Chapter 57: Chapter 57

Four black vehicles tore through the roads towards the outskirts of South Yarra, as they followed the coordinates that had emitted that faint signal they had been tracking.

It was way past noon already and in less than two hours the sun would start setting, but even at that, the urgency in the air was so glaring.

The hum of the engines and the blurring lights outside created a cryptic atmosphere. The team had a mission that they have to carry out swiftly, based on their boss Wesley Maxwell's command.

This team is the Croxxed X.

Arriving at the outskirts of South Yarra, the location they had got from the signal, they found themselves in a vast forest, its shadows stretching out before them. Towering trees stood like sentinels.

Under the still bright sky, the Croxxed X team swiftly parked their vehicles at the edge of the dense forest. Towering trees loomed over them.

"Do not attack till we have Sarah out of their hands. Except I say otherwise," the team leader's voice crackled authoritatively through the walkie-talkie.

"Yes sir," they chorused in unison.

Following that, the rest adjusted their gear, and just like the trained underground armed men that they are, they set foot into the wilderness, their footsteps blending with the rustling leaves underfoot.

They had tracked the signal they got earlier and even though they could no longer get the signal, they already drew out a map. So, they trod cautiously, following a narrow path that wound its way into the heart of the forest.

As the team of Croxxed X members delved deeper, they discovered a network of hideouts, secret safe houses. These locations were the types that could not easily be detected as they were shielded by towering trees.

The team searched through these safe houses, but there was no trace of Sarah anywhere. Funnily enough, the safe houses were opened and easily accessible which is quite strange and tinged the team's alertness.

This, the leader immediately brought to Wesley's earing.

"Keep checking. There's every possibility that place is not their hideout but simply a trap. Hope you have some men from the team at your parking point and different specific locations along?" Wesley stated on the phone to the team leader.

"Yes. I have some of the team at designated spots," he replied.

Wesley had the strong hunch that the signal was only a means of distraction which is why he only sent a few of the men. And even as it is, the team should at least get a route or signal that'll get them to the right place.

They just really have to get Sarah back.

Whosoever or whatever team abducted or is keeping Sarah in custody definitely isn't looking for money. As they had not called to ask for money.

No one knows what they want.

Wesley and Andrew had concluded that Sarah was abducted cause she had suddenly disappeared with no one able to reach her.

They reported at the station already but Wesley did not even wait for a feedback or reply from the station before motioning his team. After all, there's little to what the police would do and even their speed, compared to Wesley and his team.

As the team, led by the leader weaved their way through the forest, they suddenly stepped into a vast space. This, the leader informed Wesley immediately.

But then, they suddenly found a derelict cabin. The colour of the cabin walls was faded, giving the structure a desolate appearance.

"You keep watch outside while we go in," the leader ordered pointing at three members of the team. Immediately they took their spots on guard while the team leader and the remaining five went into the cabin.

Inside, dust particles danced in the dim light that filtered through the cracks in the boarded-up windows. The silence was broken only by the occasional creaking of floorboards under the weight of their cautious footsteps.

There is no way Sarah would be here except it is a trap to draw them somewhere. Professionally, the leader stretched out a device and began scanning the place and even as they stepped further in, he went on scanning the place, before handing the device over to a team member to continue scanning while they searched through for any clue or clues whatsoever.

The team meticulously combed through the cabin, searching for any clues that could lead them closer to Sarah's whereabouts, but then, there was nothing.

Just then, one of the men suddenly found a human-like structure laying on the floor in a corner and carefully he approached. But upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the cyborg they had made in likeness to Josh.

"There is something here," he announced. The others quickly surrounded it and even though they had made this cyborg, they still were wise enough not to touch it.

It could be a trap!

Firstly, they are now pretty much sure this isn't the correct hideout of whoever kidnapped Sarah. Secondly, why would they put this cyborg where it could be seen easily?

Through the walking talkie, the team leader communicated to the ones standing on guard outside.

"We found the cyborg here," he stated. He already handed over the job of reporting to Wesley to a team member outside and the man reported the latest news to Wesley immediately.

"Wait, the wall..." One of the team members inside suddenly started while pointing at the wall a few steps ahead.

Boldly written on it was, 'The Masks and the Coasters.'

The team leader immediately reported these findings too,

"There is the masks and the Coasters written on the wall here too."

Despite all these findings, there were no signs of Sarah anywhere.

As the team scoured the cabin for further clues, their senses were on high alert. But just then, the man with the scanning device suddenly uttered loudly, "There is danger!"

The screen of the device in his hand suddenly showed red and then it began flashing like a warning of imminent danger.

"Red alert! Retreat! Get out of the cabin now!" The team leader's authoritative voice echoed through the cabin, prompting everyone to scramble towards the cabin entrance.

But amidst the rush with everyone trying to escape, the team leader's sharp eyes caught sight of something lying on the ground just a few steps away. Brazenly, he sprinted towards it, at the detriment of himself. After snatching the object, he hastily ran back towards the entrance.

But just a few steps away, there was a loud deafening crescendo and the cabin erupted in a cataclysmic blast, going up in flames.

Fortunately, the team leader propelled himself out with full strength, tumbling onto the ground outside. It was a bad landing that he couldn't get up immediately.

The team quickly rallied around him, urgently dragging and carrying him to safety, far away from the searing flames that consumed the cabin behind.

He was injured but not burned anyways. Weakly, he stretched out what he had gotten at the very last minute.

It was a piece of object that has successfully covered up the reason for their mission.

Their whole journey, the safehouses and cabin is truly not the abode of Sarah's abductors. Asides from the fact that they knew now that all these were the same Coasters lady, they now had something that'll lead them to her.

Wesley sat in his home office putting some papers together and busy with the overview of some projects when his phone rang again.

Since he left the hospital earlier in a rage, he decided to just go home and work from there. Andrew is doing a good job in his absence after all.

All the phone calls he had been receiving from the Croxxed X team on mission had been in his home office. Now that his phone rang again, and it was the same team, he picked it knowing it is another piece of news.

Now he knows that everything was revolving around this Lady from the Coasters and that nobody knows who she is. The same person tormenting the entertainment industry.

But he no longer cares. His focus now is to get Sarah and face his work and company.

Daisy Louis should deal with her problem. If she's that savage, then she should be able to face her problems.

He cared deep down. He still is worried about her deep down. But anyways, he had decided not to have anything to do with her case anymore.

He had even deleted her number, deleted the mail the Croxxed X sent regarding her information and disposed the paper that had her details too.

Not like he can't get them if he wanted to, but at least, he no longer had them at reach and would not look for them.

"Speak," Wesley said into the phone while still typing away with his other free hand.

"The cabin exploded," the man on the phone broke the news and Wesley's slender fingers which were still typing came to an abrupt pause.

"Just as you presumed, it really was a trap," the man added.

"No one was in that cabin before it exploded right?" Wesley asked just immediately.

No matter how cold, authoritative and bossy he is, Wesley is someone who cares so much about the safety and well-being of his subordinates. His subordinates loved him for this and therefore were always loyal to him.

"The team leader was," the man said and Wesley's eyes widened slightly as his breath hitched in his throat.

"But he jumped out almost immediately it exploded and he only sustained injury from the fall. That's all. No fire injury," the man added and Wesley let out a relieved breath.

"You all should leave that place immediately. I'm giving you all less than thirty minutes to get back in town," Wesley ordered sternly. And this is just to get them out of that scenario and the outskirts as soon as possible. He needed his men alive even though he has a lot of them.

"We would return in less than thirty minutes," the man said. "The team leader ordered we place an InfiltratorCam around here before leaving. We would still keep to the time."

Heaving out a sign, Wesley nodded in approval at what he said.

But just then, the man added.

"Asides from this, we got something, boss. Something very good."

..

..

Back in that vast space away from the explosion, the team leader lay on the ground while one of the men was bandaging his arm and leg that had been dislocated from the fall. He was doing a quick and temporary first aid as they could do whatever when they get to the car

Another two prepared to carry their leader.

They have to get away as soon as possible as none of them knows anything about the strength of this opponent.

Somewhere over, a few steps away, the team leader looked and ordered, "Hurry!"

He had ordered one of the men to hide an Infiltrator Cam in the ground.

The man had chosen a spot a few paces away from the wreckage, where the ground provided ample coverage for the hidden camera. It was the right spot to get proper coverage of the place. Using a handheld tool, he had expertly dug a shallow hole, ensuring the camera would be discreetly concealed.

Afterwards, he placed the camera into the hole.

This camera is an advanced one with advanced capabilities. One which not anybody could get their hands on, not even secret forces. It is equipped with night vision, motion sensors, and remote access, a very crucial tool and with its cutting-edge capabilities, they can rely on it to help gather evidence, track movements, and identify whoever are the culprits or abductors.

The abductors would definitely come here to check the situation of things after all.

Finally, with the camera securely in place, he covered it with a layer of soil, leaving no trace of its existence. It blended seamlessly into the natural environment.

Stepping back, the team left the place immediately. They still would have to keep this cam at some other designated spots and make sure to get into South Yarra at the stipulated time Wesley had ordered them.

In the office, Wesley had his elbows on the table as he propped his chin up his mind wondering about different things. He could not help but think deeply about what the team had found and it really was bothering him.

His phone suddenly rang again and bringing it out from his pocket and checking thinking it is from his team, Wesley furrowed his brows upon seeing the unknown number displayed on his phone screen.

Without giving it much thought, he picked up the call but the familiar voice that rang through caused him to stiffen slightly.

Maybe cause he wasn't expecting her to call him. He had deleted are number and did not know she was the one who called. But now...

"Good afternoon Mr Maxwell. It's Daisy Louis," Daisy uttered again solemnly. Seeing Wesley did not say anything after initially greeting him and introducing herself.