Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 62: The Strategic Alliance

"No need to Venmo me. As long as we find Jonas, that's all that matters," Ryan said, shaking his head. "The team will reimburse these expenses anyway."

At that moment, accompanied by a dominant, regal meow, the tabby returned. It sauntered back with its usual swaggering, untamed gait.

Seeing it return so quickly, Nancy asked tentatively, "King Tabby, did you find a lead?"

The tabby replied flatly, "He was stuffed into a huge trunk before being stored into a van. Just come with me, I'll take you to where he was taken."

Nancy’s face lit up. "King Tabby, you really are incredible."

The tabby walked ahead, its tail held high and proud. "Of course, I am the great Tabby after all."

Gray, the little mouse, added with a timid nod, "He's telling the truth! What he said was true! I heard of his reputation from the swimming pool too!"

The tabby seemed to be in an excellent mood after Gray’s flattery. "You know, you're alright, kid. I'll grant you immunity from being eaten next time!"

Gray immediately clasped his tiny paws together in gratitude. "Thank you, King Tabby!"

Nancy suppressed a smile. Immunity from being eaten? What a peculiar cat.

The tabby led Nancy to the northern exit of Silk Willow Lane. It tilted its chin toward a specific spot. "This is the spot. The men stuffed him into a trunk before moving it into a van."

Nancy looked around and spotted a surveillance camera mounted by the roadside. "Perfect! There's a camera right here!"

Nancy quickly relayed the information provided by the tabby to Officer Shaun. Shaun grew excited. "I'll contact the local businesses and the traffic department to pull that footage immediately!"

With a specific time and location, Shaun soon retrieved the footage of the van. The video showed two burly men dressed as movers loading a long, rectangular wooden crate into the back of the van. According to King Tabby, Jonas was lying inside that box.

Shaun let out a cold laugh. "A classic bait-and-switch. They made it look like a standard delivery."

Nancy frowned, her heart aching with worry for Jonas. Even though they had found a trail, the group didn't feel relieved; if anything, the urgency grew.

Ryan’s lips trembled with anxiety. "We have to find him quickly. I’m terrified his life is in danger!"

Shaun’s voice was grim. "This missing person case is officially a kidnapping now. I’ll contact Sam right away for backup."

Nancy added quickly, "Could you ask Sam to send my brother, Simon? We work exceptionally well together, and it'll speed things up."

"Of course!" Shaun nodded.

Once they locked onto the van’s license plate, the police used multiple traffic cameras to track its route. The vehicle eventually disappeared down a small side road near an abandoned chemical plant. The Townsville police determined that Jonas was likely being held captive inside that facility.

Nancy said her goodbyes to Gray and brought the Squirrel Bros back to the car. She placed the salmon in front of the tabby. "King Tabby, thank you so much for today."

Noticing the parasite bites on the cat's ear again, Nancy added, "Wait for me here tomorrow, okay? I’ll bring some medicine to get rid of those parasites for good."

For some reason, the tabby’s mood soured instantly at her words. It replied coldly, "Just leave."

Nancy immediately sensed the shift in its temperament. "Why are you suddenly so upset?"

The tabby flicked its tail. "The human who left me told me that he'd pick me up the next day, but he never showed up."

Its tone was flat, as if speaking about something trivial. "I kept waiting and I was even nearly captured by bad strays."

Nancy paused, then suddenly beckoned to it. "King Tabby, since you’re so capable, why don't you come with us to rescue the human? We could use a commander like you."

The Squirrel Bros also reached out their paws, waving him over. "We need you, King Tabby!"

The tabby froze for a second, then leaped into the police car. "Fine. Since you’re begging me, I suppose I’ll oversee this operation". It sat obediently on the floor by the seats.

The car sped toward the perimeter of the abandoned factory. When they were about two miles out, Shaun parked in a concealed spot.

"The police car is too conspicuous. We'll rendezvous with the tactical team here," Shaun said. As Nancy stepped out, he gave her a solemn salute. "The rest is up to you."

Ryan waved from the car, his voice thick with emotion. "No matter what happens... thank you."

Nancy set her face in a serious expression and nodded. "My brother and I will bring Jonas back!"

Soon, the criminal investigation vehicles arrived. Simon stepped out, his black tactical gear making him look as sharp and lethal as a blade. The presence he radiated was overwhelming. He was followed by several other officers in full tactical gear.

"Nancy!" Simon’s cold, sharp features softened the moment he saw her.

"Simon!" Nancy felt a surge of excitement. "What’s the plan?"

Simon knelt down and gently tapped on the animal carrier. "First, we’ll ask our little friends to scout the factory. We need to know if Jonas is inside and exactly how many guards we're dealing with."

The Squirrel Bros scrambled out immediately. "On it! We're all here!" Having witnessed Simon take down criminals before, the two squirrels were now his biggest fans.

Two miles from the factory, Simon strode forward with agile steps, carrying the squirrel carrier in one hand while steadying Tabby in his other arm. Nancy followed cautiously about fifteen yards behind him, flanked by two fully armed tactical officers.

Watching her brother move with such effortless speed, Nancy realized she really needed to start working out. If her future cases involved trekking through the wilderness, she wouldn't be able to keep up—and if things got dangerous, she wouldn't even be able to run away.