Shadowplay

- Part 4 -

"You fit the description alright... You Tim's friend?" He asks,

Jamison's eyes narrowed as he studied the man approaching him. The bald man with a scar on his left eye moved with a deliberate, confident stride, his dark skin catching the glints of sunlight filtering through the surrounding buildings.

"You fit the description alright... You Tim's friend?" the man asked, his voice a deep rumble.

Jamison kept his expression neutral, though his mind was racing. "Depends on who's asking."

The man nodded, clearly unfazed by Jamison's guarded response. "Name's Cole Baldwin. Tim said you'd be lookin' for some help. Heard you might need a hand."

Jamison relaxed slightly, recognizing the name from Tim's briefing. Cole was known for his skills in technology, hacking, and was truly reliable. If Tim had sent him, then he might indeed prove to be an ally.

"Detective Theodore Jamison. What do you have for me?"

Cole glanced around, ensuring they weren't being overheard, then motioned for Jamison to follow him into a nearby alleyway. Once they were out of sight from the main street, Cole spoke in a lower tone.

"I heard you're in a bit of a rough situation. I can offer my skills. Tim mentioned you might need some tech expertise."

Jamison nodded, appreciating the straightforward approach. "What's your plan?"Cole pulled out a small tablet, the screen lighting up with a map of the dock area. "Quentin's been lurking here. I've been scoping out the area. There's some surveillance we need to disable. Quentin's crew has the docks wired tight. Once we get past that, I can help track down anything we need to find."

Jamison leaned in, studying the map. "Okay. Can you disable the surveillance remotely?"

Cole nodded confidently. "Piece of cake. Once we're in, we move fast. They won't know what hit 'em."

"Good," Jamison replied. "Let's head back to the others. They're at the Shrinking Violet Inn."

Cole raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Lead the way."

Jamison and Cole made their way back to the hotel, where Franky, Cinzia, and Tim were waiting in their room. Franky was pacing, his restlessness apparent, while Cinzia sat quietly on the fold-out sofa, her antennae twitching occasionally. Tim was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, a look of annoyance on his face.

"Got us some backup," Jamison announced as he entered.

Franky looked up, a hint of skepticism in his eyes. "Hope this guy's as good as Tim says."

Cole stepped forward, nodding at the group. "Cole Baldwin. I specialize in tech and getting into places I shouldn't."

Tim smirked. "He's a decent shot too, for a techie. Sick laser pistol, but nothin' compared to my dualies."

Jamison quickly briefed them on the plan, showing them the map on Cole's tablet. Franky and Tim listened intently, while Cinzia absorbed the information quietly.

"So, we disable the cameras here," Franky summarized, pointing to the map. "Then we move in through the blind spots and see what we can find."

"Exactly," Cole confirmed. "I'll handle the tech side. Once the cameras are down, we move in fast and quiet."

Cinzia looked up, her eyes wide but determined. "What can I do to help?" Jamison gave her a reassuring smile. "Stick close to me or Franky. Your job is to stay safe and keep an eye out. We're going into Quentin's territory, so be ready for anything."

Cinzia swallowed and nodded, her resolve firming. "Got it."

"Alright," Jamison said, looking around at his assembled team. "Let's move out. Time to get this done."