Before he could finish his words, the heavy door of the office was pushed open hastily, and the people who came in were the Butcher and Fox.
The butcher, leaning on his crutch, his face flushed, practically growled, "Brother! The casino is in complete chaos! Those IRS bastards have frozen not only the security company's account, but even our casino's operating account! We can't withdraw any cash at the counter now! Several regular customers have been waiting in line since last night, and they're about to flip the tables! Without cash payments, the casino's reputation is ruined!"
Fox, standing by, was pale, his forehead covered in sweat, and his voice trembled uncontrollably. "Speaker! Black Rabbit... Black Rabbit Security was supposed to have payday today! But the money can't be transferred out! Hundreds of brothers are waiting outside the finance office..."
Two heavy blows hit Ribs' head almost at the same time.
Security and casinos, the core of his cash flow, were cut off at the same time by the IRS's freeze order!
The air in the office froze instantly, as if it had been sucked into a vacuum. The rage burning in Ribbs' eyes threatened to materialize.
Looking back now, Governor Morgan’s solemn assurance that it was “just a formality” and “it would only take a few days” was the most vicious irony!
Sterling, Eberhart, Morgan - these three so-called "big guys" didn't play any role at all!
Ribbs clearly realized that this was no longer a simple matter of financial loss. If the bleeding could not be stopped immediately, the foundation of his empire would be shaken overnight!
He turned sharply to Alfred and asked rapidly, "How about an emergency transfer of assets?"
Alfred responded immediately, his voice calm but serious, "Speaker, we've done our best, but the IRS acted too quickly, and only about $86 million in assets have been transferred."
Reeves's eyes sharpened, and he made a quick decision: "Alright! First, use this money to fully guarantee the casino's payouts and daily operations! As for Black Rabbit Security, delay paying them a little. Tell the brothers that the money is circulating, and maintain basic operations first!"
Hearing that there was a reserve fund, the Butcher and Fox's tense nerves relaxed a little.
The butcher wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded heavily: "Okay, big brother! I'll go to the casino right away! I'll get through today even if I have to sell everything I have!" He leaned on his crutches, turned around in a hurry, and left the office.
Fox also responded quickly: "Yes, Speaker! I will go to comfort the brothers and stabilize the situation first. These brothers have followed you through fire and water. I can understand if they have to tighten their belts for a few days... I can understand." He tried hard to force a "calm" expression on his face, and then quickly retreated.
The office door closed behind Fox, leaving only Ribs and Alfred, who was silent as a rock.
"It's just a temporary stopgap..." Reeves walked to the huge French window. The Chicago skyline looked dim under the gloomy sky. His eyes were cold. "It's a drop in the bucket. The IRS will never let us off easily..."
He picked up the encrypted satellite phone on the table and dialed Morgan's dedicated number again.
This time, what came from the receiver was a long, cold, and suffocating busy tone.
“Beep…beep…beep…”
Once, twice... Ribs's face became more and more gloomy. His last bit of fantasy of relying on these big guys to solve the problem was shattered.
"Fuck!" An angry roar tore through the silence!
Reeves threw the phone in his hand against the wall with force, and the phone shattered instantly, with parts flying everywhere!
"Shit! It's all fucking shit!" Reeves' eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving violently like a cornered beast. "Morgan! Sterling! Eberhardt! A bunch of hypocritical old bastards! They made promises, but when it mattered, they didn't dare to say a word! They didn't even dare to answer the phone! I've been screwed by them all!"
"Fuck! I got tricked by these big guys!"
Alfred stood quietly by, waiting for Reeves to calm down a bit before stepping forward and saying solemnly, "Speaker, their reaction speaks for itself. The initial freeze order was just a formality, but a full freeze order and a precise strike against Black Rabbit's core accounts—that's definitely not something Brennan alone can accomplish. Harold's reach extends deeper than we anticipated... Now, we can only rely on ourselves."
Reeves gasped, gazing out the window at the gloomy Chicago. The sense of crisis, the imminent collapse of the building, was like a cold needle piercing his bones.
…
Just when Reeves was in a state of panic, there was a completely different scene in Harold's Manor on Long Island, New York.
The heavy velvet curtains were half-drawn, and the study was filled with the unique aroma of bourbon whiskey.
Sitting on the leather sofa in front of the fireplace were the three big men whom Ribbs had just called "friends" and "dependencies":
Governor Morgan: He took off the serious coat of a politician and looked relaxed and comfortable, leaning back in the sofa, holding a wine glass in one hand and leisurely flicking cigar ash with the other.
General Dynamics President Eberhart: His silver hair is combed meticulously, and his face has a shrewd smile that is unique to businessmen and shows insight into everything.
Bill Sterling, a senior IRS official: His expression remained calm, but his eyes showed a sense of control and complacency.
Harold: As the host and the manipulator behind all this, he is undoubtedly the most proud person at the moment. He leans back comfortably on the sofa in the main seat, shaking the wine glass in his hand gently, and the ice cubes make a crisp clinking sound.
"Well done, Mr. Sterling." Harold raised his glass first, his face showing undisguised admiration. "The issuance of that initial freeze order was impeccable. The subsequent full freeze was a masterstroke. The efficiency and scope were astonishing. They've completely hit the Chicago hyena's weak spot."
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