Chapter 76-77 - Adopted into a Modern Family

Chapter 76 – Roadblock

The air inside the SUV was thick with tension. Gigi and Bella Hadid were silent, their eyes following Grant's every move as he kept a steady hand on the radio. Outside, the secondary road they were traveling on was narrower, lined with dilapidated buildings and a few scattered trees. The desert heat made the asphalt tremble slightly in the distance, but Grant didn't have time to worry about the weather.

"Attention, team. We're going to execute a roadblock." Grant's voice on the radio was firm, professional. "We need to identify who is following us and why. On my command, accelerate and then brake sharply. We get out armed and order the occupants to exit. Understood?"

The answers came immediately:

"Understood, boss." The deep voice of one of the security guards sounded on the radio.

"Preparing for maneuver."

Grant turned to Samir.

— "Speed up along with the other vehicles. Give the impression that we're trying to escape."

Samir nodded and floored the accelerator. The SUV's engine roared loudly as the tires gripped the hot asphalt. The other two vehicles in the convoy did the same, accelerating in sync. Behind them, the black sedan and the white pickup truck also increased their speed to keep up.

Gigi gripped the roof rack tightly.

— "Oh my God…" — Bella murmured, her eyes wide.

Grant, even while maintaining a serious demeanor, glanced briefly at the sisters.

— "Stay calm. This is under control."

They sped forward for about 300 meters. The distance between the cars remained constant, the pursuers clearly determined not to lose sight of the convoy.

Then, Grant gave the command.

— "NOW!"

Samir slammed on the brakes, and the SUVs slowed abruptly, tires screeching against the asphalt. The black sedan and the pickup truck, caught off guard, had no time to react. The sedan skidded sideways and nearly hit the concrete barrier, while the white pickup truck slid slightly before finally coming to a stop.

Before the occupants had time to react, Grant and the other bodyguards were already out of the vehicles.

Weapons drawn, firm posture.

"HANDS OUT! SLOW DOWN!" Grant shouted, his voice echoing on the silent road.

The other bodyguards, former special forces like him, covered the flanks, each keeping their sights on one of the vehicles.

Inside the SUV, Gigi and Bella watched everything with wide eyes. They had never seen anything like this in person only in action movies. But here, it was real.

The door of the black sedan opened slowly, and a man with a short beard and dark skin stepped out with his hands raised. He wore a light-colored shirt and a discreet tactical vest underneath. His gaze was tense, but he maintained his composure.

Behind him, the occupants of the pickup truck did the same. Four men got out, hands raised. Two of them seemed to be locals, while the others had a more Western look.

Grant kept his gun pointed at the first man who got out of the sedan.

"Who are you?" his voice was cold and sharp.

The man raised his eyebrows and took a deep breath before answering in English, with a slight Arabic accent:

"We can talk like adults, can we?"

Grant frowned.

"Speak. Quickly."

The man raised his hands a little higher, showing that he had no weapons.

"We are from an Israeli intelligence unit."

Grant did not react immediately. He analyzed the men, their clothes, their postures. It made sense.

"Mossad?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

The man hesitated for a second before answering:

"Something like that."

Grant didn't lower his weapon.

"Why are you following us?"

The man sighed.

"Because we can't allow two public figures to enter Gaza unguarded. We know they aren't threats, but you have no idea what could happen there. Hamas might want to use them for propaganda or worse."

Gigi and Bella, still inside the SUV, exchanged apprehensive glances.

Grant kept his aim steady, but his mind worked quickly. Mossad was known for its highly secretive operations and efficiency. If they were there, it was because they truly saw a risk.

"If you wanted to monitor us, why didn't you contact us sooner?"

The man shrugged.

— "You're Americans. The U.S. government doesn't like it when we interfere directly."

Grant pondered for a moment, then lowered his weapon slightly.

— "If you're here to monitor, then keep your distance and don't interfere."

The man nodded.

— "We don't want trouble. We just don't want to see two celebrities kidnapped in Gaza. That would create international chaos."

Grant looked at the other security guards and gestured for them to lower their weapons.

— "If you want us around, we can be discreet," the man said.

Grant thought for a moment, then shook his head.

— "No. You continue as you were. If something goes wrong, help us. Otherwise, stay away."

The man smiled slightly.

"Fair enough."

Grant took a step back, maintaining his serious posture.

"Back to the cars. We're going to continue the journey."

The man nodded to the others, who obeyed without question.

Gigi and Bella finally released the breath they hadn't even realized they were holding.

"That was intense," Bella murmured.

Grant got back into the car, closing the door and putting away his gun.

"Welcome to the real world," he said, as Samir restarted the engine.

The convoy began to move again. Now, at least, they knew who was on their tail. But the real danger still awaited them on the other side of the border.

Chapter 77 – Humanitarian Mission

The armored SUV slowed as it approached the last Israeli checkpoint before the humanitarian zone in Gaza. The scorching sun reflected off the concrete barriers and watchtowers, while armed soldiers inspected every vehicle that attempted to pass.

Grant, seated in the passenger seat, intently observed his surroundings. Even without any apparent threat, he never let his guard down. In the back seat, Gigi and Bella Hadid exchanged anxious glances.

"This is where things get serious, isn't it?" Bella asked, breaking the silence.

Grant turned to her, his eyes cold, but with no intention of frightening her.

"Yes. From this point on, there is no more Israeli protection. We're on our own."

Gigi took a deep breath and nodded.

"We know the risks, but we want to do this the right way."

Grant looked at both of them for a moment before speaking.

"So listen carefully: follow all my instructions. If I say run, run. If I say stay down, stay down. I don't want heroism or impulsive actions."

"Understood." Gigi replied firmly.

Samir, the local driver, drove slowly to the gate, where an Israeli soldier, wearing a tactical vest and holding a rifle, raised his hand, ordering them to stop. He walked to Grant's window.

"Documents and identification." His voice was hard, professional.

Grant opened a small folder and handed over everyone's passports in the vehicle, along with a letter from UNICEF authorizing the group's entry into the humanitarian zone. The soldier examined the papers and then looked at Grant.

"American?"

"Yes."

"And ex-military."

"Yes."

The soldier studied Grant for a moment before returning the documents.

— "You're free to go. But a warning..." — He paused, looking at the models in the back seat. — "This isn't a safe zone. If something happens, our troops won't be able to help you."

— "We know." — Bella replied, standing firm.

The soldier nodded and signaled for the gates to be opened.

— "Good luck."

The SUV drove forward, leaving the Israeli checkpoint behind and entering Palestinian territory.

At the UNICEF Mini Humanitarian Base

The convoy arrived at the small humanitarian base, surrounded by wire fences and reinforced with sandbags. Volunteers worked under makeshift tents, distributing supplies to local families waiting in orderly lines.

Gigi and Bella got out of the cars and were greeted by a team of UNICEF volunteers. A woman with her hair in a bun and wearing a blue vest greeted them.

— "You must be the Hadids."

— "Yes, I'm Gigi. This is my sister, Bella."

The woman smiled.

— "I'm Layla, coordinator of this base. Welcome and thank you for being here."

Bella looked around and saw children playing near a well, mothers holding their babies, and elderly people chatting. But the look of suffering on many faces was undeniable.

— "We want to help in any way we can," said Bella.

— "Then follow me."

Grant, on the other hand, remained alert. His job wasn't to distribute food, but to ensure everything went smoothly. He walked alongside the models and analyzed every corner of the base. His eyes trained on some figures in the distance, men who seemed to be just observing.

He approached Samir.

— "Look at those men by the wall. I want you to keep an eye on them."

Samir nodded discreetly and picked up a radio.

Meanwhile, Gigi and Bella were led to a tent where food baskets were being prepared. Bags of rice, packages of pasta, powdered milk, and canned goods were being placed in large cardboard boxes.

Layla took a notebook and handed it to them.

"These are the families who need the supplies today. If you want, you can help assemble the baskets and deliver them."

"Absolutely!" Gigi put on a pair of gloves and started helping.

Bella did the same, and soon they were working side-by-side with the other volunteers. While packing the food, Gigi chatted with a young Palestinian volunteer named Amina.

"Have you been working here long?"

"Two years." Amina smiled. "My younger brother depends on the food we distribute here."

Gigi smiled and continued organizing the supplies.

Grant, for his part, didn't let his guard down. He approached Layla.

— "Any suspicious activity lately?"

Layla sighed.

— "There are always rumors, but so far, nothing concrete. Some armed groups don't like foreigners helping around here. But we try to keep everything discreet."

Grant nodded.

— "If anything seems strange, let me know immediately."

She agreed and went back to organizing the volunteers.

Distribution of the Baskets

With the baskets ready, Gigi, Bella, and the other volunteers began distributing them to the families. Each person who received the supplies thanked them with a tired but genuine smile.

An elderly woman took Bella's hand and squeezed it.

"May Allah bless you, my daughter."

Bella smiled, moved.

"Thank you, ma'am."

While they delivered food and hygiene supplies, Grant circulated, monitoring everything. His trained eyes caught every detail.

Then, he saw something.

A man, in the distance, talking on the phone, looking at their convoy.

Grant approached Samir.

"That guy in the corner, talking on his cell phone. Do you know him?"

Samir looked quickly and shook his head.

"No."

Grant pressed the radio.

"Keep an eye on that man. If he moves, I want to know where he's going."

The tension rose again, but he remained calm. For now, everything was under control.

Gigi and Bella continued distributing supplies, completely engrossed in the humanitarian work. They knew they were in a dangerous place, but nothing mattered more than helping those people.

And Grant? He just hoped nothing would go wrong.

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Chapter 39 - Chapter 76-77