Chapter 19 — Unclosed Profile

The customer list obtained from the raid opened up a huge amount of work for the whole team. Minh Duc and a group of additional data analysts were mobilized and worked tirelessly to decode and compare each item on the list with the backlog of cases in the system.

"We have identified at least eight cases that are potentially directly related," Minh Duc reported after three days of hard work, his voice both tired and excited. "Some cases have had official conclusions but there are signs of error, others are still under investigation indefinitely."

"This will be the work of many months, even years to come," Bao Nam commented, his voice serious. "But at least we have a solid foundation to start from, and many more families will have a chance to find justice."

Meanwhile, the search for Hoang Anh Kiet continued non-stop. A nationwide arrest warrant was issued, and his image was widely disseminated to local police units, border gates, and airports across the country.

"There is information that he may be hiding in a northern mountainous province," an investigator reported during a briefing, "according to the testimony of one of the arrested subjects, he has relatives in that area."

"We need to send someone to verify immediately," Bao Nam decided, "but we must be very careful, avoid alarming him and causing him to continue to flee if the information is correct."

The next days passed in tension mixed with hope. Although Thao Vy continues her professional work, she cannot completely escape the feeling of insecurity every time she thinks that Hoang Anh Kiet is still free out there, carrying a hatred that could target her or the people she loves at any time.

One evening, while working late at the laboratory, Thao Vy received a call from a strange phone number. She hesitated a bit before picking up the phone, on high alert after what she had been through.

"Miss Dang Thao Vy," a voice rang out, deep and authoritative, different from Dang Quoc Cuong's voice that she had heard in reports, "I am Hoang Anh Kiet."

Thao Vy's heart was pounding, her hand trembled as she held the phone tightly. "What do you want?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm even though her whole body was extremely tense.

"I just want to talk," he replied, his voice carrying an unnerving calm. "You've destroyed almost everything I've built over the years. I think, you deserve to know, I won't give up that easily."

"You should confess and cooperate with the authorities," Thao Vy said, her voice trying to stay steady even though her heart was still pounding. "That is the only way to alleviate the consequences for yourself."

There was a soft, cold laugh on the other end of the line. "You're still too naive, Ms. Vy. I will contact you again, when the time is right." The call ended abruptly, leaving Thao Vy standing there, her whole body trembling because she had just had a direct conversation with the most dangerous person in the entire case.

She immediately called Bao Nam, her voice still shaking as she recounted the entire content of the call. He showed up at the lab just fifteen minutes later, his face filled with both worry and indignation.

"He dared to call you directly," he said, his voice clenched through teeth in anger. "This is a thing blatant provocation, showing that he feels cornered and becomes more reckless."

"Can we trace that phone number?" Thao Vy asked, trying to stay calm.

Minh Duc, called immediately, checked the call. "These are some junk sims, using quite sophisticated anonymization technology," he reported after analysis. "I will try to find the closest broadcast location as possible, but there is a high possibility that he immediately threw away this phone after the call."

"From now on, all calls to your phone number need to be monitored more closely," Bao Nam said, turning to Thao Vy, his eyes determined. "And I think it's time for you to have full-time protection, not only when you go out to work but also when you're at home."

"I don't want to turn my life into a defensive fortress," Thao Vy said, although her voice couldn't hide the fatigue.

"I understand, but this is only temporary, until we catch him," Bao Nam replied, his voice softened but still firm. "I can't take any risks with your safety, especially after this call."

Thao Vy was silent for a moment, then finally nodded in agreement. "Okay, I will follow your arrangement. But I'm also worried about my mother — if he finds out information about me, will he try to target my mother to put pressure on her?"

"I've thought about that," Bao Nam replied, his voice reassuring. "I will arrange for your mother to temporarily move in with a distant relative, or if she agrees, to stay at a safe location with us for the time being, until Hoang Anh Kiet is arrested."

"I'll talk to my mother about this," Thao Vy said, her voice heavy at the prospect of having to further disrupt her mother's life for her safety.

After Bao Nam left to arrange additional protection measures, Thao Vy sat alone in the laboratory, her mind reeling with Hoang Anh Kiet's cold voice still ringing in her ears. She opened her notebook and wrote down the details of the call, trying to recall every word and every tone that could provide more clues to the investigation.

"He said he'd get back in touch when the time was right," she wrote, her hands still shaking a little. “That means, he has a specific plan. It is necessary to prepare mentally for any situation that may arise next."

That evening, when Thao Vy came home and told her mother the whole incident, Mrs. Hoa was silent for a moment before speaking, her voice surprisingly determined. "If necessary, I'm willing to move temporarily. I don't want to become a burden or a weakness that makes you worry more at this time."

"I'm sorry for making you endure all this turmoil," Thao Vy said, hugging her mother tightly.

"You don't need to apologize," Mrs. Hoa replied, gently rubbing her daughter's back. "I'm proud of what you're doing, no matter how dangerous it is. Your father would definitely support you wholeheartedly if he were still alive to see it."

The next day, Ms. Hoa was taken to stay temporarily with an aunt in a neighboring province, under the careful and discreet arrangement of the security team. Thao Vy saw her mother out to the car, her heart was heavy but also somewhat relieved to know that her mother was safe.

"Please take care of your health, be careful wherever you are," Mrs. Hoa advised one last time before getting in the car, her voice filled with emotion. worry.

"I promise, mom," Thao Vy replied, holding her mother's hand tightly through the car door until the last moment before the car rolled away, carrying her dearest person away from danger, even if only temporarily.

Returning to headquarters with a heavy heart, Thao Vy buried herself in work to dispel her worries and continued to assist Minh Duc in collating data from the customer list obtained. Bao Nam stopped by her desk during lunch break, carrying a lunch box.

"You need to eat well, don't let yourself get exhausted," he said, placing the lunch box on the table, his eyes filled with concern.

"Thank you," Thao Vy replied, smiling tiredly. "I just want to focus on work, so I don't have to think too much about last night's call."

"I understand," Bao Nam said, sitting down across from her. "But you also need to take care of yourself. We have a long way to go, and you need to stay healthy so you can make it to the end."

Thao Vy nodded, picked up her chopsticks and ate a few bites of rice, feeling his thoughtful care as a calming medicine amid the overwhelming stress. "With you here, everything seems a lot less scary," she said, her voice sincere.

"I will always be here," Bao Nam replied, gently holding her hand across the table, his eyes filled with unwavering commitment. "Until it's all over, and after that."

In the afternoon, while continuing her work, Thao Vy received a call from the unit verifying information about Hoang Anh Kiet's hideout in the northern mountainous province. "We have confirmed that he appeared in that area three days ago, but now seems to have moved somewhere else," the investigator reported by phone. "We are continuing to trace."

Thao Vy conveyed the information to Bao Nam, and together they analyzed the subject's ability to move next. "He's moving constantly to avoid detection," Bao Nam commented, his voice thoughtful. "This shows that he still has a lot of resources and relationships to be able to hide effectively, even though most of his organization has been destroyed."

"We need to be patient," Thao Vy said, although inside she couldn't help but feel impatient. "Sooner or later, he will make a mistake, leaving us an opening."

"I believe so," Bao Nam replied, nodding in agreement. "We just need to be persistent, cautious, and always ready to seize the opportunity when it appears."