Chapter 4

A month before Jordyn and my wedding, we finally received solid intelligence on the drug trafficking organization. The opportunity was too rare to pass up, so our superiors decided to move in that very night.

I led the main assault team, while Jordyn coordinated the perimeter and provided backup. The night before the operation, she helped me check my equipment again and again.

Finally, she wrapped her arms tightly around me and rested her forehead against my chest. "Be careful. You have to come back in one piece and be my groom."

"Yes, Captain Croft." I smiled and hugged her back, gently ruffling her hair. My heart filled with happiness and anticipation for our future.

Milo came by that night too. He was carrying a cup of warm milk, his eyes bloodshot with worry.

He said, "Chris, please come back safely. I'm looking forward to attending your wedding."

I didn't think anything of it. I drank the milk in one go, patted him on the shoulder, and told him not to worry.

On the day of the operation, everything went smoothly.

In fact, it went too smoothly.

Just as I located the criminals' hideout and was about to send the signal, a violent wave of dizziness hit me. My limbs went weak, and all the strength drained from my body. Before I lost consciousness, I heard gunshots erupting everywhere. The screams of my fellow officers grew fainter and fainter.

When I woke up again, there was nothing I could do.

Every day I spent in captivity, I kept asking myself why Milo had done it.

Then, one night, after they broke every bone in my body again, the excruciating pain jolted me awake. Through the haze, I heard his phone conversation with Roxanne.

Roxanne said, "I'm honestly curious. Christopher saved your life, so why are you so cruel to him?"

On the other end of the line, Milo shed his usual meek demeanor.

His voice was vicious and cold as he replied, "It's his fault for sticking his nose into my business and saving me. Since he saved me, he might as well finish the job and give me a family. I just didn't expect his father to drop dead the moment he heard that his son had become a traitor.

"His mother overheard our conversation and wanted to expose me. I was so nice to her the whole time. Since she didn't know how to appreciate it, I might as well send her to join him.

"I'll do my best to keep feeding you information about the police. Torture Christopher however you want. As long as he stays out of the way and doesn't interfere with my marriage or my plans to have children with his wife, I don't care what you do to him."

Blood mixed with saliva slid down from the corner of my mouth as I laughed. One drop after another dripped onto the floor.

So that was what happened.

After that night, I gave the criminals the first piece of information I'd provided since being captured. They acted on it and suffered devastating losses. So, they poured all their hatred onto me.

Chains crushed my ribs. Blunt weapons shattered my arms and legs. Then, finally, one last blow struck my chest fatally.

I was barely alive when I was chained to the wire fence.

I didn't make it to sunrise. I had used my life to bring down a large chunk of their organization.

That was the only thing I could do.

I hoped that Jordyn would root out the remaining criminals as soon as possible. That way, no one else would end up like me, dying somewhere beyond the reach of the light.

When I was finally done reminiscing, dawn had broken.

Jordyn had spent the entire night standing there and smoking. Cigarette butts were scattered all around her feet.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated.

It was a message from the forensic lab, along with a report. It read, "The DNA test results for the remains are back."

At the same time, an officer hurried over to report. "Captain Croft, we've got a new lead!"