This guy we're after, he's got blood on his hands—a real desperado, skittish as a spooked deer.
Any little thing out of the ordinary, and those two hiding out will bolt, vanish without a trace.
Because getting caught? That's a one-way ticket to life behind bars, maybe even the chair.
Take Alex, for instance. He's still loitering around the pedestrian street, hasn't been called back yet. Shows you how careful they are.
When they think the cops haven't sniffed them out, they're extra cautious. But once they know their cover's blown, they could do anything—total wild cards.
That's why Ethan hung up first just now—classic cat-and-mouse game.
He's trying to lower their guard completely.
Ethan's pulled this move in countless training scenarios over the last four years. He's got it down pat.
Sitting in the back with him, Jack took a few seconds to think over Ethan's move and then said, appreciatively, "That's some slick work."
"It's like reverse psychology at its finest."
"Normally, if Skinny Dog missed several calls, you'd think the cops got him."
"But picking up suddenly this time? There's a solid chance Skinny Dog might've flipped."
"So if we'd asked directly about the next deal or the location, we'd have spooked them, sent them running."
"But hanging up proactively? That'll definitely ease their suspicions."
"After all,"
"In the mind of a fugitive, a cop wouldn't just hang up if they were close to making a bust!"
"Smart, the attention to detail..."
Before he could finish,
Jack cut himself off.
Because Ethan had just picked up another call from them.
On speakerphone, mimicking Skinny Dog's voice, Ethan snapped, "The hell you want? You trying to get whacked?"
"I told you, I'm busy. Why the hell you keep calling?!"
Ethan's rough, irritated tone didn't piss off the fugitives. Instead, it reassured them.
"Skinny Dog, cool it, man, cool it."
"If I didn't have a big deal, why would I bother you when you're chilling?"
"It's a big deal, urgent business!"
Ethan's mouth twisted into a sneer.
Big deal? More like they can't wait to double-cross.
"Big deal?"
"What the hell kind of big deal could you have? The five ounces of coke from today should keep you busy for a while."
"Don't bug me unless... unless you want trouble!"
To add credibility,
Ethan even faked the disoriented state of someone high, his words crude, like some uneducated street thug.
On the other end of the line,
they seemed even more eager, urging him on.
"Skinny Dog, it really is a big deal!"
"You can tell I'm not from around Gotham, came all the way from Washington State to do business in the big city."
"That five ounces was just to test the waters, see if Skinny Dog's stuff was pure."
"And now I see."
"Skinny Dog, you're the top dog in Gotham's underworld, your stuff is top-notch, so I'm thinking of buying more, make a profit back in Washington State."
"Skinny Dog, you got..."
"Got two packs to spare for your boy?"
Meanwhile,
Lucas quietly opened the car door, giving Ethan and the others an OK sign.
That meant...
The Detective Bureau's tech team had pinpointed the rough location of these two fugitives through the phone number.
Next,
it was time to see where these fugitives would choose to deal, and if it matched the tech team's location!
Ethan squinted, paused for two seconds, then continued, "Two packs?"
"One pack's eight ounces, two would be sixteen, you little punk, you think you can handle that much blow?"
"You wouldn't be a cop trying to draw me out, would you?"
"Two packs of blow?"
"If I get caught, I won't even get a chance at bail, just straight to life!"
His roaring and cursing, mixed with underworld slang,
made Lucas, standing nearby, raise an eyebrow in surprise and then exhale deeply.
He was amazed at where Ethan had picked up so many unique skills, almost like a criminal mastermind.
Lock-picking, voice-changing, psychological profiling—none of this stuff is taught at the police academy!
But seeing Ethan in his police uniform,
all of Lucas's doubts and surprises instantly vanished.
No matter where he picked up these quirky skills.
As long as Ethan's wearing that badge and uniform, that's all that matters!
The phone on speaker.
The voice of the fugitive came through again.
"No way, Skinny Dog!"
"How could I be a cop, man? If I was sent by the cops to set you up, would I still be calling? You know what I mean?"
"I'm just looking to make a quick buck with those two packs of blow, that's all!"
"Skinny Dog, you're the big fish in Gotham. Us out-of-towners wouldn't dare mess around, right?"
"So, what do you say, Skinny Dog? You in on this deal?"
Ethan's lips curled into a slight smile.
He knew he had them dancing to his tune now.
"As long as you're not fishing for cops, I'm down for business."
"You're smart to recognize that in Gotham, if anyone's bold enough to handle two packs of blow, it's me. No one else here has the guts!"
"But..."
"Two whole packs of blow, you know how much that's gonna cost? You sure you can handle it?"
Thinking they had Skinny Dog hooked and planning to double-cross him, the fugitives didn't hesitate.
"Hey, relax, Skinny Dog!"
"We came all the way from Washington State just to do some serious business. Don't worry about us handling it!"
"But..."
"Given the size of the deal, we're a bit wary, even of a big fish like you. So, we'll pick the spot. How about..."
"The abandoned steel mill in the Industrial District on the outskirts of Gotham City?"
"Dealing with this much dope downtown just doesn't work. It's gotta be somewhere secluded. We checked it out, and it's pretty deserted, totally safe for the deal!"
"Feel free to bring a couple more guys. We don't mind."
"After all."
"We're looking to do business long-term, right? You're not just focused on this one payday, are you?"
The abandoned steel mill in the Industrial District!
Hearing this location,
Ethan immediately looked over at Lucas, signaling with his eyes to confirm if this matched the location the Detective Bureau's tech team had found.
Lucas didn't make any extra movements, just nodded slightly.
With that confirmation,
Ethan continued in an irritated tone, as if it was a big concession, "Fine, we'll do it your way."
"Little punks, scared I'll double-cross you."
"All these years, who in Gotham doesn't know that Skinny Dog sells the purest stuff? Even locked up, I never ratted out a single brother."
"Enough talk."
"Meet me at that mill. Once I'm done chilling here, I'll bring the two packs of blow over!"
After saying that,
Ethan didn't hesitate or delay,he just hung up the phone...