In the dark night, a tall figure runs, frequently looking back, as explosions and gunshots ring out from behind, indicating intense gunfire.
Jessica's breathing becomes heavy as she endures the fear and nervousness, holding back tears, and continues running forward.
The loneliness of being hunted down strikes her at this moment.
The darkness grows thicker, and she can hardly see the direction ahead, everything is pitch black.
Suddenly, car lights illuminate from behind, and Jessica's heart sinks; the pursuers are catching up!
She can't run fast enough, and there's nowhere to escape.
Feeling hopeless, Jessica wonders what fate awaits her, a beautiful woman, once she falls into the hands of the gang members.
What about him? Is he dead? Or did he abandon her and run away?
The car catches up, and Jessica stops in her tracks, awaiting her fate.
A familiar voice shouts, "Get in the car!"
The car lights illuminate the way ahead!
Jessica immediately opens the door to the passenger seat. Inside the car, there's a strong smell of blood. She looks at the driver, Ronan, covered in mud and dust, but he's unharmed.
Ronan quickly drives away from the area.
"I slowed down the pursuers," he casually remarks, "but they were too many."
Jessica nods and asks, "Where are we going?"
Ronan says, "Let's find a safe place to hide for a while, and I'll tend to my wound."
Concerned, Jessica asks, "You're injured?"
Ronan touches the back of his neck, where the cactus hit him, and winces, "It's nothing, just a minor injury."
After a brief pause, he adds, "I caught a live one, questioned him briefly, and it seems there's a traitor among your people, passing information secretly. We better find a secluded place where no one knows about."
After thinking for a moment, Jessica suggests, "I have a friend in the south, in a town called Kalizhen. Her parents passed away, and she rarely stays there. Shall we go there first?"
Ronan nods, "Sure."
Leaving the affluent area and entering the city center, in a place like Mexicali with relatively poor municipal functions and infrastructure, there's no need to worry about surveillance.
The city center is chaotic, with many traffickers and gangs ruling the area.
Ronan easily locates a group of traffickers' hideout, intending to steal their dark car.
It's an ordinary pickup truck, highly practical in Mexico and the southern United States.
Ronan comes to the driver's side and tells Jessica, who followed closely, "Hand me the card."
Jessica gives it to Ronan, who straightens the wire of the card. Tonight, he just acquired strong lock-picking skills, and in about ten seconds, he manages to open the old-fashioned car door lock.
They get in the car, lower the sun visor, and luckily, there's a key.
It seems the traffickers were prepared to run away at any moment.
Driving away from the city center, they found a 24-hour convenience store to buy some food and then left Mexicali, heading south for about thirty kilometers until they reached Karizhen under the cover of the night.
Jessica's friend's house was on the southern outskirts of the small town, a standalone building with its own entrance.
Ronan parked the car behind the house and covered it with a tarp. Jessica had been here before and had the house key, so she opened the back door directly.
The house was clean, but Ronan kept his hand on his gun.
Quickly, Jessica explained, "We stayed here secretly for a couple of days a while back, but she went back to Los Angeles later."
Ronan nodded, "Let's rest for now and talk about things tomorrow."
He took off his tactical vest, sat on the sofa, but his neck was still uncomfortable.
Along the way, he had plucked all the cactus spines he could find.
After resting for a while, dawn arrived quickly. Ronan washed up briefly, checked the surroundings, and returned to the living room on the ground floor, where he had some convenience food.
His neck still itched painfully, and the spine stuck in there was difficult to remove.
Jessica came out of the bedroom carrying a medical kit, "Let me help you."
Ronan glanced at her and nodded slightly.
Jessica moved behind the sofa, pressed down on Ronan's head, and used her long nails to pluck out a spine.
Carefully inspecting the area, she found no other spines, then she opened the medical kit and took out an alcohol swab to clean the red swelling on Ronan's neck.
"Feeling better?" she asked.
Ronan nodded, "Much better, thank you."
Jessica put away the medical kit and turned to sit across from him, "I should be the one saying thank you."
Ronan maintained his bounty hunter facade, "You paid for it."
This remark put an end to the conversation. Jessica grabbed a box of cookies and started eating.
Meanwhile, Ronan inspected his guns and began to ponder. Most of his thoughts came from the memories he acquired from the +4 Soul Fragment.
That person was from the CIA!
Ian Somers was also from the CIA.
Harvey Gonzalez had said that Antonio Garcia was supported and developed with the help of the CIA but wanted to break free from their control. His recent mysterious whereabouts were also related to this.
Now, a CIA operative appeared among the people who kidnapped his daughter, Jessica.
Considering all the events so far, Ronan had a conjecture. The CIA might be involved in some operation directly related to Antonio Garcia, possibly even targeting Jessica.
With these thoughts, he couldn't help but shake his head. After facing Ian Somers' former partners, he found himself confronting the CIA again?
Ronan couldn't help but feel a headache. "Can't you CIA people act without pretending to be someone else? Show your CIA markers, at least?" he thought. He had already killed at least four CIA operatives directly, and he was getting a bit annoyed, but what was done was done, and there was no room for regret.
During the encounter with Ian Somers, he didn't retaliate; was he waiting to be silenced?
Stirring up a hornet's nest, he had to be aware that the CIA would be after him. Ronan's urgency to find Antonio Garcia had intensified.
Antonio Garcia had a highly intelligent and likely spirit animal, most likely a spirit leopard.
Ronan tried multiple sources but still couldn't find any information about the whereabouts of the materials needed to promote to a Plunderer. Currently, the only hope lies with the spirit leopard.
He needed to strengthen himself to face potential pursuit from the CIA.
With the situation having progressed to this point, he realized that self-strength was fundamental.
Thinking about this, Ronan deliberately asked, "Jessica, there's something I want to ask."
Jessica smiled, her expression sweet, "Just call me Jessica."
Ronan said, "The person I interrogated last night is from the CIA."
Jessica was quite surprised, "CIA?"
Ronan asked, "I'm curious, why would the CIA target you?"
"I... I don't know," Jessica couldn't reveal the truth, "I've never had any dealings with them. I'm just a celebrity; it's impossible for me to provoke the CIA..."
Being a celebrity, acting is her main skill.
Ronan looked at her.
Jessica appeared sincere, "I can't trust them, either. The only hope I have is you."
Ronan withdrew his hand casually, "I have professional principles. You paid for it."
Jessica felt relieved hearing him speak so straightforwardly, "Let's head west. You can take me to Tijuana, and I'll pay you another $500,000!"
Ronan extended his hand, "Deal!"
Jessica shook his hand, "Deal!"
Last time when she met her father, they agreed to meet again in Tijuana. Her father had never disappointed her, like when she said she wanted to be a singer.
Her father immediately provided significant funds to boost her career.
This American bounty hunter, based on his actions yesterday, seemed trustworthy.
She provided the money, and he provided the skills.
After breakfast, Ronan asked Jessica to accompany him to buy some essentials.
They first went to the town to refuel and then to a supermarket to purchase food and drinking water.
In addition, they bought scissors and hair dye.
Back at the house, Ronan handed the scissors to Jessica, "You know too many people. It's best if you cut your hair and change your hair color."
Jessica took the scissors but hesitated, clutching her brown, long hair. Cutting it off felt like cutting a part of her heart.
Ronan went to organize the purchased supplies, including food, water, and gasoline.
Not long after, Jessica said, "Can you help me with this?"
Ronan returned and took the scissors, helping her cut her hair.
He wasn't skilled at it, and the result was far from perfect.
A strand of hair fell on Jessica's neck, and she couldn't help but turn her head to look. Under the golden sunlight, Ronan's face looked handsome.
Jessica wondered why someone with a good body and good looks like him would choose this line of work.
Ronan prepared the hair dye and dyed Jessica's ear-length hair black.
While Jessica changed her style during her makeup, she wore oversized clothes to hide her figure, no longer resembling a celebrity with her aura.
The charm and aura of a celebrity also rely on splendid clothing and exquisite makeup.
For most celebrities, without their fancy outfits and heavy makeup, they wouldn't look much different from ordinary people.
Ronan also adjusted his appearance, picking up two hats—one for himself and the other for Jessica.
"Let's go!" He grabbed the black bag with the concealed gun and walked out the back door.
Jessica put on her backpack and followed him.
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