Never Judge

Ian was typing frantically on his laptop as he tried to connect to the airport's security cameras. The fact that they had avoided Lucius Ting's spy software with older technology meant that they couldn't watch what was happening live and in action.

Cedric had gotten frustrated from waiting, so Ian proposed this solution. Unfortunately for him no one else could get into the system as fast as he could so the task of hacking into airport security was left on his shoulders.

"Remind me again why we couldn't just have called them and asked for a patch?" Camilla asked over the phone. She was now on video call and could see as Ian tried to get into the system.

"Because it would take too long." Ian said as he kept his eyes on the screen and his fingers kept tapping on the keyboard.

Camilla sighed and shook her head as she knew that Ian probably just didn't want to deal with the employees at the airport. She was sure that he had an ex there, one of the girls he dated between Jas and Nicole.

"Almost there. . ." Ian said, thinking out loud as he looked up at the TV that was now projecting a blank screen.

"One minute." Leon declared as he looked at his watch.

He had told his men to move at the exact moment and if they were late the plan had a chance of failing.

"Got it!" Ian said victoriously as several screens flashed on the TV.

There were various locations on the airport tarmac, one for each screen. Cedric studied the locations and he realized that the only areas that were truly visible to the camera were the target areas as well as Lucius Ting's men.

Sensing that Cedric was looking for where Guan Ming had hidden, Leon took the liberty of explaining it to the young CEO.

"You won't find where Guan Ming hid." Leon told Cedric as he raised his hand to point at the screen on the upper right corner. "That's the closest we can get. Guan Ming and his men specifically chose and area that the cameras couldn't find."

Cedric nodded as he watched the assault begin.

When Leon's men and the members of the military began to move Cedric noticed that Lucius Ting's men were scared for a moment before standing upright and erasing the emotions on their face.

Cedric began to wonder if Lucius Ting had come up with a back up plan, a way to get his men out. Or maybe these men were mere distractions and he had another ploy. A thousand thoughts swirled through Cedric's mind before he felt someone place a hand on his shoulder.

The comforting presence of a friend was more than enough to bring Cedric back from his thoughts and to help him focus at the events that were playing out before him.

"You're worried." Ian said as he read Cedric's expression and mood clearly. He had known Cedric long enough to be able to accurately guess what his friend was thinking at a specific time.

Cedric gave him a slight nod as they watched guns being shot from all sides.

Lucius Ting's men began to panic as they didn't know who to focus their attention on, the men trying to conduct a rescue mission in different locations? Or on the men firing at them?

"You give him too much credit." Ian said with a sigh as he watched the screens with Cedric.

"Who?" Cedric asked as the men from the army slowly inched forward, hiding behind walls, cars, and other structures so as not to get shot. It seemed that Lucius Ting's men came prepared as they had a lot of bullets stashed away in the car that they were now hiding behind.

"Lucius Ting." Ian told Cedric. "He isn't as smart as you think. Honestly I feel like for the most part he got lucky with the people around him."

"How so?" Cedric asked as chaos continued to erupt at the airport.

Two teams had already managed to get to the false locations while the enemy desperately tried to stop the others while defending themselves.

"He managed to get in with the Esteves family in Spain, sure it wasn't an easy task, but all he needed to do was get into their good favor and become trustworthy to climb up." Ian explained as he thought of the different instances in Lucius Ting's life that led him to the so-called success he was now.

"Area Three, secured." Cedric heard Leon's subordinate say as he kept his attention between Ian and the events unfolding at the airport.

"Alright, I'm listening, go on." Cedric told Ian with a nod as he continued to keep his eyes on the screens ahead, listening but not looking at his friend as he tried to explain his theory.

"There is some intelligence in Lucius Ting, that much I am sure of." Ian said as he too only had half of his attention in their conversation while the other half was on the events that were unfolding before them. "He is a Chan after all, but he got lucky when Aiden offered to work with him."

"Lucky or unlucky?" Cedric asked. He knew just how much turmoil followed in Lucius Ting's life.

He might be some self made billionaire now, but he was still hiding from the mafia and his choice to work with Aiden Ortiz was what led him to lose his family.

"Lucky in terms of him seeming smart." Ian said with a shrug. "Camilla has already told us that it was Louise that had come up with all his brilliant plans. He is nothing without his sister, even his plan now seems half baked."

Cedric nodded as he continued to listen to Ian's theory. He was right, what if Lucius Ting was just lucky and not the genius they thought him to be.

"Area four, secured." Cedric and Ian heard some of the men on the ground report.

On the screen where Cedric and Ian could see Lucius' men, something made those men suddenly pause and look up.

Having been distracted for a moment, three now lay dead on the ground.

"Remind the General that I need at least one alive, tell him not to kill them all." Leon hissed at his subordinate, worried that the military would end up killing all of the assailants. "Remind him that we still need to figure out who the hell was behind this and how they got in."

Leon's subordinate nodded and quickly gave the General a call.

Cedric watched as the military slowly changed their approach.

"They are distracted." Cedric pointed out as he noticed Lucius Ting's men looking around, they were no longer focused on just the men approaching them, but they were looking at the rooftops and windows as well.

"That simply means that the sweep team is doing a good job of pretending to be on their side." Leon said with a nod as his expression remained serious and focused at the events unfolding in front of them.

"You don't seem happy about that." Ian pointed out as he teased Leon, he knew exactly why Leon was not smiling, not that the man showed any emotion often anyway.

"We both know that there is no reason to celebrate until this mission is over." Leon simply told Ian, ignoring the cheekiness in the other man's tone.

"Always so serious, Leon." Ian grumbled as he rolled his eyes at Leon. "If my theory is right, then this is probably the last that we will be hearing of Lucius Ting."

Cedric considered everything Ian has said as part of his theory, it was possible that Lucius Ting was simply lucky, but was it a theory we has willing to have hope for?

"What if he gets lucky again?" Cedric asked as he looked at his friend.

"Eh? What do you mean?" Ian said as he gave Cedric a confused look. "Who else does he have to turn to? His sister has been deported, Aiden is dead, there is no one left for him to run to."

"The Esteves Clan has many powerful enemies, plus despite everything, someone in the Chan family is backing him and he is still from that clan." Cedric said as he thought out loud considering every person that Lucius Ting could turn to.

"Are you saying that this is probably not the end?" Ian asked Cedric as he gave him a bewildered look.

"No, all I am saying is that we don't want to underestimate our enemy, not this time." Cedric said as he shook his head. "I don't want to pay the same price as last time, I refuse to."

"Area five and six secured." A soldier said over the radio.

"We are with the package, I repeat, we are with the package. Requesting for support to get us out of here." Another one called through the radio, making Cedric snap his head back towards the screens.

The couldn't see that Guan Ming was already with their men, but Leon's sudden movement confirmed what the soldier meant.

"Have the military close in, that should be enough, everyone run out at the same time." Leon ordered.

"Copy, sir." Cedric heard over the radio as he watched Lucius Ting's men get overpowered by the military while several groups ran for shelter in the airport itself.

"Three." Leon said with a laugh as he pointed at the screen in front of them. "They got three when we only asked for one."

Cedric nodded, surprised that Leon had shown some emotion this time.

"Have them searched for suicide pills, it might be in their teeth." Ian told Leon, who nodded in response and repeated his order.

"Cedric, is he safe? Is Guan Ming safe?" Camilla asked as she was practically in tears.

Ian took out his phone and dialed a number. It rang for a moment until a familiar voice came through.

"Who the fuck is Cedric speaking to during my rescue mission, I'm safe by the way if anone was wondering.." Guan Ming said, making everyone in Cedric's office laugh and let out a sight of relief.