Chapter 569 Seeing Through Without Speaking
Sebastian and James had agreed to meet at noon at a swanky restaurant.
The place was exclusive, and Sebastian always got the VIP treatment. As soon as he walked in, the manager greeted him personally and escorted him to the VIP section.
Sebastian kept a stoic expression, his calm and elegant face showing no hint of emotion. The staff always wanted to get a closer look at him, but his powerful presence made it impossible for anyone to approach.
Today was no different.
But James entered the restaurant with a completely different vibe. As soon as he stepped through the door, his eyes started scanning the room for attractive waitresses.
He finally spotted one he liked and raised an eyebrow, giving her a flirtatious look that made her blush and turn away.
While James was busy exchanging glances with the waitresses, Sebastian's piercing gaze fell on him. James immediately straightened up, stopped moving, and smiled earnestly, "Hey, Sebastian, I'm here."
"Alright. Have a seat."
James took his seat and cautiously glanced at Sebastian, who always maintained a nearly perfect, aloof expression that made people instinctively keep their distance.
"Sebastian, there's something I've been dying to ask you. How do you cultivate that aura of yours? I'm so jealous. You don't even have to say a word, and women are practically throwing themselves at you. Teach me your ways." James jokingly clasped his hands in a pleading gesture, but Sebastian's cold, deep stare quickly shut him up.
"Let's get to business, Sebastian. Why did you ask me to come here today?" James finally steered the conversation to the main topic, feeling a bit uneasy.
Sebastian crossed his legs naturally and slowly opened his silverware, which gleamed in the light. Just as he picked up his utensils, the waiter brought out the first course, followed by the second and third.
Sebastian cut a small piece of steak but didn't rush to eat it. "Do you remember our meeting with Cedric last time?"
James suddenly straightened up, his eyes widening with alertness. "Of course I remember. It was quite the scene. Why bring him up now? Did he cause trouble for you again? Do you need me to teach him a lesson?"
Sebastian's sharp gaze pierced through James. "You teach him a lesson? I'm afraid you wouldn't even make it past his front door before he takes you out. Cedric is not someone to mess with. If you provoke him, you might not live to regret it."
James swallowed hard, recalling the gunfight from that night and the life-or-death danger. He instinctively touched his neck and lowered his voice, "So, are you in trouble or..."
Sebastian placed the steak in his mouth, his arms resting naturally on the table, his fingers twirling the fork. "Cedric is tied to something that happened years ago. I need to dig into his past, but all his records have been wiped clean. It's tough, and I need you to do something for me."
"What do you need me to do?" James's voice grew excited. Men naturally craved thrilling and explosive situations, and anything involving Cedric was bound to be just that. He was eager!
Sebastian pulled out his phone, navigated to the photo album, and handed it to James. "There are five women in here, all of whom Cedric frequently interacts with. Each of them has some information about him."
James took the phone and flipped through the photos, clicking his tongue in admiration. "Cedric, that old man, sure surrounds himself with sexy women. What a waste!"
Sebastian continued eating at a leisurely pace, sipping his wine and cutting another piece of steak. "Do you understand what I'm asking?"
James looked through the photos again and said, "You want me to kidnap Cedric's women and interrogate them one by one to get information?"
Sebastian paused, his hand holding the wine glass, and frowned. "There's a better way. I suggest you try it. Since you find these women attractive, why not win them over one by one? Make them willingly confess everything to you. If you're skilled enough, they might even become your spies. How about that?"
James's eyes lit up, and he snapped his fingers. "Sebastian, that's a great idea. But I'm surprised you would use such a tactic."
Sebastian glanced at his plate. "Why aren't you eating? Is the food here not to your taste?"
James was too excited to eat, but at Sebastian's prompting, he picked up his knife and fork and started devouring his meal.
Sebastian frowned again. "James, I remember you weren't like this before. What's going on? You're not calm in situations, and you get overly excited. This behavior will seriously affect your judgment."
James was puzzled himself. "Sebastian, I can't explain it. Whenever I'm with you, I feel a sense of familiarity and unconsciously treat you like my brother. If you don't like it, I'll change."
Sebastian remained silent.
"Sebastian, these five women aren't in the country right now. To win them over, I need to find their locations. Plus, I'll have to leave Aucester for a while. What if you need me during that time?"
"Finish this task first. I won't ask you to do anything else during this period."
"Alright." James looked at the photos on the phone again. These women were indeed attractive, but each one was a dangerous viper. He needed to stay vigilant.
"Before you leave, I'll arrange for you to undergo intensive training for a week. You'll learn shooting and combat skills to protect yourself in emergencies."
"Great! Who's gonna train me? Do you have someone capable enough? Cedric's men are no joke."
"Someone from Eagle Special Forces. The current deputy commander, Elisha Fife, will be your instructor. Learn well, and you'll be able to save your life."
James thought for a moment. He wasn't familiar with the military, let alone special forces, but the name Elisha Fife rang a bell.
"Sebastian, wouldn't it be better to have their commander train me? Not only would I be able to save myself, but I might also save others."
"The commander? I'm afraid if he trains you, you won't make it out of the training room."
"Alright!" James imagined the scenario and quickly took a sip of wine to calm his nerves. The wine was crisp and sweet. "Sebastian, this wine is excellent."
"I've been saving it here. I drink a glass every time I come. If you like it, have more."
"Brooklyn told you not to drink, right? I remember she said your heart condition makes alcohol unsuitable for you. Didn't she give you a no-drinking order?"
Sebastian's brows furrowed. "James, do you know what it means to see through something but not say it?"
"Got it!"
Brooklyn left the ward, and it was already lunchtime. After a busy morning, she was quite hungry.
Zach also came out of a ward and ran into Brooklyn in the hallway. Both wore white uniforms, blending in with the other medical staff, but their presence was noticeably different.
"Brooklyn, I was just looking for you. The health awareness lecture I mentioned last time has been arranged with the hospital and the TV station. It'll be a weekly show with one or two doctors as guests each episode..."
"Wait! What did you say? TV station? I thought you were talking about a lecture. How did it turn into a TV show?" Brooklyn was shocked by Zach's words. She had assumed it would be a simple discussion, writing articles, or recording audio. How did it suddenly involve a TV show? And being a guest?
This was too much!
Zach shrugged innocently. "I remember telling you it would be a program to promote heart health. Didn't you agree?"
Brooklyn felt like she had fallen into a deep pit. "GOD! I didn't know you meant a TV show. You mean we'll be recording and broadcasting nationwide?"
"Yes, not just on TV but also online. It's a good cause, and we have a responsibility. I'll try it first this week, and next week you'll be the guest. Think about your topic."
Brooklyn's head throbbed. She disliked being in the spotlight. Even being photographed by reporters made her anxious.
"Zach, you've really put me in a tough spot!"
"Alright, alright. I'll explain better next time. Lunch is on me to make up for it."
Brooklyn stopped and asked suspiciously, "Why haven't I heard you mention Ms. Montague lately? Did you two have a fight?"
"No, she's working on a case. The man who was shot during the rain hasn't been found yet. It's been several days, and the pressure from above is intense. They need to solve the case soon."
Brooklyn's intelligent eyes fixed on Zach's face, scanning his features with a smile. "Several days? Are you two living together?"
"...No, I mean... The elevator's here. Let's go eat."
"Don't change the subject. Tell me, how far have you two gotten?"
The elevator doors opened, and there were already people inside, so they stopped joking.
When the elevator reached the fifth floor, a few people from the gastroenterology department got on, discussing a patient with serious expressions.
"People nowadays are so reckless. Someone drank so much for a business deal that they ended up with a bleeding stomach. Money over life."
"That's nothing. I heard someone drank themselves to death. Alcohol is dangerous. This morning, we had a patient who was in a drunk driving accident, head all busted up."
Brooklyn felt a pang of worry. If Sebastian had a business lunch, he would definitely drink, right?
Thinking it over, Brooklyn couldn't shake her concern. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she dialed Sebastian's number.
While they were chatting, Sebastian's phone rang right in front of James. The screen showed a call from "Dear."
James chuckled, "Sebastian, it's Brooklyn."
Sebastian didn't give him a chance to continue laughing and picked up the call.
James quietly ate his food, pretending he wasn't there.
"Hey, what's up?" His voice was warm and smooth, completely different from his earlier demeanor.
"Have you eaten?"
"I'm eating now."
"Eat more vegetables, and don't drink alcohol."
Sebastian paused. "You called to remind me of that?"
"Sort of. So, you haven't had any alcohol, right?"
Sebastian swirled the unfinished wine in his glass and calmly said, "No, I always listen to you. Just eating, no drinking."
James was speechless.
"Really? No alcohol? Wait, are you at a restaurant? I hear piano music. Are you with a client?"
"I'm with James. James is drinking, but I'll remind him."
This time, James was completely speechless.
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