Chapter 82: Trapped on the Island
Hodgson's POV
I received word that a shipment of arms bound for overseas had been intercepted at sea by another gang.
That cargo was worth over a hundred million dollars. I couldn't just let it go.
I immediately headed to the scene with Eric.
It was a small island in international waters, geographically isolated and regularly used by smugglers as a transit point.
The helicopter landed on the island's makeshift helipad. The surroundings were desolate.
"Intelligence shows the goods are in the warehouse on the west side of the island." Eric held up his tablet, pointing at the map.
"Take the men over to check it out. Everyone be careful."
Our group of a dozen or so split into two teams and advanced toward the warehouse.
The island was eerily quiet. Aside from the waves and wind, I couldn't hear any other sounds.
According to intelligence, the other side should have men guarding near the warehouse, but all the way here, forget about people, there wasn't even a footprint.
"Pull back." I turned to leave.
The moment I spoke, gunfire erupted.
Bullets whistled toward us in a barrage. One of my men beside me took a shot to the head, warm blood splattering across my face.
"Get down!" Eric shouted.
I quickly rolled behind a boulder. Bullets grazed past my scalp, striking the rock and sending up sparks.
At least thirty fully armed mercenaries charged out from the woods, closing in with trained precision.
"Hodgson, this is a trap!"
I clenched my jaw and took down two approaching enemies.
Their firepower was too intense. Our men fell one after another. A grenade flew toward me. Without time to think, I grabbed a nearby corpse and held it in front of me.
"Boom!"
The blast threw me backward.
I hit the ground hard, my head ringing.
A bullet grazed my left arm, searing pain washing over me.
"Call the helicopter!" I yelled at Eric.
"There's no signal on the island!"
The people ambushing me had calculated everything.
I loaded a fresh magazine and rose to spray fire toward the densest cluster of enemies.
The firefight lasted nearly an hour.
Finally, our ammunition ran out, and only five of us remained.
My left arm wouldn't stop bleeding, and my strength was beginning to fail.
Dragging our wounded bodies, we took advantage of the darkness to rush into a cave, making our way to the deepest part.
Footsteps and voices echoed outside. The enemy was searching.
I had only three bullets left in my magazine. I held my breath, finger on the trigger, ready for a final stand.
"Why do you think boss is working so hard?" a voice asked.
"Boss paid top dollar, said he absolutely had to make sure his brother died on this island."
Damn it, it was Keith!
That bastard finally couldn't resist making his move against me!
The people outside didn't seem to find the cave entrance. After searching around, their footsteps gradually faded away.
"Hodgson, what do we do now?"
I leaned against the rock wall, pressing down on my still-bleeding wound, a taste of blood rising in my throat.
"Wait." I closed my eyes. "The men I left at the port will notice something's wrong. If they don't hear from me in 24 hours, they'll send people."
"It'll take them about eight hours to get here from departure, and probably more time to find us. We just need to hold out for two days, and rescue will arrive."
Over the next two days, we stayed hidden in the cave.
No food, no water. The wound began to fester. I was surviving on sheer willpower alone.
On the third day, I finally heard the roar of a helicopter.
The mercenaries outside didn't have heavy weapons. As soon as they saw the helicopter, they retreated.
The cabin door opened. After we climbed aboard, Eric immediately pulled out the medical kit to give me basic first aid for my wound.
"Hodgson, should we head to the hospital first?"
I was about to answer when my phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket.
After leaving that damned island, there was finally a signal.
I pulled out my phone. The screen showed dozens of unread messages and more than ten missed calls from an unknown number.
One message made my heart clench hard.
Unknown number: Hodgson, it's Nicole, save me!
Nicole was in trouble!
"Go to the Gerald villa, now!" I roared.
The helicopter changed direction.
After thirty-five hours of travel, we finally returned to Astoria.
The helicopter landed on open ground near the Gerald villa.
Eric had contacted our people on standby in the city ahead of time. Black sedans were already parked not far away, surrounding the Gerald house.
I couldn't care about my arm wound tearing open as I pushed open the cabin door and strode toward the villa.
"Nicole!!"
I kicked open the door and shouted inside.
Doris happened to be in the living room too. When she saw me, she screamed in terror.
I stepped forward and grabbed her by the throat.
"Where is Nicole?!"
"Ni... Nicole, she..."
The killing intent rolling off me was so thick that Doris fainted before she could finish speaking.
I released my grip, turned, and headed upstairs.
There was indeed someone in the room, but it wasn't Nicole.
Cathy sat on the bed. When she saw me enter, she shrank back in fear.
"Why are you here? Where's Nicole?!"
I questioned her like a madman.
Cathy burst into tears, her words stuttering.
"Nicole changed into my clothes and escaped. I don't know where she went either..."
My fists slowly clenched.
Where could Nicole go after leaving the villa?
She'd changed numbers to message me, but I never replied. Who else would she turn to?
A name flashed through my mind.
Derek!
I rushed out of the villa, snatched the car keys from Eric's hand, yanked open the car door, and got into the driver's seat.
I floored the gas pedal. The car shot forward like an unleashed beast.
I gripped the steering wheel tight. My left arm wound began bleeding again from the movement.
Nicole was isolated and helpless. Unable to find me, she might very well have gone to Derek.
At this thought, my breathing grew heavier and heavier.
That man would take the opportunity to get close to her, pretend to care about her, even take her back to his territory!
Damn it!
Cars on the road honked frantically. I ignored them all.
The car screeched to a halt in front of Derek's villa. I got out and charged straight in.
Derek was sitting on the sofa reading a book. Hearing the commotion, he looked up.
He raised an eyebrow. "Hodgson, did you just come from a war zone?"
I walked over and grabbed him by the collar.
"Is Nicole here with you?!"