Sam encouraged himself while watching the two "bandits" behind him from the corner of his eye.
However, the male officer seemed to have prepared for this long ago. He crouched down, pulled a tactical knife from his waist, and skillfully destroyed the GPS tracking device under the cover of a blind spot.
He had long heard that American school buses had five-star safety ratings. Not only were they tough enough to smash a Hummer, but they also came equipped with GPS tracking devices.
But as police officers, Jill and the others had no trouble secretly obtaining the school bus blueprints.
What an extremely cautious little guy. Ada Wong's eyes gleamed with admiration.
The fellow agent before her had evolved from a fresh rookie when they first met into a cunning little fox. Along the way, his meticulous thinking and flawless planning had constantly overturned her understanding and assumptions.
As the school bus gradually approached the edge of the city, the children seemed to realize something, and uneasy murmurs spread through the group.
At that moment, the previously kind older-brother officer gave a sinister smile, instantly revealing his "ferocious true face."
"Alright, kids, let me tell you a ghost story! It's robbery time!"
"Hand over all the snacks in your hands and backpacks! Candy, chocolate, cookies... No hiding contraband! One at a time!"
The children widened their innocent, confused eyes and froze in their seats.
Yet the male officer actually pulled out a tote bag with convincing flair and began collecting the children's hidden snacks one by one from the front row.
Beast! Ada covered her face with a hand, unable to bear watching Kevin's actions.
One adorable child after another obediently handed over all manner of "contraband" under the male officer's threats.
Though their pouty, tearful expressions were a little hard to watch, the children seemed to have unknowingly forgotten their fear of being taken from home.
However, some children who had suffered bullying at school nervously handed over their pocket money as well.
"Friend, are you questioning my professionalism? Didn't you hear me? We're robbing snacks!" Kevin refused righteously.
After questioning the bullied children, he gave several elementary-school bully types a modest but memorable lesson.
With that, even the children's last trace of worry vanished. They all opened their curious eyes wide and secretly studied the unusual "robber" before them.
When he reached the back of the school bus, Kevin winked at Angela and Emma. The three of them curled their lips in tacit understanding.
It had seemingly turned into an amusing role-playing game...
This guy actually got along so well with a bunch of children?
Ada seemed to realize something. Her desire to explore the boy who refused to play by the rules grew stronger.
"Mentos. Want to try some?"
Just as the female agent fell into thought, a beautifully wrapped pack of chewing gum was tossed into her lap.
Ada felt somewhat resistant toward children's snacks and their childish associations, so she lightly shook her head.
"Eating candy is an attitude toward life. It's about wanting to discover sweetness and trying new flavors. Give it a try..."
The boy lounged lazily across two children's seats, tossing several marshmallows into his mouth and chewing them. There was an indescribable ease to his expression.
Seemingly infected by the atmosphere, Ada hesitated for a moment before tearing open the wrapper and putting two Mentos candies into her mouth to chew.
"Did you do this to take some pressure off Leon and create an opportunity for him to escape?"
The female agent seemed to think of something. Sitting beside Kevin, she asked in a whisper.
Kevin neither confirmed nor denied it. With a faintly amused expression, he stroked his smooth chin with his right hand, his gaze wandering as though he were considering something else.
"Hey, buddy, keep driving. Let's take a ride out of town!"
As the school bus rushed beyond the city limits, Kevin stood and cheered like a bad student celebrating the success of a prank.
Though nervous, the children's inner rebellious streak made them press against the windows, curiously watching the unfamiliar scenery around them.
At that moment, Angela, who had been quietly waiting with her little face in her hands and her phone out, sprang from her seat excitedly the instant the screen lit up. Like a soldier who had completed her mission, she delivered the phone to Kevin.
Looking at the encrypted phone number, Kevin gently stroked Angela's little head, the corners of his lips lifting.
Step three, in position!
P.S. An editor has already contacted me about signing the work. Updates will be stable, so please read without worry.
A Few Thoughts From the Heart
Thank you to all the longtime readers who have continued following my books. I truly appreciate it.
Baker's Soul Street, Phantom Snow Wolf, Just Call Me Old Stele, I'm Actually Number One in the Country, Alaskan Dog, mmooommm, Deep Blue Wings, Wonderful Words, Seek No Fate, Wind Passes April, April's Glaze, Even Three Days and Two Sleeps Isn't That Good, Black Car Driving Instructor, Soul of Jade Tower, Gauze Strip Hiss, Purple Orchid Flower Shop.
Didn't expect that, did you? Most of these readers have followed me since my previous book, and I've gotten to know most of them. I'm a rather sentimental person.
A work only has value because it has readers. Thank you for your trust.
Also, please forgive me for being unable to list and remember everyone individually.
I'll keep updating seriously. Some things need no words.
A Daughter-Obsessed Father Saves the World
Earlier, Kevin had asked the Gun Shop Owner's daughter Emma to pass a message to Angela: "Have the three subjects at home been fed?"
There might genuinely be classmates who knew the little girl kept hamsters.
But apart from Angela, the only person who called them "subjects" was naturally Kevin himself.
Although her father Charles had warned her before she left that morning to stay away from this wanted tutor, the little girl had always trusted Kevin.
So this clever little angel immediately understood the hidden meaning in his words and, at Emma's request, volunteered to take the school bus home.
"Hey, whoever you are, please don't hurt my daughter. Whatever you want, just name it!"
The moment the call connected, Dr. Charles's daughter-obsessed nature was laid bare. His suppressed panic and concern for his daughter seeped through every word.
But now that the real target had appeared, there was no longer any need to keep control of this school bus, which had only existed to confuse the trail.
"Everyone, the trip is over. Go home and each write a thousand-word reflection on your travel experience. Make it profound! Next time we meet, we'll rob that!"
Thus, under Kevin's devilish smile, the still-shaken Black driver abandoned Ada, Kevin, and Angela after they got off voluntarily, then drove a busload of resentful children back home.
"Long time no see. Did you miss me, teacher?"
After putting a little distance between himself and Angela, Kevin smiled and greeted his mentor on the other end of the phone, his tone warm and friendly.
"FUCK YOU! Scumbag! Bastard! XXXXXX..."
After a brief silence, Dr. Charles erupted into an enraged roar, spewing a string of varied curses.
But after finishing his first sentence, Kevin, who knew his teacher quite well, had already moved the phone away from his ear and aimed it to the side.
Once the school bus hijacking occurred, the moment Dr. Charles received news of it, he would certainly do everything possible to contact Kevin, the hijacker, as quickly as possible.
After all, while he was a workaholic, he was also a thoroughgoing daughter-obsessed father.
In fact, even if Angela had not brought a phone, Kevin figured Dr. Charles could have located and contacted him through the school bus's communication equipment.
With little angel Angela's assistance, the plan had gone surprisingly smoothly.
Only after Dr. Charles had cursed for nearly an entire class period did Kevin's remarkably lung-capacious mentor finally calm down.
Throughout it all, Kevin wore an interested smile without the slightest hint of guilt.
"You forged an identity and infiltrated my home because you wanted the T-Virus, right?"
Driven by his concern for his daughter, Dr. Charles forcibly restrained his anger and began laying out his bargaining chips.
"As long as you don't hurt my daughter, everything is negotiable. But preparing that stuff takes time..."
Kevin sighed softly, looking somewhat sorrowful.
"Doctor, you're not being very honest. If I wanted the T-Virus and the antidote, I should be able to find a set just by searching Anje's backpack."
There was a T-Virus sample and antidote in this child's backpack!
Hearing this, Ada narrowed her eyes and repeatedly glanced at Angela's bulging backpack from the corner of her eye. She was instantly tempted, but after a moment's hesitation, she extinguished the thought.
Dr. Charles on the other end of the line also seemed to fall into shock. When he finally recovered, his voice had become hoarse and defeated.
"Tell me. What do you want?"
Clearly, he no longer had any bargaining chips left to negotiate with Kevin.
Kevin showed neither triumph nor arrogance. His tone was sincere, yet teasing.
"Please do me a small favor, and save the world while you're at it: use your Umbrella Corporation Level Six clearance to plant a virus in the Red Queen, The Hive's main-control computer AI. Or shutting her down would work too..."
"And seal every entrance leading from The Hive to the surface. Keep them sealed for about twelve hours!"
At home far away, Dr. Charles's face was filled with shock.
"How could that possibly be done?! And what exactly are you trying to do?"
Kevin took a deep breath, his tone helpless.
"Doctor, can't we all be more honest? Did you think the backdoor you left in the Red Queen's network was such a secret? That doesn't seem like something a loyal employee would do."
"Umbrella stole your research results and applied them to genetic weapons. Surely you wouldn't remain indifferent about that."
"If given the chance, you'd absolutely stab them in the back..."
"So our goals are the same..."
The secret revealed by that traitorous disciple immediately drenched Dr. Charles in cold sweat. Before Kevin, it was as though he had no secrets at all.
"Fine. You can take this as a friendly suggestion, or as a bandit's order..."
"Within one hour, immediately cripple the Red Queen network inside The Hive and seal all its entrances and exits. It must last at least half a day!"
"Otherwise, you will never see your daughter again..."
Dr. Charles's mind fell into chaos, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
"Even if I cripple the Red Queen network, Dr. Isaacs, the real person in charge of Umbrella's Raccoon City branch, will still have enough authority to restart the Red Queen by noon tomorrow at the latest. What you're doing is meaningless!"
Kevin remained calm and answered patiently, without the slightest impatience, though his attitude was extremely firm.
"That's why I need you to plant a virus with some real bite, so the Red Queen remains crippled for at least twelve hours."
"I only need twelve hours! This is your only chance to reunite with Angela!"
Dr. Charles had no choice but to grit his teeth and agree.
"Fine! I'll access the keys and the backdoor right now! Let my daughter go!"
Kevin refused to yield an inch. "Fine. After twelve hours, I'll bring her to see you and bear all the consequences!"
"Bastard!" Charles cursed furiously, but he could not shake that man's resolve. He could only agree in humiliation, immediately turning on his computer and entering the Red Queen network login interface.
Done! Kevin snapped his fingers lightly, casually removed the SIM card, broke it in half, and tossed it into the grass.
"What do we do next?" Ada took quiet little Angela by the hand and stepped forward to ask Kevin.
Kevin stroked his chin and smiled. "I remember you have a journalist informant in Raccoon City. His name was... Ben? He seems to have gotten hold of Director Alons's incriminating evidence?"
"Oh, right. That unlucky guy should be locked in prison by Alons now, shouldn't he?"
Ada's pupils suddenly constricted. How did this guy know so many secrets?
Kevin continued trying to recall. Tilting his head, he asked, "And doesn't he have a girlfriend named... Katherine Warren? Our dear mayor seems to have the same surname?"
Damn it! What else was there that this guy didn't know? Had BSAA's intelligence network really become this advanced?
Deep wariness arose in Ada's heart, but they were in the same boat now, so she could not openly turn against him. She could only respond with silence.
"You already have Director Alons's dirty secrets, don't you, FBI Agent Ada Wong?"
Kevin seemed to think of something and turned to ask the solemn-faced agent.
After a moment of silence, under Kevin's gaze, Ada finally gave a slight nod.
Kevin's smile became increasingly sincere. "Then the next part is your job. Help me arrange a meeting between two people. I've already written the script, and I guarantee it'll be very entertaining!"
The female agent listened closely to Kevin's instructions, her expression changing several times before finally returning to calm.
"Alright, leave it to me. What about you?"
Kevin took Angela's little hand, blinked his bright eyes, and broke into a smile. "Of course, I'll keep my little angel company on our hiking adventure."
Before you continue