If someone asked whether to meet police or pirates, Jared would definitely choose pirates. When pirates ask you to stop, you can choose to disagree, and it might save you from losing money or time, even though it might cost you your life. However, with the police, you don't have a choice. If they demand you to stop, you have to stop, whether you like it or not.
"Anyone got at least 100 credits?" Jared asked the other mercenaries, but none of them carried enough to bribe the cops.
It's guaranteed that you will lose money…
"I mean, you've got no GTC (Galactic Transport Certification), no transport manifest, no freight authorization, no permit... this is straight-up illegal, kid," the cop said, holding up Jared's ID with a tangled brow. His thick mustache twitched as he smacked his lips in disapproval.
"Like I told you before, I'm not the original driver. We were chased by pirates, and he escaped. If you were in my position, what would you do?" Jared's face looked incredibly sour. Since he was the one in the driver's seat, he was the one the cops targeted with their questions.
"I'd try not to break the speed limit," the cop answered easily.
"You're ridiculous! Then how we escaped the pirates?" Jared was about to punch this cop in the face, but he held back, remembering he needed to stay out of jail so he could find Herman as soon as possible.
"I didn't see any pirates chasing your butt, kid!" The cop became bolder. "Now show me the papers, or you're all coming with me to jail!"
Then the cop commanded his team to investigate the cargo. "Search carefully; they might be carrying illegal stuff!"
"Sir, that's illegal," Jared stood up.
The cop looked him up and down before returning to his face. Then he gave a mocking laugh. "You know nothing about the law."
"Oh yes, I do. Without a search warrant, you can't do that. It's illegal and could cost you imprisonment, ending your robbing-under-the-law career," Jared glared at the cop.
"You---"
"Article 387-B," Jared continued, ready to verbally tear into the cop.
The cop fell silent, but the other three officers exchanged uncertain glances. The kid was right.
Still, they decided to arrest Jared. They handcuffed him and shoved him against the wall.
"What did I do?! Hey, you can't arrest people like this!" Jared growled but tried hard not to hit the cops, knowing they were baiting him to strike first so they'd have a reason to arrest him.
"You're under arrest for speeding, driving without papers, and refusing to cooperate with law enforcement. Anything you say will be used against you in court," the cops said as they handcuffed Jared.
A mercenary friend trying to help found the papers in the dashboard. "Sir, I found what you were looking for! Here! Let him go—he saved us all from the pirates."
"Then go ahead and continue your journey. We're only taking this rascal," the cop nodded. "Have a safe journey, and don't speed."
The mercenary threw up his hands helplessly as the cops hauled Jared away.
It's guaranteed that you will lose time…
Jared was beaten in a dark interrogation room. An hour had passed since they'd put him there, and he'd already taken a beating. They used books to smack his face, rods to strike his head, and his torso as a punching bag.
Blood dripped from his face, mixing with saliva. Jared was a mess, but he knew why these cops beat him. It wasn't about justice—it was because he was right, and they hated being wrong.
"You picked the wrong guy to mess with, kid. Let this be a lesson for you in the future." The cop grabbed his hair and shouted his stinking breath in Jared's face. "When a cop tells you what to do, you f*cking do it!"
Jared glared sharply at the officer's face, memorizing it. One day, if he got the chance for revenge, he'd take it. He'd already read the name on the cop's uniform: Biggs. The man wasn't even a sergeant but looked like he was pushing 40. Miserable people like him needed to show authority over the vulnerable.
"What are you looking at? I swear I'll gouge those eyes out of their sockets!" Biggs grabbed a knife from the table.
Before he could do anything, the door opened wide, revealing the silhouette of a man in a white coat and officer's cap. He is not too tall, but his coat makes him look bigger than he actually is. Covered in silhouette, light behind him shown the blonde color of his hair.
The cop immediately froze, stood straight, and saluted.
"Am I interrupting?" the figure asked.
"N-no, sir, not at all," Officer Biggs stuttered, trying to hide the knife.
"Why is he here, officer?"
"For speeding and resisting cooperation with law enforcement."
"I told him I was just a mercenary securing a cargo ship. The driver escaped when pirates attacked us. Since no one else could drive, I did it. These police were nowhere to be found during the attack, but once we escaped, they showed up to cause more trouble. He asked for papers I didn't know where the driver placed it, then accused me of illegal driving. He was about to rummage through the cargo, but when I asked for his search warrant, he couldn't show it! He's the one breaking the law!" Jared shouted, determined to get justice.
The man chuckled. "Speeding and resisting cooperation… that's just so you, Jared."
Jared blinked, shocked this person knew his name. Biggs was also stunned, now visibly nervous that the Major seemed to know Jared.
"Leave us. I need to speak with him," the Major commanded, stepping inside.
"But sir, you have a meeting with the commissioner!" his assistant protested.
"I won't be long unless Officer Biggs wastes my time," the Major replied.
Biggs left quickly, leaving Jared and the man alone. The Major pulled a table in front of Jared and lit a candle between them. Jared's eyes widened in recognition. The man was cute, with blonde hair, thick eyebrows, and big blue eyes.
"Charles!"
"You seem shocked," Charles looked disappointed. "Did you forget about me?" He dragged a chair over and sat in front of Jared. His movements were gentle, as were his face and voice.
"No, it's just—Major? That was quick!" Jared stammered.
"Right. We were both lieutenants when you left law enforcement," Charles replied with a bittersweet smile. "But it's all thanks to you."
"Huh? Why?"
"Because every time you failed to catch a bounty, they were already worn out from fighting you. That made it easy for me to swoop in and capture them. It really helped me climb the ranks," Charles said playfully.
"I see…" Jared's eyebrows furrowed. Something felt off—had Charles been following him?
"Anyway, Jared, are you interested in coming back? We could be partners again."
"You know why I left. If you remember that, you know there's no way I'd return to this corrupt department," Jared replied firmly.
"You're right…" Charles sighed, clearly expecting Jared's response. "Then, can I hire you?"
"Email BattleLion's support. If you're lucky, I'll get the mission before anyone else," Jared answered coldly.
Charles's heart sank but tried not to show it. Jared was clearly trying to push him away, which made sense given what had happened three years ago. But Charles couldn't help himself. He moved closer, pulled out a handkerchief, and tried to wipe the blood from Jared's face.
Jared pulled away, glaring suspiciously.
"Let me do it… Honestly, it's hard to see you like this," Charles said, his voice soft and genuine.
"I'm not letting you get my DNA sample," Jared smirked.
Charles chuckled. "That's not my intention. I already have your DNA sample."
"So you really were following me!" Jared snapped.
"I can explain…"
It is guaranteed that you will lose energy...