Chapter 437: Javari's Face Stiffens Upon Learning Luo An's Identity
Not until all his teammates had died, leaving him alone, did Bert continue to believe that the reason for their boss' annihilation was an ambush by another organization, who were also responsible for killing the teammates in the off-road vehicle.
So when the dust settled and he saw only Luo An holding an AK rifle, Bert still couldn't help looking back and around, shouting loudly:
"Where are the others? Let them come out!"
"There are no others."
Luo An, holding the AK, slowly moved forward, a cold smirk on his face:
"Give you a chance, put down your weapon."
"Impossible!"
Bert still refused to believe Luo An's words. He kept observing his surroundings, fully alert for possible enemies from behind or any other direction, while holding a pistol tightly against Caroline's temple, yelling fiercely:
"Don't try to deceive me, I'll say it one last time, let those people come out, or I will shoot!"
"..."
Putting himself in the enemy's shoes, Luo An could understand why the man across from him didn't believe his words.
However, Luo An still found it somewhat ridiculous, and he turned his gaze to Mona and Caroline, adopting a different tone, softly saying:
"How are you guys, are you alright? Sorry, I'm late."
"We're okay."
Mona, sitting in the car, and Caroline, taken as a hostage, both lit up with excitement at the sight of Luo An's face.
Especially Caroline, although she was still being held, had completely stopped trembling, now convinced of Luo An's ability to rescue her.
When Mona answered, she gave Luo An a look—sitting in the car, close to Bert, she could do something to distract him, to assist Luo An in dealing with him.
Luo An, very familiar with Mona, understood her intention, but discreetly shook his head. He had a way to deal with the enemy and didn't need Mona to take any risks.
Ignoring Mona's repeated glances, Luo An loudly said:
"Hey! I can let my teammates come out, don't harm the hostage!"
Bert snorted coldly at these words:
"Stop the nonsense!"
"OK."
Luo An pretended to put down the AK, then raised his hand towards the partially collapsed wall to his right, Bert's left, and waved:
"Brother, come out."
Bert glanced in that direction out of instinct and at that moment, Luo An swiftly moved to his left and then raised his AK, pulling the trigger at Bert.
Bang! Bang!
Two single shots—one bullet hit Bert's right hand, the one holding the gun, and another hit his right arm.
Bert had just let out a scream when, in the next second, Luo An moved in front of him like a cheetah, delivering a fierce kick with his leg to Bert's waist, which slammed him onto the ground like a rag doll, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Luo An immediately moved over to Bert's side. Bert instinctively drew a dagger to stab at him, but Luo An dodged easily, then snatched the dagger away and threw it aside.
He raised his fist and slammed it hard on Bert's head, knocking him unconscious, then tore off Bert's jacket and securely tied up his hands and feet.
"Luo An!"
Luo An cut the ropes binding the hands of Caroline and Mona with the dagger, Caroline, ahead of Mona, gave Luo An a big hug and then, without waiting for Luo An and Mona's response, quickly ran over to the bound Bert and kicked him hard.
"..."
Luo An looked on somewhat speechlessly, while Mona stepped forward to hug Luo An and gently bit his lip, then noticing the wound on Luo An's left arm, her expression instantly tightened with concern, and she hurriedly searched the corpses for first aid supplies.
Luo An chuckled at this, letting Mona tend to his left arm, and after Caroline had vented and returned, he explained the situation of their father, Javari Evans, to both of them.
"The mission was a success. The person was just locked up for too long and was a bit malnourished, but other than that, there were no major problems."
Caroline's face immediately showed delight upon hearing this, while Mona lifted her head to give Luo An a deep look, then continued to tend to the wound on Luo An's calf.
After some thought, Caroline pointed at Bert, who was tied up not far away, and asked:
"Is there any use in keeping him here?"
"He may know the identity or have some clues about the traitor."
Luo An briefly shared his earlier suspicions but he didn't intend to investigate who the traitor was anymore. The girls' father, Javari, probably hated that person more than he did.
Sure enough, the next day, after Javari Evans had some saline drip and his body recovered somewhat, he went straight to the room where Bert was detained and began his interrogation.
The interrogation didn't last long; it was over in less than ten minutes.
Caroline was somewhat puzzled by this. Javari chuckled, stating that during the time he was imprisoned, he had thought over the mission dozens of times, scrutinizing and analyzing every person associated with it.
Javari already had a suspect in mind; this interrogation of Bert was merely to confirm his own ideas and suspicions.
The result of the interrogation proved Javari's judgment correct; the traitor was indeed the person he suspected.
As for who the traitor was and what Javari would do about it later, Luo An didn't care and didn't plan to ask, because at that moment Javari was staring at him intently.
When Javari first woke up from the hospital bed, he saw Luo An with a smile on his face.
Because Javari remembered that before he fell unconscious, Luo An said he was a private detective hired by Caroline. Although it was for the money, Luo An had still saved his life, and for that, Javari was still very grateful.
Later, upon seeing the makeup-free Mona, Javari was surprised. He was about to say something when he learned from Caroline that Luo An's real identity wasn't a private detective but Mona's boyfriend, at which Javari's smile froze instantly, and his gaze towards Luo An changed in a flash.
"I know you, Luo An Greenwood."
Looking at the young and even more handsome face in front of him, without any disguise, Javari slowly exhaled and said gravely:
"The youngest team leader of the FBI's Special Investigation Team, correct?"
While Javari was sizing up Luo An, Luo An was also assessing the man.
When Javari first came out of the dungeon, his beard was ragged, hair messy, the whole person looking even more homeless than a vagrant.
Now Javari had taken a bath, tidied his hair and beard, and looked somewhat frail due to malnutrition, but the mature and steady air, coupled with an undeniable charm, was evident. Luo An could understand why Mrs. Hanover couldn't forget Javari.
"Indeed, Mr. Javari."
Luo An chuckled and responded to his question.
This was the first time in his two lives that he formally spoke with someone of his father-in-law's status, though the current scene was very different from what he had imagined:
The two were sitting on a cruise ship en route to France; only he and Javari were in the room, while Mona and Caroline were staying next door.
In the center of the room, there was a small coffee table; Javari and Luo An were sitting across from each other. There was no tea on the table – only three bottles of vodka and two glasses.
"Mona is my most beloved daughter."
Javari picked up a bottle of vodka, filled the glass in front of Luo An to the brim, then did the same for his own, lifted his glass, and indicated:
"You saved my life this time, and I am very grateful for that.
But if you hurt her later, believe me, I would still shoot you."
"I won't give you that chance."
Luo An chuckled again, clinked glasses with Javari, and then the two men tipped their heads back and downed their drinks.
"Not bad, holding your liquor."
Putting down the glass, Javari looked at Luo An—who remained composed and unflustered—in approval, then continued to fill both glasses with vodka.
As they picked up their glasses again, Javari suddenly asked:
"What do you think about Caroline?"