Chapter 23
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The guards were right with John and Loretta, and they were hustling to get to the highway exit.
People they passed were all trying to say hi. Usually, John would stop and chat with everyone, but today wasn’t like other days. He was holding something really, really important.
Loretta was right by his side, being the perfect good girl.
They’d only gone a few minutes when someone yelled, “Hey, Mr. Broderick! Heard you dropped 600 million on some old thing in Maveris. Is that what you’re carrying?
Everyone who kept up with the news knew what John had, but this guy was the first to ask straight out. The timing of his question made a big difference in how it came across.
The guy leading John and Loretta whispered, “Don’t say anything. Let’s pick up the pace. The police are just ahead to help
John nodded, gripping the item in his hands even tighter.
The guy who had shouted earlier noticed John was ignoring him, so he tried again. “Mr. Broderick, are you really going to donate such a valuable antique to the country? That’s so admirable! We should all look up to you, right everyone?” He was trying to rally the crowd to back him up.
Loretta glanced at the guy who was all hyped up. He looked pretty normal, but the way he was acting, she could tell he was. just waiting for something crazy to happen.
Just then, the two mercenaries came over to Loretta, and one of the women whispered to her, “There’s a sniper nearby.”
Loretta’s heart did a little dance, and she quickly asked, “Can you stop them?”
The woman replied. “We’ve got some people hiding, but the sniper is from a hitman group. That meant they might not be able to stop the sniper.
Loretta held her shoulder bag really tight, thinking about how she could get the sniper to look somewhere else.
Suddenly, there was this huge motorcycle sound that got everyone’s attention. It was like a thunderstorm but with an engine. Everyone turned around to see a guy in a helmet, riding a really cool bike, heading straight towards Loretta and her father
People started chatting like crazy. The mercenaries next to Loretta were on their toes, keeping a close eye on everything. The other guards were super alert too,
Right then, the motorcycle stopped just in front of Loretta and her group. They had to stop too. The person who was sent to lead John was about to come over to the rider.
The rider kept his helmet on, and even though he wore a loose black T–shirt, they could tell he was pretty strong
Most people didn’t know who he was, but Loretta knew right away. Her eyes got alwide with surprise. Then, she turned to John, who was keeping a close eye on everything, and said, “Dad give me the box. He’s a friend of mine, and I’ll ride with him to the highway exit.”
John looked at the guy on the motorcycle, trying to figure out when Loretta had gotten so friendly with a guy that she wanted to ride off with him on his bike. He was a bit puzzled,
Seeing John Jooking at Malcolm, Loretta got a little worried that John might guess who it was. She quickly whispered to John, “Dad, someone’s watching our antique.”
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John’s heart dropped when he heard that, but he didn’t hand over the box. Even if there was trouble, he didn’t want his daughter to be in the middle of it. “It’s definitely risky to carry it alone. Let’s stick together. With all these bodyguards around, we’re safer walking, John said.
“My friend’s bike is super fast, and it’s safer than walking slow,” she argued.
Without giving John a chance to say more, she grabbed the box from his hands, gave her shoulder bag to the woman her, shared a quick look, and marched straight to Malcolm’s motorcycle, holding the box tightly.
Loretta,” John called out, his voice filled with both anger and worry as he tried to stop her. But he was stopped by a mercenary who quietly told him, “Mr. Broderick, Ms. Broderick wants you to hurry and follow her.”
next to
John wasn’t familiar with these two mercenaries. They had shown up just as Loretta was leaving, and he had been wondering who they really were. Being stopped like that only made him more suspicious. He had a feeling Loretta knew something he
didn’t.
While John was being held back, Loretta had already reached Malcolm and whispered to him, “Take me to the highway exit.”
Under the helmet, Malcolm’s voice was deep when he asked, “What’s in it for me if I help you!”
Loretta pressed her lips together and said firmly. “Whatever you want.”
Malcolm glanced at her and nodded, saying, “Give me the box”
Loretta didn’t hesitate at all. She gave the box to Malcolm right away.
The box was in a box with a combination lock. Malcolm took it and in no time, he pulled out a super thin wire and wrapped the case around his waist. He was done in just a few seconds and gave Loretta the signal. “Hop on, and hold on tight.”
Loretta quickly jumped onto the back seat, and the motorcycle came to life with a loud roar, taking off really fast. The bike was moving so quickly that Loretta had to hold onto Malcolm for dear life. Since she didn’t have a helmet, the strong wind made her tuck her head right into his back.
She could feel his muscles were tense, and she wondered if he was feeling nervous too. Then, all of a sudden, he yelled out, “Hold on tight!”
Loretta hugged Malcolm tighter without even thinking about it. The motorcycle made a really sharp turn, and for a second, it felt like they were going to fly off the bike. Loretta had never been on such an exciting ride before, and she couldn’t help but let out a little exclamation.
Just when she thought she might not be able to hold on anymore, the bike leveled out and kept going super fast.
In no time, they got to the highway exit, where there were a bunch of police cars waiting for them. There were officers with big guns, and right in front was a middle–aged man wearing a fancy suit. He looked like someone who was really important.
Malcolm slowed down the motorcycle and stopped right in front of the middle–aged man. The man hurried over to them and said, “You two have done a great job.”
When Loretta got off the motorcycle, her legs were a little wobbly. She almost lost her balance, but Malcolm was there to catch her. Once she was steady on her feet, he gave her the box back.
Holding the box, Loretta told the middle–aged man. “There are people targeting the Nine Dragons Goblet
The man nodded, looking very serious, and said, “I’ve already sent a team to look around the area”
Loretta nodded, but she wasn’t ready to give up the box just yet he said, “I want to wait for my dad.” The middle–aged man didn’t argue with her about it
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Then Loretta looked at Malcolm, who was still on his motorcycle, looking pretty cool. He gave her a little signal with his hand. Loretta got the message and nodded at him. Then Malcolm took off right away.
Loretta and the middle–aged man waited for almost ten minutes before John and the others arrived. This time, they got in a police car, with the police leading the way and other cars making a path for them
von
John looked at Loretta’s hair, which was a bit messy from the ride and asked, “Loretta, everything okay on the road?”
“Nah, everything was smooth, Loretta reassured John, not mentioning the wild ride. She didn’t want to make him fret.
In the car with them was the middle–aged man who had greeted them. They found out he was the museum’s associate curator. He spoke up. “The Nine Dragons Goblet has been gone for ages. It’s a big loss for our country. We really appreciate that Mr. Broderick was able to buy it at an auction in Maveris”
John smiled softly. “The Broderick family is in the antique business, and we understand what’s valuable for the country. Once we spotted it, I couldn’t just sit on my hands and do nothing.
The two men hit it off right away, chatting like they were old buddies. The car picked up speed, making its way to the
museum in no time.
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