Chapter 156: For the Safety of the Family

Suddenly, the roar of an engine sounded in the distance. Walker's Ford Raptor F150 charged down the other side of the hill, circled to the other side of the pickup, and drifted, its headlights shining directly at the two people hiding behind the vehicle.

"Texas Rangers, drop your weapons, you're under arrest."

As Walker shouted angrily, Jack quickly walked two steps forward, circling around the front of the car. He discovered that the short person was actually a red-haired woman, who had already dropped her rifle and was kneeling on the ground, trembling and sobbing uncontrollably out of fear and tension.

"Stan Morrison, damn it, is it really you?"

Walker got out of the car, pointing his gun at the injured man who was leaning against the front wheel, clutching his waist and turning his head away. Walker's voice was filled with anger and disbelief.

Recognizing Walker, the injured man finally stopped playing possum and slowly turned his head, his eyes full of despair.

"Yes, Cody, it's me, old friend. I never expected to meet you here."

This sixty-something man with triangular brown eyes had always been a big shot in Walker's mind. With the situation now under control, it was time for some cinematic dialogue. Jack walked over to Walker's side, keeping his gun pointed at the man and woman on the ground, ready to watch the show.

"So, what do you plan to do? Send me to the police station or what?" Stan Morrison seemed indifferent.

Walker took two steps forward, forcefully pulling a plastic bucket from the pickup's bed. He drew a knife from his leg and stabbed it into one of the tightly wrapped packages.

Jack glanced at the grayish-white powder that spilled out, and the pungent smell hit his nose. It was unmistakably cocaine.

"Stan Morrison, head of Public Safety, and running for District Attorney? Drug trafficking? Are you serious? Did you lose your mind?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. If he remembered correctly, the Texas Rangers were part of the Department of Public Safety, which meant this guy was Walker's boss's boss.

"I swore an oath to you the day I joined the Rangers!"

Walker lowered his gun and paced back and forth in front of Stan, clearly agitated.

"I was just trying to make some retirement money by distributing the drugs we confiscated," Stan explained.

"And then these 'Northern Country' gangs got wind of our operation and wanted to continue it. You know how hard it is to climb out of the abyss, right? You guys did such a great job that they suffered heavy losses."

"So you, this damned old bastard, came to deliver the goods yourself to ensure their deals went smoothly?"

Walker grabbed Stan by the collar and yanked him up from the ground. "This route is known only to us Rangers. You've been eating Molly's stewed beef at our house, getting the route details from me to safely transport cocaine from Mexico?"

Before he could finish speaking, it looked like Walker was about to strangle him. Jack quickly interrupted.

"How's Emily doing?"

Mentioning his wife, Walker's agitated emotions calmed down a bit.

"She's fine. The bullet passed through cleanly, didn't hit any organs. Jerry has already stopped the bleeding."

"But you," Walker turned back to Stan, grabbing his collar and forcing him to make eye contact.

"Stan! Look me in the eye!"

"Emily and Stella recognized you, right? You're an old friend of our family. How many years has it been? Thirty? Forty?"

"You watched Stella and Auggie be born. You officiated my and Emily's wedding. You come to our house every month for your favorite beef stew, playing with the kids. And now you shoot at them? How could you do that, you bastard!"

Before he finished speaking, Walker holstered his gun and punched Stan heavily in the face. Stan didn't dare to fight back, leaning helplessly against the pickup, raising one hand to shield himself.

Jack sensed something was off. Seeing Stan using his left hand, which had been clutching his wound, to defend himself, while his right hand stayed in his pocket, Jack quickly pushed Walker aside, grabbed Stan's right wrist, and twisted it hard, making him scream in pain.

From Stan's pocket, Jack pulled out a phone with a half-written message intended for the local emergency center: "I am Stan Morrison from the Department of Public Safety, kidnapped by Texas Ranger Cody Walker."

Jack tossed the phone to Walker, sneering, and then shifted his gun to the red-haired woman who had been pretending to be scared and crying but was actually trying to retrieve a gun from her boot. He shot her in the head.

As her body fell, a small revolver dropped from her hand. Poor acting had been her downfall, as she'd been crying without real tears.

At this moment, Emily's Subaru stopped not far away. Hannah got out, looked back at the two kids, and said, "Take care of your mother and don't get out of the car."

She then ran to Jack's side, recognizing Stan Morrison.

"They dropped a box of drugs, and Stella saw it. This bastard shot at her, and Emily got hurt protecting Stella."

Stella jumped out of the car, rushing to Stan, and kicked him hard in the knee.

"Fuck you, I even thought about pretending I didn't see anything for a moment. You dare shoot at me and my mom?"

Hannah hugged Stella from behind, pulling the emotional girl back to the car.

"Hannah, don't go to the hospital. Drive a bit further and wait for us," Jack instructed.

Hannah managed an OK sign with one hand, shoved the struggling Stella into the back seat, closed the door, and drove a short distance away before turning off the engine and lights, waiting.

"So you were thinking of making the first move, huh? Twisting the truth? You really are a future politician."

Walker threw Stan's phone on the ground and shot it.

"We're dead, we're all dead. You don't know what you've done. You'll get everyone killed. 'Northern Country' won't let us go, not even Molly and Bonham."

Stan, who had managed to stay calm, had now completely broken down, collapsing to the ground, staring at the red-haired woman's body and muttering.

"You don't know who she was. That woman was Carly, Bill's woman, the boss of 'Northern Country'. He won't let us go."

Seeing Walker's uncertain expression, Jack squatted down in front of Stan, slapping his face playfully. "You're the only one who's dead, not us."

"Just a few days ago, I encountered a group of cannibals in the Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico. Guess what the FBI did?"

"They sent a team of SEALs and wiped out those cannibals. Every trace disappeared in the flames. Even if someone heard rumors and went looking, they wouldn't find a single charred log."

"No, no, Cody, you're the best Ranger I've ever seen. You can't let him do this. I'm the real friend of your family. This guy, you can't trust him. Don't listen to him. Arrest me, I'll testify in court, I swear!"

Stan looked at Jack's slowly aiming gun barrel in panic, desperately shaking his head, turning to Walker for mercy.

"I'm a selfish bastard, I just got carried away by the tension. Remember how I taught you? We're police officers, we should follow the rules. Please, I'm begging you."

"You're right, I should follow the rules," Walker said, though his right hand was slowly moving to his holstered gun.

"But you reminded me. You're not the only one you taught. As head of Public Safety, how many dirty cops are under your command? How deeply are you connected with 'Northern Country'? No wonder we've paid such a high price and still can't get rid of that damn gang."

"No, please, Cody, for your family's safety, for our long-standing friendship, I was wrong. Let me go to prison. You've always been about justice, don't stain your hands with my blood."

Sensing the arrival of death, Stan pleaded desperately, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"For the safety of my family, thank you for your final lesson, Stan."

"Bang!"

Although I don't have many young student readers, I still wish everyone success in your exams, triumphs in your endeavors, and achievements in your studies!

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