Even Gao Guang, as slow as he might be, could tell that the first call mentioning trouble was fake, while the second call admitting there was trouble was the real deal.
Everyone paused for a moment before John asked with a tone full of suspicion, "What happened?"
Frank looked at George with annoyance and said, "Someone illegally broke into a client's home and triggered the alarm system. Gerard and his team went to the scene and gunfire broke out. Now the police have gone to handle it, but I have to make a trip to the station, too."
Everyone was taken aback, and then John immediately said to George, "Damn it, can't you make up a more believable excuse? Don't you know there are some things you just can't say!"
George, with a defeated look, fell silent.
Frank glanced at his watch and hurriedly said, "I'm not clear about the specifics yet, so let's just get back as soon as possible. There's nothing to complain about, but... George, don't talk like that in the future."
George spread his hands helplessly and said, "Blame me then, fine, I won't say anything more."
At that point, Gao Guang realized that George had breached a major professional taboo.
In many industries, there are jinxes you don't say, like a nurse would never mention how quiet the night shift is, or police staff saying these past few days have been quiet. If you carelessly utter these words, you better be ready to be run off your feet.
And George had just said the company had trouble; how could he casually speak such words? Now it turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
But why lie? Gao Guang was perplexed. However, with everyone in a hurry, it wasn't the right time to seek clarification.
Back in the car, with Rubber driving, he pulled out of the shooting range and suddenly said, "It's just a shooting incident, no big deal. There's nothing else to worry about. Frank will handle it. Kung Fu kid, let's see what your kung fu is really like when we get back to the office."
With John still waiting and now Rubber added to the mix, Gao Guang felt utterly helpless but could only reply, "Alright. But the style I practice is a form, it's different from what you're thinking."
Just then, Frank's phone rang again. But when he pulled it out this time, he glanced at it and didn't answer right away.
"Why aren't you answering the phone, what's wrong?"
Rubber asked, puzzled, and Frank made a gesture for silence before whispering, "Nobody talk."
Frank answered the call and said very calmly, "Hello, you shouldn't have called this number."
It was impossible to hear what was said on the other end, but Frank's expression quickly turned ugly. After listening for a bit, he said very seriously, "Understood, don't call this number again, wait for me to contact you."
After hanging up, Frank let out a long sigh, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly said, "That bastard just told me it was all clear!"
The car fell silent before John asked, confused, "What's the matter?"
"It was the middleman's call. Arturo got picked up again, last night. Zeta Group people stormed his house and took him and his mother."
After speaking with helplessness, Frank turned to Rubber with an angry face and said, "Can you all pay attention in the future? Don't speak out of turn about things you shouldn't; look what's happened now, not only do we have problems but they've all come at once!"
Gao Guang's heart began to pound furiously.
"What? Sh*t..."
"Oh, no!"
John and Rubber had already voiced their helpless lamentations when Frank continued, "The middleman is still in Tijuana. He wants to flee to the United States, but the Zeta Group is searching for him everywhere."
After a brief silence, John said with confusion, "Our mission is already over. Even if that Arturo is captured again, even if the middleman is doomed, what does it have to do with us?"
"Idiot, do you think if the Zeta Group finds the middleman, he'll keep our secret?" Rubber first scorned John before he added, with great frustration, "This mission is really... low pay and lots of trouble."
George whispered, "What does the middleman want us to do? Is he expecting us to conduct another hostage-rescue operation?"
Frank sighed and said, "The middleman is in danger now. He hopes that we can help him. As for the hostages, no one is paying anymore, so there's no mission to save hostages."
"Will the middleman pay us?"
Frank shook his head with a look of helplessness and said, "The key issue is that the middleman doesn't have much money left. He only has less than thirty thousand US dollars. But if we don't save him and let him fall into the hands of the Zeta Group, he will definitely give us away."
Gao Guang couldn't help but say, "Then why did he make this call? Doesn't he fear that we might find him before the Zeta Group and kill him to silence him?"
Having just been kidnapped, Gao Guang was severely paranoid, and he was extremely sensitive about the idea of being silenced by murder.
In Gao Guang's view, the root of their troubles came from the middleman, who knew the ins and outs, not the Zeta Group. So, if they could kill the middleman before the Zeta Group got him, their troubles would naturally be over.
"That's right, why?" John, just coming to grips with what Gao Guang was saying, added with bewilderment, "The middleman, he can't pay, and he is a threat to us, so why did he call you?"
Frank said seriously, "The middleman has no money now, but he said as soon as he leaves Mexico, he can raise at least two hundred thousand US dollars. If we can help him leave Tijuana and get to the United States, he'll give us two hundred thousand US dollars. If we get into a gunfight with the Zeta Group, then he's willing to pay five hundred thousand US dollars, but of course, this is only if he's alive to pay."
John hesitated for a moment, then licked his lips and said with a conflicted face, "Two hundred thousand US dollars? With that much, we'd have enough… um, if we have to rescue someone from the Zeta Group, there's five hundred thousand, that would definitely be enough, but without cash in hand, what are your thoughts, Captain?"
When discussing the mission, John couldn't help but use Frank's code name.
Frank shook his head and said, "I don't know. I can't make up my mind now. Our principle is to receive at least half of the advance payment, but the middleman can't even come up with half right now. It's against our principle, but if we ignore him, the consequences could be severe."
Gao Guang couldn't help but ask again, "Does the middleman know your details?"
"Yes, that's the problem. He knows our details."
"So, even if the middleman tells the Zeta Group your details, what does it matter? You're in Los Angeles. Would the Zeta Group dare to come to Los Angeles to kill? They're just drug traffickers. Do they have the guts?"
Everyone couldn't help but give a wry smile, then Frank said with resignation, "The Zeta Group won't come to Los Angeles to find us, but revenge can take forms other than personal assassination. As long as the Zeta Group is willing to pay, there are plenty of Mexican assassins in Los Angeles that would take a shot at us."
Gao Guang understood; it was a dilemma either way. It was trouble no matter what they did.
After another moment of silence, Frank let out a soft sigh and said, "We have no choice but to take another trip to Tijuana. Gao is right; the middleman is a problem as long as he's alive."
After speaking, Frank glanced at Gao Guang, then continued, "Let's do as Gao suggested. If we kill the middleman, silence him, naturally there will be no more issues."
Gao Guang was stunned, then he said in astonishment, "I didn't say to kill to silence anyone…"
No one argued with Gao Guang. Frank simply continued, "Get ready to go back. This time bring our own gear. We'll cross the border today. We need to deal with this as quickly as possible."