chapter 37 A fish that slipped through the net

"Oh no, my bag is gone!" Just as she sat in the car, Amira suddenly exclaimed. "Did you leave it somewhere in the mall?" Jackson casually said. Amira's cheeks turned red, and she whispered, "I must have... must have forgotten it in the fitting room." Seeing Amira's expression, Violet became more certain that Jackson had been up to no good in the fitting room. She glared at him fiercely, then said to Amira, "Let's go back to the mall and get your bag." "I'll go by myself. If that manager sees you again, he will surely talk your ear off for ages. It's too much hassle," Amira said with a covered laugh. Violet thought it made sense and nodded, "Okay, we'll wait for you at the entrance." Jackson drove the Mercedes out of the underground parking and stopped at the entrance of the mall. Amira got out of the car, waved with a smile, and jogged into the mall. "She's such a lively and spirited girl," Jackson sincerely remarked. "Tell me! What did you do in the fitting room?" Violet, in the backseat, lunged forward and grabbed Jackson by the neck, interrogating him. Jackson rolled his eyes and said, "Can I say that she took advantage of me?" "Who would believe you!" Violet scoffed coldly. Bang!! Boom, boom, boom!! Just as Violet was about to ask more, a burst of gunfire suddenly came from the mall! Immediately after, there was chaos at the entrance of the mall. All the employees and customers near the entrance on the first floor ran out as if they were crazy! "There are robbers!" "Ah, someone's been killed!" The screams were incessant, and the entrance was filled with a chaotic crowd. Violet inside the car was stunned, then quickly realized the severity of the situation. Her face turned pale, "Oh no, Amira hasn't come out yet!" She hurriedly got out of the car, extremely anxious, and looked at the mall building. She took out her phone, about to call Amira to check on her safety. "Don't call!" However, Jackson decisively stopped her, saying annoyedly, "Stupid woman, if the robbers see Amira answering her phone, what will they think? By then, no matter how many lucky she is, it won’t be enough to pay for your mistake!" "What should we do then?" Violet was in a complete panic. "Call the police!" Jackson said calmly. However, deep down, he had a sinking feeling. If he wasn't wrong, the robbers who took over the mall were the same middle-aged men they had encountered at the entrance earlier! The mall being held hostage was a major incident, and the police arrived at the scene very quickly. The Jimstantham City police took this matter very seriously, mobilizing almost all available forces. In no time, the mall was surrounded tightly, with police sirens echoing throughout the street. "To the robbers inside, listen up! You are surrounded! Don't delude yourselves. Releasing the hostages and surrendering is your only way out!" A police negotiator, hiding behind a police car, babbled through a megaphone. Inside the mall, on the fourth floor. "What should we do now, Colton?" A robber, looking out of the window, asked anxiously. Although the other robbers appeared calm, they were all somewhat panicked facing such a large police force. The reason they chose to rob the mall was because it seemed easy and profitable. They planned to take the most valuable items, like gold and diamonds, and sell them once things cooled down. They didn't expect the police to react so swiftly and overwhelmingly. In this situation, all the robbers' eyes turned to their leader, Colton. "What are you afraid of? We have so many hostages. If the police dare to mess around, I'll shoot one for each! Then, let's see how the police can withstand the public pressure!" Colton said with a cruel smile on his lips. "Colton always has a plan!" His subordinate said flatteringly. "Go tell those damn cops below to get a truck ready, and not to play any tricks! If we don't see the truck, we'll kill one hostage every ten minutes!" Colton ordered. Colton's words terrified the hostages cowering on the floor, causing them to shiver in fear. They had just come out to shop, never expecting to be so unlucky as to encounter such a situation! ...... Outside the mall. The news that robbers were trapped inside the mall quickly spread. Many onlookers gathered, creating a three-layered crowd, even causing traffic jams. Media personnel also arrived, reporting live from the scene with their cameras. When the robbers' demands reached the outside, it caused an uproar. Such bold and ruthless robbers hadn't been seen in recent years. Major news media outlets were all scrambling to headline the story, fervently reporting on this incident. Only the police personnel frowned secretly, the current situation was at a stalemate. With the public and media causing such a stir, it was easy to make the robbers panic, leading to a significant chaos. The Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau personally rushed to the scene, his face full of worry, "What should we do now?" "Director Eduardo, I suggest deploying the assault team to forcefully enter the mall, subdue the robbers, and rescue the hostages," a capable policewoman suggested. Director Eduardo hesitated, "But the hostages..." "Director Eduardo, if we delay any longer, it will definitely alert the robbers, they might even harm the hostages! The most troublesome thing is that the robbers have said that for every ten minutes that pass, they will kill a hostage! By then, it will be difficult to rush in and save them," Adaline said seriously. "You are really foolish woman. If we really do that, I guarantee that at least half of the hostages in the mall will die," a discordant male voice joked from behind. "Why is it you?" Adaline's eyebrows raised immediately, she still remembered this young man named Jackson. The incident of Jackson fighting with the Bold Eagle Gang on the streets left a deep impression on her. She didn't expect to encounter him here. Originally, Adaline didn't have a good impression of Jackson. Hearing Jackson mocking her judgment, her already anxious emotions ignited, and she said in a very unfriendly tone, "Mr. Jackson, do you have any better suggestions?" "It's simple, send someone up to negotiate with them," Jackson analyzed, "The fighting capability of these robbers is only slightly higher than ordinary people. If it weren't for their guns, they wouldn't be able to control the hostages." Adaline coldly laughed, "Easy for you to say. There are six of them, each armed. Even the most capable police officers in Jimstantham City couldn't turn the situation around under these circumstances!" "I didn't say to send the police up. Even if a police officer is willing to negotiate, the robbers would still be on guard," Jackson replied with a shrug. "Then why are you telling me all this?" Adaline was puzzled. Jackson pointed at himself, "I hope to borrow a megaphone because I'm going up!" Upon hearing this, not only Adaline was puzzled, but even Director Eduardo showed a look of surprise and couldn't help asking, "Young man, what's your connection to this incident?" "A friend of mine is trapped up there. And I feel a bit guilty because at the entrance, I had an encounter with those robbers. At the time, I felt something was off but didn't think much of it," Jackson explained. "That's how it is..." Violet, who was standing by, explained what she knew. When Adaline heard that Jackson had stopped Violet from calling Amira to inquire about the situation, she couldn't help but take another look at Jackson, surprised that he had such awareness. "Mr. Jackson's action was correct. Miss Amira's situation is extremely dangerous. If the robbers were near Miss Amira when her phone rang, they would suspect her of being an undercover agent, potentially leading to dire consequences," Adaline stated earnestly. Although Adaline was somewhat resentful towards Jackson, she agreed with his approach. She even slightly praised Jackson. Violet also felt a bit guilty, and her opinion of Jackson improved a bit. After all, if it weren't for Jackson stopping her mistake, Amira could have been harmed because of her. After seeing Jackson's determination, Adaline whispered to Director Eduardo, "Director Eduardo, this Jackson is very skilled. If he goes in to negotiate, he should be able to protect himself." After getting the approval of Director Eduardo, police personnel immediately put a bulletproof vest on Jackson. They also offered him a pistol, but Jackson refused, "If the robbers see me with a gun, they will definitely be on guard. Besides, to deal with these scum, a gun is unnecessary." "Young man, you must be very careful once you're inside. If there's any situation, immediately sound the alarm," Director Eduardo admonished with worry. "Don't worry," Jackson nodded, then walked to the entrance of the mall, picked up the megaphone, and shouted, "Robbers upstairs, listen up, I am a negotiation specialist from the police. We can meet your demands, and the car is already prepared! But I must enter the mall to ensure the safety of the hostages!" Saying this, Jackson turned around on the spot, "I'm not carrying a gun, just wearing a bulletproof vest. Now, I'm going to enter the mall alone!" After tossing the megaphone aside, Jackson strode towards the entrance. At a window on the fourth floor, the muzzle aimed at Jackson, who was about to enter the mall, the robber wiping sweat said, "Colton, that guy is coming in, should we shoot?" Colton pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "Let him in. With him alone, he won't cause much trouble!" "Everyone, be alert. If that guy shows the slightest hint of trouble, kill him immediately!" Colton said coldly. "Colton, killing a police negotiator, that's not appropriate, right?" one of the robbers hesitated. Colton sneered, "At this point, do you still harbour hopes of turning over a new leaf? Stop dreaming! If we don't get out today, prepare to spend the rest of your life in prison!" The robbers couldn't speak, but their eyes were fierce. Yes, Colton was right, if they couldn't escape, their lives were over! Colton continued, "Have you guys checked this floor thoroughly? Raiden, go check it again. If there's an undercover agent who has infiltrated this floor and cooperates with the police from the inside, we'll be in trouble." "Got it. I haven't had the chance to check the changing room yet," the robber named Raiden nodded and began to check each one. In a changing room. Amira was hugging her bag, trembling, praying in her heart that this changing room wouldn't be opened. "Hey? Heh heh!" But contrary to her wishes, the door of the changing room was forcibly opened from the outside. Raiden was initially startled, then revealed a sinister smile, "Colton, there's actually someone else in here that we overlooked!"