"What now?" Dion asked Ella.
"Listen up, everyone," Ella's voice transmitted through the earbud, now serious. "The cops have discovered Rocky Peters' men inside the club. They're currently chasing after a man who matches Rocky Peters' build, but his identity is concealed by a mask. He's heading towards the dance floor. As for the drugs, they claim they were exchanged just before the cops arrived."
"Alright, great job, Ella," A1 praised before giving further instructions. "Zavy, once they come out, quietly tail them without being noticed. Let me know when they approach a secluded and blind spot so that A2 and I can swoop in and take the cash. Remember, maintain your stealth. This is a test."
Dion didn't respond, his eyes focused on the crowd.
BANG–!
Suddenly, a loud sound echoed through the room. A man wearing a red suit and a sheep mask burst out from a nearby room, forcefully pushing through the panicked crowd. Ten seconds later, ten police officers, disguised in party attire, emerged from the same room and pursued him. Though armed with guns, they refrained from shooting due to the presence of the innocent, rowdy crowd.
Dion watched intently from above but didn't make a move. He was like the odd person standing still in the chaos while others were running around him.
He gripped the guardrail, preparing to leap over it, but then abruptly halted.
'Rocky' ran out of the club with his head turning around anxiously.
When the police officers were nearing the door to the club to continue chasing after the masked 'Rocky', A2 spoke to Dion, "Wouldn't you start the trailing now?"
Dion stood frozen, silent as a statue.
If he hadn't seen something that made him pause, he would have leaped into action, chasing after 'Rocky' without a second thought. Dion had always been a keen observer, studying people's micro-movements in silence, deciphering their emotions and thoughts without exchanging a single word. As he watched the masked figure, he noticed a faint smirk play across 'Rocky's' face just before he crossed the door. It was a subtle reaction, one that might have gone unnoticed by others, but Dion's enhanced vision and experience allowed him to catch it.
Lost in his thoughts, Dion closed his eyes, contemplating the implications of that fleeting smirk. 'Rocky was running with the cops on his tail. That faint smirk could mean many things. But from my assumption after reading his body language, it means everything is playing according to his plan. His plan—'
"Zavy!" A1's voice boomed, jolting Dion back to reality.
"Quiet! Let me think!" Dion snapped, removing the earbud from his ears and diving back into his thoughts.
As Dion pondered the situation, a realization struck him. 'Now that I think about it, "Rocky's" body language while running wasn't filled with anxiety or tension, despite the police on his tail. His chest rose and fell at a normal rate, and even his seemingly erratic breathing was under control. Anxious on the outside, calm on the inside. Perhaps he orchestrated the presence of the party crowd to distract the police from reckless shooting, to aid in his escape. But why would he go to such lengths?'
Deep in thought, Dion's brows furrowed, his mind working through the puzzle. 'Come to think of it, I've read Rocky's file. He's been involved in drug dealing since the age of twenty, and now he's forty-five. The police have never managed to catch him red-handed or locate him successfully before. His records reek of cunning schemes. He's a sly, ruthless fox. Yet, this time, the police easily discovered his location, and he appeared in person, behaving like an amateur?'
A smirk curled at the corners of Dion's lips.
'Three possibilities arise when a clever person like Rocky behaves like a fool: either the deal is of utmost importance to warrant his presence, or the deal itself is insignificant but serves as a smokescreen for another agenda. Lastly, maybe he intentionally spread the information to use himself as bait, or the information already leaked, so he used himself as the big bait to pull the cops away. The cops wouldn't think twice before chasing a big fish like Rocky as this operation seems secretive with no backup in sight.'
Dion's eyes snapped open. He was feeling like a detective. 'I don't believe in the first option; Rocky loves his life. The second possibility might be correct. But the third seems to align with the current situation — the big fish bait. Like a magician, he's guiding the crowd to watch the magic on the surface while the real game unfolds beneath it in the dark. If that's the case, the deal must be happening now, in a place where nobody would suspect. Where... where... where could it be?'
His narrowed eyes scanned the surroundings. "Somewhere close by, concealed in the most dangerous location. That must be it, unless my assumptions have led me astray, and 'Rocky' is simply acting recklessly. Maybe that's not even Rocky."
Dion swiftly inserted the earbud into his ear, connecting with Ella while disconnecting from the others. The line crackled to life, filling his ears with her high-pitched voice. "Di-Zavy, why did you do that? And don't give me that–"
Interrupting her, Dion spoke with urgency. "Listen to me. I need a map of the surrounding vicinity, and can you quickly check the CCTV footage near the location where Rocky's men were last seen? Scan it for any signs."
"Why would you need that? And why would I do that pointless work when you refused to join the operation?" Ella snapped at him.
Dion's face furrowed in anger, then he sighed in resignation. 'Maya would have just done what I said without arguing. But why do I feel like it's payback?'
"I will only do that on one condition," Ella suddenly added, her tone dripping with mischief.
"What?" Dion replied vigilantly as he couldn't trust his 'harasser'.
"You follow me to the club for one night. Deal or no deal?" Ella asked coldly.
'Damn! Little witch's trap,' Dion cursed in his mind.
"Ella, see–"
Ella instantly hung up on Dion.
'Curse you, bratty-bitchy-witchy-teeny wench!' Dion looked around and the club was almost empty as everybody focused on escaping.
From his pocket, Dion pulled the phone which was connected to the earbud. He called the only number on the phone but it was rejected immediately. After multiple trials and he faced the same result, Dion clenched his fist in anger.
"I curse at your pettiness. Just because I rejected your call doesn't mean you will do the same," Dion growled at his screen.
He had no choice but to text, "I agree to your terms."
The device vibrated the instant the text left and the earbud automatically came online.
"Hey, thanks for agreeing. It means a lot," Ella's voice chimed with happiness before turning serious. "I've done some investigating, and it seems that Rocky's men were only spotted around this club. They quickly scattered when the cops showed up. As for the map, check your phone."
Dion unlocked his mission phone, which was customized. It only allowed him to contact the number Ella had given him, and no other applications were installed. Therefore, he requested Ella to send him the map.
Dion's eyes ran over the map and checked the streets around anxiously. When his eyes surveyed the next street on the map, he saw many entertainment businesses: clubs, bars, tattoo shops, and more. But he suddenly spotted a church.