Lana Carpenter quickly moved towards Fedrick and handcuffed him roughly, pressing his face against the dirt, then they threw him in the back of a van. She touched her ear, activating the communication device hidden inside. "Sir, we apprehended the person and were now taking them in for questioning."
The reply was immediate.
"Lana, don't waste your time talking to the guy. He's clearly a spy from another nation." A frown appeared on Lana's beautiful face.
"That doesn't add up, sir. If he was a spy, why would he appear across our border and make himself visible? It just doesn't make sense."
"That was just my warning, but if you want to tangle yourself in such matters, that's fine by me. After all, you are the captain of the special unit. I have no direct power over you."
Fedrick was brought into the investigation room for questioning. The security guards were chattering behind the glass in the room where Fedrick sat.
"What? That doesn't make sense. Are you telling me that guy is an illegal immigrant trying to sneak past the borders? Just look at him," one guard said as the other replied.
"Well, that's the only thing I can think of. The whole thing just doesn't make sense."
"We don't have to worry ourselves. The leader of the special unit is here. If anyone can solve such a case, it's her." At that, the other guards answered in unison and affirmation. They wholeheartedly believed Lana could solve the case. After all, since she was assigned as Captain of the special unit, she has solved every single case that landed on her desk. That's why whenever anything unexplainable happened, she was called.
Although the guards believed in her, she currently had a frown on her face. Lana just couldn't understand how this mysterious man had appeared behind the border with no one seeing him. She ordered her men to give the area a full sweep in case he had dug a hole and came in, but still, nothing. For the first time in her career, she didn't have a guess as to how something happened.
A guard stepped out of the interrogation room.
"Ma'am, he's refusing to talk. He says he'll only speak to the beautiful lady that arrested him."
A roar of outrage came from the guards nearby. Was this man a fool? Trying to hit on their Captain? Didn't he hear about the ice cold tigress, the woman that never fell in love? Her only romance was cuffing up criminals.
"Does that guy have a death wish?"
"Hitting on the ice cold captain so he can get out of cuffs is crazy work."
"Yeah, he's going to prison for sure."
Lana slammed her hands on her desk to stop the chattering.
"Quiet. I'll go talk to the suspect myself."
She stepped inside, closed the door behind her, and finally faced Fedrick. A faint light of surprise flashed across Lana's face. As an investigator, she was keen to details, and right now she couldn't help but notice the details on Fedrick's face. He was extremely handsome, with a well structured jawline. He gave her a dashing smile that flaunted his dimples and plain white teeth. When he spoke, she was even more enamored by his husky voice.
"Hello there, miss. Can you please explain to me why I'm in cuffs?"
At that moment, Lana realized she had been stuck in one position since she entered the interrogation room. She cleared her throat and headed to the seat, not letting her face show the shock.
"Shut up! You're not the one asking the questions here today. I am."
Lana was angry. This guy had suddenly appeared in another country and dared to ask her why he was in cuffs? The audacity. Before she could voice out another question, Fredrick asked one of his own.
"This place, where is it exactly?"
"Pff! You scoundrel, you dare ask me such stupid questions? Why don't you tell me. Who are you and how did you get here?"
Fedrick smiled as his mind calculated hundreds of answers he could give this feisty investigator and still leave here in one piece.
"I'm afraid if I tell you, you won't believe me."
"Oh really? Try me."
Fedrick leaned closer to her ear.
"I work for the FBI, and I'm here on a top secret mission."
Lana barked out a laugh. "HA! Do you take me for a child? The FBI doesn't hire..." She looked him up and down. "People like you."
Fedrick looked surprised. "People like me? See, this is why I didn't want to tell you. What's wrong with people like me?"
Lana paused, not sure how to say the words.
"Well, for starters, you don't know how to speak with manners. You're overconfident and rude. Besides, you would stand out in a crowd. A man like you could never be sent undercover."
"I still don't get what you mean by a man like me. Why don't you say exactly what you mean without beating around the bush?"
Lana wasn't even sure why she was hesitating to say the obvious.
"You're too good looking." She stumbled the words out of her mouth, trying to make it seem like no big deal.
Fedrick flashed a smile.
"Wow, so you think I'm extremely handsome."
Lana roared like a volcano about to erupt.
"I did not say that." She had not said Fedrick was extremely handsome, but he had intentionally exaggerated to make her lose her cool.
He pretended to be surprised.
"That's not what you said. That's what I heard. What did you say then?"
Lana's face turned red. Fedrick wanted her to repeat the words. She was playing into his hands like a puppet.
"I said you're too... ugh!" She cried in frustration, unable to continue the sentence.
Fedrick continued with his master plan he had already crafted, an easy way he knew would get Lana to mess up. She was an investigator, but he had been playing psychological games way before she was born.
"Anyways, since I'm not an FBI agent like I said, why don't you run my face in the world system and tell me who I am then?"
"We ran your face and nothing's showing up besides your fake name as Fedrick Carson. It's as if you're just some average Joe, but you and I both know that's a lie."
Fedrick clapped the table. "Aha! That alone should be proof. You're not very good at this job, you know?"
"You must be stupid! Have you seen my record? I don't fail on any case! And yours ain't gonna be different!"
Fedrick smiled. "Okay then, if I can escape this handcuff, I'll say whatever you want. But if I can open it without a key, you'll agree that I'm an FBI agent."
Lana looked at the handcuffs, knowing fully well that they were not something anyone, FBI or not, could unlock. From the way it was bound to the table, no one could even lock pick it.
"You have yourself a deal." She smiled evilly. Internally, she was ridiculing Fedrick. "This idiot's self confidence is finally catching up to him. He thinks he's the best man in the world. Well, we're about to find out."
The two looked at each other, smiling. It was at this moment that Fedrick laid back in his chair with a cheapish smile.
"I'm just kidding. What am I, a magician? I could never get out of these."
"Kidding? I think you're trying to rot in prison. Don't think for a second we can't lock you up without charges. After all, no one knows you're here. You just appeared out of the sky."
Fedrick made a desperate face.
"You can't be serious. Are you trying to get me to die in here? I can't get out of these handcuffs."
As Lana saw the proud look leave his face, replaced by a desperate expression, she couldn't help but laugh in delight.
"Hahaha, I'm sorry, but we had a deal, and I'm a woman of my word. I want you to confess to being a spy since you can't get out of those cuffs."
With that, she prepared to leave, only to hear Fedrick mutter something.
"A woman of your word, huh? I hope so."
She turned around and saw the arrogant smile had appeared back on his face. And his arms? His arms were free from the cuffs!
"How did you..." Lana stumbled.
In her shock, Fedrick took the opportunity to step close to her, their faces inches from each other.
"Oh, there's a lot you don't know about me."