Chapter 39: Texans Don't Cheat Texans
As he spoke, he didn't pursue directly. Instead, he rushed into the container room, took a quick look, then exited through the blown-out window, chasing the security captain deep into the wilderness.
"Wait for me!"
Jane wanted to follow, but seeing the dead and wounded on the ground, and unable to call for backup due to no cell signal, she hesitated. In the end, she stayed behind to help the sheriff rescue the surviving tribal officers.
In the snow-covered wilderness,
the security captain ran breathlessly.
He had initially planned to eliminate everyone in a coordinated attack, including Jane the FBI agent, confident in his superior firepower and tactical advantage. But after witnessing Chuck's marksmanship, he immediately retreated.
Damn!
That was like something out of an old Western—fast, accurate, and deadly!
Fortunately, as long as he kept moving in this unfamiliar terrain, no matter how quick on the draw someone was, they couldn't track him, and no bullet could find him.
With this thought, he pushed himself harder.
As long as he could reach the Olson compound, with the family's influence and connections, everything would work out. After all, they were working for Matt Olson.
He ran for what felt like forever, and just as he was ready to collapse, he kept looking back. Seeing no pursuit, he was about to stop and catch his breath when a figure appeared directly in front of him, watching him calmly.
"Stay back!"
The security captain was terrified. Screaming, he instinctively raised his weapon to fire. But when he met Chuck's calm, steady gaze and remembered the sight of his men dropping in perfect succession, he shuddered and quickly pointed his gun at the ground, fearing any misunderstanding. "What do you want?"
"The truth!"
Chuck said calmly. "I'm just a consultant. I only care about the truth. Nothing else matters to me."
"If I tell you the truth, you'll let me go?"
the security captain asked desperately.
"It's the police and FBI's job to arrest you, not mine,"
Chuck replied. "They'll be here soon enough."
"Alright, I'll tell you!"
The security captain looked back. Fighting was impossible, so he had no choice but to trust Chuck's word.
It was straightforward.
They were originally just a security team working the drilling operation, living a rough life, nothing to write home about.
However, not long ago, their company owner's son came out here with his crew of bodyguards for a hunting trip, throwing parties regularly.
Since they were keeping the boss's son entertained, they occasionally got invited to these parties, which was a real treat.
Two nights ago, there was another party.
Midway through, the boss's son noticed one of his bodyguards was missing. Upon asking around, he learned the guy had gone on a date.
Some of the security guards started talking, saying this bodyguard named Sean was a real smooth operator. He'd just arrived and had already hooked up with a beautiful local girl, Natalie, and was probably getting lucky with her that very night.
The boss's son, already drunk and wired, immediately got excited and showed up with his equally wasted crew.
Sure enough, they found Sean and the woman together in bed. Sean figured the place would be empty that night, but he hadn't expected this. Seeing a bunch of guys leering at his companion Natalie with obvious bad intentions, he told them to get lost.
The boss's son, riding his high, got even more amped up and started running his mouth.
Sean, furious, yelled at everyone to leave.
The other bodyguards tried to calm things down, but it only made things worse. The boss's son—a guy who'd kill five people just to win a game of chicken on the water—was so pumped full of adrenaline and entitlement that he couldn't stand his bodyguard's defiance. Encouraged by his crew, he ripped off the covers and started groping Natalie while she was still in her underwear.
As Natalie screamed for help, Sean went ballistic, threatening to kill the boss's son.
The other security guards rushed over and held Sean down.
The boss's son berated the bodyguards who tried to intervene, promising to pay them more, then completely lost control.
Seeing his buddies just standing there, urging him to "think it through" and calling her "just some local girl, don't worry about it," Sean completely snapped. He broke free from the crowd, pulled the boss's son off Natalie, and started beating him, telling her to run.
Natalie was so terrified she ran out of the container barefoot, not even grabbing shoes. She ran desperately through the freezing night until the frigid air caused her to cough up blood. The temperature was so low that blood began pooling in her lungs. She kept coughing up blood, collapsed, and eventually suffocated on her own vomit.
"What happened to Sean?"
Chuck asked calmly.
"I don't know."
The security captain shook his head. "That guy was tough as nails. So many of us couldn't bring him down. Then we drew weapons, and after taking a few rounds, he still got away. I heard the boss's son has been sending search parties, but they still haven't found him."
"Alright, you can go now,"
Chuck said.
"You're really letting me walk?"
The security captain looked stunned.
"Texans don't cheat Texans,"
Chuck said. "If you don't disappear in ten seconds, that courtesy expires."
"Texans don't cheat Texans! I'm gone!"
the security captain shouted, taking a few cautious steps before breaking into a full sprint toward the treeline, constantly looking back, afraid Chuck would shoot him in the back.
Chuck didn't move, watching him disappear, then headed back to the container facility.
Jane and the sheriff were loading the last injured officer into the vehicle. As soon as Chuck returned, Jane immediately asked, "How'd it go?"
"Didn't catch him,"
Chuck shook his head.
"He won't get far!"
the sheriff gritted her teeth in rage. "Let's head back first!"
This attack had devastated her department. Not counting herself, there had been five officers present—three shot dead on the spot, two critically wounded.
That represented most of their tribal police force.
If not for Chuck's quick and accurate shooting, the entire tribal police department, including herself, would have been wiped out.
"Right,"
Chuck nodded.
Jane looked at the bodies scattered across the snow and didn't argue. The three of them quickly drove the wounded to the hospital.
In the wilderness, in an abandoned hunting cabin,
a large man lay covered in grime. His chest and arms were crudely bandaged with torn fabric, blood seeping through, his eyes glaring fiercely at the fire.
"Do you regret it?"
a voice suddenly called out.
"Who's there?!"
The big man startled, grabbed a wooden stake beside him that had been sharpened to a point, and looked toward the voice.
A figure emerged from the shadows, gradually becoming visible in the firelight. Who else but Chuck?
"So it's you!"
The big man's eyes filled with violence when he saw Chuck, and he thrust the makeshift spear directly at Chuck's chest.
Chuck caught the spear and, seeing the man's murderous intent, stepped aside and moved behind him, knocking him unconscious with a swift strike to the neck.
(End of chapter)
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