51MH.IFNO.C

Snapping out of their shock, the guards raised their weapons and started firing at the lone intruder. Initially intimidated by his unnervingly accurate aim, they soon felt confident. After all, they reasoned, he was just one man—how long could he hold out without backup? But their confidence was quickly shattered when a team of officers stormed in from a side entrance, joining the attack.

Without hesitation, Sia dispatched one target after another with a single, precise bullet. She had no interest in keeping them alive for questioning; as far as she was concerned, none of them deserved to live. As she continued firing, a single thought consumed her: these people had forfeited their right to mercy.

Even after all but one of the guards lay dead, her rage was still simmering. Only the head researcher remained, cowering in the corner. Sia\'s hands itched to end him right then and there, but she knew he was too valuable to kill on impulse. Setting her gun aside, she leaned in close, her gaze icy.

Yet, instead of fear, the researcher let out a mocking laugh. "Hahaha! You\'re too late! No matter how fast you were, you\'re still too late!" He grinned up at her, his confidence intact. "By now, all the experimental data has already left this building. Even if you rush after it, you\'ll never catch it. Soon, all our research will reach our God. And once it does, he\'ll create a miracle! He will become the true god of mankind! Hahaha!"

Sia remained impassive, her face unreadable as he laughed. The researcher paused, growing uneasy at her silence. He had expected her to rage, to curse, maybe even to lash out. Instead, she was eerily calm, her expression betraying no emotion.

Before he could process this, Sia reached for a set of handcuffs, snapping them onto his wrists in one swift motion. She seized his chin and forced his mouth open, swiftly dislocating his jaw to prevent him from biting down on any hidden cyanide pill he might have stashed. Once satisfied he posed no immediate threat, she shoved him towards another officer.

"Take him to the station," she ordered. "Watch him closely, and make sure nothing happens to him. I\'ll deal with him personally once we\'re back."

The researcher\'s eyes narrowed in fury and disbelief. His face twisted with a mix of anger and confusion as he looked at Sia. She smirked, enjoying his bewilderment.

"Are you curious why I\'m not angry? Why I\'m not panicking?" she asked coolly. "It\'s simple. Everything is still under my control. Not a single vehicle carrying your \'research material\' has left this building." His eyes widened in shock.

"Don\'t believe me? Here, take a look." She pulled out her phone, showing him a live video feed of officers intercepting trucks filled with evidence. "See? My people are already handling all of your precious research. So, you can relax and focus on… what\'s coming your way." She paused, letting the implication sink in. "Take him away," she ordered, signaling to the officers.

"Yes, Sir."

With Daniel taking the lead, the officers cleared the alley, capturing the research materials that had nearly slipped away. They intercepted a total of twenty trucks. Five were packed with corpses, ten with live captives, four contained recently experimented bodies, and the last truck held files and records of experimental data.

Instead of taking the trucks to the station, they were redirected to the special bureau for further investigation. Three escort vehicles, led by Daniel, followed the convoy, while Sia stayed behind to complete the scene\'s sweep.

Once the area was secure, the surviving captives were arrested, and the dead were taken to the morgue for examination. Sia wrapped up the scene and headed to the station to regroup with her team.

Inside the briefing room, her teammates awaited her arrival, ready to debrief.

Rishi began, "We captured everyone and managed to retrieve most of their research data."

Stephen added with a sigh, "But we couldn\'t save the captives. They were killed before we arrived."

Robert frowned. "We were too late. We only managed to catch a few minor players."

HK scowled. "That damn doctor was clever. He escaped before we even reached the scene. I\'d bet someone on our side has been tipping them off."

Hearing their reports, Sia felt a headache coming on. She rubbed her temples in frustration. "Let it go for now. I\'ve already ordered guards to monitor the toll gates. They won\'t be able to leave the city. Stephen, deploy a team to patrol all exit points."

"I\'ll get right on it," Stephen replied, nodding.

Turning to Rishi, Sia continued, "Check all the officers who\'ve worked on this case. Look for any signs of contact with outsiders. We need to root out this mole before they cause us any more trouble."

"Got it. I\'ll start investigating immediately," Rishi replied, determined.

"HK, Robert, let\'s start interrogating the captives. Maybe one of them knows something useful." Sia gathered a few files, preparing for the task ahead.

Just as she was about to leave, HK stepped forward, concern in his voice. "Shien, you should leave the interrogation to us. It\'s been two days since you last got any rest. If you keep pushing yourself, you\'ll burn out. Take a break. You need it."

Sia shook her head dismissively. "I\'m fine, HK. It\'s just been two days. It\'s nothing I can\'t handle."

HK pressed, "You say that, but you won\'t be able to keep this pace up forever. Even you need to recharge."

She hesitated, feeling a brief flicker of fatigue, but she brushed it aside. "No, I can manage. We\'re close to wrapping this up, and I want to see it through."

HK sighed, recognizing that stubborn look in her eyes. "Alright, but promise you\'ll get some rest once we\'re done here. You won\'t be any use to us if you collapse."

Sia gave a faint smile, appreciating his concern despite her insistence. "Fine, I\'ll rest once we have this case under control."

Satisfied, HK nodded, though he didn\'t entirely believe her.

They left the room, and Sia made her way to the interrogation area. As she prepared herself mentally for the upcoming session, she couldn\'t shake the lingering tension in her shoulders. She knew she had pushed herself hard, but the stakes were too high to relax now. Each captive, each document, each piece of evidence could bring them one step closer to the real mastermind—the one pulling the strings behind this grotesque operation.

Entering the interrogation room, she felt a renewed sense of purpose. She glanced at HK and Robert, giving them a nod. "Let\'s get started."

The captives were brought in one by one. Each was as defiant as the last, yet Sia\'s unwavering gaze and pointed questions soon had even the most stubborn of them faltering.

Hours passed, but she remained focused, carefully noting each response, each hesitation. Piece by piece, the puzzle began to form in her mind. She was getting closer.

Finally, as dawn broke through the windows, Sia allowed herself a deep breath. They had made significant progress, and for the first time in days, she felt a glimmer of satisfaction. Exhausted but resolute, she left the interrogation room, feeling the weight of her exhaustion settling over her.

HK approached her, a hint of relief in his voice. "Now, will you take that break?"

Sia chuckled softly, too tired to protest. "Alright, alright. You win. I\'ll get some sleep."

She walked away, her steps heavy but her heart steady, knowing that with every piece of evidence, they were one step closer to victory.