Frank was about to close the door impatiently, but his eyes suddenly froze on the open collar of Eugene's uniform.
A metal badge, only the size of a button but extremely eye-catching, was pinned on the collar of Eugene's inner shirt!
Although it was mostly hidden by the coat, the outline of the black rabbit security badge was easy for Frank, who was in the core circle of Ribbs, to recognize it!
Frank instantly realized that the person in front of him was not a hotel waiter!
This was someone from Black Rabbit Security! Most likely sent by Reeves! Extreme fear mixed with the ecstasy of having escaped a desperate situation violently assaulted him!
However, the next second, his peripheral vision subconsciously glanced towards his left lower back.
Harold's listening explosive device! Any word that reveals Eugene's identity could instantly lead to his own death!
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress his turbulent emotions, his voice still maintaining the same roughness as before: "I told you it's not necessary! Get out!" He shouted harshly, and at the same time quickly widened the gap in the door, moved his body slightly to the side, and with his other hand, he pulled Eugene into the room.
As Eugene squeezed in, Frank slammed the door shut, locked it, and fastened the chain, all in one go!
He slid down to the floor, his back against the door, as if exhausted. His whole body was shaking like a sieve. His fingers trembled as he reached into his back pocket. He frantically pulled out the hotel notepad, and with trembling knees, he pressed against it and wrote in a twisted handwriting: [I'm being threatened! There's a bomb on my waist! They're monitoring me! They're forcing me to bring down the Speaker! I can't speak! It'll explode!!!]
Eugene's eyes, like icy blades, swept across the scribbled yet shocking words on the note paper—"Bomb on the waist! Listen!"
He instantly understood Frank's unusual behavior. This wasn't a sign of defection, but rather a fatal bondage!
Eugene didn't move or make a sound, then nodded slowly.
At the same time, he raised his index finger in a gesture of absolute silence, a gesture that said, "Keep quiet." The message conveyed by this look and gesture was crystal clear: I understand. Keep quiet. Calm down. Stay calm.
Seeing Eugene's understanding and gesture, Frank's tense nerves relaxed a little, but the presence of the cold death metal behind his waist became even stronger.
With his hands shaking violently, he pointed at the words "Force me to bring down the Speaker!" on the note, and then continued writing with difficulty:
"It was Harold who did it! He forced me to shut down the Thorne New York project! To save my life, I did it! The Thorne Group has stopped production! The funding chain is about to break!"
Eugene frowned. It was Harold! The Nightingale Club's veteran! This was a direct declaration of war from a veteran tycoon!
Then, Frank's eyes were filled with fear and pleading, and he trembled as he wrote the most fatal message:
Harold wants more than just the Thorne Group! He forced me to hand over all of the Ribbs Foundation's internal accounts from the past five years...tax evasion, money laundering related to projects, Blue Roof's fund transfers...the most damning evidence! I gave it all to him! I had no choice! If I didn't hand it over, I'd die!
Seeing this, Eugene's heart sank suddenly, and a chill rushed to the top of his head!
The foundation's core accounts?! They contain evidence of the most secretive and deadly economic crimes within the operation of the Ribbs empire, the key link between "superficial legality" and "underground wealth"! This isn't just a loss for the New York project!
Frank struggled to continue writing, tears almost dripping onto the paper:
Harold said... he said he'd turn these accounts over to the IRS! He's going to completely kill the Speaker! Eugene! Help me! Find a way! That time bomb could go off at any moment!
Seeing the words "IRS" and "kill the Speaker", no matter how calm Eugene was, a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead!
In the United States, confronting the IRS head-on is tantamount to suicide!
Harold, the old fox, was not just making small moves. Instead, he directly targeted the core lifeline and launched a general attack!
He suddenly raised his head and stared at Frank fiercely... This idiot actually dug up the Speaker's foundation in order to save his life!
Every second is crucial now, Eugene must leave immediately!
Immediately inform Reeves of this time bomb. Only Reeves is capable of handling this matter now, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable.
Since Frank was monitored, it meant that Harold was likely monitoring the voices in the room in real time - although they wrote notes and didn't speak, they couldn't stay there for long.
Eugene no longer hesitated. He quickly pointed at the door, then at Frank, and finally at the note, his sharp eyes conveying the order of "Stay where you are, keep quiet, and wait for my news."
Then he moved silently to the door, unfastened the chain and unlocked it without making any sound.
He slipped out nimbly, closed the door gently behind him as if nothing had happened, and then, pushing the disguised service cart and maintaining a waiter's gait, disappeared into the hotel's service passage.
After leaving the safe haven of the Norman Hotel, Eugene immediately found an encrypted line and contacted Reeves's cell phone directly.
"Hello?" Reeves' voice appeared. "Have you found out? What happened to Frank?"
Due to the urgency of the situation, Eugene cut straight to the point without any pleasantries: "Speaker! Emergency! Frank has been found at the Norman Hotel, but Harold has installed a deadly explosive and listening device on his waist, leaving him completely under his control! To save his life, he has been forced to hand over all the core financial accounts of your foundation... including tax evasion, project money laundering, Blue Roof fund transfers, etc.!"
Eugene paused, took a deep breath, and then said the most terrifying part: "Harold's purpose is clear: he will most likely submit this evidence to the IRS, intending to completely destroy you! Frank was also forced to mess up the New York project, resulting in a cash flow crisis. The situation is extremely urgent, please find a solution immediately!"
Eugene's words really made Ribs "a little confused".
The previous second, he was immersed in the pleasure of controlling Chicago, and the next second, the old fox Frank who was in charge of his purse became the sword of Damocles hanging over his head, and the one who wielded the sword was Harold, the old energy tycoon in New York!
Even more deadly, once the IRS is involved, it will go beyond ordinary political struggles and business infighting, and go straight to the foundation of his empire - the "legal" cloak constructed by countless shady transactions and elaborate money laundering.
Even Reeves felt a sense of oppression spreading along his spine at this moment.
Reeves is not afraid of political or business struggles.
But the IRS is a monster from another dimension, and Reeves has no idea how to deal with it.
"Eugene, listen. Keep an eye on Frank!" Reeves spoke quickly, without a trace of panic. "Don't act rashly! Pretend nothing happened. Wait until I get to New York!"
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