Chapter 22 - CH 22 Container Box Surprise.

"that was...awesome!" Said Cynthia as she rose to her feet. Sadie turned towards her, impressed, and wiped blood from her claws. "Where did you learn to fight like that?" she asked.

Cynthia hesitated before responding, "Let's just say, my summers involved more wrestling lessons than sunbathing. But if you ever decide to tell anyone, remember what I'm capable of!" she threatened softly.

"I'll keep that in mind," Sadie said. "You still have the list? See if you can find the registration number for the company Merry Meat."

Cynthia quickly checked the list she had snatched from the dock worker, scanning for the entry related to 'Merry Meat.'

"I think I've found it," she said, her finger pausing on the name. "Let me see, we must find the container registered TCNU1234567 0 42G1."

They began searching together, meticulously checking the numbers on each container. They got dangerously close, only to be thwarted by a digit or two each time.

"It's of no use!" Sadie exclaimed in frustration, tossing the list aside. "How the hell are we supposed to find it? It's like checking lottery numbers for the entire Midwest."

Cynthia suggested, "There may be another way. We can look for refrigerated containers since it's for meat. Those would be the white-colored ones."

Sadie raised an eyebrow. "What, why?"

"Reefer containers are white because lighter colors reflect sunlight better than darker colors, keeping the interior cool in warmer conditions."

"Why do you know all of this?" asked Sadie.

"My brother runs an international company. He taught me a thing or two about container codes and color functions," Cynthia answered casually.

"You're a treasure trove of knowledge," Sadie commented dismissively, choosing to ignore Cynthia's idea after enduring the tedious task of checking over a hundred registration numbers.

"Incredulous aren't you?" Cynthia retorted. "I'll show you." She gestured toward a light-colored container and tapped on it. "Let's check inside this one."

"And how do you plan to open it?"

"With..." Cynthia hesitated, scanning the area until her eyes landed on the dead guard's grenade belt. "With this!" Cynthia exclaimed, rushing to pick up the grenade from the black belt.

She began pulling on the lever, attempting to break it off.

"Be careful with that! And don't use your teeth," Sadie warned, concerned that Cynthia's pristine white teeth wouldn't survive that bite.

"How does this thing work?" Cynthia groaned, bending her legs and pulling on the lever, attempting to trigger the grenade.

As Cynthia's body convulsed, a click was heard between her legs. "I did it!" she exclaimed triumphantly, presenting the released grenade to Sadie.

"Throw it!" Sadie urgently yelled.

"Oh, right," Cynthia uttered, she yanked it towards the container. An explosion erupted, a fiery burst much closer than intended. Blinded and disoriented, Sadie and Cynthia instinctively shielded their faces from the intense blast wave.

As the smoke subsided, they were confronted with the aftermath – the pressure had forcefully breached the container door. In a swift attempt to open it, Sadie reached for the handle but hastily withdrew her hand, a sharp cry escaping her lips, "It's fucking hot!"

She extended a single claw this time, pulling the door open, revealing a scene that left both girls astonished. The container was packed to the brim with stocks of ammunition, rifles, and grenade launchers, and the back held an arsenal of bombs.

Cynthia awkwardly chuckled as she rubbed the back of her arm, saying, "I forgot that gray containers are also used for government shipments. Well thank god my throw wasn't perfect!"

"You could've blown us to bits," Sadie remarked with a deadpan expression.

"There's another light-colored one over there. Let's try," Cynthia suggested, rushing towards it.

"Hey, wait," Sadie said, following suit.

"It seems to have chains around it," Cynthia noted as she lifted a chain in her hand.

When Sadie saw the chains, her eyes widened. She immediately remembered the butcher and his weapons of choice – these were the same chains he used to hang carcasses in his slaughterhouse, the same tools he used to whip and torture his enemies.

"Since we found bombs in the other container, we can..." Cynthia started.

"No more blowing things up!" Sadie scolded. Then, she looked towards the forklift parked in the corner – a new brand boasting speed and solid steel blades capable of lifting an elephant. Sadie thought it was worth a shot. "I can operate and use the blades of the forklift to break the chains."

Sadie then walked towards the vehicle, climbed inside, and deftly positioned her foot on the accelerator. Contemplating the distance between the cart and the container, she determined there was just enough room.

With a sudden press on the gas pedal, Sadie propelled the forklift toward the container, hastily steering until it forcefully collided, its blades piercing the corrugated panel.

After recovering from the minor accident, she heard Cynthia saying, "there are screams coming from the inside! It's the one we were searching for!"

Sadie studied the panel in front of her. Having never operated such machinery before, she decided to pull the lever that looked most like a joystick. As she pulled the lever backward, it worked! She directed the forks into lifting mode, with the hopeful intention of tearing through the metal and breaking the chains.

As the forks started pressuring against the robust chains, the forklift started tilting forward. Urgently, Sadie shouted to Cynthia, "It won't hold; you need to pull the vehicle back and secure it down!"

Cynthia sprang into action without delay, rushing behind the forklift. She placed her hands on the rear stabilizers and firmly planted her feet hip-width apart for leverage. Channeling her hybrid strength, Cynthia shoved back with her taut legs, exerting herself to plant the forklift in place.

Then _clank_.

The wide chains burst apart, freeing the vessel from its constraints. Sadie swiftly reversed, yanking the doors away, revealing a multitude of people in the back of the container. They were packed together, cowering away from the two girls.

"Do not be afraid," Sadie reassured as she leaped out of the forklift, "we've come to rescue you."

"Rescue us?!" a fat Asian man dressed as a fisherman yelled from inside, "you've almost pierced my chest with the forks!"

"Such an ungrateful attitude," Cynthia commented dryly, "you are free to go now, hop hop," she said, clapping to hasten them to get out into the open.

The confused victims started to emerge from the container, one by one, like sheep freed from a slaughterhouse. It took a moment for the truth to dawn on them that the two girls had saved them from a very disturbing fate.

Sadie checked each person, trying to find the little boy she had vowed to free. She asked around, "Is there a boy with you, wearing a blue hat and a red coat?" Most shook their heads, denying having seen him, until a girl slightly older than the kid approached Sadie and tugged on her hoodie.

She said, "When we were stuck in that scary meat place for a night, I saw a boy in a blue hat sitting in the corner. He looked like he cried so much; his face got all stiff and cold from dried tears.

I offered him a tissue, but he wouldn't move or say anything. He stayed quiet, no matter what I told him, just staring like he didn't care for me. When men in black came in, he stood up, getting ready like he knew they were going to take him. But before he left, he looked at me and said, 'You seem like a nice person, know that no one is coming to save you, there is no hope. End your life while you still have the opportunity.' "

"What a horrible thing to say," said Cynthia.

"What happened next? Where did they take him?" Sadie urged.

"I dunno," the little girl mumbled, "but when they took him away, a guard said, 'Do we have to clean up every time the boss visits the underground slum and knocks some bitch up?' Then the boy, who was going calmly with them up to that point, went all wild, trying to hit the man who said those words."

Police sirens abruptly interrupted them. "The place is surrounded; get out and surrender yourselves now," commanded a stern voice.

"Now we are saved," the fat Asian man said.

"No!" Sadie pleaded, "we can't trust the police. They are aware of the criminal operation and did nothing to stop it."

"Don't touch me!" the man yelled, jerking his arm away. "You're a crazy woman, officers!"

He shouted as he ran outside, but as soon as he was in sight of the police, they shot him dead immediately, sending a wave of panic through the people inside.