The so-called security contractors are quite similar to logistics contractors. The latter are often referred to as cooks, while the former are essentially security guards. Of course, calling them security personnel sounds much more prestigious. The task Jack gave Braxton was to go to the bar in town tonight and see if he could make friends with the security guys from the drilling camp and discreetly gather some information.
---
"They have a total of 12 people, split into two teams—one for the day shift and one for the night shift. They rotate every week. They've all signed contracts with a Texas-based oil company."
Late at night, in the small motel where Jack, Jane, and Cory Lambert were staying, a drunken Braxton finally arrived. He had successfully connected with the security guys from the drilling camp who had come to the bar for some fun.
"They're all a bunch of lowlifes. I bought them two rounds of drinks, and that was enough to get close to them."
"Did you find out anything noteworthy?" Jack handed him a cold, damp towel.
"A few things. Even though they were tight-lipped, some of them are dumber than hamsters. They kept talking about how they were after local Native American girls, especially the young ones."
Braxton covered his face with the towel, feeling instantly refreshed.
"Let me think about how they put it."
"In this godforsaken, frozen wasteland, there's nothing here, nothing to do. You can't even find a hooker to pay for a quickie. All there are, are dirty Indian women—fat and stupid."
"Then I added, 'Some of the young girls in town aren't bad, but it's hard to shake them off afterward.' That's when they looked at me like this."
Braxton mimicked a knowing look, the kind that made you want to punch him in the face.
Jane shook her head. "That doesn't prove anything. Without concrete evidence, I can't even get a search warrant."
"No, no, you don't get it. They didn't mention Natalie, but one guy, following my lead, started talking about how three years ago, they met a real firecracker, only 15 years old, and then someone quickly hushed him up."
Braxton hadn't even finished speaking when Cory Lambert, who had been somewhat distracted, suddenly grabbed him by the collar.
"Say that again!"
Cory's eyes were bloodshot as he stared at Braxton, speaking each word with intense pressure.
But the "Hawkeye" was no match for the "Punisher," who easily pinned him down on the couch with a twist of his arm.
"Hey, hey, calm down, old man. I've heard about your past, which is why I paid attention to this detail. Stay clear-headed. Whose side do you think I'm on?"
"What else did they say?" Cory's face was flushed, his neck veins bulging as he continued to struggle.
"That's it. But I did get the big mouth's name—Pete. We could grab him now. I have a hundred ways to make him talk."
Braxton finally let go of Cory after he calmed down, but Jane was not having it.
"Damn it, are you really discussing committing a crime in front of an FBI agent?" She pointed at Jack as she spoke.
"And you, did you forget that you're a federal agent too?"
Jack was taken aback, thinking he hadn't even been part of the plan, yet he was already being implicated.
"You forgot about the guy you shot today with my sidearm?" Jane was furious, seeing his innocent expression.
"I was saving you!" Jack started to argue but then noticed Jane's growing intensity and quickly raised his hands in surrender.
"Alright, I'll handle the shooting report later, and I guarantee it'll be flawless."
"And Mr. Lambert, I suggest you stay calm. Everything is still in the suspicion stage. Tomorrow, we proceed as planned, and I assure you, you'll get answers that satisfy you."
With that, Jack signaled Braxton to keep an eye on Cory and led Jane out of the room.
Since Elia had gone home to stay with her parents tonight, and Braxton was alone in his "boudoir," it made sense to make use of him to watch over Cory and prevent him from doing anything rash.
In Jane's room, Jack quickly finished the report using her laptop. But as he turned his attention back to her, he saw her sitting nearby, wiping away tears with the back of her hand.
Sighing inwardly, Jack realized he had to comfort both the old and the young today. What a mess this had turned out to be.
"Alright, tell me what's on your mind."
"I'm a complete fool, aren't I?"
Jane's eyes were red and puffy from crying, with a rash around her eyes from the pepper spray earlier. The poor girl had really been through the wringer, enduring the cold, getting sick, and now this.
But Jack decided to be honest. "You're a rookie. Mistakes can be forgiven."
Jane burst into tears again, which startled Jack. It seemed she had been holding it in for a long time.
"You jerk, you're a rookie too! Don't think I don't know—you've only been a cop in LA for less than a year!"
Jack suddenly looked serious. "You investigated me."
Jane, who had been sobbing, froze in fear. "I... I was just curious. I saw your name while going through the files and then pulled some LAPD case records through the FBI system..."
She trailed off, noticing Jack's lips curling into a slight smile.
"You jerk, you tricked me!" She hadn't finished speaking when Jack grabbed her flailing fists.
Ah, there's no resisting a woman's kindness, Jack thought. It was clear what the girl was feeling, even if she was a little disheveled right now. Despite her current appearance, this was the Scarlet Witch at her peak, around 25 or 26 years old.
Thinking of the shaky, half-finished grapevines back home, Jack forced himself to stay focused and said seriously.
"You've done well. Most agents would just go through the motions, not earning the respect of the local sheriff this quickly. Sheriff Ben Shoey's attitude toward you says it all."
"And what about your approval?" Jane bit her lip, asking softly. But her attempt at a "seductive" expression, combined with her swollen, tear-stained eyes, made Jack lose his composure.
He firmly grabbed her shoulders, turned her around, and pushed her toward the bathroom, facing the vanity mirror.
A sharp, brief scream later, Jack was forcibly kicked out of the room.
"I think what you need now is a good night's rest. Tomorrow morning..."
Before he could finish, the door slammed shut.
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter