Los Angeles Legendary Sleuth

In an instant, the three robbers in the restaurant were killed.

Another robber, codenamed Baldy, was subdued by the crowd.

His earlier act of looting had angered everyone, and he was beaten severely.

The restaurant was still in chaos. Luke stepped forward to maintain order, "FBI, the robbers have been shot dead. Everyone is temporarily out of danger."

Even though he said this, Luke's eyes remained wary of his surroundings. These robbers definitely had accomplices, who could be hiding in other parts of the cruise ship, or even blending in as restaurant victims.

Luke had to be cautious.

"Hey, that's enough. Do you want to beat him to death?" Luke signaled Hamidi Shawn's bodyguards to take the beaten robber out of the crowd. If he were beaten to death right in front of Luke, it would be troublesome.

Hamidi Shawn steadied himself and looked at Luke, "What exactly happened?"

Julian Ron held his girlfriend beside him, still somewhat terrified, "Who are these people? Why are they robbing the cruise ship?"

Luke looked at the two, not wanting to respond as he was also in the dark.

After calming everyone down, Luke lifted the hoods of the four robbers, "Has anyone seen these robbers before?"

Seeing no one answer, Luke continued, "I, like you, am here for a cruise vacation.

I only saw the robbers on the way to the restaurant and don't know much more than you.

I suspect they must have accomplices.

Therefore, I need your help to quickly figure out the current situation.

This is helping me, as well as helping yourselves."

Luke placed the three robbers' bodies together and pulled over the one who was still alive.

With courage, everyone stepped forward to inspect the bodies.

One passenger pointed at the robber shot at the restaurant door and said, "I think I've seen him... he's a cruise security guard."

"That's right, I remember too."

This was in line with Luke's suspicion. The cruise likely had an insider; otherwise, it would be impossible to silently board the ship and hijack the passengers.

Luke called over a few chefs to help with identification.

According to the chefs' recognition, two were cruise security, and the other two also worked on the ship, though their exact roles were unclear.

Luke collected the weapons from the four robbers: two rifles and two pistols.

Luke looked at everyone in the restaurant, "The robbers likely have accomplices, and they may attempt another robbery. I need some help.

The next actions will be dangerous, preferably involving those with good shooting skills or professional military training."

Everyone exchanged looks, but no one volunteered.

This is a luxury cruise, and the passengers are all wealthy. Retired soldiers and police officers can't afford tickets.

Of course, it's also possible the wealthy are scared of dying.

Eventually, two of Hamidi Shawn's bodyguards stepped up, and Luke handed them the rifles.

A Black chef took off his hat, "I can shoot. I'm willing to help you. Give me a gun."

Luke looked at him; the Black chef was in his twenties, not tall but very muscular.

"What's your name?"

"Martin."

"How long have you been working on the cruise?"

"Nearly two years."

"Have you received any professional military training?"

The Black chef shook his head.

A gunfight had just occurred, and the robbers likely knew something was up. The upcoming battles would be dangerous, and Luke didn't want to use someone without combat experience.

But with no one else volunteering, and Luke short-handed, he handed a pistol to the Black chef.

Luke looked at the others, "Who has a satellite phone?"

A White man said, "I do."

"Great, it's now requisitioned by the FBI."

"Feel free to use it. Catch those damn bastards early," the White man handed the satellite phone to Luke.

Luke said, "Now everyone return to your rooms, lock your doors and windows, protect yourselves, go."

Quickly, everyone ran out of the restaurant.

Luke handed the remaining pistol to Hamidi Shawn, "Be careful. I can't look after you now."

Hamidi Shawn took the pistol with a smile, "With this guy, I feel much more secure."

Then, Hamidi Shawn also left the restaurant, escorted by his two bodyguards.

Nami Inoue approached, "Luke, what are you planning now?"

"First, I'll contact the outside world to clarify the cruise's situation."

"If you need anything, just ask."

"I will." Luke looked at her, implying, "Go back to your room; now is not the time to run around."

"Okay, waiting for your good news." Nami Inoue finished speaking and left the restaurant, unclear if she really listened.

Luke took out the satellite phone and contacted Aysha Gard, the supervisor at the FBI's Los Angeles office.

This ship was closer to Los Angeles, and its destination was also Los Angeles. More importantly, Luke had broader connections there.

After a while, the satellite phone connected, and an elderly woman's voice emerged, "Luke, what's the matter?"

"Supervisor, I'm on a cruise ship called the Silver Cloud, on a route from New York to Los Angeles.

I found the ship suddenly changing course, and communication signals were cut off.

Additionally, four robbers appeared on the ship, hijacking the restaurant's passengers. I've just subdued these four robbers.

Do you know anything about this cruise?"

"Do you know the robbers' identities?"

"The four robbers are likely all cruise staff. I suspect they have accomplices."

"Well done.

I'll contact you shortly, stay safe." Aysha Gard hung up the phone.

Luke said to his three helpers, "Guys, we need to find a safer place. We can't stay here."

The Black chef said, "Follow me, I know a suitable spot."

"Do you know where there's a map of the cruise?"

"No need. I've worked on the cruise for two years; there's nowhere I don't know." The Black chef confidently led the three out of the restaurant to the kitchen's storage room.

The storage room was quite large, filled with ingredients, and rarely visited by outsiders other than kitchen staff.

Luke instructed the three helpers to wait outside, while he interrogated the robber called Baldy in a storage room compartment.

The robber Baldy mostly had superficial injuries; only his leg was stabbed by a dinner knife, causing a deep wound that hurt whenever he moved.

"My leg is bleeding; can you help bandage it?" Baldy pleaded.

"Of course, but before that, you need to answer a few questions."

The bald robber looked down at his wound, "Go ahead, ask."

"What's your name?"

"Gode Balajas."

"How many accomplices do you have?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? Or you just don't want to say?"

"I'm a security guard on the cruise ship and was only recently bought over by them.

They don't trust me yet, so they haven't told me much.

I only found out about the plan to hijack the cruise ship early this morning."

"Who bought you over?"

"The second officer of the cruise ship.

I was completely deceived by him. If I had known it was such a dangerous thing, I would never have agreed."

"Weren't you just happily robbing the passengers earlier?"

"I needed the money...

Before the cruise set sail, he never told me the specific plan of action. I was fooled by him.

He also threatened me, saying that if I didn't follow orders, he'd take me out first."

Luke wasn't completely convinced by his words, and handcuffed his hands, "Where's the second officer?"

"He should be in the cockpit."

"To your knowledge, how many people are involved in the hijacking of the cruise ship this time?"

"I've only seen five people, and one went to the cockpit with the second officer; they're going to hold the captain hostage."

"What's the cruise ship's destination?"

"Near the Mexican waters."

"Tell me your specific plan?"

"Rob the passengers' belongings, then take the cruise ship back to the waters near Mexico, where there will be someone to meet us.

Then, escape to Mexico with the loot."

Luke pondered for a moment; he felt something was off with this plan.

Firstly, the cruise had previously passed the Cancun port in Mexico. If the robbers were planning to escape to Mexico after robbing, why not make a move before reaching the Cancun port, so they could dock directly in the nearby waters in Mexico?

Secondly, just six people wanting to hijack the entire cruise ship, and four split off to rob belongings—clearly, they wouldn't have enough manpower. That means there must be more than just six people involved in this operation.

Even though the cruise passengers are wealthy, they wouldn't carry much valuable stuff on them. If there were many robbers, there wouldn't be much for everyone to share.

Luke suspected there was another purpose behind the hijacking of the cruise ship.

"You're lying."

"I'm not lying, that's exactly what the second officer told me.

If I'm wrong, then he's the one who's lying to me.

I swear to God, that's really all I know."

"What kind of weapons do they have?"

"Two semi-automatic rifles."

"What's the next step in their plan?"

"The second officer and his group control the cockpit. We'll try to rob as much as possible, then steer the cruise ship to the coast near Mexico and meet up with a speedboat to pick us up, kidnap a few wealthy people to Mexico, and grab a big ransom.

I only found out about this plan just before the action...

I thought about refusing, but it was already too late by then.

If I disagreed, they would definitely kill me first."

"Buzz." The satellite phone rang.

Luke pressed the answer button, "This is Luke."

"It's me." Aysha Gard's voice came through the satellite phone, "What's the situation now?"

"I've left the dining hall and am interrogating one of the live robbers.

According to him, the robbers aim to rob, kidnap a few people, and flee to the nearby Mexican waters where someone will meet them.

He claims to be a newcomer and doesn't know much."

Aysha Gard said, "Indeed, around four AM this morning, the cruise company did receive an alert from the cruise.

Half an hour later, the cruise veered off its scheduled course.

The cruise company tried to contact the ship's cockpit but received a threat call from the robbers.

The robbers ordered the cruise company not to call the police and threatened to throw passengers and crew into the sea if they saw any suspicious vessels approaching the cruise ship.

The latest I heard, the SEAL team is already on their way to the cruise vicinity.

What do you plan to do?"

Luke asked back, "Supervisor, do you have any arrangements? I can cooperate with the SEAL team's actions."

"How many robbers are there in total?"

"The robber I captured said there are two more in the cockpit.

But based on my speculation, there should be other accomplices, whose identities are still unknown, which is the biggest hidden danger."

Aysha Gard was silent for a moment, "Are you confident in retaking the cruise ship's cockpit?"

"I'm not sure of the situation in the cockpit yet, but I can give it a try."

"Looking at the current position, the cruise ship is not far from the Mexican coast. The robbers' accomplices might arrive at any time to coordinate, making the situation potentially more complex.

Therefore, we must quickly regain control of the cruise ship's cockpit to restore its normal course.

That's the only way to take the initiative.

Considering the safety of hostages, the SEAL team can't approach the cruise ship, so this action falls on you to accomplish."

"Understood."

"Listen, this operation involves the safety of hundreds of passengers and cruise ship staff, so you must handle it cautiously.

I now officially appoint you as Deputy Director of the FBI's Counter-terrorism Department, in charge of this anti-terrorist operation. The SEAL team will cooperate with your actions."

"Got it."

Luke was a bit surprised, was he just promoted?

Before, although he was an FBI advisor, the advisor position had no real power, only able to provide suggestions and experience.

But the Deputy Director of the FBI's Counter-terrorism Department is different, with actual investigative and commanding authority, and this department holds significant power, allowing for potential flexibility in operations.

This would greatly enhance Luke's flexibility and autonomy in actions.