Reincarnated Mercenary on Duty

He rushed out of the hospital, flagged down a cab, and directed it toward the school. By the time he arrived, 20 minutes had passed. 

When he arrived, James was waiting at the entrance.

"About time," James said, walking toward him.

"Did you find the kid?" Frank asked, not wasting a second.

James shook his head. "The school said someone claiming to be a friend of his mom picked him up earlier today."

Frank's brows furrowed. "Did you check the CCTV yet?"

"Not yet. I figured we'd do it together," James said as they entered the building.

Inside the principal's office, the atmosphere was tense.

"Detectives, is there an issue?" the principal asked, concerned.

"Yes," Frank said firmly. "How could you let a child leave with someone without verifying their identity?"

The principal looked offended. "We don't release students without proper checks."

Frank crossed his arms. "Then explain how Jimmy Quinn left school."

A teacher stepped forward. "A friend of his mother came to pick him up. She called Mrs. Talia Infront of me to confirm, and she approved."

Frank's voice dropped, steady but sharp. "Did you verify the phone number?"

The teacher hesitated. "No, but I recognized her voice."

Frank exhaled sharply. "Voices can be mimicked. You should know better."

Turning to the principal, he said, "I need to see the CCTV footage. Now."

"Of course," the principal said quickly. "Miss Ann, please take the detectives to the security room."

The teacher nodded nervously and motioned for them to follow.

Frank glanced at James as they walked out. "If we're lucky, the cameras will give us something to work with."

"Let's hope so," James replied grimly.

Frank and James followed the teacher down the hallway.

James glanced at Frank. "Are you sure the kid's been kidnapped? It might've really been her friend who picked him up."

"Because I was just at the hospital where she works," Frank replied, his tone clipped. "I overheard her on the phone. Someone's taken her son hostage."

James's expression hardened, and he quickened his pace. They soon arrived at the security room, where the CCTV operator waited.

"Show me the footage from earlier today when Jimmy was picked up," Frank said.

The operator pulled up the footage, and they watched intently as a woman arrived at the school, signed Jimmy out, and left with him. She guided the boy into a black sedan before driving away.

"Damn it!" Frank muttered, frustrated. "She's wearing a mask. We can't see her face. How are we supposed to find her now?"

James didn't respond immediately; his eyes remained locked on the screen. "Hold on," he said, gesturing to the operator. "Can you rewind it a little? Slowly."

The footage reversed, and James watched intently. "Stop! Right there."

Frank squinted at the screen. "What is it? Did you see something?"

James nodded but didn't sound fully convinced. "I think so. Zoom in on her hand."

The operator zoomed in, and a tattoo on the back of the woman's hand came into focus. It was an anchor entwined with a cross.

James straightened. "I know that tattoo. It's the mark of the Iron Fangs—a local gang. They're mercenaries for hire, and they'll do anything if the price is right."

Frank's eyes narrowed. "Perfect. Do you know where they hang out?"

James hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, I do."

"Good. Let's go," Frank said, already heading for the door.

"Wait!" James grabbed his arm. "Frank, you can't just rush in there. This is dangerous, and we need backup."

Frank pulled free. "We don't have time for backup. If we alert anyone, they might panic and kill the kid."

James groaned. "So what's your plan?"

"Where's your car?" Frank asked, scanning the area outside.

"Parked just ahead," James said, pointing. "But you still haven't answered my question. What's the plan?"

Frank opened the car door and slid into the passenger seat. "I'll explain on the way. We've already lost forty minutes. We can't afford to waste any more time."

James sighed but climbed into the driver's seat. "Alright, but this better be good."

Frank looked at him, his expression steely. "It's not about being good—it's about getting the kid back alive."

The moment they got into the car, Frank's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen.

"It's Zoey," Frank said, answering the call.

"Tell me you've found the kid, Frank," Zoey's voice was tense and hurried. "We're out of time. The patient's already in the operating theatre, and Talia is prepping to go in."

"Stop her somehow," Frank said firmly. "We've got the kid's location, and we're on our way. Just talk to her, keep her calm, and buy us some time."

"I'll try, but you better hurry," Zoey replied before hanging up.

James, gripping the wheel, glanced at Frank. "Alright, Frank, mind explaining what kind of mess I've been dragged into?"

"Eyes on the road, man! You're gonna get us killed before we even get there," Frank snapped.

James huffed but kept driving, and Frank quickly laid out everything he knew: the blackmail, the hospital, and Talia's impossible choice.

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, Zoey was in action. She'd stolen a nurse's uniform and slipped into the sanitization room, where Talia was scrubbing her hands in preparation for surgery.

"Hello, Dr. Talia," Zoey said softly, stepping inside.

Talia spun around, startled. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

Zoey pulled out her badge and held it up. "Detective Zoey, DPD. I know what you're going through, and I promise you—we're going to save your son. We've found his location, and my partner and another detective are already on their way. You just need to trust us."

Talia's hands trembled as her composure broke. "Please... save him. I don't want to kill anyone."

"Hey, hey, take a deep breath," Zoey said, stepping closer. "Listen, we don't know if the blackmailer has eyes in the hospital. You have to stay calm. If they suspect anything, it could get worse for your son."

Just then, a nurse walked in, interrupting them. "Doctor, everything's ready. We should get started shortly."