After officially joining Blackhawk Investigations, I didn't waste any time. The boss, Edward Cross, handed me my first case—the missing brother. A simple job, but a good way to test my skills in this world.
Sitting at my new desk, I flipped through the file again, scanning every detail. The client, Melissa Hartman, had reported her younger brother, Ryan Hartman, missing a week ago. His last known activity was withdrawing cash from an ATM at a gas station on Westwood Avenue. No phone calls, no bank transactions, no social media activity since. The police had dismissed it as an adult disappearance, but Melissa swore something was wrong.
I leaned back, thinking aloud. "A grown man doesn't just disappear after withdrawing cash unless he planned to—or something happened to him."
Across from me, Edward raised an eyebrow. "So, what's your move?"
I smirked. "I'm heading to the gas station. Deleted footage or not, I'll get something."
Edward nodded, clearly testing me. "Take someone with you."
I shook my head. "I work better alone."
He chuckled. "Suit yourself."
Westwood Avenue Gas Station
The gas station was nearly empty when I arrived. A bored-looking attendant stood behind the counter, scrolling through his phone. He barely glanced at me as I approached.
"Hey," I said, flashing him a casual grin. "Got a minute?"
He sighed, setting his phone down. "What do you need?"
I pulled out a photo of Ryan. "Recognize this guy? He used the ATM here a week ago."
The attendant squinted at the picture before shaking his head. "Nah, man. We get tons of customers."
I nodded, expecting that answer. "What about the security cameras? Maybe they caught something."
He frowned. "Some guy already came asking about that. Cops, I think. But the footage was deleted."
Bingo.
"Mind if I check anyway?" I asked, pulling out a USB stick. "I do data recovery. Could find something useful."
He hesitated. "Uh, I don't know if I can let you…"
I leaned in slightly. "I could also file a request with corporate, but that takes weeks, and if this is something serious, well…" I let my words trail off, watching his expression shift.
After a pause, he sighed. "Fine. Just don't mess anything up."
Retrieving the Footage
Sitting at the security desk, I connected my USB drive and ran a data recovery program. Within minutes, fragments of deleted footage surfaced. The gas station cameras had caught Ryan getting into a black SUV with tinted windows. The timestamp? Five minutes after his ATM withdrawal.
I narrowed my eyes. "So, he didn't leave alone."
The footage was grainy, but I could make out something important—the SUV's license plate. Smirking, I copied the details and closed the system.
Standing up, I tossed the attendant a $50 bill. "Thanks for the help."
He pocketed the money with a shrug. "Hope you find your guy."
Tracking the SUV
Back at the office, I fed the license plate number into our system. Within minutes, I had a match.
Vehicle Owner: Vincent Cain
Known Associations: Underground gambling, money laundering
I smirked. "Looks like Ryan got himself mixed up with the wrong people."
Edward, who had been watching me work, nodded. "Not bad, rookie. So, what's the plan?"
I grabbed my coat, my grin widening. "Simple. I'm going to have a little chat with Mr. Cain."
Edward smirked. "Try not to break too many laws."
I chuckled, walking toward the door. "No promises."
Confrontation – Vincent Cain's Club
Cain ran his operations out of a shady underground club called The Crimson Den. The kind of place where debts were settled with broken bones, and people disappeared without a trace.
I walked straight through the entrance, past the bouncers who barely gave me a second look. The dim lighting and heavy bass of the music made it clear this wasn't the kind of place for polite conversation.
Spotting Cain at a VIP table, I approached without hesitation. He was a burly man in his late forties, a cigar between his fingers and a smug grin on his face as he spoke to his men.
I pulled up a chair and sat across from him. "Vincent Cain, right?"
His grin faltered slightly, but he played it cool. "Who's asking?"
I leaned in, dropping the USB drive onto the table. "A guy who doesn't like playing games. Where's Ryan Hartman?"
Cain's eyes flickered to his men before settling back on me. "Never heard of him."
I smirked. "That's funny, because my recovered footage shows him getting into your car last week. Now, either you tell me where he is, or I start making noise with the cops, your competition, and whoever else might be interested in your business."
Cain's jaw tightened. "You don't know who you're messing with."
I grinned. "Try me."
After a tense silence, Cain exhaled and waved a hand. "Relax. The kid ain't dead. He owed money. Got in deep with some bad bets. We just… held onto him until someone paid up."
I tilted my head. "And where is he now?"
Cain hesitated. I cracked my knuckles. "Don't make me ask twice."
He sighed. "Warehouse on 9th Street. He's fine."
I stood up. "Good. Because if he's not, I'll be back. And trust me—you really don't want that."
Cain scoffed but didn't say anything. I walked out, already dialing Edward. "Got a location. I'm heading there now."
Edward's voice crackled through the phone. "You sure you don't want backup?"
I smirked. "I can handle it."
Rescuing Ryan
I arrived at the warehouse within minutes. It was an abandoned place on the outskirts of the city, exactly the kind of place criminals used for "holding" people.
Kicking the door open, I found Ryan tied to a chair, bruised but alive. Two guards turned in surprise.
Before they could react, I moved.
A sharp elbow to one's throat sent him gasping to the ground, while a spinning kick knocked the other unconscious.
Ryan stared wide-eyed. "Who the hell are you?"
I smirked, cutting him loose. "Your sister hired me. You're lucky she cares."
Ryan groaned, rubbing his wrists. "Damn… I was starting to think I was screwed."
I shrugged. "You were. Now let's go."
Closing the Case
Back at the agency, Melissa burst into tears upon seeing Ryan safe. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
I simply nodded, lighting a cigarette as Edward patted my shoulder. "Not bad for your first case."
I grinned. "Told you. I'm good at finding things."
Edward chuckled. "Guess we'll have to put that to the test again soon."
I smirked, exhaling a puff of smoke. "Looking forward to it."