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Audio version of Jacklyn Taylor Stories
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The night cloaked Rochford with a dense veil of silence, disturbed only by the distant sounds of nature. Carl sat at his desk, covered with piles of papers and a laptop with a dim screen displaying dozens of files. His hands, accustomed to precise movements and analytical work, danced across the keys as if playing the piano. Carl knew that working on documents late into the night wasn’t the best choice, but he couldn’t stop. There was an air of anticipation, a feeling that the answers were close at hand.
His interest in Mickey’s past was driven not only by professional curiosity but also by personal involvement. Carl had worked in intelligence for many years and knew what trouble smelled like. And Mickey was no ordinary criminal. Every time his name came up in conversation, Carl noticed how people froze, as if someone were invoking the name of a mythical monster.
Carl studied the dossier he’d received through old intelligence connections. On one of the files, highlighted with a red border, was a photo of a young man with a cold gaze. It was Mickey, but much younger than Carl had seen him in the rare footage. Carl zoomed in on the image, his eyes lingering on the small details: a scar on the cheek, sharp features that hinted at his strong will. This was the beginning of his path into the criminal network, but something didn’t add up. Why did a man with such a stern expression seem like he wasn’t quite himself? What had made him this way?
Morning found Carl still working. He hadn’t slept all night but appeared collected and focused. After a strong cup of coffee, he sat at the table where a map of Mickey’s alleged connections lay. Among dozens of names, Carl singled out one that made him freeze—Leya. A young woman whose name had come up in witness testimonies. Leya was linked to Mickey’s underground business, but her role remained unclear.
Carl decided to act. He contacted Jack to share some of his findings but didn’t reveal all the details. He knew that any careless move could lead Mickey to discover the investigation.
“Jack, I have some information,” Carl said, holding the phone in his hand. “I think it could be useful for your mission, but I need a little more time to verify everything.”
“What did you find?” Jack asked, his voice sounding tired but interested.
“A name. Leya. She’s connected to several operations, but her role is too unclear. I want to figure this out before you move forward,” Carl replied.
Jack paused for a few seconds. He understood that Carl rarely mentioned something unless it was important.
“Alright. Let me know when you have more information,” Jack responded.
Carl knew time was short. The next few days were spent trying to track down any traces of Leya. Her past was shrouded in darkness, and each new discovery only deepened the mystery. Who was this woman? Why was she so important to Mickey?
Carl moved forward with his investigation, step by step. He turned to old archives, searched through databases, and even used his old connections in intelligence. One of his sources was his former colleague, Richard, who had once worked on a case related to the syndicate that Mickey was involved with.
“Carl, are you sure you want to get into this?” Richard’s voice sounded concerned. “This guy is not just another criminal. He has too many connections and too few weak spots.”
“I know,” Carl replied. “But I have no choice. Mickey is getting close to destroying everything we’ve worked for. If I find the weak link, we can use it against him.”
Richard sighed but agreed to help. He handed Carl an old report on the criminal network, which included several key figures, including Leya. Her name was mentioned as the link between the cartel and the front companies through which Mickey laundered money.
The day was hot, and Carl finally decided to leave the house to cool off a little. He walked down a quiet street, thinking about his next strategy. For a moment, he wondered if he was taking too many risks. But then he thought of his team. Jack, Derek, Ali, and Sam — all of them were depending on the information he could gather. He knew he had to keep going.
On his way back, Carl noticed a suspicious person trailing him from a small distance. Dark clothes, unremarkable appearance — all of this reminded Carl of the old surveillance tricks. He quickened his pace, turned into a narrow alley, then another. But when he looked back, the follower was gone. “Either I’m paranoid, or someone really is following me,” he thought.
Carl decided not to return home immediately. Instead, he headed to a small café on the outskirts of town that he used as a meeting place and for analyzing data. There, he took out his laptop and began to work. More and more pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit together.
Leya turned out to be not just linked to the criminal world. Her mother ran one of the underground brothels used by Mickey for meetings with high-ranking officials. Leya was there against her will. Carl found a statement from a former worker at this place, who claimed that Leya often helped hide compromising materials, protecting the cartel.
By evening, Carl returned home. His mind was full of thoughts, but he felt that he was getting closer to the answer. He contacted Jack again.
“Jack, I found something important. Leya is connected to the brothel Mickey used for his operations. She might have the information we need,” Carl said.
“That’s risky,” Jack replied. “If we draw her attention, Mickey might act before we have time to prepare.”
“I understand, but this is our chance. I have a plan to make contact with her,” Carl said, his voice full of confidence.
Late at night, Carl sat in his office, reviewing the latest data. His phone vibrated — it was Richard.
“Carl, I have more information. Leya is not just part of their network. She’s a key player. If you find her, you’ll find a way to take down Mickey,” Richard said.
These words made Carl pause. His intuition told him Richard was right. Leya could be the link that would break Mickey’s entire chain. But how to reach her without spooking her?
Carl worked on his meeting plan with Leya almost all night. He needed not only to make contact with her but to do so in a way that she wouldn’t feel threatened. Her connection to Mickey and her mother’s brothel was the key, but Carl knew that Leya was likely a victim of circumstances herself. He decided that meeting her directly would be too risky, so he needed to find an alternative route.
The next day, Carl headed to one of the places where, according to his information, Leya might frequent. It was a small bookstore on the outskirts of town, a place that didn’t quite fit her supposed image. But the information from the former brothel worker indicated that Leya often sought refuge there from the harsh reality of her life.
Carl entered the store, looking around. In the far corner, almost hidden behind the shelves, he noticed a girl with soft features and large brown eyes. It was Leya. She was reading a book, completely absorbed in the text. Carl watched her for a few minutes, deciding how to approach her.
“Interesting book?” he asked with a slight smile, pretending to accidentally be nearby.
Leya looked at him cautiously but, noticing his friendly tone, relaxed slightly.
“Yes, it’s about people who survived the impossible,” she replied, closing the book to show the cover.
Carl nodded, understanding that her choice wasn’t random.
“Sometimes books are our way of escaping reality,” he said.
Leya smiled faintly, but her eyes remained wary. Carl knew he couldn’t afford to rush things.
“If you frequent this place, perhaps we could discuss shared interests,” he added. “I write articles about people with unusual stories. Maybe you could share yours?”
Leya tensed again, but a glimmer of interest appeared in her eyes.
“Why me?” she asked.
“Because in your eyes, there’s a story worth hearing,” Carl answered, choosing an honest approach.
Leya did not give a definite answer, but Carl felt that he had left an impression. He left her his phone number, suggesting she contact him if she wanted to talk. It was a risky move, but the only possible one.
Back home, Carl passed on the latest details to Jack.
“We have a chance, but it might take time,” he said. “She’s not just part of Mickey’s scheme. She wants to break free, but she’s afraid.”
“We need to convince her that we have a solution,” Jack said. “If she’s on our side, it will change everything.”
A few days later, Carl received a message. It was from Leya. She agreed to meet but set a condition—she would choose the place and time. Carl understood that this was her way of maintaining control.
They met at a quiet café. Leya was clearly nervous, her hands trembling as she held a cup of coffee.
“Why do you want to help me?” she asked.
“Because you deserve a better life than the one you have now,” Carl replied. “And because with your help, we can end this chaos.”
Leya stared at him for a long time, weighing all the risks. Finally, she said:
“Okay. But if they find out, I’m dead.”
This moment marked the beginning of a new phase in the investigation. Leya began sharing the information she knew, and it confirmed Carl’s darkest suspicions. Mickey used her mother’s brothel for meetings with influential people, gathering compromising materials and manipulating them. Leya was the link, and her help could destroy the entire network.
But now they were both in mortal danger. Carl knew that every move they made was being watched, and he needed to act quickly to protect Leya and use her information in the fight against Mickey.
After the meeting with Leya, Carl knew they had taken the first step, but the path to destroying Mickey’s scheme was long and dangerous. He gathered all the information she had provided and began analyzing it. Derek and Jack, learning of the results, began exploring ways to use this data.
Leya returned to her life, trying to avoid drawing attention. Her fear grew stronger, but her desire to escape this nightmare gave her strength. She regularly contacted Carl through encrypted messages, providing him with new details. It was a survival game, where every mistake could be fatal.
One of the key discoveries was the information that Mickey planned to use the brothel not only for blackmail but also for a secret meeting with a representative of an unknown international group. This meeting was supposed to take place in the next week, and it was connected to some important document. Leya didn’t know all the details, but she was sure that this document was crucial to Mickey’s entire operation.
“We need to get to that meeting,” Jack said, discussing it with Carl and Derek. “This is our chance to get the evidence and find out who’s really behind this whole operation.”
“Too risky,” Derek objected. “If we’re caught, the consequences will be catastrophic.”
“We can’t afford to miss this opportunity,” Jack insisted. “If Mickey completes this deal, his network will become virtually untouchable.”
Carl suggested a compromise. They could use Leya to set up a hidden camera or recording device in the room where the meeting was supposed to take place. This would reduce the risks for their team but would make Leya vulnerable.
When Carl proposed this idea to Leya, she was silent for a long time, thinking it over. Her hands were trembling again as she held the phone, but her voice remained firm.
“I’ll do it,” she said. “But if something goes wrong, I need to know you’ll get me out.”
“We guarantee your safety,” Carl said, though he understood just how dangerous their plan was.
The next day, Leya returned to the brothel under the pretense of meeting her mother. She took a small package with her, which contained the device disguised as an ordinary object. Installing it was difficult, as the premises were guarded by Mickey’s men, but she managed to do it when no one was looking.
Meanwhile, Carl and Jack were watching the situation from a safe location. The signal from the device confirmed that it was recording, and now they just had to wait for the meeting to begin.
That evening, Carl received a message from Leya. She was terrified.
“They suspect something. One of the guards checked the room, but he didn’t seem to find anything. I need to leave before it’s too late,” she wrote.
Carl immediately responded, instructing her on how to safely leave the building. When Leya was safe, he felt a sense of relief but knew that the situation was intensifying.
The next day, they received the recording. Carl, Jack, and Derek gathered at Carl’s house to listen to it. The recording began with the sound of a door and footsteps. Then, the voice of Mickey was heard.
“It has to be done by the end of the week. They’re demanding confirmation, or the deal will fall through.”
“The documents are with us, but there’s a problem,” said another voice, which none of them could identify.
“There shouldn’t be a problem. Find a way,” Mickey replied sharply. “If anyone interferes, we’ll deal with it. I have my people.”
The recording cut off for a few seconds, then several more voices could be heard, discussing something in another language.
“This is the key to the puzzle,” Jack said, stopping the recording. “We need to figure out what documents they’re talking about and who this second person is.”
“We won’t be able to do this without Leya’s help,” Carl added. “But every day she becomes more vulnerable.”
“Then we need to come up with a plan to ensure her safety,” Derek said. “This is becoming personal.”
