The Harmony Hospital, VIP ward.
Steve lay on the large hospital bed, his wounds already treated. They were minor injuries, no concussion and no lasting effects, but he was still furious.
For over twenty years, he had always been the one bullying others. When had he ever been bullied like this?
Thinking of Darnell’s smug face and the lost opportunity with Bailee, Steve felt a burning pain in his wounds.
When he saw Cierra and the others come in, he immediately sat up and shouted, “Have you found that bastard and the woman? Bring them to me. I want to personally cut off his limbs and throw him into the Whiteville River.”
“Mr. Swain, we haven’t found them yet,” Cierra said, her lips twitching slightly and a trace of sweat appearing on her blue dress. “We know nothing about him. The surveillance footage was erased.”
“The important thing is that our resources in Whiteville are limited. Some of our key assets can’t be moved recklessly because the police are monitoring our every move.”
“If our key assets are compromised, our future actions will be restricted.”
Steve’s face grew even darker at her words. “Useless! You can’t even find a bumpkin for me. I don’t know why my father keeps you around.”
He then turned to the six bodyguards, covering his head as he yelled, “You’re even more useless. With so many of you around, not only did you watch him smash my head, but you also let them escape without a trace. Retired special forces? Special forces, my ass! You must have spent your time in the army farming vegetables and raising pigs.”
The six bodyguards looked aggrieved.
Cierra hesitated for a moment before speaking up for the bodyguards. “Mr. Swain, it’s not entirely their fault.”
“That bastard acted too quickly at that time. The bar lights went out too. Their training dictates that they protect you first in any unexpected situation.”
“Only then can they deal with the assailant because your safety is more important than capturing the attacker.”
She added softly, “You don’t need to worry about that man escaping either. I’ve already had someone create a composite sketch. The bar owner has also sent out security to search for him, and the police have people watching as well. As soon as we find him, I’ll bring him to you so you can take your time torturing him.”
Although she thought Darnell and his group were despicable, it was unwise to kill him now with so many eyes on the Swain family.
Any unplanned incidents could worsen things for the Swain Group. If the police caught wind of the Swains committing murder, Steve would find it hard to escape.
She knew Steve’s temperament well enough to know that nothing mattered more than venting his anger.
“Find them quickly. If we lack manpower, offer a million dollars as a reward for information,” Steve said viciously. “Luca, Rex, and the Crow, they’ve taken plenty from us before. It’s time for them to do something in return.”
Cierra nodded repeatedly. “Understood. I’ll inform them.”
She agreed respectfully on the surface but sighed inwardly. Those three would hardly lift a finger for a million dollars.
Moreover, apart from die-hard loyalists of the Swain family, everyone else would distance themselves from any trouble involving them.
Steve suddenly raised his head. “How is our plan progressing?”
Cierra’s expression turned serious. “Carson didn’t die but bit off his tongue. He won’t be able to speak for ten days or so.”
“Rebecca died in a hail of bullets, but she didn’t have Cortez’s copied data on her. She didn’t even try to use it to save her life before she died.”
“She screamed that she was bluffing us and begged for mercy before she died.”
“So I deduce that when she claimed to have Cortez’s copied data over the phone before, she was probably bluffing to extort some money before she ran away.”
“A billion dollars would have allowed her to live comfortably.”
A gleam appeared in Steve’s eyes. “She might not have had it herself, but the existence of that copied data should be real.”
“A journalist couldn’t fabricate something like that. And if Cortez didn’t have solid evidence, what use would he be as a tainted witness?”
“Cortez must have copied data that could seriously harm my father’s future.”
“We need to retrieve that data at any cost.”
Cierra nodded. “Don’t worry, Mr. Swain. Although Cortez survived emergency surgery, he’s still unconscious with severe injuries and won’t wake up anytime soon.”
“So there’s no immediate concern about him handing over evidence. I’ve also arranged for people to capture his daughter, Eva Impey.”
“Eva is his biggest weakness. As long as we hold her, Cortez won’t say a word to the police.”
Steve finally showed some satisfaction on his face. “Good. Do as you said. I came to Whiteville to destroy any evidence harmful to my father.”
“I won’t allow anyone to harm my father.”
“The police took my father away. They’ll have to release him back to me in the same way.”
He then remembered something else. “By the way, do we have any news on Abbigail? She’s a major contributor to our family’s troubles.”
Cierra’s eyelids twitched. “Mr. Swain, it’s best not to touch her now. She’s too connected…”
“Moreover, an advisory team from Goldkeep has arrived in Whiteville. Elvis Needham and Kendra Wolmer are among them.”
Steve was indifferent. “We’ve already done so much. Why hesitate now? If we don’t deal with Abbigail, she’ll think she’s untouchable.”
“Tell the Rippers that she’s theirs now.”
Cierra’s lips twitched slightly as she hoarsely squeezed out a sentence, “Mr. Swain, this isn’t wise to let them handle…”
Steve’s face darkened. “In Whiteville, I’m the real decision-maker.”
Cierra nodded. “Understood.”
“Mr. Swain!”
At that moment, a black-clad bodyguard pushed open the door and quickly walked over. “Judith Meech from the Whiteville Police Department is here.”
Steve’s eyes narrowed instantly.
Almost simultaneously, in a van near Horizon Yard, Hugo removed his eye patch, revealing a bright eye.
He picked up his phone and dialed a number. “Desmond, we were exposed tonight. We can’t continue pretending to be disabled here anymore.”
His meaning was clear. They couldn’t stay in Horizon Yard anymore.
“Useless!”
A voice full of disappointment came from the other end of the line. “I gave you the best location in the neighborhood. Not only did you fail to make money daily but also exposed yourself and ruined your livelihood! How could you be so useless? Do you know how much loss this will cause us?”
“And it will seriously hinder your career development.”
Hugo felt wronged. “Desmond, I know I messed up, but it’s not entirely my fault. That bastard was too cunning.”
Thinking of Darnell made Hugo want to cut him with a knife.
“Alright, stop with excuses. We’ll settle this score later when we find him,” said the voice on the other end after an exclamation of pain as if touching a wound but quickly regaining strength. “You can’t stay at Horizon Yard anymore. Withdraw tonight.”
“I’ll send another group with unfamiliar faces there, hoping they can salvage some losses. Besides, you’ll go to the Third Hand tomorrow.”
“You’ve lost your secure job. Now you’ll need some technical skills.”
He snorted, “That’s the Apex’s rule.”