American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

This detail made Lynn's expression even more serious. Threatening family members is a common tactic used by organized crime and is one of the most despicable acts.

"Is your sister safe now?" Lynn asked with concern.

“I hope so,” Taren said worriedly. “I’ve been very careful, trying my best to protect her.”

"So, what about tonight?" Lynn got back to the point. "What were you doing at the bar?"

Taren sighed. "Mark asked me to go to the bar, saying I just needed to pick up a package and deliver it to another place. He said it was a one-time thing, and he wouldn't bother me again afterward."

Do you believe him?

“I know this might be a lie, but I had no choice,” Taren said. “I couldn’t find a job, I had no income, and I was worried about my sister’s safety.”

Lynn understands Taren's predicament, but as a law enforcement officer, he must also face reality.

“Taren, I understand your situation,” Lynn said, “but you have to understand that you were in possession of drugs when you were arrested at the bar. Whatever the reason, it's a crime.”

“I know,” Taren nodded, “and I’m prepared to accept the consequences. But I hope you can help protect my sister.”

At that moment, the interrogation room door opened, and James walked in.

“Lynn, we need to talk,” James said.

Lynn paused the interrogation and walked out of the room with James.

"What did you find?" Lynn asked.

“We investigated Taren’s background,” James said. “He did lose his job two weeks ago and has had a lot of difficulties finding work.”

"Is there any other information?"

“Yes, and it’s important,” James said. “We’ve discovered that his sister, Sarah Johnson, has indeed been experiencing some harassment recently. Her high school has reported several incidents of strangers loitering near the campus.”

This information confirms the veracity of part of Taren's statement.

“It seems he may have really been coerced,” Lynn analyzed, “but that doesn’t change the fact that he committed a crime.”

“The question is how we handle it,” James said. “If he’s willing to cooperate, he might be able to help us catch a bigger fish.”

Lynn thought for a moment. Taren's case reflected a larger problem: how organized crime groups exploit the vulnerability of ex-convicts to force them to re-offend. If this pattern isn't broken, more people like Taren will be forced to repeat their mistakes.

Back in the interrogation room, Lynn sat down again to face Taren.

“Taren, we’ve investigated your claims, and they have some credibility,” Lynn began. “But now I need to ask you a question: Are you willing to help us catch those who are coercing you?”

A glimmer of hope flashed in Taren's eyes. "You mean..."

“What I mean is, if you’re willing to cooperate with our investigation and provide useful information, we might be able to consider your cooperation in our prosecution recommendations,” Lynn explained. “Of course, this isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card, but it could influence the final verdict.”

Taren remained silent for a long time, clearly engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

“If I cooperate, will my sister be safe?” he finally asked.

“We will arrange protective measures,” Lynn promised, “but you will need to provide detailed and accurate information.”

“I need to know the specific protection plan,” Taren said. “My sister is my only family in this world, and I can’t let her be harmed because of my choice.”

Lynn understood Taron's concerns. Protecting witnesses and their families is a crucial responsibility of law enforcement, but it also requires the cooperation of those being protected.

“First, we’ll contact your sister’s school to increase campus security,” Lynn said. “Second, we’ll arrange for plainclothes police officers to patrol your neighborhood. If necessary, we can also arrange a temporary relocation.”

“How long can these measures last?” Taren asked.

“Until the threat is eliminated,” Lynn replied, “but that requires your full cooperation with our investigation.”

Taren fell into deep thought again. Lynn could understand his conflicting feelings: on the one hand, he wanted to escape his criminal life, but on the other hand, he worried that cooperating with the police would bring even greater danger.

“I need time to think,” Taren finally said.

“I can give you one night,” Lynn said, “but you need to understand that the longer it goes on, the more likely those people are to realize something is wrong.”

Just then, the interrogation room door opened again, and a police officer walked in.

“Detective Hall, there’s an emergency,” the officer said. “Taron Johnson’s sister, Sarah, has gone missing on her way home from school.”

Upon hearing this news, Taren's face turned deathly pale. "No, this can't be!"

Lynn immediately realized the seriousness of the situation. If Sarah had indeed been kidnapped, it would no longer be a simple case of coercion, but a serious criminal offense.

"When did this happen?" Lynn asked the officer.

“About an hour ago, the school called us to say that Sarah hadn’t come home on time and that someone had seen her get into a car with several strangers,” the officer reported.

Taren stood up. "I have to go find her!"

“Calm down, Taren,” Lynn pressed his hand to his shoulder, “we’ll find her, but you need to help us.”

“You said you would protect her!” Taren shouted angrily.

“This happened before we arranged the protective measures,” Lynn explained, “but now we have a chance to save her, provided you tell us everything you know.”

Taren's anger turned to despair. "If I tell you, they might hurt her. If I don't tell you, you won't find her either."

“Taren, listen to me,” Lynn said seriously. “Kidnapping is a serious crime, and even organized crime groups won’t easily cross that line because it will attract the full attention of the FBI. They’re doing this to force you to comply, not to actually hurt Sarah.”

"Are you sure?" Taren's voice trembled.

“I’ve been doing this for fifteen years,” Lynn said. “I’ve seen many similar situations. What they want is your silence and cooperation, not your sister’s life. But time is of the essence; we must find her before they change their minds.”

Taren took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. "Okay, I'll tell you everything I know."

“Very good,” Lynn said. “Start with Mark Williams. Tell me what you know about him.”

“While Mark was in prison, he often mentioned his ‘boss,’ a man named Victor Rodriguez,” Taron began. “Victor controlled some of the drug businesses in Brooklyn and Manhattan.”

The name Victor Rodriguez made Lynn and James exchange a glance. They knew something about him; he was a cunning crime boss who had been a target of the FBI, but the evidence against him was insufficient to prosecute. "Did Mark mention any specific locations or places Victor frequents?" Lynn asked.

“He said Victor had a warehouse in Queens, which was their main base,” Talen recalled, “and a club in Brooklyn called ‘Red Hawks.’”

"Is there any other information?" James joined in the inquiry.

“Mark also mentioned that Victor is very cautious and never discusses business over the phone; all important meetings are held face-to-face,” Taren continued. “And they have insiders, possibly connected to the police system or other government departments.”

This information is important because it means their operation must be kept secret and cannot be carried out through regular channels.

"What specific instructions did Mark give you regarding tonight's operation?" Lynn asked.

“He told me to pick up the package at the bar and then deliver it to an address on 32nd Street,” Taron said. “Someone would be waiting to receive it there.”

Do you have that address?

“Yes,” Taren said, reciting a specific address from his memory.

Lynn immediately sent someone to verify the address information. A few minutes later, the results came back: it was an abandoned warehouse, and people had been coming and going there recently.

“This could be an important clue,” James said.

Just then, Taren's phone rang. The caller ID showed an unknown number.

“Answer the phone,” Lynn instructed, “but follow my signals.”

Taren answered the phone with trembling hands, "Hello?"

“Taren, it’s me, Mark,” a familiar voice came from the other end of the phone. “Did you complete your mission?”

Lynn gestured for Taren to answer as planned.

“I’ve got the stuff, and I’m on my way to the agreed location,” Taren said.

“Very good,” Mark said. “By the way, your sister is a lovely girl. She’s with us now and safe. As long as you follow the plan, she’ll be home soon.”

Taren clenched his fists, but remained calm at Lynn's signal. "I will do as agreed."

“A smart choice,” Mark said. “Remember, get to the designated location within an hour. No tricks.”

After the call ended, Taren nearly broke down. "They really did capture Sarah."

“We heard you,” Lynn said. “Now we have an opportunity. You go to the designated location as agreed, and we will follow you and act when the time is right.”

“But what if they find out?” Taren worried.

“It’s risky, but it’s our best chance to save Sarah,” Lynn explained, “and we won’t leave you to face danger alone.”

“James, contact the SWAT team,” Lynn instructed. “We need professional hostage rescue support.”

“We also need to contact the technical department,” James added. “We need to monitor Talen in real time.”

“Taren, you need to understand,” Lynn said, turning to Taren, “from now on, your every move is related to Sarah’s safety. I need your absolute cooperation; there can be no individual action.”

“I understand,” Taren said firmly. “I’ll do anything to save Sarah.”

Technicians installed miniature tracking and listening devices on Taren to ensure Lynn's team could stay informed in real time.

“Remember, your task is to stick to the plan,” Lynn concluded. “Don’t try to be a hero; we’ll handle the rest.”

At 11:00 PM sharp, Taren left the FBI field office as agreed and headed to the designated location on 32nd Street. Lynn's team had already split into four groups, responsible for tracking, technical support, SWAT support, and command and coordination, respectively. Each group was equipped with state-of-the-art communication equipment and monitoring tools.

"Attention all units, target has departed," Lynn relayed to each team via encrypted channel. "Maintain distance and avoid detection."

The first team, led by James, was responsible for long-range tracking of Taren. They used two different vehicles, alternating their pursuit to avoid detection. The second team was the technical support team, responsible for monitoring Taren's equipment and analyzing the collected information. The third team was an elite SWAT team, led by the experienced Captain Rick Sanders. The fourth team was the coordination group, personally commanded by Lynn, responsible for overall coordination of the operation.

"Technical team, is Taren's signal clear?" Lynn asked.

“The signal is good, and the audio and GPS are working fine,” technician Martin replied. “He’s heading south along Eighth Avenue.”

Through the listening device, Lynn could hear Taren's tense breathing and the ambient sounds of the street. He could sense the young man's fear and anxiety, but he also saw the courage he showed in trying to save his sister.

"Tracking team, how's the target?" Lynn continued to inquire.

"The target is proceeding along the predetermined route, and no unusual behavior has been detected," James reported. "No suspicious vehicles or personnel have been found nearby at this time."

It took Taren twenty minutes to reach the designated location on 32nd Street. It was an industrial area, surrounded by abandoned warehouses and factory buildings. The poor street lighting provided ideal cover for criminal activity.

“Target has reached the designated location,” James reported, “an abandoned warehouse, the surrounding environment is ideal for covert operations.”

Through the listening device on Taren, Lynn heard footsteps and the sound of a door opening.

“Taren, you’ve arrived,” a strange voice said, presumably from the person who was there to meet you.

“Yes, I brought something,” Taren’s voice trembled slightly.

“Very well, give me the item,” the other party said.

Lynn heard the sound of items being handed over, followed by silence.

“Where is my sister?” Taren asked. “You said you would release her.”

“Don’t rush, young man,” the other person’s tone turned cold, “the boss wants to see you, and then we can talk about your sister.”

This wasn't part of the original plan. Lynn realized the situation was getting complicated.

“Come with me,” the other person continued.

“Tech team, they’re moving,” Lynn said over the radio. “Can you pinpoint their exact location?”

“GPS shows they are moving towards the back of the warehouse,” Martin reported. “The signal is starting to weaken, possibly indicating they’ve entered a basement or a signal-blocked area.”

This is a bad sign. If Taren is taken to an area where the signal can't reach, they will lose contact, making the rescue operation much more difficult. (End of Chapter)