The dring-dring-dring of the telephone interrupted the conversation between the mayor and Orson the lawyer. He looked at the phone for a moment, then picked it up. This was a call to his private number; it had to be something important.
“This is Sidney.”
“It’s me, Dale. I’ve received an important piece of intelligence. There are hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of liquor stored in a warehouse at the docks.”
The mayor rephrased his words for him, “Smuggled liquor.”
Chief Dale immediately understood, “Yes, smuggled liquor. Do you think we should make a move on this batch of liquor?”
The mayor thought for a moment, “Why not?”
“Isn’t this the good opportunity we’ve been looking for?”
“Give them a heavy blow, let them know this isn’t their Golden Port, this is the Federation’s Golden Port!”
“Wait for my call. Before we hit them again, we also need to be prepared.”
Then he spoke a few more sentences, stating that he would find a way to get Congress to pay attention to this matter in advance. With Congress’s attention, the local stubborn forces could only bow their heads.
In front of Congress, these people actually had no so-called “weight” at all!
After hanging up the phone, the mayor looked at Orson the lawyer. Orson the lawyer was communicating with him about some work and other matters.
“Right now, almost all the industries under our control are at a standstill. It’s either because there are no customers, or their business has been affected by some of their tactics.”
“In addition, Eric’s situation is a bit bad. He was scared out of his wits by Lance and has been hiding in his villa all day, unwilling to go out. And his dependence on painkillers has become even more serious.”
“I’ve asked my doctor friend. Some of the current mainstream painkillers, once used multiple times, have a high probability of causing dependence.”
“They currently have no relevant research on dependence and withdrawal.”
“You know, the medical groups hope that everyone uses their drugs in large doses every day. This dependence, for them, is money. They won’t take the initiative to solve this problem.”
The mayor rubbed his temples, “Dale found a warehouse at the docks storing a lot of liquor, hundreds of thousands worth of goods!”
Orson the lawyer’s body seemed to straighten up a bit. He thought for a moment, somewhat hesitant, “Hundreds of thousands worth of goods, such a huge loss. Will they… use risky methods to solve it?”
The mayor picked up the phone again, “So I have to make a call first…”
The call went to the desk of Mike (the Likalai State Socialist Party representative). Mike had a good impression of the mayor, mainly because the mayor’s side had given him quite a lot.
Everyone hopes to have a generous friend. The mayor fulfilled this small wish of Mike’s. Anyway, it didn’t cost him any money.
“Hey, the weather in the capital is nice today. I hope the weather in Golden Port is as good as it is here.”
“So should I ask, is there anything you need from me?”
Mike was very lively. The mayor didn’t beat around the bush with him either, “We found hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of smuggled liquor at the docks, but this involves some local stubborn forces.”
“Mike, you know, the situation in Golden Port is very complicated, and Dale and his men have already suffered two bomb attacks.”
“I’m worried there will be a third, or a fourth.”
“Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of smuggled liquor is enough to make them go crazy, so I’m not sure if we should expose this batch of liquor.”
Although the mayor couldn’t see Mike at this moment, he could imagine the change in Mike after he heard this news.
Not annoyance, but excitement!
What Congress needed was exactly this kind of typical case. This kind of confrontation was constantly escalating. If Congress couldn’t catch any big cases during the confrontation, it would give people the feeling that they were always just fooling around.
They would not accept such a result. They needed a big case.
However, Mike did not immediately express his position. He had to listen to the mayor’s thoughts first. These mature politicians knew when to hide their thoughts and when to expose them.
“So what do you require?”
The mayor licked his lips, “I’m worried they will retaliate against Dale and the Bureau of Hazardous Materials again. Our police chief has just resigned to take responsibility, and they are a bit outmatched against those thugs.”
“I heard the Likalai State Militia has been conducting regular training recently. Perhaps they could be asked to take a turn around Golden Port.”
The changes in the international situation also made the Federation nervous. It wasn’t just Lance or a few people who could foresee the great war that was heading towards a full-blown outbreak.
The Federation government also felt the tension in the air before the storm. Recently, the militia organizations in various states had begun to strengthen their training, and the Federation military had also begun to replace its equipment and actively respond to the war that could break out at any time.
If he could get the militia to come over and back him up, the mayor could rest assured by more than half.
No matter how strong the firepower of those gangs was, no matter how many people they had, they were just civilian illegal armed organizations.
Mike thought for a moment after listening, “I can’t make the decision on this matter. I have to report it further up. You wait for my news.”
After hanging up the phone, Mike thought for a moment and dialed the number of a congressman. He actually had the phone numbers of Socialist Party senators, but it was not very good to call them rashly.
The Federation seemed casual and free everywhere, but in fact, behind this casual and free surface was also a strict hierarchical system.
He believed that the masters in Congress would like this news.
And the fact was indeed so. In less than a day, before getting off work in the afternoon, Mike called the mayor back again.
“I have already spoken with some of the high-level members of the party. They are very impressed with your work results. If there are indeed uncontrollable factors in Golden Port, then the state government has reason to dispatch the militia to Golden Port to suppress the riot.”
“But, Sidney, we are friends, so that’s why I’m telling you this. If you can avoid using the militia, it’s best not to use them.”
“Golden Port is a window from the Federation to the world. There are many foreigners there, and even some consulates. Congress does not want certain scandals to become international news!”
“Once you do that, it will affect their view of you. The ‘A’ on your past report card will also become a ‘C-‘, understand what I mean?”
The mayor took a deep breath, “Don’t worry, I won’t act recklessly.”
Mike didn’t care if he was telling the truth or not, “The higher-ups want to see your results as soon as possible. If you need to use the ultimate weapon, call this number. You should write it down.”
After hanging up the phone, the mayor lit a cigarette and sat in his chair thinking for a long time. He could certainly understand Mike’s meaning.
The big shots wanted results, but they also wanted to maintain their dignity. These sons of b—tches!
When the cigarette was almost finished, he picked up the phone and dialed Dale’s number.
Dale had been waiting for this call since he had called the mayor in the morning, so the phone only rang once before he picked it up.
“This is Dale.”
“It’s me. Congress is very interested in the outcome of this battle. You can go all out. If necessary, we can mobilize the militia into the city.”
“But it’s best to keep the situation under this level. Also, you need to pay attention to your safety. I feel they might make a move on you, whoever they are.”
Even the mayor himself, if he lost hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of liquor at once, he would also go crazy!
If these liquors were sold separately in bars, their value could swell to over a million. If they were sold in the Bay Area, the price would be even higher!
The people of the entire Bureau of Hazardous Materials were waiting for this news. After Dale put down the phone, he felt full of energy. Congress had noticed this place, which meant that he had once again appeared in the sight of the congressmen.
He didn’t immediately notify people to act, but instead dialed a number in the capital. After a brief communication, he finally left the office.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the mayor, it was just that he didn’t want to be thrown out as bait in a muddle-headed way.
He wanted to be the fisherman, not the bait!
When he arrived at the main hall, many people had already gathered here. Because he had said there might be a special mission today and told everyone not to go home for the time being, so they were all still gathered here.
At this time, it had already entered daylight saving time. Although it was six o’clock, the sky was not yet completely dark. He coughed, and everyone’s attention was attracted to him.
“Golden Port will remember today.”
“The Federation will remember today!”
“Every one of you will become a hero!”
“Now I announce the personnel configuration and action plan. Ponda, you will temporarily serve as the deputy commander of the first team. I will personally serve as the commander.”
“The second team…”
As people quickly divided into teams, many curious gazes fell on Ponda’s face. He looked exceptionally excited!
Senior agent, it was not far from him!
Suddenly he felt that trading with Lance was actually not bad. Although everything Lance did was for a purpose, at least they really did crack down on smuggled liquor and achieved a glorious victory!
With Chief Dale’s order, a large number of agents began to move. All five armored cars were also put into use.
The machine gunners wearing steel helmets seemed to be going not to a raid on illegal liquor, but to a war!
The moment the convoy left the Bureau of Hazardous Materials, the various scouts “on duty” at the entrance quickly called to notify the forces behind them.
At this time, many pairs of eyes were watching this group of people. When they found that the convoy of the Bureau of Hazardous Materials was not heading towards their own territory, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
But when they knew that the convoy was going to the dock warehouses, they all became uneasy, even though a considerable number of them had legal procedures and certificates.
Proving that the liquor in the warehouse was bought before the Prohibition, proving that they were only storing this liquor and had no intention of selling it.
A large number of cars drove towards the docks. They wanted to know what these mad dogs were trying to do!
At this time, the docks had already received Chief Dale’s request. Although the dock management company was unwilling to let them enter the docks, in the face of those long guns and short cannons, they ultimately chose to make way.
The convoy, following the clue provided by Ponda, arrived at a warehouse. They directly knocked open the warehouse door. As the rolling gate was pushed open, a rich aroma of liquor immediately drifted out.
Everyone’s spirits were lifted. They found it!
The smile on Chief Dale’s face could hardly be concealed. He strode into the warehouse, turned on the electric light, looked at the pile of liquor like a small mountain, and waved his fist forcefully.
The moment he turned around, his expression became exceptionally serious, “Immediately seal these smuggled liquors and take them away!”
The manager of the dock management company couldn’t help but run over, “You are breaking the law!”
“You have no right to seal the materials stored here…”
A senior agent directly showed them their legal authorization, “We have the right to seal and confiscate these illegal smuggled liquors. If you interfere with our law enforcement again, don’t blame us for taking you away too!”
The manager closed his mouth. He gave them a fierce look, then turned and walked away.
Someone looked at Chief Dale and asked for instructions with their eyes on whether to arrest this person, but Chief Dale shook his head and refused.
He was very happy now, but also very worried, because… there was too much liquor here.
A preliminary simple estimate was about 8,000 cases, six bottles per case, 40,000 to 50,000 bottles of liquor. The price of these whiskeys was around $15 to $20.
This was liquor worth $700,000 to $800,000!
In fact, when he saw these liquors, amidst the excitement, there was also a trace of fear.
There was too much of this liquor!
He was now having people load the trucks on one hand, and on the other, he was beginning to consider how to deal with the subsequent measures.
About twenty minutes later, seven or eight cars rushed over quickly, and a large number of people got out of the cars.
The few people in the lead were still shouting for them to stop.
Chief Dale walked to the very front, blocking them from the warehouse.
“Do you know whose liquor this is?” A man who looked like a lawyer also had a trace of anger on his face.
He was exchanging bodily fluids with two legal interns and was having a good time when the door was suddenly kicked open.
Although the one who kicked open the door was his boss, he still had enough reason to be angry.
He didn’t dare to be angry at his boss, but he could vent his temper on Chief Dale.
He took out several documents from his briefcase and showed them to Chief Dale, “These are all documents proving that these liquors are legal!”
“You are stealing our legal property. If you don’t stop your actions, I will sue you in court…”
Before he could finish his words, a younger-looking person pushed him away and walked over.
In fact, he could see that today, the Bureau of Hazardous Materials was determined to take this liquor.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked.
Chief Dale looked at his face seriously for a while and shook his head, “I don’t know who you are, nor do I care who you are. You’d better take your people and leave.”
Perhaps sensing the aura on Wolfley, and being pressed by this aura, the machine gunners all subconsciously turned their muzzles and aimed at him.
Feeling the huge pressure from those dark muzzles, the rise and fall of the young man’s chest became very large, one after another, “Good, very good.”
“You’ve gotten into big trouble, Dale. Remember my name, Wolfley Kodak!”
He reached out and tapped Chief Dale on the chest, “You will regret this.”
Chief Dale did indeed have a little regret, but he would not show it. Instead, in front of his subordinates, he had to show that kind of indifferent attitude.
A disdainful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, “Justice will eventually triumph over evil, Mr. Kodak.”
Wolfley sneered. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end, said nothing.
He didn’t try to provoke Dale out of anger. He couldn’t guarantee that those machine gunners wouldn’t open fire. He glanced at the machine gunners on those armored cars, then turned around and got back into the car looking a bit wretched, “Let’s go!”
The convoy left, but the matter was far from over.
This gave Chief Dale a big headache!
In fact, if it were any other force or gang, he wouldn’t care much, even if this liquor belonged to Councilman Wade, he wouldn’t care.
Because Councilman Wade couldn’t reach the level of Congress. At most, he had a good relationship with the local opinion leaders.
And Mr. Hoff’s influence in the Likalai State Socialist Party was not as good as the party representative Mike’s.
But as it happened, this warehouse belonged to the Kodak family.
Many people rumored that the Kodak family was also sending benefits to Congress. Dale was from the capital. He knew very well that once the problem involved the personal interests of the masters in Congress, they would go crazy!
Hopefully, these rumors are just rumors, otherwise it will really be a problem!
He looked back at this warehouse again. This warehouse did not use anyone related to the Kodak family to register.
Chief Dale must have done his homework, but it was useless to think about these things now. He could only urge people to move these liquors onto the trucks as soon as possible.
The sea breeze on the docks was very strong, and there were many large machines and various vehicles here. In the air, besides the salty smell of the sea, there were also various smells of engine oil and gasoline that hadn’t completely burned.
So much so that some agents didn’t notice that these boxes were actually also emitting a similar smell of gasoline, although it wasn’t strong!
Forklifts continuously sent large amounts of liquor onto the trucks. The filled trucks would quickly return, accompanied by armored cars. Chief Dale demanded that these liquors must be sent back to their warehouse as soon as possible.
Since the thing was already done, he would not stop.
As the trucks came and went, it was not until eight o’clock that all the liquor was completely transported away, leaving only an empty warehouse.
At this time, the sea breeze blew, and the smell of liquor in the warehouse dispersed a lot, but inexplicably, there was an additional smell of gasoline.
It’s just that at this time, no one noticed this. Their attention was all focused on the Bureau of Hazardous Materials, and those liquors.
They really wanted to know what Chief Dale, the mayor, and the Kodak family would do. If some of the previous “exchanges” could be considered as stopping at the point of contact.
Then this time, it was a real, hard-hitting blow.
Gorry Kodak (Fleming’s uncle, the family’s number two) immediately called his acquaintance in Congress. So much money was sent up every year, it wasn’t for nothing!
For a time, some congressmen who were already preparing to rest also became busy. No one had expected that catching a typical case would indirectly catch themselves!
When they were catching others, they were determined, but when they caught themselves, they had to consider…