Geronimo Stilton: INTERPOL-Trouble In France: An Old Enemy Returns

Exposed

0748 hours

"UNBELIEVABLE!"

Kobel had called in for a status report of the operation, and when he got the news that the designers had fallen into the hands of The Technologists, he changed from calm to a pissed off, raging bull. The entire Crew listened to Kobel and Geronimo in the lobby.

"But sir, if you'd just let us explain-" Geronimo said before getting cut off.

"I DON'T NEED TO LISTEN YOUR GODDAMN EXCUSES, STILTON!" Kobel snapped. "All I know is that I gave you one easy task to do, AND YOU BLEW IT! Now we have six, SIX, missing women in total, what am I gonna tell their agencies and families? Huh?!"

"I know we failed, but I know somehow we can make this right. If you just gave us one more chance-"

"You had your last chance when I entrusted you with that task. Your team was one of my elites, you know that? I'm really disappointed, Stilton. How could you let your guard down in the middle of an operation like this?"

I tapped into call with my chip and listened to the whole thing. I snarled up, so I walked up to Geronimo and snatched the phone from his paw. "Sir, this is Agent Arif. No disrespect but I just wanna make things clear on why the transport didn't go so well. One: we never let our guard down. Ever since our arrival, we kept a close guard of the designers, all eyes and ears open. Some of us even patrolled the hotel for suspicious activity, so again, no disrespect, don't you dare twist the fact that we stayed vigilant at all times. Two: it wasn't Agent Stilton's fault we failed. All of this was unforeseen! We didn't know something was wrong until I felt it. And for that, I take the blame. Because I sensed it too late, and I was the one who urged them to hurry to the transport. By the time we discovered about the drivers being swapped, we were to late. But mark my words: we will make it right. We WILL find and rescue them, bring 'em home. You just give us one more chance."

"I can't argue with your point..." he replied. "Fine. ONE. More. Chance. But if you so much screw this one up..."

"We won't."

A moment of silence passed. "Very well. I'll get your team right to it. Good luck." Kobel terminated the call.

"He seemed pissed..." Russell commented, having his arms crossed.

"He is," I agreed, giving Geronimo his phone back. "But I explained everything, straightened things out, and convinced him to give us another shot."

"That's good news, but in what order are we gonna do things? Catch the mole, or find the designers?" Benjamin asked.

"I think that's pretty straightforward, Benjamin," Trap clarified. "If we can catch the mole first, I BET that she has information on where The Technologists took them."

"Trap... has a point," Thea responded.

Trap carved a proud smile.

"But who should we deduct? Our suspect list is getting shorter," Paulina pointed out.

"Think," Geronimo urged, stroking his chin. "Who else has the most information about the event besides Roux?"

"Obviously not Secretary General Kobel, because Interpol's just a sponsor," Hussein theorized. "I doubt that Roux had told him about the competition in detail."

"Did Roux have any friendships? Someone she would trust enough to tell everything about the fashion week?" Russell wondered.

"Well... There's Antoine..." Hussein said.

"But he said they both met each other just a day before the first day of the fashion week," Geronimo replied. "I seriously doubt that they'd trust each other in such short time."