High City Cartel, was located in Bogotá, Colombia. Was, because it was also destroyed in the past year.
The cartel received its name because it was mainly located in Bogotá, one of the highest cities above sea level, in the world. To add to its 'prestige', High City Cartel was one of the biggest illegal organizations around the globe, maybe top 2, that's why the name 'High City' became more fitting as the cartel was really powerful.
In Bogotá, it didn't become like New York years ago, the place was civilized and the only criminals from the high hierarchy were allowed to make territory in the city. The people were left alone, and some would even like their presence as they made their environment better by doing maintenance in the city as well as building more places so they could enjoy their free time, thus indirectly improving the other citizens' life.
The cartel had many trafficking routes, every country in Latin America had one affiliation with High City. Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, all countries in Latin America, including those that in the past had their own illegal organizations.
In the last year, out of nowhere, there was a big explosion somewhere between the city of Bogotá and the National Park of Natural Chingaza. Even from miles away, people could see the explosion rising up in the sky.
Many didn't know what happened on the first day, but people who were aware of the activities of the High City Cartel, were all afraid.
And then, on the second day, it blew up. Media from everywhere was reporting some kind of war between cartels, in which the High City Cartel was losing.
The thing is, though, no one knows to this date, who attacked the High City Cartel.
After three days, it seemed that the happenings died down a bit as the explosions stopped and the gunshots ceased, so with the cartel's grip on the government now gone on the fourth day, the USA pressed the remains of the Colombian government to let their forces go in and investigate the matter.
Came the FBI, CIA, and even some NSA agents. All of them admitted that the scene was brutal, the killers of the High City Cartel, didn't just kill them, they mangled the bodies. The drug dealers were all cut almost to pieces, they had no chance at whatever attacked them.
Three days and the cartel was gone, no one knows what exactly happened, and who did it.
Henrique, the person that died not many days ago, was now under the scrutiny of being involved. That for the simple existence of a notebook found inside his apartment.
A book, with many locations that could be related to drugs since it detailed some sort of storage and transactions with other entities unknown to the police. The location was of cities around the High City Cartel's main territory, to add more likelihood to this possibility, Henrique left just three days after the demise of such organization, contracted by another organization connected with illegal activities.
Many doubts still rise in the air. Such as, why Henrique left Gobert Industries if this company took him out of the country? Why this organization, with a bunch of killers, freed him? And what exactly was Henrique's role inside the company?
That's what Nicholas was pondering right now, and what everybody on the team was looking at him, hoping that he could answer.
Nicholas looking at the people present, Jeremy, Isabella, Jessica, Joseph, even the police chief, decided to devise another plan.
"All right. This is not a dead-end, we just need to gather more information. Since you are here, Chief Jennickins, I will ask you to talk to some people to get information from Colombia. We do not have any information about the family of Henrique, which is important because we need to access any conditions of his departure from his home country. If he left obligated, willingly, or whatever the case may be." Nicholas spoke to the old man that had his elbows above the table and hands holding his chin.
Since High City Cartel was controlling the country, the USA doesn't have access to much information about the native people because the government was rebuilding itself. Even after the death of High City cartel members, the USA still struggles to set a meaningful relationship with the country. But maybe, someone with the chief's influence and career could move a few sticks.
And also fact that the remaining illegal dealers are eyeing the now vacant position, the Colombian government has its hands full with these remnants besides governments like the USA that are trying to get information and gains out of this situation.
Chief Jennickins understanding the situation, nodded at Nicholas and left.
Chief Jennickins is necessary because against what Nicholas believed, Jeremy wasn't able to find any information about this matter on the accessible databases. He did found the Colombian police's network, but it was surprisingly cohesive and he would need about one or two days to fully get in, which now could be done more efficiently since it was the police chief of New York City and Jeremy's information wouldn't be validated as Isabella caught Nicholas speaking about it out loud and gave a lecture about the subject and how they shouldn't be considering hacking as an option.
"Another route that we have to explore is the Gobert Industries. We need to find the function that Henrique exercised while working with the company. For that, I ask you two, Isabella and Jessica to solve. Please, do it stealthily." Nicholas continued while looking at the female duo seating beside each other to his left.
They both just nodded their heads.
Finally, Nicholas looked at Jeremy and Joseph.
"Jeremy, you found other information about the life of Henrique here in New York City, correct? You will write it down on a report before you go with Joseph to the office of Deputy Director Andrew, taking this book with you." Nicholas said raising the notebook found inside Henrique's apartment.
Isabella and Jessica who were still present looked at each other in shocking understanding. Director Andrew was almost some kind of a beast in terms of intelligence. He did lots of contributions to the department, he sometimes is considered more important than the police chief himself.
Earlier, the female duo saw some of Jeremy's skills, they were impressed. Even Joseph, who Jessica wasn't very fond of because of their interactions on the morgue when they went there together, was very jealousy of Jeremy, but he knew it would only do any good for him if his profession was similar to the Director's, which in Jeremy's case, would apply very well since, to Joseph, Jeremy was an IT guy, and Deputy Director Andrew could be considered a great name in the computer science field.
Hearing Nicholas speak his next words made the rest of the team present even more certain his intentions to make Jeremy learn from the Director.
"There, he will analyze the information contained, and for that, I hope you pay attention to his skills. As for Joseph, you might want to be present as this book has important transactions, I want you to help and decode the records written on it, though Andrew will certainly be able to help in that regard too." Nicholas completed, as they both left the room.
Now with only Jessica and Isabella waiting at his side, Nicholas looked at the both of them and spoke.
"Go on. What are you two waiting for?" Nicholas's voice an obvious tone as he got up and left the room to attend to his own business.
Isabella looked at Jessica, which the latter reciprocated the act, and they both left as well.
Outside the room, Nicholas felt Joseph touch his shoulder so he turned around and looked at the young man with an expression that asked what is the matter.
Joseph was serious, his expression that of a person slightly annoyed, he then asked.
"You said I would get a sponsor, as well as keep my research. Why haven't I received a lab or even money to get the necessary materials?" His voice was matching with his tone as he spoke in a high-intensity manner.
"Hahaha... You lost yourself in your own words. I did say I would get you a sponsor and you could keep your research. Both are happening. I am your sponsor as I have provided you with access to the police's morgue and you can keep researching on the bodies that you receive." Nicholas said as he turned around and started to walk away.
Joseph was perplexed.
"Are you fuucking serious? This is not what I signed up for." Joseph yelled as his voice echoed on the hallway they were in.
"You did not sign up for anything. Just stay for a while, you will not dislike it." Nicholas replied as he kept walking away.
He now was heading to Papa John's building in Manhattan, a tall building where the mafia boss keeps his office.
Arriving inside the building, Nicholas already knew that John would be inside the office instead of the golden throne in the bathroom, so he went straight to the room.
Opening the door, Nicholas found Papa John wearing glasses and looking at a pile of paper.
"So, John. Why have you called me?" Nicholas asked, walking to the couch on the sidewall in front of Papa John.
The latter just took off his glasses with his huge hands and got up with the same papers in hand, walking closer to Nicholas.
"Remember when you asked me to check an operation in the Bronx, where there was a drug lab inside a warehouse?" Papa John asked with a solemn expression, looking from the paper in his hands and towards Nicholas.
Nicholas nodded his head as Papa John kept going.
"Turns out I figured some information, after all." Papa John said, giving the papers in his hands to Nicholas.
As Nicholas was reading the paper, Papa John explained.
"A few days ago I bought Bad Angels, the gang. It has a nice leader, but he was surrounded by incompetent people, the gang wasn't going anywhere. The leader, named Lincoln, is a methodic man and he kept the records of the services that they have made. I have skimmed through some of these records and I've found the one you were looking for." Papa John now had a slight smile on his face.
Nicholas was still reading the papers, finding John's discovery very useful.
Even though Nicholas is someone bored and is trying to get some emotions with things like, killing Henrique and incriminating Gobert Industries to start hunting them in a way that he is handicapped and using bureaucratic ways to do it, it's just to feel more attracted to the matter at hand. And he finds these unknown matters, like the drug lab, even more exciting as he doesn't know what is going to happen next.
He knows that he could just go to Midnight Hotel and kill everyone, but where is the fun in that?
After thinking for a few moments, Nicholas looked up to Papa John who still had a smile on his face.
"The warehouse was registered as one of the properties under the Bad Angels. As well as the name of the man who contracted them was written on these papers. His name is Julius, I don't have any information on him or his other business. But the drug facility was some sort of task, and the quota to completion was not met when you found the lab. And more, they canceled the contract and parted ways with Bad Angels. When I called the leader to ask, he said that one of his men messed up and this Julius left." Papa John spoke in his Italian accent voice, highlighting the vowels.
Nicholas just smiles and immediately says.
"Let them be, for now. He most definitely will cross paths with me again, we just have to wait. And since he is fabricating drugs, he must be some sort of crazy person or a very powerful one. Challenging Midnight and Bliss at the same time is not ending well." Nicholas replied with a grin on his face, excitement rising inside his body at the news of more players.