Chapter 535 Strangers
"What does the old lady look like?"
"She's in her forties or fifties, dressed real fancy, wearing a dark coat..."
The description matched Scarlett. Without a second thought, Joshua sprinted towards the police car, the engine roaring like a beast. He had to see Scarlett as soon as possible; only she knew what had happened to Emma.
The emergency room at the hospital was brightly lit. Joshua strode down the hallway, the fluorescent lights casting sharp shadows on his stern face. The young nurse at the station recoiled slightly from the intensity he radiated.
"The heart attack patient was brought in half an hour ago. which room is she in?" His voice was as cold as ice.
The nurse pointed to the third floor with trembling fingers. "Room 308."
Joshua took the stairs two at a time, his shoes clacking urgently against the tiles. As he pushed open the door to room 308, his pupils contracted sharply.
The woman lying in the bed was not Scarlett, but an unfamiliar elderly lady.
"Who are you?" the old woman asked weakly.
Joshua's temples throbbed. He pulled out his badge, his voice low. "I'm a police officer. How were you brought here?"
"I suddenly had chest pain at home, and my neighbor called an ambulance."
"Where did the ambulance pick you up?"
"Happy Community, why?"
Joshua's fists clenched at his sides. It was a diversion! Someone had deliberately misled the ambulance, creating the illusion that Scarlett was being taken to the hospital.
At three in the morning, the lights in the detective squad room were still as bright as day. Joshua stood at the evidence table as the forensic expert laid out the items collected from the scene: blood-stained gauze fragments, a broken belt, and a dirt-covered earring.
"Are there fingerprints on the earring?" Joshua stared at the pearl earring, which belonged to Emma.
The forensic expert shook his head. "The rain washed them away, making it difficult to extract. But we found this inside the belt."
A tiny tracker, no bigger than a grain of rice.
Joshua's breath caught. This was the latest military technology, not something an ordinary person would have access to. How did Emma end up with this?
The technician quickly connected to the system. "The signal last appeared in the eastern industrial area but has since gone dark."
At dawn, Joshua led his team back to the scene. The abandoned factory was shrouded in morning fog, the bloodstains on the ground now a dark brown. He crouched down, searching inch by inch.
"Mr. Thomas!" a young officer suddenly shouted. "There's something in the drainage ditch!"
Joshua hurried over and found a ring wedged in the rusty grate, the Russell family heirloom that Scarlett never parted with.
"She's leaving us a sign," Joshua's voice was hoarse. "Check where this drainage pipe leads."
The map was quickly spread out. The drainage system was extensive, but one branch led to a private warehouse three miles away.
The warehouse district was eerily quiet. Joshua signaled his team to spread out and silently approached the main entrance. The lock showed fresh signs of tampering, and the ground was littered with chaotic tire tracks.
"Break the door!" he ordered.
The explosion was deafening in the early morning. Joshua was the first to rush in, his gun sweeping every corner. The warehouse was filled with medical equipment and supplies, resembling a small field hospital.
Blood-stained gauze was scattered on the operating table, an IV stand lay overturned, and a half-empty blood bag was on the floor.
The forensic expert quickly examined the scene. "The blood type is AB, matching Emma. The surgery was performed six hours ago."
Joshua's gaze fell on the surveillance system in the corner. The hard drive had been deliberately damaged, but the technician managed to recover some data.
The footage showed a slender woman being wheeled into the operating room by two people in doctor uniforms, her face as pale as a sheet. Then, a man with gold-rimmed glasses appeared briefly, and Joshua's pupils contracted sharply.
It was Kieran, the internationally wanted leader of an organ trafficking ring.
"Did we find the rental information for this warehouse?" Joshua's voice was icy.
"It was rented under a fake identity, but the payment account is linked to a shell company," the technician said, typing rapidly. "The company is registered in Veridian."
Joshua punched the wall. Again, just when they were about to catch a break, the trail led overseas. He turned to the operating table and noticed a half-crumpled shipping receipt on the floor.
"...cargo terminal...berth 17..." The writing was barely legible.
Berth 17 was shrouded in thick sea fog, the air heavy with the smell of fish and diesel. Joshua led the SWAT team to silently surround the berth. In the distance, a rusty cargo ship was unloading, the crane screeching with metal friction.
"Target confirmed, it's the 'Seagull'," the scout reported through the earpiece. "The ship is registered in Veridian, all the information is fake."
Joshua signaled his team to spread out. He crept along the containers and suddenly heard muffled groans ahead. A man in a doctor's uniform was dragging an unconscious girl towards the ship, wearing clothes identical to Emma's!
"Move in!" Joshua shouted, charging forward.
Gunfire shattered the silence of the dock. The man in the doctor uniform panicked and released the girl, turning to flee. Joshua lunged forward to catch the falling girl, but as he saw her face, he felt a chill. This wasn't Emma!
"They swapped her." Joshua's knuckles turned white. He looked up at the cargo ship, now pulling away, his eyes blazing with fury.
The next half hour was a nightmare. The SWAT team successfully intercepted the cargo ship and found three refrigerated boxes filled with organs and five sedated victims in the hold, but Emma was not among them.
The forensic expert examined the boxes with a grave expression. "These organs were harvested within the last 24 hours, the procedure was professional."
Joshua's temples throbbed. He forced himself to stay calm until he found a medical record in the captain's cabin, bearing Emma's name, marked with "heart donor" and "processed."
"No, this can't be." Joshua's hands trembled uncontrollably, the paper rustling between his fingers.
When George stumbled onto the dock, the sun was already up. His vacant eyes "looked" in Joshua's direction, his guide cane tapping the ground.
"Where's Emma?" George's voice was raw and broken.
Joshua opened his mouth but couldn't speak. The forensic expert answered for him. "Mr. Russell, we're sorry, but we found Ms. Jones' medical record on the ship..."
The air seemed to freeze. George's body swayed, then he lunged at Joshua like a wounded beast. "Didn't I tell you to protect her!"
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