! Is he really going to war with me? This isn't like last time; this is Bloods territory!"

He jumped to his feet and looked at Katherine, "Are they making a move tonight?"

Katherine didn't answer, but her eyes already confirmed it.

Jett yelled, "Gather everyone immediately!!!"

At that moment, as his shout reverberated, bang!

The light bulbs suddenly went out, plunging everything into darkness.

Chaotic gunfire erupted as the entire block was instantly consumed by flames and screams.

*****

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