Jack felt a bit numb, as meticulous planners like him dreaded unexpected incidents. Luckily, he hadn't cosplayed as the chairman and told Hannah, "Everything is under control," or he'd be eating his words right now.
"There's a good fighter on the other side. That federal agent got shot in the back, and Chris took a bullet in the leg trying to save him. It doesn't seem too serious, but the agent seemed to have stopped breathing just now."
"Oh stop, Chris, are you trying to kill him again?"
"It's alright, Chris stabbed a pen into his chest and saved him."
Jack realized for the first time that Braxton had a knack for comedy. This rollercoaster of a report nearly gave him a heart attack.
But he could roughly tell that Joey Reacher wasn't killed on the spot as in the original scenario and seemed to have a chance of survival.
"Where are you now?" he asked urgently.
"Let me see, I just shook off those South American mercenaries. EMMM, I'm on Highway 75, heading northwest. I should reach Atlanta in about 40 minutes."
Jack acknowledged and told him to wait. He then opened the encrypted software to contact Justin, but before he could speak, Justin sent a message.
"Justin is not happy right now, Chris got hurt, [○｀Д○]."
Uh, is she using emoticons instead of voice changers now? It's kind of cute, actually.
Jack called directly, "Justin, don't worry, I'll avenge Chris. For now, create a fake identity for Chris and a seriously injured person."
Glancing at the map Hannah showed on her phone, he continued, ". Admitted to Grady Memorial Hospital, contact Ray King at the IRS to inform the hospital not to contact the local police. Hannah and I will get there ahead of time."
On the other end, Braxton acknowledged.
Half an hour later, Jack drove the Firebird into Grady Memorial Hospital. Hannah flashed her FBI credentials, and the hospital's director, having received a call from the IRS, nodded repeatedly, stating that they had summoned their best surgeons and would ensure complete secrecy.
Ten minutes later, a Ford Explorer with shattered rear windows and broken tail lights pulled into the emergency entrance. Before the car even stopped, Jack rushed over with the medical team.
Chris, shot in the thigh, was the first on the stretcher. Judging by the wound, the bullet likely hit the femur. Jack casually applied a buff to ensure a quicker recovery post-surgery.
The other big guy, similar in size to Chris, was in much worse shape. His face was pale, a pen protruded from his right chest, and his back was bloodied. If not for the slight rise and fall of his chest, he looked nearly dead.
As Jack helped lift him, he applied a healing spell, feeling a dizzy spell that almost made him stumble.
This guy was barely hanging on. Jack estimated that without his intervention, Joey Reacher might not have made it off the operating table.
Braxton, emerging from the driver's seat, was also injured. His right shoulder had a bullet wound, the steering wheel was bloody, yet he had said nothing about it.
After listening to Braxton's account, Jack didn't say much. He left Hannah to keep watch and drove the battered Ford Explorer to be abandoned in a remote area, planning anew.
It was a rocky start. Two key players were down before the story even began. Initially, Jack had planned to enlist the Wolf brothers to tackle the Kleiner Foundation directly, bypassing the need for evidence and aiming for a swift resolution.
But during the journey, Braxton had informed him that the original storyline had begun. Joey Reacher appeared in Margrave, investigating the Kleiner Foundation, prompting Jack to revise his plan.
He intended for the Wolf brothers to rescue Joey, gain evidence, and earn the main group's trust, riding Hannah's coattails to victory.
Now, with this unexpected turn, Chris was out of commission. Even with Jack's buffs, a thigh shot meant a month of recovery, at the least.
Braxton, though less affected, still had a shoulder injury needing days of proper care.
Joey Reacher, though not dead, would be ICU-bound for days, delaying any chance of getting evidence.
Jack massaged his temples, partly from the mental exhaustion of casting two spells in quick succession, and partly from the disruption of his plan.
Resolving to adapt, Jack planned to reach Margrave tomorrow and connect with Joey's brother, Jack Reacher. He would follow the original plot and take it step by step.
Driving the Ford Explorer to a local ethnic enclave, Jack left the keys and door open, walked two blocks, and called a taxi via Uber. By the time he returned to the hospital, dawn was breaking.
By morning, both critically injured men had undergone surgery. As expected, Joey Reacher was still comatose, needing at least three days in the ICU.
Chris was in better shape. Thanks to someone's skill, the bullet had altered its course upon entering the muscle, merely grazing the femur. Post-bullet removal, he would recover fully in time.
Jack instructed Hannah to stay at the hospital, guarding the ICU-bound federal agent and extracting intel on the Kleiner Foundation as soon as he woke.
Braxton would care for his brother and assist Hannah in covert protection. Jack himself would scout Margrave, awaiting everyone's recovery before proceeding.
Hannah, trusting Jack completely, and Braxton had no objections. Leaving the weapon-laden Firebird with them, Jack took only a Glock strapped to his ankle and rented an old Jeep to pose as a tourist, heading alone to Margrave.
By noon, after leisurely finishing a second peach pie and third coffee at a simple-named Margrave Lunch diner, a burly man approached.
Unlike his brother, this Jack Reacher was taller, at least 6'5", and significantly bulkier, over 230 pounds of muscle. With deep-set eyes, a high forehead, a broad chin, and thin lips, he looked approachable, even a bit handsome.
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