Chapter 664
Arrival at the Crime Scene!
"Does the Karen organization have any other branches or strongholds in Honduras? Is Karen herself in Honduras now?" Lynn continued to ask.
“The Karen organization has many strongholds in Honduras, in various districts of La Ceva and Tegucigalpa,” the mutant said. “But I’m just a low-level mutant. I don’t know the exact locations of the other strongholds, nor do I know if Karen himself is in Honduras right now. All I know is that Karen rarely shows himself. Everything is handled by his subordinates. We low-level mutants have no chance of ever seeing him.”
"Why did you join Karen's organization? Were you coerced by him?" Lynn asked.
“Yes and no,” the mutant gave a bitter smile. “I was born a mutant with super speed, but because of my abilities, I was abandoned by my family and ostracized by those around me. I was forced to live on the streets, leading a life of wandering and being bullied. A year ago, the Karen organization found me. They provided me with food and shelter and taught me how to control my abilities so that I would no longer be bullied. But on the condition that I obey their orders and work for them, otherwise they would kill me.”
“Like me, many mutants were recruited by the Karen organization in this way,” the mutant continued. “Most of them were homeless and desperate, and some were coerced by the Karen organization. They had no choice but to obey Karen’s orders and commit evil everywhere just to survive.”
Lynn looked at him, a complex emotion welling up inside him. He knew that while these mutants had committed numerous atrocities, many were driven by poverty and coerced by the Karen organization; they themselves were victims. But he also understood that the law would not forgive their crimes because of their circumstances; they must pay the price for their actions.
“I understand,” Lynn nodded and put the notebook away. “The clues you provided are very useful. As long as we can find Verus’s secret hideout, capture Verus, and destroy the branch of the Karen organization based on the clues you provided, we will definitely fulfill our promise to protect you and your family and give you a lenient punishment.”
Just then, the interrogation room door was pushed open, and Jason walked in, a hint of excitement on his face: "Lynn, we've got results! Marcus confessed. He not only confirmed that Verus's secret base is in an abandoned manor on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, but he also told us the exact location of the manor and the Karen organization's defenses there!"
Lynn's eyes lit up, and a hint of relief appeared on his face: "Great! Now we have the exact location of Verus's secret base, as well as its defenses. As long as we develop a detailed action plan, we can capture Verus in one fell swoop and destroy the Karen organization's base!"
Hearing their conversation, the mutant's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope: "Can you really destroy the Karen organization's stronghold? Can you really protect me and my family?"
“Don’t worry,” Lynn said, looking at him firmly. “We will definitely do it. The Karen organization has committed numerous atrocities, harming too many lives and families. We will destroy them completely, so that you coerced mutants can break free from their control and live a peaceful life.”
The mutant nodded, a hint of relief on his face, his eyes becoming much calmer. He knew he finally had a chance to escape the control of the Karen organization, to live a stable life, and to no longer have to endure a life of wandering and committing evil.
Lynn and Jason left the interrogation room, gathered all the team members, and held an emergency meeting. They detailed the clues they had obtained from the mutants and Marcus—Velos' secret hideout was located in the mountains outside Tegucigalpa. It was an abandoned manor, heavily guarded by many mutants, as well as numerous spies and traps.
"Brothers, we finally have a lead on Verus," Lynn said to his team members with a firm tone. "Verus is hiding in an abandoned manor on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa. As long as we develop a detailed action plan, we can raid the manor and capture Verus, destroy this important stronghold of the Karen organization, and seek justice for the families harmed by drugs!"
"Understood!" all the team members responded in unison, their eyes resolute. Although they were still injured, their morale was exceptionally high. They knew that this battle would be even more difficult, with many mutants guarding the manor and numerous traps, but they were not afraid in the slightest. As long as they could capture Varus and destroy the Karen organization, no matter how hard or dangerous it was, it would be worth it.
“Jason, immediately draw a map of the manor based on the exact location Marcus provided, marking the defenses and potential traps,” Lynn said to Jason. “Also, contact the U.S. Embassy in Honduras and request necessary support. Then contact Rodriguez and ask him to send some police officers to assist us in sealing off all exits around the manor to prevent Verus from escaping again.”
“Understood! I’ll do it right away!” Jason nodded and immediately got to work, starting by drawing a map of the estate and contacting the embassy and Rodriguez.
Lynn looked at his team members and continued, "Everyone, rest well now, organize your weapons and equipment, and check your communication devices. We'll set off this afternoon to raid Verus's secret stronghold. Remember, there are many mutants guarding the manor, and many traps. Everyone must be vigilant, cooperate closely, and not act rashly. Ensure our own safety, and at the same time, make sure that Verus doesn't escape again!"
"Understood!" the team members responded in unison again.
Outside the interrogation room, sunlight streamed through the windows, dispelling the oppressive atmosphere. Lynn stood by the window, gazing at the street outside, his eyes resolute. He knew the upcoming raid would be a tough battle; they faced many difficulties and dangers. But he firmly believed that as long as they united and gave their all, they would capture Verus, destroy the Karen organization's stronghold, eradicate all evil, restore peace to Honduras, and bring justice to those who had been wronged.
Meanwhile, in an abandoned manor on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Verus sat in the living room, looking at the documents in his hands with a smug smile on his face. He had received word from his men that Lynn and his group had been robbed by mutants. Although one mutant had been captured, he wasn't worried. He believed that the mutants from the Karen organization would stop Lynn and his group, and besides, the manor was heavily guarded; Lynn and his companions wouldn't be able to enter easily.
“Boss, Lord Karen has sent word that we should prepare ourselves. Lynn and his men are very likely to find this place,” a mutant bodyguard approached Verus and said respectfully. “He has already arranged for more mutants to come and support us, to ensure your safety.” Verus nodded slightly, a cold smile playing on his lips. “Lynn? Does he think he can find this place and capture me with his few men? He’s delusional! Tell Karen to rest assured, this place is heavily fortified. Even if Lynn and his men find this place, they won’t return!”
The mutant bodyguard nodded and turned to leave. Verus leaned back on the sofa, his eyes filled with ambition and disdain. He knew Lynn would definitely come after him, but with the mutants from the Karen organization as cover and with a tight defense, he wasn't afraid of Lynn at all. He even looked forward to Lynn's arrival, wanting to defeat him personally and make him pay a heavy price.
As soon as Lynn returned to the temporary base, Jason rushed over with his phone, his face somewhat grave: "Lynn, the embassy replied that the earliest the support can arrive is tomorrow. Rodriguez also said that the police force is stretched thin and they can't spare anyone to help us seal off the manor for the time being. They can only make temporary deployments after we determine the time of the raid."
Lynn frowned, took the phone and glanced at the embassy's reply. His tone turned serious: "Why is it so slow? We now know the exact location of the manor. Every extra day we delay gives Verus a better chance to move, and he might even set up more traps in advance."
“I’ve communicated with the embassy repeatedly, and they said that the situation in Honduras has been unstable recently, and border police forces are being moved frequently, so the number of people they can spare is limited,” Jason sighed. “As for Rodriguez, it goes without saying that the police force is already insufficient, and they also have to deal with mutants on the streets and various criminal cases, so they really can’t spare any people.”
Miller, a teammate standing nearby, put down his weapon and interjected, "Captain, what do we do now? We can't just wait here, can we? What if Varus realizes something's wrong and runs away before we know it? All our previous efforts will have been for nothing."
Lynn rubbed his temples, walked to the window, looked at the chaotic street below, and remained silent for a moment: "There's no other way but to wait. Without support or police cooperation, a rash attack would only put our team members in danger. There are so many mutants guarding the manor, and unknown traps. We only have a few people; a direct confrontation is definitely not going to work."
“We can’t just sit here and wait to die,” Jason said. “How about we send two people to sneak into the vicinity of the manor and scout out the specific defenses, confirm whether what Marcus said is true, and also see if Verus shows any signs of moving?”
“No, it’s too dangerous,” Lynn immediately rejected. “There are Karen’s spies around the manor, and mutants patrolling as well. If two people sneak in, they’ll have no way to escape once they’re discovered. We’re already short-handed; we can’t afford any more casualties.”
Just then, Lynn's phone rang. The caller ID showed Rodriguez. He hesitated for a moment, then answered, "Officer Rodriguez, what's up? Did Marcus give you another confession?"
On the other end of the phone, Rodriguez's voice was urgent and somewhat helpless: "Detective Lynn, I'm sorry to bother you, but there's something I might need your help with. I just received a report of a murder in the old town of Tegucigalpa. The victim was an ordinary citizen, and the crime scene was severely disturbed. Our people have been investigating for a long time but haven't found a single clue. Moreover, based on the traces left at the scene, we suspect that it might have been done by a mutant."
Lynn paused for a moment, then asked, "Was it done by mutants? Were there any unusual traces at the scene?"
“Yes, there are obvious huge fist marks at the scene, as well as some traces of vines. The victim’s fatal wound was a shattered chest cavity caused by a huge force. In addition, there is a small amount of black blood at the scene, the same as the blood on the mutants you captured before,” Rodriguez said. “Our officers simply cannot handle this kind of case. Several similar murders have occurred before, and they have all been swept under the rug. The public is very panicked now. I really have no other choice but to ask you for help.”
Lynn glanced at Jason and said into the phone, "I understand. Send me the address, we'll be there right away." After hanging up, he turned to his team and said, "The reinforcements haven't arrived yet, so the raid has to be put on hold for now. There's been a murder in the old town, and Rodriguez suspects it was done by mutants. Let's go check it out, help them solve the case, and also take the opportunity to learn about the activity patterns of the local mutants."
"Captain, do we even have the mind to deal with this kind of case right now? The priority is Verus's case," Miller said, somewhat puzzled.
“Miller, what do you think we can do right now?” Lynn looked at him seriously. “We can’t raid the manor without reinforcements. Instead of wasting time sitting here, we should go and investigate this murder. If it really was done by mutants, we might be able to find clues about the Karen organization or even Verus’s whereabouts. Besides, if we help the local police solve the case, they will be more willing to cooperate with our subsequent operations. It’s a win-win situation.”
Jason nodded and agreed, "Lynn is right. We really don't have a better option right now. Besides, these mutants are committing crimes one after another, and we can't just let it go. After all, we are agents, and it is our duty to fight crime and protect the public."
“Alright, let’s go!” Lynn didn’t hesitate any longer. He picked up his weapon and prepared his equipment. “Jason, you take two people to investigate the scene and collect evidence; Miller, you and I will question the witnesses at the scene; the rest of you, keep watch around the scene to prevent unauthorized personnel from entering and also be vigilant for the reappearance of mutants.”
"Understood!" the team members responded in unison, immediately getting to work and following Lynn as they boarded a vehicle and headed towards the old town of Tegucigalpa.
The old town was even more chaotic than the city center, with narrow, muddy streets, dilapidated houses, and piles of garbage everywhere, filling the air with a pungent odor. It took the vehicle more than ten minutes to reach the crime scene—a secluded alley. A large crowd of onlookers had already gathered, and several police officers were on guard around the perimeter, their faces grim. (End of Chapter)