Chapter 16: Keep Silent

Even Arthur, who was not very clever, could tell that the first call about something happening was a lie, and the second call about trouble was the truth.

Everyone paused for a moment, then John asked in a very puzzled tone, "What happened?"

Frank looked annoyed and looked at George, saying, "Someone illegally entered the client's home, triggering the alarm system. When Gerald and his men went to the scene to check, there was a firefight. The police have rushed over to deal with it, and I need to go to the police station now."

Everyone was stunned, then John immediately said to George, "Damn it, couldn't you come up with a more decent excuse? Don't you know there are things you can't say casually!"

George looked frustrated and speechless.

Frank checked his watch and said hastily, "I don't know the details yet, but let's go back quickly. There's nothing to complain about. But... George, don't say things like this again."

George shrugged helplessly and said, "It's my fault. Forget it, I won't say anything anymore."

At this point, Arthur understood. George had committed a major taboo in the industry.

In many industries, there are certain things you can't say. For example, nurses would never say they had a quiet night on duty, and people at the police station would never say they had a quiet couple of days. If you accidentally said these things, you would end up very busy.

George had lied about something happening at the company. How could he say such a thing? Now, because of his words, trouble had come.

But why lie? Arthur couldn't figure it out. But everyone was in a hurry now, and he couldn't ask for an explanation at this moment.

Back in the car, Rubber was still driving. After driving the car out of the shooting range, he suddenly said, "It's just a shooting incident, nothing serious. Anyway, there's nothing else. Frank will deal with it. Kung Fu Kid, when we get back to the company, let me see how good your kung fu is."

Now John was waiting, and now there was Rubber added to the mix. Arthur was helpless but could only say, "Okay, but what I practice is routines, which is different from what you guys are thinking."

Just then, Frank's phone rang again. After he took out his phone, he glanced at it but did not answer directly.

"Why aren't you answering the phone? What's wrong?" Rubber asked puzzledly. Frank gestured for them to be quiet, then answered the call.

"Hello, you shouldn't be calling this number."

We couldn't hear what was said on the other end of the phone, but Frank's face quickly turned ugly. After listening for a while, he said very seriously, "Understood, don't call this number again. I'll contact you."

Frank hung up the phone, then sighed deeply. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly said, "That bastard just said nothing's wrong!"

There was silence in the car, and then John asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"It was the middleman who called. Tova was arrested again, last night. People from the Seta Group stormed into his house and arrested him and his mother."

After saying this helplessly, Frank looked at Rubber, his face full of anger, and said, "Can't you guys be more careful? Don't say things you shouldn't. Now, not only is there trouble, but it's all concentrated together!"

Arthur's heart started pounding.

"What? Chet..."

"Oh, no!"

John and Rubber both sighed helplessly, and Frank continued, "The middleman is still in Tijuana. He wants to escape to the United States, but the Seta Group is looking for him everywhere."

After a brief silence, John asked in confusion, "Our mission is over. Even if Tova is arrested again, even if the middleman is finished, what does it have to do with us?"

"You idiot, do you think if the middleman is found by the Seta Group, he will keep our secret?" Rubber first scorned John, then said with annoyance, "This mission is really... too much trouble for too little money."

George whispered, "What does the middleman want us to do? Does he want us to rescue hostages again?"

Frank sighed and said, "The middleman is in great danger now. He hopes we can help him. As for the hostages, no one is paying for them now, so there is no mission to rescue them."

"Will the middleman pay us?"

Frank shook his head helplessly and said, "The key is that the middleman doesn't have any money now. He has less than thirty thousand dollars on hand. But if we don't help him and let him fall into the hands of the Seta Group, he will expose us."

Arthur couldn't help but ask, "Then why did he make this call? Doesn't he fear that we will find him before the Seta Group does and kill him to keep him quiet?"

As someone who had just been kidnapped, Arthur was very paranoid, and he was extremely sensitive to the idea of being silenced by murder.

In Arthur's view, the source of their troubles, including himself, stemmed from the middleman who knew the truth, not from the Seta Group. So as long as they eliminated the middleman before the Seta Group, their troubles would naturally disappear.

"Yeah, why?" John had just understood Arthur's words, so he asked in confusion, "That middleman if he has no money and poses a threat to us, why would he call you?"

Frank said seriously, "The middleman has no money now, but he said that as long as he leaves Mexico, he can raise at least two hundred thousand dollars. If we can help him leave Tijuana and get to the United States, he will pay us two hundred thousand dollars. If we have a firefight with the Seta Group, he is willing to pay us five hundred thousand dollars. Of course, the premise is that he stays alive to pay."

John was stunned for a moment. Then he licked his lips, looking conflicted, and said, "Two hundred thousand dollars? With two hundred thousand dollars, we can... um, if we need to rescue someone from the Seta Group, that's five hundred thousand, which is definitely enough. But without cash, well, Captain, what do you think?"

When discussing the mission, John couldn't help but use the code name to address Frank.

Frank shook his head and said, "I don't know. I can't decide now. Our principle is to receive at least half of the advance payment, but now the middleman can't even come up with half. This goes against our principles, but if we ignore him, the consequences could be serious."

Arthur couldn't help but ask again, "Does the middleman know your secrets?"

"Yes, that's the trouble. He knows our secrets."

"Even if the middleman tells the Seta Group about your secrets, but you are in Los Angeles. Even if the Seta Group knows, so what? Are they daring enough to come to Los Angeles to kill? They are just drug traffickers, do they have the guts?"

Everyone smiled bitterly, and then Frank said helplessly, "The Seta Group won't come to Los Angeles to find us, but their means of retaliation are not limited to coming to kill us in person. As long as the Seta Group is willing to pay, there are plenty of Mexican hitmen in Los Angeles who can do the job."

Arthur understood. This was a dilemma, and no matter what they did, it would be troublesome.

After another moment of silence, Frank sighed lightly and said, "I can only go to Tijuana again. Gao was right. As long as the middleman is alive, he is a trouble."

After saying that, Frank glanced at Arthur and continued, "Let's do it as Gao suggested. Killing the middleman and silencing him naturally resolves the issue."

Arthur was stunned, then he said incredulously, "I didn't say anything about killing to silence..."

No one argued with Arthur. Frank just continued, "Go back and pack up. Bring our equipment this time. We'll cross the border today. We need to deal with this matter as soon as possible."