The Color of Your Eyes

Chapter 55: Deal

"You better have a pretty good explanation, for why I shouldn't call the FBI on you right now," Alan leaned against the door after closing it, with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"We better sit for this one," Jake said as he sat on a chair right next to the only table in this room. Alan didn't move a muscle and instead stayed right in front of the door.

Jake went straight to the point.

"No FBI, no police backup, meaning you cannot tell anyone of your colleagues."

"And why shouldn't I?" Alan asked.

"Because if you do, not only will you risk Lia's life, which I absolutely won't let happen, but you will also risk the lives of six other girls."

Alan's eyes went wide. "Six girls?"

Jake pushed a piece of paper on the table in Alan's direction. Alan took it and read it.

"This is..."

"An E-Mail that I found with the help of Lilly. This is an exchange between Mike Warren with another member of a drug cartel. The thing they were talking about was definitely not drugs."

"We will deliver six potential renegades..." Alan red. "In nine days. The E-Mail was sent yesterday, so eight days left. Make sure they don't square up."

"Renegade and square up are code words used in human trafficking," Jake continued.

"I know what they mean," Alan looked pale. "Six lives, including Lia's are in danger. In Duskwood. In my town."

"If we rescue Lia now, with or without your help, then they will send the six girls somewhere else, and that could be anywhere. But, if we wait..."

"We can ambush them when the six girls are being brought to Mike, whose job is to keep an eye on them until they can be moved to somewhere else," Alan finished Jake's sentence. "I see now why you don't want me to call for backup."

"Six lives will be at stake if you give Mike even a whiff of an action. Not to mention, what they will do to those girls if they get the feeling that the police are onto them. They will get rid of them in a matter of minutes. We can't risk that."

Alan sat in front of Jake, then he folded his hands on the table.

"So let me get this straight. You want to leave the girl you love, alone, in the hands of that criminal, for another eight days, to save six other lives?" Alan asked in disbelief.

Jake lowered his head.

"No."

"No? Now explain that to me," Alan eyed Jake as he leaned back in his chair.

"Lia won't be left alone. I and someone else is going to be infiltrating Mike's hideout. Thanks to the information Poke has provided to us, we know that Mike has around seven henchmen, who also function as guards. We are going to watch each other's backs while we keep Lia company. We will make sure she won't get harmed."

Alan looked at Jake as if his face was on fire.

"Insane. That's just insane. Do you want to enter the den of the lion for an entire week? Assuming we start tomorrow."

"It's the least I can do for her," Jake replied.

"Who is the other one that will accompany you? I can't assume it will be any of the girls in your group. Dan is out since he is in a wheelchair. Thomas is not cut out for it. Is it Richy? Or Phil?"

"Richy is currently unavailable," Jake sighed.

"Phil then. You two really are not the best duo to do this task," Alan shook his head. "Not after what I just witnessed earlier."

After a pause, Alan leaned in.

"You know what Jake? I think your plan has many flaws. It is way too risky, too risky for Lia if any of you two get caught-"

"We won't. Every guard wears a mask in Mike's hideout-"

"Too risky for the girls if Mike finds out we are onto him-"

"I have weighed both risks, it is lower if Phil and I operate on our own-"

"I think, you all, including everyone in this group of friends, need to step away and let me and my colleagues handle this-"

"I don't trust you and your colleagues' competence."

"I don't need your trust, Jake."

"You all pose a bigger threat to the safety of Lia and those girls. If Mike finds only two normal guys infiltrating his place, the worst he can do is kill us both. If he finds out the police are onto him, he will burn the place down along with Lia, and those girls will either be killed or hidden somewhere else," Jake clenched his fists.

Alan remained silent as they both locked eyes. He couldn't deny the truth that lays behind Jake's words.

"You know him, don't you?" Alan asked.

"Yes," Jake answered. "I know him, and I have been keeping an eye on him for the past years. I have seen what kinda man he became. I tipped the FBI all the information about him. It is thanks to me that the FBI knew the extent of his crimes. I think Mike got wind of this. And that is why he has Lia. He wants to pay me back for making him a target."

"The FBI is still looking for you," Alan continued, fear in his eyes. "They are surveilling me, and all of my colleagues and their family," his face turned pale. "Their eyes are on Duskwood and their citizen. No one knows except for me and the mayor."

"I know..." Jake lowered his head again.

Another moment of silence passed. Alan closed his eyes, weighing the burden that he felt on his shoulders. The responsibility he felt.

"I'm sorry Jake. But I have to decline your plan. I cannot risk the safety of an entire town, seven girls in your and Phil's hands."

He stood up and was about to leave the room, his hand was reaching for the doorknob.

"If you follow my plan, I will give you the things you want most."

Alan stopped dead in his tracks and he turned around.

"The things I want the most? What could that possibly be?" he asked suspiciously.

Jake looked up. "If you follow my plan, I will make sure in the end you will get everything you wanted. You want the FBI to leave Duskwood, you want to restore the name of this town, I will even make you come out as the hero who saved everyone. The mayor will be pleased, and everyone will be saved."

"And how do you think can I achieve that?" Alan crossed his arms.

"By delivering me to the FBI after we are done."