"Mr. Hades, don't worry, this will only take a few minutes."
Raimondo stood up, hurried to the front desk of the cafe, picked up the phone, and started dialing.
Hades narrowed his eyes and gave Elro a look. Elro nodded slightly and walked out, leaving Ottonil and several other men to watch the situation.
---
Medellin
In a suburban manor, Pablo was chatting by the pool with his confidant. Since the year before, his business had been under attack by the Colombian government and the US military, resulting in many casualties and significant impacts on his operations.
His smuggling channels were shutting down one after another, and competition was fierce.
Recently, someone suggested that the Colombian military and police, especially the DEA, needed a strong, bloody lesson, or their business would be impossible to maintain. Pablo hesitated.
Such an action would undoubtedly anger the government forces, who might then fully commit to crushing them. Despite having 20,000 to 30,000 armed men, their individual weapons were no match for government forces.
"Pablo, there's good news," his brother Ochoa said excitedly as he approached.
"What's the good news?" Pablo asked.
"I just got a call from Raimondo. He said he knows a powerful arms dealer who can get us armed helicopters, heavy machine guns, light machine guns, and even armored vehicles, RPGs, and other rocket launchers," Ochoa explained excitedly. "If we get these weapons, we'll have the firepower to fight back against the government forces and defeat them."
"What? Are you serious? We can get heavy weapons?" Pablo asked, grabbing Ochoa's arm in excitement.
His previous hesitation was due to the lack of heavy weapons to counter government forces. Despite his wealth, getting equipment like armed helicopters was nearly impossible, especially after being targeted by the US.
No one was willing to sell to him, making it difficult to upgrade his arsenal and establish the military might he needed for his drug empire.
"It's true, Pablo. I spoke with Raimondo twice, and he seemed very confident," Ochoa assured him.
Pablo knew Raimondo as a key member of the organization and a future asset. "Where is he now? Is he still with the arms dealer?"
"Yes, Raimondo is with the arms dealer, but he said the dealer won't wait long."
Pablo frowned but didn't comment further. "Tell Raimondo to bring the dealer here. I want to meet him."
"Okay," Ochoa replied, quickly informing Raimondo of Pablo's instructions.
Raimondo returned to his seat with an apologetic look. "Mr. Hades, my boss wants to discuss cooperation with you in person."
"Is it Mr. Pablo?"
"Yes."
Hades smiled. "I've heard of Mr. Pablo, but never had the chance to meet him. Today, I'll finally get to."
Relieved, Raimondo waved for a car. As Hades and his companions left, Elro and twenty other men followed in a stolen car, ready to provide support if needed.
Hades wasn't too worried. He had five special forces assassins with him and the system at his disposal. If Pablo tried anything, Hades could summon more assassins in a minute.
---
Later that Night
The convoy arrived in Medellin. "Mr. Hades, you'll stay here tonight. Mr. Pablo will see you tomorrow morning," Raimondo said, arranging a stay in a modest hotel.
Hades nodded, unfazed. He'd stayed in worse places. The hotel's location in the slums, a territory Pablo controlled, made sense. Government forces dominated the city center, while the slums, with tens of thousands of people, were off-limits to even the DEA.
As he prepared to rest, Raimondo brought in two Hispanic women. Unlike the slender women favored in other cultures, these women had fuller figures, aligning with Latin American preferences.
"This is Mr. Hades. Take good care of him tonight," Raimondo instructed.
The women immediately embraced Hades, who smiled and accepted their attention. Initially, Hades found this culture shock difficult, but over time, he adapted.
In Latin America, money ruled, and the atmosphere was open. With wealth, women were plentiful, making the experience more enjoyable than in Europe or the US.