The evening air carried a chill that made his trench coat flutter as Arnold lit up a cigarette, standing alongside Scar. Moments later, Vipera joined their company, followed by Wayne, whose presence was always masked and voice distorted by a voice changer.
Approaching Arnold, Wayne’s modified voice broke the silence, “Arnold, it seems you’re harboring doubts about me.”
Arnold took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly. “What’s the reason behind sidelining me from that delivery? Have you lost faith in me?”
“Your entanglement with that woman hasn’t gone unnoticed. Dexter’s bound to catch wind of it, and I’m not about to watch you gamble with your life,” Wayne retorted, a hint of concern lacing his words.
“So, it’s for my own good, then?” Arnold questioned, skepticism evident.
Wayne adjusted his stance slightly, “After we wrap up here, I want you to leave the country with me.”
A flick of ash from Arnold’s cigarette fell to the ground as he looked up, a hint of hope in his eyes, “Is there still a chance for me to go abroad?”
Their exchange caught the attention of Vipera, who chimed in, “Arnold, what’s with the gloomy talk? Don’t jinx yourself.”
Hidden in the shadows, Josie was piecing together the puzzle, realizing the ship was merely a decoy. Where, then, is the actual cargo?
She swiftly composed a message to Dexter on her phone. But as she was about to send it, her arm brushed against the communicator, inadvertently broadcasting her presence directly to Arnold.
“Who’s there!” His voice cut through the quiet, prompting a sudden shift in attention.
Josie’s heart raced, her breaths shallow as footsteps drew nearer. Unexpectedly, a force yanked her into a room, the door swiftly locked behind her.
“Mm!”
She gasped, her eyes widening at the sight before her.
Dexter, dressed entirely in black, stood there, an air of urgency about him. How did he manage to infiltrate the ship unnoticed?
His eyes was sharp and penetrating as he quickly moved to shut off the communicator.
“Who’s there?”
A knock at the door prompted Dexter to disguise his voice, “Mr. Vipera, it’s me, Joshua.”
“Did you see anyone here just now?” came the inquiry from outside.
“No, I was in the restroom,” Dexter replied, the tension momentarily deflected.
“What a hassle!”
The footsteps retreated, leaving Josie and Dexter alone. Catching her breath, Josie confronted him, “How did you find your way here?”
Dexter wasted no time in securing the room, “Without me, you’d have been in grave danger by now.”
She couldn’t deny her misstep. “If the cargo isn’t aboard this ship, then where is it?”
“Then what’s on this ship?” Dexter asked, having rushed here.
“He mentioned cash.”
This pier is the only exit point from Rivodia. If not from here, where else can the cargo depart from?
Lost in thought, Dexter’s expression hardened, “If Mr. Dalton has anticipated every move, then the cargo will leave without a hitch. But the manpower…”
It clicked for him. Grabbing his phone, he called Scott, “Check if there’s been a large exodus of workers from Rivodia tonight.”
Scott’s concerned voice came through, “Mr. Russell, I heard about your boarding. It’s risky; I’ll send backup immediately.”
Dexter’s concern was evident, having ventured onto the ship primarily because of Josie. “No need. I-”
The call was abruptly interrupted by the director’s sharp reprimand, “Dexter! Who authorized you to board? We placed our trust in you, not for reckless heroics. Even if your daughter was here, you had no right!”
The weight of his words visibly affected Dexter, his gaze meeting Josie’s. “My being here won’t disrupt the operation.”
“If anything goes awry, explaining it to the higher-ups will be impossible. We need to evacuate now!”
The urgency in the director’s voice was clear,
but Dexter remained resolute, “There’s no need for explanations. I’ve got this under control.”
After ending the call, Dexter stepped closer, concern etched on his face. “Are you all right?”
