prolog

He hated sitting in a little van in the middle of the night and waiting for something to finally happen. He would rather be at home with his little daughter and his wife, but as a police officer it was often not easy to divide up working hours. He should be at home and take care of his sick child, but instead he spent his time in this smelly car next to his longtime partner, Ben Stone. The two of them had started work at the same time and had always been best friends. Ben was an excellent cop who could always be relied on. His rather delicate figure deceived most people, because a hard-nosed policeman lurked inside him, who nevertheless had his heart in the right place. Over the years they had become a well-rehearsed team known for being efficient and successful in solving their cases.
That was why the chief had given them this case. They were supposed to put an end to a jewel smuggler who had long been a mystery to the police.Last night they had finally received a tip that a big animal from this gang of criminals would show up in the little bar in front of them. Maybe this time they could get him. Once he and Ben almost managed to get hold of it, but Silvio DeCloud was a cunning man. At that time they were already face to face, but an escape plan that ended in a shootout managed to escape.
But tonight they would catch him or his lackeys and then this case could finally be closed. Then maybe he would take a few days off. Cassey's small, pale face appeared clearly before his eyes again when he thought of her. For days she had been lying in her bed feverish and her small body was getting weaker and weaker. The doctor said that one would just have to wait, but it was terrible to see his little girl lying there suffering.
"What are you thinking of, Cam?"Ben's voice tore him from his thoughts. He had seen the concern on Cam's face. Normally, no one would notice who glanced at his hard features, but for a good friend it was no secret. The whole of it." In the evening there was something worried in Cam's eyes.
"I think that we should finally bring this case to a close. We have been after him for far too long. It just sucks." Despite this statement, Ben realized that this was not the only reason. There was something absent in his partner's eyes, something that was seldom in his eyes. Although Ben would have liked to know more about it, he left it because he knew from experience that Cam wouldn't say anything. So he took his mug of coffee and just nodded. After all, waiting was one of the most unnecessary situations there was for a police officer.
It was freezing cold in this car. It was a miracle they wouldn't kill themselves in here.That would be a headline one day. "Police officers froze to death while on duty". Ben smiled grimly. Well, it couldn't get that far. “Hopefully I won't get the flu after tonight.” Although Ben had only meant it to ease the atmosphere, Cam continued to withdraw into his thoughts.
He wasn't sure how to answer that. How could Ben joke his partner about the cold and the flu when there were people who, in the worst case, could die from it. But that was wrong thinking, Cam told himself. He had to believe that his daughter would get well again and how many wonderful years they would spend together. He would give anything to hear that little chuckle laugh again. In spite of her 2 years, Cassey was a lovely and happy girl that could rarely be found. She would survive and he had to focus on the case now.
As Cam was saying this to himself, there was movement in front of them.A cigarette was lit and glowed in the dark. Then a man's siluette was walking down the street and at the same moment Cam and his partner got silently out of the car.
The thoughts of his sick daughter were gone, Cam was a professional and when an operation started, there was no place for private worries, then it was necessary to focus his full attention on what was happening in front of them.
Careful not to cause any attention-grabbing noises on the deserted street at night, the two partners sneaked off. There was no doubt that Silvio DeCloud was ahead of them. Cam had recognized him immediately by the slight gait error that was so peculiar to DeCloud, including the typically greasy hairstyle, held by oil, shimmered in the weak light of the scattered street lamps. Today they would get his turn, and Cam would finally be able to close the case and put it on file after the long investigation. A look at Ben told him that he thought the same, grimly determined, with his hand already under his jacket, on the handle of the pistol he strode next to Cam along the gloomy street.DeCloud turned off the street into a small back alley. For a moment the beam of a lantern fell on his face, but the raised collar blocked the view of her opponent's face. For a split second, Cam had doubts, but he quickly banished them from his head, he would not falter right before they could strike! This side street was their chance, the two partners knew that, it was a dead end, Silvio DeCloud was trapped. Well-rehearsed through years of joint service, the two went into position. With his gun at the ready, Ben peered around the corner while Cam was ready to give him immediate support in an emergency. But Ben grinned and raised his arm and indicated to Cam that he could move up safely. Cam couldn't believe his eyes as he looked cautiously down the alley. At the other end of the alley, DeCloud was standing with one hand on the wall, whistling a tune, he seemed to be relieved."Somebody seems to have looked too deeply into the glass.", Ben hissed at his partner, "Today is our lucky day, let's surprise it!"
The two partners scurried quickly and silently into the alley and towards DeCloud. Aprupt ended the happy melody from DeCloud's lips when he felt Ben's cool gun against his temple.
"Now you have probably whistled Silvio. I want you to raise one hand, with the other you put your little friend in your pocket slowly. Don't come up with any stupid thoughts, you would just regret it." Ben visibly enjoyed this long-awaited triumph . He was standing behind DeCloud, legs apart, holding the revolver securely in one hand. With the other hand he quickly fished into Silvio's jacket pockets and carried a pistol and a small knife onto the dirty floor of the alley. Suddenly he stopped. Slowly he pulled a chain out of DeCloud's pocket and looked puzzled at Cam and then back at his find. "That's perfect, caught in the act, who would have thought that you would get so hard working in old age!And now to the business part, you are under arrest, you have the right to an ... "-" But, but gentlemen, we don't want to make any mistakes here too hastily, do we? "
Cam and Ben spun around at the same time as if hit by a blow. In front of them, from a small side entrance that the two policemen had neglected to see, Silvio DeCloud and his entourage stepped out. Tricked, it went through Cam, they had walked blindly into a trap and now DeCloud was standing in front of them personally as they had wanted it to, but the cards were suddenly distributed in a completely different way. Inwardly, Cam wanted to slap himself, how could they both have made such a mistake, they had been too careless in their euphoria. Firstly, they hadn't checked the origin of their tip, secondly, they hadn't made sure enough that Silvio De Cloud was walking down the street in front of them, thirdly, he should have been on his guard when he saw the suspiciously raised jacket collar and at the latest as Ben pulled the chain out of Silvio's jacket, he should have recognized that something was going wrong with things.A professional like DeCloud would never carelessly wear contraband in his jacket, where every little street thief could get hold of it by luck.
"As I can see, you have already met my cousin Ricardo, a very talented guy, I am very proud to be able to include him in the family business. Ricardo turn around so the nice detectives can see what proud personalities our family has ! "Ignoring the revolver on his head, Ricardo DeCloud turned around easily. A smug grin made his inherently unspectacular face even more grimace. Cam wondered feverishly, what was this game about? DeCloud faced them voluntarily? None of his followers had drawn a gun. He was up to something. Maybe, Cam thought, he was just damn confident and knew that they couldn't arrest him as long as they couldn't prove him. So far he had gotten away from them and always left them empty-handed.Then the whole action here would be just a perverse profocation of DeCloud.
Ben seemed to have similar thoughts, Cam recognized the thoughtful signs on his friend's face. There had to be a way out of this situation that wouldn't make them both look like idiots. Cam had to give them both time to think: "Nice to see you again DeCloud. Last time you left us too abruptly, we thought that was a shame. We would have loved to show you one of our pretty rooms. Great comfort: full board, loo in You quickly get used to the room and fitness room within the complex and the bars on the windows, some even say they convey a feeling of security. "
DeCloud just continued to smile smugly. "Unfortunately you won't have any luck today either. I have already thought of something very special for tonight. A couple of friends of mine happened to be in town today and left me some nice presents, as friends do.Now I would like to give these gifts to a few friends again, because they are so sad that they could use a little cheer. The stupid thing is that these friends live outside of our beautiful city and for inexplicable reasons I always have problems with their friendly colleagues at the border. Now I wanted to ask you a little favor, would you both be so kind as to bring these gifts across the border to my friends? "
Ben struggled to keep his petrified face, even Cam found it difficult not to reveal the wild thoughts that were circling in his head to the