Blood stained Dewitt's arm, making Claire frown.
"It's nothing serious. The heavy winter jacket took the brunt of it. It's just a bullet graze," he assured her.
Even though he called it a graze, Claire couldn't help but worry.
"I'm perfectly fine, let's head out first. Dane..."
Before Dewitt could finish, another figure stepped into the room.
It was Dane.
He was wounded as well. A cut across his cheek trickled blood, adding a feral edge
to his striking features—he looked incredibly handsome, like a battle-scarred hero.
"Dane, are you alright?"
Claire's brow furrowed in concern.
Dane shook his head. "How are you holding up?"
Seeing that Claire was completely unharmed, Dane finally let out a breath of relief.
His predatory gaze then locked onto Frederick Foster.
"Someone will be here to deal with him shortly!"
Silas Carl didn't arrive until dawn.
By then, Claire was already at the hospital.
After all, her bodyguards, Dane, and Dewitt had all sustained minor injuries.
Dane had brought his own men, and every single one of them was a ruthless fighter.
But there was no denying that Frederick Foster was formidable. Not only had he brought a legion of bodyguards into Solenia, but he had also colluded with the local underground syndicates.
They had initiated a massive shootout at the docks, but Dewitt had been prepared.
Edison had called in reinforcements, and Dane had tipped off Silas, who directly coordinated with the local SWAT teams.
With overwhelming tactical support, Frederick Foster had nowhere to run.
Foster thought he had orchestrated a masterclass in strategy, completely unaware that he had walked right into Claire's trap.
He was beyond frustrated.
But now, he didn't even have the luxury to dwell on his frustration.
Because the moment Silas laid eyes on him, he flashed an arrest warrant.
"Frederick Vane, you are under arrest!"
Frederick Foster, better known as Frederick Vane, hadn't heard that name in years. "Who are you?"
Vane glared at Silas, a bitter refusal to accept his defeat burning in his eyes.
He knew returning was a massive risk, but he never imagined he would fail this spectacularly.
He thought he would at least walk away with a bargaining chip.
"My last name is Carl!"
Carl-that was the exact last name of the commanding officer who investigated his treason case back then.
He never expected that after twenty years on the run, his fate would still be sealed by someone from the Carl family.
Once Vane was hauled away, Claire and her group were essentially off the clock.
However, because the prisoner specifically requested to see her, Claire agreed to meet him one last time.
The authorities were well aware of Claire's medical expertise and hoped she could keep Vane alive just a little longer.
Not only did they need to extract more intelligence from him, but Vane also had to face the full weight of the law.
No one wanted the traitor to get off that easily by dying.
Yet this case was intrinsically tied to Claire and the disappearance of her parents.
The higher ups worried that if the
details went public foreign
adversanes might replicate
theat
tactics and target Claire. .net
Claire's safety was paramount. Had it not been for this traitor, her
parents would never have beel
targeted in the first place!
And they wouldn't have been missing for nearly two decades.
"Claire, we just ask that you stay sharp when speaking with him. Don't let him manipulate you."
"We also hope you can get him to spill as much information as possible regarding the Celestial Ore."
Silas briefed Claire before finally clearing her to visit Vane in a classified holding facility.
Vane was currently detained in Apex, which was a two-hour drive away.
Claire hadn't even realized Apex housed a black-site prison.
"I think if you can't break Vane, you should start with Meiko Fujii," Claire whispered to Silas before heading inside to see the prisoner content .net