Mr. Frederick was seated in his office, flipping through documents, when the phone rang.
"Yes?" he answered.
"Sir, Raymond is here to see you. Should I let him in?" his secretary asked.
"Yes, let him in."
Moments later, Raymond entered and was offered a seat.
"I hope you have the information I need," Mr. Frederick said, not looking up.
"Yes, sir. I do. Elijah Simons will be paraded before the elders tomorrow evening at the Blue Moon Packhouse," Raymond reported, looking uneasy.
"Are you sure?" Mr. Frederick asked, lifting his head to fix Raymond with a piercing look.
"One hundred percent, sir. We need to move fast."
Mr. Frederick narrowed his eyes. "How did you get this information?"
Raymond nodded, ready with his explanation. "Sam and I were about two streets from Gilbert’s mansion when we saw Maria get out of a black car with tinted windows."
**Flashback** "Sam, I’m tired," Raymond had complained. "How can we get information from Gilbert or Bernard about Maria? This task is impossible."
They were seated on a wooden bench when the car pulled up and a young woman stepped out.
Raymond’s eyes lit up. "It’s Maria!"
He jumped up and followed her.
"Hello, pretty! Can you help me with something?" he asked.
Maria turned, suspicious. "Good morning. How may I assist you?"
"We’re new here," Raymond said smoothly. "Looking for a good restaurant. Didn’t like the hotel food."
She gave him directions, and as they shook hands, Raymond slipped a magnetic chip into her jacket.
**Back to Present** "That chip gave us access to all their conversations. She hasn’t removed the blazer since she entered. That’s how we got everything, boss," Raymond explained.
Mr. Frederick leaned back, impressed. "Now I know your intel is solid," he said, voice filled with resolve. "It’s time to prepare and counter their plans. Let’s move fast."