The coded inscription

Few hours back...

The confrontation between Steven and lieutenant Adrian went smoothly after Steven found out about Adrian's handiwork behind the shooting of that witness, hence, he exited from his tent shortly after he excused Adrian to go back to his post, to have a word with the lieutenant doctor who was monitoring the condition of the witness.

A tall gentled-faced doctor with a clean-shaven mustache with brown eyes named Lieutenant Luke Stunt, a part of the military and also the IBI's paramedics.

Luke Stunt was in his late twenties and Steven liked him the moment they were introduced to each other as part of the IBI ever since they embarked on this mission together.

Meanwhile, after a few minutes passed, with a suspenseful interaction between these two, the doctor began to desperately search the unconscious patient for anything suspicious on him.

Anyone noticing this act might think he was trying to change the patient's clothes but there was an important reason behind his actions.

"Sir, I found something!" Doctor Luke murmured after he spotted a strange coded writings attached to the patient's waist.

A message was written on his belt.

"How did you know, sir? That we will find something on him?" The doctor asked looking curious.

"I didn't! If you want something very badly you need to try out all available options, and that's what I did! Besides, I have a good hunch." Steven added convincingly with humor.

Meanwhile, lieutenant Luke looked quite suspicious about this sudden revelation.

"Was their Commander already acquainted with the witness or did the one who sent the witness to their camp already informed Steven about this beforehand." Doctor Luke was battling with these doubts internally.

However, he decided to trust his Commander's word. It was true their commander really had a good hunch.

And even though commander Steven joined the military late, rumours circulating within the IBI reported that he climbed his way up the leather to where he was today, with diligence, honor, and holding unto his strong ethics to duty, as well as a guaranteed insight into cases which he solved within a blink of an eye.

"This is confidential! So not a word to anyone, and I mean it!." Steven took out the belt from the patient's waist after stressing his orders to the doctor and went back into his tent.

While Doctor Luke looked on with admiration, in hero-worship of his Commander whom he has taken as a role model upon their first meeting in the IBI.

As part of the Military formally stationed in Maxwell States, Luke realized his transfer to Textile State and meeting Commander Steven were the best kinds of first impressions he ever felt.

One was the moment he landed in Textile state, then the other was joining the IBI and meeting Steven Sanders.

Back inside the privacy of his tent, Steven Sanders seated himself on his chair and took out a piece of paper and pen to begin decoding the inscriptions evident on the witness's belt...

It was a unique message only himself and the sender are aware of.

Meanwhile, the decoding of the message took Steven a few minutes to join all the digits and letters into a meaningful message, then suddenly, his eyebrows raised in surprise as the letters fit into a very important unexpected intel.

_TBS 12. Y579TTU8TGHVCS...NS_

&#&#67+2-#-&78+#-;#&68+#;#&&68;#:#

&#&:#6+-#:#:...

Steven immediately checked the time and spoke into the radio which connected the entire camp.

"Attention! Mission in an hour... Every soldier should report to the meeting room now!"

After the transmission of the message and the hasty response of movements he heard in the background, Steven's mind was filled with only one target.

That Clara was still on the loose till today!

However, the message he just decoded proves that it's only a matter of time.

A minor delay actually, since he just decoded the written message to reveal a very important intel, about an ongoing secret meeting between the notorious assassin, Deadshot, and The Big Six, in a matter of great urgency.

"It seems Deadshot and The Big Six are finally meeting. An opportunity to catch them in the act, with undeniable evidence of their involvement with each other.

And once he and his soldiers take them into custody, a fierce interrogation will be carried out until they get their confessions, which might lead to helping them track down Tylon, and take him into custody as well.

This will be a huge victory for the IBI and for him in fulfilling his ten-year-old grudge against Clara Johnson.

As these thoughts run through Steven's mind, he realized how easy and simple it will come to pass, if only there was no hitch or any complications that might obstruct his plans to infiltrate their hideout in the next hour.

So far, they have gathered every information they could on The Big Six, but because they were all influential Bigshots in the country, the IBI couldn't act with only suspicions and rumours until they gather indisputable evidence that will be impossible to falsify.

It's been a long-awaited moment for the entire Military and IBI to nab these criminals, therefore, their prosecution will take effect instantaneously...with no delay.

Steven's hope he developed in the justice system was that the verdict to be carried out on these notorious criminals should be so severe that, there wouldn't be other upcoming criminals who will even dare to create their syndicate, hereby creating terror and havoc in their country for as long as the justice system upholds its ethics and incorruptible channels.

"Well, it seems we have the indisputable evidence we need. To bring them all down to face the wrath of the justice system which they have eluded for so long." Steven thought as he prepared to meet with his team to plan the procedures to undertake this mission.

The coded message revealed all the details Steven needed to know about their hideout and the venue of their meeting. Including the location, time, and the number of people to expect in the act.

As well as an unknown route they have no idea about where the culprits might use to escape from the IBI when they realized they have been surrounded.

The plan was to catch them all in the act. So Steven didn't want to disclose any of this detailed information to anyone, since he wasn't sure who was on his side and who wasn't.

Especially after the incident that happened concerning lieutenant Adrian's loyalty to Commander Smith, and the current state of his witness right now.

All due to his lack of insight and the discipline he failed to instill in his team from the beginning.

But it's never too late.

He has planned a gradual process to win the loyalty of his team for the maximum duration of this mission as their leader.

Steven knew there might be other commander Smith's allies amongst the IBI here with him, who joined on Smith's orders to follow up on all his investigations and the leads he follows. Just to make sure he encounters dead ends and return a failure.

In any case, Steven was confident about his endeavors toward a successful mission, in bringing down all the people involved with Tylon Tycoon before the incorruptible judgement of the IBI.

Therefore, Steven realized he needed to take cautious steps for now, and be extremely careful about how he tackles his leadership within the team from now on.

All Commander Smith wanted from all his devious plots, was Steven's downfall.

As a payment for what Steven put him through in the past, after Smith lost his honour, position, and even his promotion.

Before Steven Sanders joined the military five years after he left the Kurt Mansion with Rachel, he was once Commander Smith's ally, a civilian who informs Smith about every piece of information related to Clara's connections to Tylon Tycoon, under the investigation of a friend Steven had been in touch with during that time.

Meanwhile, he wouldn't allow Smith's interruptions in these investigations to distract him from his course.

He would surely make sure he succeed, to Smith's disappointment.

But before Steven was about to leave his tent towards the meeting room to join his team for a mission in an hour, this inconvenience state of urgency was when Rhea took to call her dad to fill him up on everything that happened to her, including Kristine's disappearance.

Steven's phone rang and he peeked to see who was calling, then a smile brightened his facial features of a round face, with a leveled hair-cut of black and silver-blue eyes just like Rhea's.

He noticed the call was from his youngest daughter and quickly reached out to pick up!

"I didn't expect you will miss me this soon dear," Steven muttered immediately after he answered.

On the other hand, Rhea noticed the cheerful response from her father and suddenly developed cold feet.

She was beginning to have second thoughts about the devastating news she was about to reveal to him.

"Didn't you miss me too, Dad?" Rhea replied to match her dad's cheerful mood instead.

She knew their conversation has to go a little deep before she would feel comfortable sharing the reason she really called.

Confession was the right word for it!

"Of course, why wouldn't I miss my treasure..." Steven added with humour and chuckled.

But Rhea was silent for a few minutes before she opened her mouth to speak.

However, suddenly, she heard the voice of an impatient man reporting an emergency situation to her Dad in the background.

"Commander, lieutenant Adrian left camp!" The man reported hesitantly.

"Rhea dear...Is this important? What you are about to tell me?" Steven asked suddenly which caught Rhea off guard.

She knew her Dad noticed her tension and hesitations, even though she was trying her best to hide it.

But due to the emergency situation she just heard being reported to him, Rhea took the final decision to change her mind at the last minute and denied her Dad's question.

"No! Dad...It can wait. I just miss you, that's all. I also wish you were here." Rhea mumbled disappointedly.

"You sure?" then he heard Rhea's "hmm" response.

"I miss you too. Don't worry dear, only in due time. I would have to call you back after I finish sorting out this emergency...okay?" Her Dad added.

"Are you sure you are okay, dear?" Steven emphasized, still sensing Rhea's discomfort, so he was hesitating to hang up.

"I am fine Dad. Afterall, I am a Big girl so I can handle my own problems.." Rhea returned, feigning excitement.

"But don't take too much on your young shoulders. That's why your mother and I are here. In case you need my counseling or help, don't hesitate to ask okay? And your sister?" Steven finally remembered his eldest daughter.

"She is currently at work.. Don't worry! I will tell her to call you. And forward your hugs and kisses too." Rhea interrupted since she knew what her Dad was going to say next.

This made Steven chuckle with amusement and Rhea followed suit, then finally, the tension that hung between them finally loosened up before Steven hung up, after giving his kisses and hugs to her and her sister Kristine too.

Well, since he already spoke to their Mother not long ago, it's now time for his daughter's turn.

After the hanged-up call, Rhea stared at her phone before she sunk into her bed with mixed feelings of regret and anxiousness, about whether she did the right thing or not.

By hiding Kristine's disappearance from her dad.

Anyways, her Dad was on a confidential mission, so she couldn't afford to contribute as his distraction or become a hindrance that might ruin his mission.

Rhea realized she wasn't ready to be the reason behind her Dad bringing his mission to an incomplete halt, and thereby face their severe military disciplinary measures that might end up with demotion.

For now, she would begin her search for Kristine on her own, and if her sister doesn't appear by the end of the day, then maybe, she might rethink her decision to involve her dad or the cops.

Therefore, Rhea got dressed in a hurry to meet Cassandra, since she was the only one who would help her set things right.

In case Cassandra wasn't bluffing or covering up for her sister about not seeing Kristine the entire day yesterday, then she might also help in finding her, if otherwise.

"I am off, Mom. I have to go check on something! I will be back in a jiffy." Rhea informed her mother who simply nodded at her.

Her mom was now seated at the center couch facing a television that wasn't on.

"Stop worrying Mom, I am sure Kristine is definitely on her way home by now, for sure!" Rhea hugged her mother in solace before she kissed her cheeks and then exited their apartment, leaving her mother worried and not moving an inch from her spot.

"I guess I have to wait here then, until she returns." Rachel murmured to herself as she watched Rhea close the door behind her.

A few minutes into Rhea's drive towards Cassie's place, her phone rang with Sam calling...

However, Rhea ignored it and swiped to decline the call, since she wasn't up to any complicated excuses or false sentimental conversation about an already broken relationship.

She was currently fighting to overcome it, therefore she decided to distance herself from any attachments that will remind her of all her pain and mistakes she made.

Her sister's priority was what matters to her right now.