Imitate Skinny Dog's voice?
When Ethan said that, both Lucas and Miles were taken aback.
With a mix of surprise and skepticism, Lucas asked seriously, "Ethan, are you sure about this?"
"You think you can nail Skinny Dog's voice that quick, and the other two fugitives won't catch on?"
"You know this is our best shot at nabbing those other two."
"If something goes wrong, we're gonna be in a world of trouble."
Ethan had been impressive before, no doubt.
But this was a golden opportunity to catch two major fugitives, and naturally, Lucas was extra cautious.
If they slipped away again, the situation would get even more complicated!
And the possibility of a revenge killing spree was all too real!
Ethan didn't answer right away.
Instead, he cleared his throat, tested his voice a couple of times, and then, in a tone almost identical to Lucas's, said, "Lucas, I think it's worth a shot."
"I wanted to be a voice actor back in high school, so I practiced changing my voice for a while. I can mimic most voices."
"Plus, phone calls distort voices a bit anyway, most people won't notice a thing."
Sitting in the back, Miles was filled with astonishment and shock at Ethan's voice change, internally exclaiming,
My God...
Ethan's a freaking genius!
Just some self-taught voice changing in high school, and he can mimic anyone just like that!
We took the same classes, how come I feel like a total loser!
But what Miles would never guess...
This wasn't just some high school hobby for Ethan, it was a skill he honed while simulating crimes in his dreams.
To perfectly pull off various forms of fraud, it was a skill Ethan had learned and mastered!
Lucas, however, reined in his astonishment.
The priority was to catch these three federal fugitives, so he immediately pressed his earpiece.
"Jack, get Skinny Dog over here, pronto."
"And make sure the other two don't get wind of anything, or we're in for it!"
With the order given,
Jack, who had been transporting Skinny Dog back to the station, immediately turned his vehicle around and sped towards Ethan's location.
...
Three minutes later.
An SUV drifted into the lot and parked next to Lucas's car.
Jack hustled Skinny Dog into Lucas's car, pulling out a phone sealed in a plastic bag with a frown. "Lucas, those two fugitives called again. If we don't act fast, I think they're gonna bolt!"
In the urgent moment, Ethan didn't wait for anyone else to prompt him. He turned to Skinny Dog, who was shaking like a leaf, and said without a hint of emotion, "Skinny Dog, I need you to say something right now!"
Skinny Dog, trembling non-stop and terrified about facing a long stint behind bars, couldn't muster a complete sentence, just stuttering, "I... I... I..."
But that was all he could get out.
Time and circumstances wait for no one.
"Smack!"
A sharp slap rang out, and Skinny Dog's face showed a panicked look with a clear handprint on his right cheek.
Everyone looked up in shock at Ethan, not expecting him to make such a move. But Ethan seemed indifferent, still staring coldly at Skinny Dog.
"Talk."
Under Ethan's intense gaze, which felt as cold as if he had taken countless lives, Skinny Dog felt more terrified than if he had been sentenced to life. He blurted out nervously, "Detective, what should I say? I don't know what you want me to say!"
Under the immense pressure, Skinny Dog finally managed to speak clearly.
Ethan took his eyes off him, took the sealed phone from Jack, cleared his throat, and pulled out Skinny Dog's phone.
He looked at Lucas seriously and said, "Lucas, we can't pin all our hopes on that fugitive Alex meeting up with the other two."
"So you better have your tech team start tracing this phone number the moment I make this call."
"Even if these guys switch SIM cards right away, they're likely not going to change the meetup spot if they're planning a double-cross. Using both methods to track them is the safest bet."
"I'm making the call now."
"Everybody keep quiet, so we don't tip off these fugitives."
Lucas immediately got the message, opened the car door, and signaled to take Skinny Dog away while he started coordinating with the Detective Bureau's tech team to trace the phone number.
Meanwhile, Ethan answered the call, turned on the speaker, and impatiently shouted in a voice nearly identical to Skinny Dog's, "Yeah, who's this? Why keep calling? Looking to get whacked? I'm busy here!"
Though Skinny Dog seemed completely cowed now.
Ethan could guess...
As a repeat offender with access to high-grade narcotics, Skinny Dog's usual demeanor must have been brazen.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have shown up in the city center dressed as a construction worker, reeking of chemicals.
So, this was the right tone to use.
Three seconds later.
Just as Ethan had anticipated.
The two hidden fugitives, far from being upset by his tone, just chuckled carelessly, "Skinny Dog, I got those five ounces you sent."
"That stuff is pure, man, way better than the cut-rate junk other dealers push!"
With that, everyone in the car was certain.
Just as Ethan had said, these two fugitives hadn't detected anything amiss!
They totally bought that Ethan was Skinny Dog!
Ethan kept his tone impatient, "Of course, the stuff's good. What, you think you can find better in Gotham? Know who runs this turf?!"
"Enough chit-chat."
"Enjoy your fix, five ounces won't kill you. I'm hanging up!"
With that, Ethan hung up without hesitation.
The least experienced, Miles, saw that they had the big fish on the line, but Ethan had just hung up the call. He froze, then anxiously blurted out, "Ethan, what are you doing?"
"Everything was fine, why'd you hang up all of a..."
Ethan pressed his hand down, cutting off Miles's words.
He picked up the phone again as it rang, showed it to everyone briefly, and said calmly and confidently, "That was just a test."
"The real game starts now!"