Chapter 927 - 926: The Ultimate Car Thief

Late at night.

"Finally, some peace and quiet."

Jesse lay there, exhausted. "These past few days have been a total mess—crazy, outrageous stuff driving me up the wall."

"A guy like Hamburger doesn't even get the death penalty for this?"

Adam chimed in with a sarcastic jab.

"Public opinion these days is leaning more and more toward abolishing the death penalty," Jesse said with a helpless shrug. "New York hasn't gotten rid of it yet, but when it comes to sentencing, they barely ever use it anymore."

"Whose public opinion?" Adam scoffed. "The prison industry tycoons? Of course they're all for scrapping the death penalty. That way, all the people they herd into prisons become nearly free labor. And unless you're living for thousands of years, those super-criminals who get slapped with thousands or tens of thousands of years in jail? They'll be working for them forever."

Jesse let out a sigh. "You're someone at the top of the pyramid—why do you care more about society's dark underbelly than us folks at the bottom?"

"Because I'm a doctor," Adam replied with a laugh, sidestepping the real reason: habits picked up from his past life as an internet warrior. "I'm in the hospital every day, surrounded by this kind of stuff. Haven't you noticed the trend? Those prison industry big shots are shoving millions of people behind bars. Young folks slip up just a little, get a record, and from then on, they're in and out of jail—prime free labor. In other words, it's all about the money!"

"And even if we notice, what can we do about it?" Jesse closed her eyes. "We're powerless."

"True," Adam agreed. "All we can do is look out for ourselves."

"…I don't need you looking out for me!" Jesse swatted Adam's hand away.

Adam chuckled. Jesse was one of his FBI contacts—similar to Kate in some ways. They weren't as high up the ladder as Juno, but they were still more valuable than your average connection. When they hung out, he'd subtly steer her worldview. If their values clashed too much, it'd cause headaches down the line. Luckily, Adam's own charm and skills—both mental and physical—were top-notch. Even though Jesse's perspective was already set, he could still sway her when he put in the effort. That was enough.

"So, what's up with that Route 85 Chicago Ghost?" Adam changed the subject.

As their bond deepened, Jesse had started sharing work-related stuff with him—things that were supposed to stay confidential. Part of it was her needing to vent; the other part was relying on Adam's brilliant mind to help her untangle cases. Hmm… It was a trick her best friend Kate had suggested, backed by plenty of proven success. At first, Jesse resisted, even scoffed at the idea. But now? She'd gotten hooked without even realizing it.

The whole plan about Hamburger, the "Devil Father," and his crew trying to bust out death row inmates? It all came up during interrogations—not because of the FBI's brilliance, but because Hamburger himself spilled everything. Super-criminals like him, once caught, loved confessing it all to cement their legend status.

"With Brian the car god on the case, how could there still be a highway ghost?" Jesse opened her eyes. "But you'll never guess what this ghost turned out to be."

"A ghostly female driver?" Adam asked, curious. "Or some kid?"

Jesse paused. "He's only 15. Three years ago, when he was 12 and barely able to reach the steering wheel, he started stealing cars. Taught himself how to drive—and his skills? Even Brian's a little jealous. It took everything we had, chasing him down with better cars until he ran out of gas. That's how we finally nabbed him."

"And then what?" Adam grinned. "How'd they handle it? Don't tell me Brian recruited him into the crew?"

"We're not that shameless," Jesse said, rolling her eyes at him. "He's still a kid—and a pitifully good one at that. Years ago, his parents got into a fight while driving and crashed. Both died, leaving him alone. An elderly Black man took him in, but the guy's health was bad. So at 12, this kid started stealing cars to make money and support them. He's always been gentle, though. After the crash, he developed tinnitus, and since his mom was a singer, he's never without his earphones—always listening to music. He even records interesting sounds from his life, remixes them, and turns them into rap-style tracks."

"How's the music?" Adam asked.

"I think he's got real talent," Jesse said.

"Then he should study music and become a singer someday," Adam suggested with a smile.

"Easier said than done," Jesse replied, shaking her head. "Liking something's one thing; making it a career is another. Plus, he's a criminal now. He hurt several CPD officers during all this. Jail time's unavoidable."

"Come on, you're telling me you guys won't recruit him?" Adam cut straight to the point.

Jesse hesitated. "Brian really likes him. Says his talent might even rival yours. And Baby's got a great personality. Brian wants to guide him onto the right path."

"Baby?" Adam laughed.

"That's the kid's nickname," Jesse said with a touch of pity. "His mom always called him that, so he uses it too."

"You're really sold on this kid, huh?" Adam said, surprised by the look on Jesse's face.

"You haven't seen him," she said with a sigh. "If you did—even just a glance—you'd know he's a genuinely good kid. He's the type who could walk into a den of criminals, and they wouldn't even want to hurt him. He only ended up like this because life forced him into it."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Adam teased. "Tell Brian to buzz off! His path is a bottomless pit. If he mentors this Baby, it'll be three years, then another three—never seeing the light of day."

"Brian's off in Miami," Jesse said, glancing at Adam. "He said he'd check on Baby after he's done there. Want to go see him?"

"You want me to help Baby?" Adam asked with a grin.

"Yeah," Jesse nodded. "He's a good kid. I don't want him getting dragged down the wrong road—or ending up on Brian's thrilling but insanely dangerous path."

"Sure, I'll take a look," Adam agreed, then added playfully, "But how're you gonna thank me?"

Jesse rolled her eyes hard. Still, the thought of Adam stepping in and giving Baby a shot at a bright future softened her. Holding back a retort, she cracked a smile.

"Deal!" Adam clapped his hands.

"…I didn't even say anything yet!" Jesse stared at him, bewildered.

"Your smile's thanks enough," Adam teased. "You know I've always loved those little dimples of yours."

"Pfft!" Jesse froze for a second, then spat at him in mock disgust, defeated by his shamelessness.

Adam grinned triumphantly, already thinking about this "Baby." A kid Jesse could spot as pure-hearted at a glance? He was curious—especially since the boy had such killer driving skills at such a young age. If Baby really was as good as Jesse said, Adam didn't mind lending a hand. Call it his good deed of the day.

Hmm… At the end of the day, it was just Adam's kindness—his habit of doing good. Definitely not because he was charmed by some cute dimples!

(End of Chapter)