BEYOND THE LOVE

CHAPTER 5:

"How did they discover us?" Suha questioned, holding the letter.

"They've got their ways of tracking, Suha, or perhaps..."

"Perhaps?" Suha and Kyoto echoed together.

"Through the MAC address," Juan suggested.

"It's quite likely," Suha responded.

I'm unsure how to trace them back; they've announced their intent to make us fail. We're now a part of this game, but I don't even know our starting point. I need to find an way.

"Ji Woon and Suha, go through the crime pattern analysis and see if there's any useful information. Also, gather as much data as you can about any gang that might be of help against them," I directed. They nodded in response.

I then turned to Juan, pointing at him, "Try to get in them."

"Understood," Juan replied.

"Kyoto, you're with me," I said, deciding quickly.

"Where are you heading?" Suha's voice piped up from her seat.

Without a word, I grabbed the car keys and a handgun from the nearby drawer, securing it by my side, and made my way out.

"Don't fret about her; I'm accompanying her," Kyoto reassured the group.

"That's what worries me the most," Suha responded, sounding aloof.

Juan and Ji Woon chuckled at her remark. Kyoto gave her a questioning look.

"You always let her do whatever she wants," Suha pointed out.

"She has my backing. I've never met anyone as fearless as her," Kyoto stated proudly, a smile lighting up his face.

Interrupting their conversation, I honked the car horn, prompting Kyoto to quickly join me. As he settled in, fastening his shoe laces, he asked, "Where to?"

"We're meeting the chief," I informed him.

"Got it," he acknowledged.

Kyoto turned on the music and slid down the window. We drove at a steady pace for about thirty minutes. Soon, I noticed two black vehicles trailing us. Glancing over at Kyoto, our eyes met, and he immediately grasped the situation.

"Just drive; I'll handle this," he assured me.

As the two black vehicles closed in on us we weren't able to see anyone , the tension inside the car became palpable. Kyoto reached down, retrieving a small black device from his bag, "A tracking beacon. If we can get close enough, I can stick it on one of their cars."

I stepped on the gas, trying to create some distance. Kyoto opened his window wider, wielding a gun in one hand and the beacon in the other. The wind howled as the chasing cars pulled alongside us.

He took aim, firing several shots at the first vehicle, puncturing its tires. The car swerved off the road, momentarily kicking up a dust storm. But the second one .......staying hot on our trail.

We weaved through the empty streets, narrowly avoiding collisions and making hard turns. Kyoto saw an opportunity as our pursuer pulled close. He leaned out the window, tossing the beacon onto the car's rear bumper. "Got it!" he exclaimed.

Suddenly, bullets rained from the chasing vehicle, forcing us to duck low. Kyoto returned fire, hitting their front grille and causing a cascade of sparks.

As we neared our destination, Kyoto threw a smoke grenade behind us, clouding their vision. We took a sharp turn into an underground parking, cutting the lights and engine.

Minutes felt like hours as we waited in silence. Soon, the sound of sirens filled the night, and the black vehicle's engine faded into the distance.

"We lost them, for now," Kyoto whispered, staring at the drone's screen, "but with that tracker, we've gained the upper hand."

Kyoto nodded, adjusting the tracking device. "They think they're the hunters, but now they're the hunted."
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I relayed everything to the chief, who then inquired, "Which team do you think?"
"I'm not sure, Chief. We've closed all our cases completely," I replied.

When I exited the chief's office, I noticed Kyoto on the phone, saying,

"I'm not sure, Suha... I think we shou–" I tapped him on the shoulder, and he ended his call saying, "Later."

I remarked, "I didn't realize you were talking to Suha," my tone dripping with sarcasm.

He looked a bit embarrassed as he replied, "It was just a casual chat."

"Always you do"

As we headed to the parking lot, I bypassed our car, prompting Kyoto to ask, "Where are you goi–"

"We need a different car; ours has been traced. Empty our things from it," I instructed.

Confused, he asked, "Who might be after us?"

"Hurry, Kyoto. You get the car," I urged.

Eagerly, he responded, "Yes, I'm on it."

"Where did you par–"

"Spot UB 12 A," I interrupted.

Tossing him the keys, I said, "Keys."

He caught them, then I began transferring our belongings into a bag.
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I glanced at my watch, noting it was 7:03 pm. He'd taken 10 minutes just to fetch the car which should've taken 2. As he sped towards me, he nearly hit me, but I stood my ground. I retorted, "better luck next time."

He grinned, "That's my girl."

In the car, I was on my phone but a sudden turn towards him gave him a start, especially with the soft rhythm of the music playing.

"Who do you think that's for?" I mused, gazing out the window.

"If you're going to talk to yourself, do it softly," he remarked.

"What about the tracking device?"

"I need to connect it to a laptop to see..."
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I eyed him up and down, "You've really been working on your fitness."
His smile broadened,
"What's with that smile"

"It's rare to get a compliment from you."

As I glanced in his direction, I noticed his sharp jawline and deep-set black eyes, which always seemed to be observing everything keenly. His hair, a shade of dark brown, was slightly tousled. There was a certain ruggedness about him, enhanced by the stubble on his chin. Yet, amidst all these strong features, his lips often broke into a gentle, inviting smile. He is a blend of strength and softness.