The strong smell of blood and gunpowder has not yet completely dissipated.
Frank stood frozen in place, his body trembling uncontrollably. "I... I understand, Mr. Harold..."
"Very good." Harold looked at Frank's complete submission and regained his smile. "Go ahead and execute it. Time is precious. I want to see the first 'results' as soon as possible."
Frank moved his feet mechanically and staggered out of the manor under the silent "escort" of the bodyguards.
After getting into his car, Frank slumped down in the seat as if his bones had been pulled out. He gasped for breath, his trembling fingers constantly touching the device on his lower back through his clothes.
"Sir, where are you going?" The driver glanced at his boss who looked extremely unwell through the rearview mirror.
"Go back... go back to Thorne Group..." Frank forced himself to calm down.
He has no right to collapse now. He must think about how to survive in the gap between these two bloodthirsty beasts, at least... stay alive!
…
A week later, after finishing his business in New York, Reeves returned to Chicago on his private jet.
The huge Boeing BBJ MAX slowly landed at the exclusive VIP apron at Chicago Teterboro Airport.
The hatch opened, and Reeves' figure appeared first. He was wearing a straight dark suit, and there was a hint of laziness in his eyes as if he was in control of everything.
Keshia, Erin, Gina, and Jennifer followed closely behind, their faces showing some fatigue from the journey, but they still maintained their exquisite makeup and demeanor.
Fox, who was in charge of the Blue Roof Project, had been waiting for a long time. He immediately came forward and bowed slightly, "Speaker! Welcome back! Thank you for your hard work."
Reeves said "hmm" lightly and walked straight to the limousine waiting on the side.
Fox trotted after him and opened the car door for Reeves attentively. Then, they all got in the car together.
Shortly after the car left the airport, Reeves asked, "How's the progress on the blue roof? Is there anything wrong?"
Fox's body visibly stiffened. He stammered, "Speaker... the project itself is still progressing... as planned. The engineering team is working as hard as they can. It's just... it's just..."
"What is it?" Ribs turned his head and stared at Fox and asked.
Keshia and the others also stopped their whispered conversations and looked over curiously.
Fox, a bit embarrassed, said, "Just recently... a political group called the Chicago Housing Rights Association has popped up! They've been stirring up trouble in the neighborhood near the project, dragging some homeless people living in tents to protest and distributing flyers, saying things like 'The Blue Roof Project is a conspiracy by the rich to drive out the poor' and 'profiteering'... They've blocked the construction site entrance several times and even hired a few small media outlets to expose it. It's been... a bit annoying."
After listening to this, there was no expression on Libus's face, and he just snorted coldly.
"Housing Rights Promotion Association? Who's in charge?"
"A lawyer named David Randall," Fox replied quickly. "He used to work in public interest litigation, specifically looking for trouble with large companies. He made money by finding trouble... He was a bit famous, but also a bit... ignorant."
"Randall..." Reeves repeated the name, "Tell him to come to my office in the City Hall Building at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."
"...Yes, Speaker! I'll arrange it right away!" Fox quickly agreed, silently mourning for the reckless lawyer. He knew that when the Speaker asked for a "meeting," it wouldn't just be a simple chat over tea.
The car drove into the city, and the shadows of the city's neon lights flowed on the car windows.
As they approached City Hall, Alfred whispered, "Mr. Speaker, Mayor Jefferson called and asked to meet with you as soon as possible to discuss 'some important municipal issues.' Several important officials, including the Finance Director and the Chairman of the Board of Education, have also expressed similar requests."
Ribs knew that these people were basically trying to get close to him.
He still looked out the window, his voice calm, "I'm tired from the journey and need to rest. I'll discuss the meeting at City Hall when I'm free."
For Ribs now, the trivialities of Chicago are no longer worth mentioning after he joined the New York Nightingale Club.
He had just finished packing up Kroon in New York and now all he wanted was to go back to his penthouse, sit by the warm fireplace, and enjoy a massage from Keshia and coffee from Erin.
"Understood." Alfred responded concisely, quickly conveying his cold rejection.
…
The next morning at nine o'clock, in Reeves' office on the top floor of the Chicago City Hall.
Alfred opened the door and a middle-aged man in a cheap suit appeared at the door.
He was holding a bulging old briefcase in his hand, with a serious expression and a gleam in his eyes. He was David Randall, a lawyer from the Chicago Housing Rights Association.
As soon as he entered, Randall said straight to the point, "Chairman Reebs? It's an honor... uh, or rather, an honor to finally meet you. I'm David Randall, representing the vast majority of Chicago citizens who have been deeply affected by your 'Blue Roof Project'."
Ribbs didn't stand up, but just leaned lazily in the high-back chair, "Oh, I heard. Someone said that you have some opinions about my little community improvement project?"
This nonchalant attitude was obviously a little beyond Randall's expectations.
He was stunned for a moment, then cleared his throat exaggeratedly and slammed his briefcase on the table.
"Opinion? Speaker Ribbs! You're blatantly plundering! And squeezing the living space of the lower classes!" Randall said loudly, gesticulating. "I have... a lot of evidence! Enough to halt the Blue Roof Project! Enough to put your name on the front pages of major media outlets, but in the worst possible way!"
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