Chapter 2082 - 852: Humans as the Cage, Awaiting Their Master (Part 4)

The Squid soldiers jumped off the tank, holding guns, and rushed into the houses on both sides of the street.

Gunfire erupted from inside. It was short, intense, followed by a series of hand grenade explosions.

When they came out, the soldiers' faces were pale.

"Brigade commander, inside—there's a tunnel."

Ben Abraham went over to take a look.

In the kitchen of that house, the floor had been lifted, revealing a pitch-black hole underneath. Footsteps could be heard from within, getting farther away.

"Hand grenades."

Three hand grenades were thrown in. The explosions were muffled, as if coming from underground.

"Go in."

The soldiers jumped in.

The tunnel was deep, dark, and narrow. They could only move while bent over, with their shoulders brushing against the earthen walls on both sides. After fifty meters, there was a light ahead.

It was an exit.

The exit was in a basement. The basement was filled with weapons—rocket launchers, mortar shells, rifles, hand grenades, and several large boxes.

Ben Abraham pried open one of the boxes.

Inside were silver-gray metal blocks. Coated with Teflon. Exactly like those four boxes.

His hand stopped mid-air.

"Brigade commander, what is this?"

He didn't answer.

He picked up the walkie-talkie.

"Chief of Staff, I found the items."

3 PM, Jerusalem, Prime Minister's Office

Shamir looked at the report that had just arrived from Tyre, tapping his fingers on the desk.

"Another four boxes."

He put down the report.

Ross stood in front of him.

"Shamir, do you know what this means?"

Shamir nodded.

"It means that person—that person from Moscow—not only wants me to fight Victor. He wants me to fight the whole world."

He stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the Golden Dome Mosque on the Temple Mount was still shining.

"Mr. Ross, tell Victor. The favor he owes me, he can repay it now."

3:30 PM, Mexico City, top floor of the "Feathered Serpent Temple"

Victor's phone rang.

He picked it up.

It was Ross's voice on the other end.

"Mr. Victor, the Squid Men have found another four boxes in Tyre. They are identical to those on your ship."

Victor squinted his eyes.

"Where are the boxes?"

"In a basement in Tyre. On ZZD's turf."

Victor was silent for three seconds.

Then he said:

"Tell Shamir, I've been informed."

He hung up the phone.

Bramo stood beside him.

"Victor, that is—"

"That's someone pushing me." Victor interrupted him, "He wants me to believe, there are more than four boxes. He wants me to believe the Squid Men are doing the same thing. He wants me to—"

He paused.

Bramo looked at him.

"What does he want you to do?"

Victor didn't speak.

He walked to the window, looking out at the Paseo de la Reforma.

The traffic was still moving. People were still walking. The sun was still in the sky.

But something had changed.

"Bramo."

"Yes."

"Call Bennett. Tell him, that Volkov—I want him alive."

4 PM, outskirts of Moscow, that villa

Volkov stood by the window, watching the snow outside falling heavier and heavier.

The phone rang.

He picked it up.

It was the boss's voice from the other end.

"Volkov, the Mexicans took the bait."

Volkov's hand trembled slightly.

"Boss, so—"

"So what?" The boss interrupted him, "Isn't that what you wanted?"

Volkov remained silent.

The boss laughed.

"Volkov, you've been with me for twenty-three years. You should know, what I hate the most."

Volkov's lips moved slightly.

"Betrayal."

The boss nodded.

"Yes. Betrayal."

He paused.

"But you haven't betrayed me. You've just been—used by someone."

Volkov was stunned.

"Boss—"

"That video," the boss interrupted him, "You thought I didn't know it was you who sent it?"

Volkov's hands began to shake.

"You thought I didn't know what you were trying to do? You wanted the Mexicans to come for me. You wanted them to take me away. Then, you could take over my business."

He laughed.

Laughing coldly.

"Volkov, you're too naive."

The phone hung up.

Volkov stood there, listening to the busy tone coming from the receiver.

Outside the window, the snow continued to fall.

He didn't know how long he stood there.

When it was nearly dark, he heard the sound of car engines in the distance.

Getting closer and closer.

Several vehicles.

He turned around.

The villa door was kicked open.

People rushed in, wearing black combat uniforms, faces painted with camo, guns in hand.

Mexicans.

Volkov raised his hands.

The man leading them walked up to him, looked at him.

"Mr. Volkov?"

Volkov nodded.

The man smiled.

Smiling lightly.

"Someone wants to see you."

5 PM, north bank of the Litani River, outskirts of Tyre

Ben Abraham stood at the exit of that basement, looking at the sky outside.

It was getting dark. In the direction of the Mediterranean, the sun was setting, dyeing the sea's surface blood-red.

The deputy came over.

"Brigade commander, the Chief of Staff ordered—to retreat from Tyre. Return to the south bank of the Litani River."

Ben Abraham was momentarily stunned.

"Retreat? We just took it over—"

"Orders are orders." The deputy said.

Ben Abraham was silent for three seconds.

Then he nodded.

"Tell the brothers to retreat."

The Squid soldiers began retreating. Tanks turned around, infantry boarded, the wounded were lifted onto stretchers.

Ben Abraham walked at the end.

He stood at the exit of that basement, looking at those silver-gray boxes inside.

Four of them.

Exactly like those on his ship.

He thought of that name from Moscow.

Sergei Ivanov.

He didn't know if he would see that person in his lifetime.

But he knew one thing—

Tonight, that person wouldn't be able to sleep.

7 PM, outskirts of Moscow, a certain highway

Volkov was stuffed inside an unmarked van, his eyes blindfolded, his hands cuffed behind him.

The car drove for a long time.

He didn't know where he was going, only that the car kept bumping, as if traveling on a dirt road.

Finally, the car stopped.

He was dragged out, pushed to walk forward. The ground under his feet was soft, like snow. The air was cold, bitterly cold.

The blindfold was removed.

He squinted, took a long time to adjust, before he could see the person in front of him.

That person was in his forties, wearing a black coat, standing in the snow, looking at him.

"Mr. Volkov."

The person spoke, his Spanish heavily accented.

"My name is Bennett. From Mr. Victor."

Volkov's lips moved slightly.

"Where... where are you taking me?"

Bennett didn't answer.

He turned around, pointing to the distant dark night sky.

Volkov followed his finger to look over.

In the distance, there were lights. Many lights.

That was Moscow.

Bennett said: "Your boss is there. We won't go looking for him."

Volkov was stunned.

"Why?"

Bennett looked at him.

"Because he will come looking for you."

8 PM, Mexico City, top floor of the "Feathered Serpent Temple"

Victor stood by the window, looking out at the brilliantly lit Paseo de la Reforma.

Bramo pushed the door open and came in.

"Victor, Volkov has arrived. Detained at the Northern Prison."

Victor nodded.

"Has he been interrogated?"

"Not yet. Bennett is awaiting your instructions."

Victor was silent for a few seconds.

Then he turned around.

"Tell Bennett, don't interrogate him yet."

Bramo was momentarily stunned.

"Why?"

Victor walked to the desk, sat down.

"Because that boss will come looking for him."

He picked up the intelligence report on Sergei Ivanov.

"This person, has been hiding in Moscow for so many years. He won't let Volkov live to speak."

"All of them are shrewd!"

...