I immediately stood up, paced around the room twice, and looked at Yang Wei: "If they are terrorists..."
Yang Wei raised her hand and lightly traced a line across her neck… Her eyes were somewhat gloomy: “A terrorist attack naturally deserves widespread attention! Only in this way can we strike the enemy to the maximum extent, both physically and psychologically! First of all, everyone gathered here tonight is a Hollywood celebrity, those big stars, representatives of big companies, investors, filmmakers… These people are the focus of media attention worldwide. Just imagine… Hollywood is now practically a cultural tool for American cultural invasion of the world! And if all these people were to die here tonight… what would the consequences be?”
My eyelid twitched... America's massive and powerful film industry and film economy, even if it doesn't collapse immediately, will probably regress by at least thirty years! And the destruction of the film economy will trigger a series of chain reactions... Such a terrorist attack might not be any less severe than the 9/11 attacks!
"So you mean they might take extreme measures?"
Yang Wei shook her head: "I'm just guessing... because based on the current analysis, that's probably how it is. Otherwise, ordinary robbers wouldn't have such highly qualified personnel, yet they would use such an absurd and unorthodox operation plan."
So, if our assumption is correct, and these people are terrorists planning a terrorist attack... then what would they do? Shoot down nearly three hundred top figures in the American film industry here?
"I think they want to attract attention first, to make things as big as possible," Yang Wei analyzed carefully. "So, they deliberately kidnapped these people first. Then they released the news, contacted the police, negotiated, and confronted them, giving them some buffer time. This matter will receive widespread attention from media outlets all over the world... Don't believe me? Look. Outside those cordoned-off areas downstairs, there are probably already a lot of interview vehicles from major media outlets around the world! I don't know how many cameras are pointed at our building right now! If a huge, terrifying event were to happen in front of so many cameras, immediately, everything here would become images and sounds, broadcast to televisions and radios in millions of households around the world! And it would be a huge blow to the psychology of the American people and the American government."
"As for us, you see, they're not in a hurry to break in and capture us! Because I'm afraid that even if we hide here, as long as we don't run out of this floor... they're confident they can kill us just the same..." Yang Wei whispered.
My conversation with her was entirely in Chinese, which prevented it from shocking others. However, Lei Xiaohu's demeanor changed somewhat. He opened his mouth, then said with a wry smile, "My God, Uncle-Master, we can't be that lucky to have encountered something like this, can we?"
Without further hesitation, I immediately went to the computer, ignoring the stares of others, and directly turned on the computer to contact the other party.
I quickly got in touch with Officer Louis.
He looked somewhat anxious and tired, but his expression remained relatively calm.
“Officer Louis,” I said slowly, looking intently at the camera, “I think there are some things I need to discuss with you.”
"Did something happen to you?" Officer Louis frowned.
I thought for a moment and said, "No, not yet... But what I want to ask is, have you confirmed the identities of these bandits? They look very much like Middle Easterners, and only three of them are white. Have you been able to confirm their identities?"
My question was probably quite strange. Officer Louis thought for a moment and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Please answer me, our time is precious, and our battery is running low," I said slowly.
“Alright!” he said slowly, “It’s not confirmed yet, but we’ve found out that they infiltrated through the food company that provided food for this event. We found three food delivery trucks belonging to that company in a warehouse in a nearby neighborhood. Inside those three trucks, about eleven company employees were shot dead. We have reason to suspect that these people intercepted the food company’s trucks on the way, then killed the food company employees and impersonated them to enter the building. We’ve also discovered that a parking lot security guard was killed in the parking lot below the building, and his body was placed in a car. That car had the food company’s logo on it, so it was believed to have been modified to sneak in. The security guard probably discovered something and was killed to silence him. So far, the death toll has reached thirteen!”
“I’m afraid it was fifteen,” I added. “I saw them kill two security guards in the makeshift kitchen with my own eyes.”
Officer Louis paused for a moment, then said, “We captured footage from nineteen parking lot cameras, and after analysis, we can currently confirm the identities of three white men… The leader is named Jack; he’s an extremely dangerous individual wanted by twelve states, has robbed banks thirteen times, succeeding nine times, killing six police officers, four bank security guards, and taking two hostages! But the man you mentioned, Lamouchi, we still can’t confirm his identity. After we contacted him, someone has already entered his image into the computer for a search… Unfortunately, his identity, in our records, is… zero!”
Seeing the change in Officer Louis's eyes, I sighed and whispered, "You... you must have guessed something, right?"
My conversation with the policeman was in English, which finally attracted the attention of others. One of the men immediately shouted, "My God, what are you talking to him about... Is there a problem with the criminal's identity? Damn it, stop wasting your computer battery!"
I glanced at the guy who still didn't realize we were in danger, ignored him, and continued, "Officer Louis, you're more experienced than us, so I'm sure you've sensed something's wrong, right? Hmm... what have they asked of you? Can you tell me?"
"This..." He hesitated, so I immediately shouted, "Don't forget, we're inside the building now! So please tell me!!"
A glint of light flashed in his eyes as he said in a deep voice, "They are demanding the password to open the jewelry cabinet. We already have negotiation experts handling that. As for the jewelry, the police have no authority to decide, so we are still at a stalemate... And they have already made a request... a request to release their video to the media."
I sighed.
That's obvious!
“…If we don’t agree to their demands, then in half an hour they will start killing one hostage every ten minutes. And after an hour, it will become killing two people every ten minutes.” Officer Louis said expressionlessly.
"So, what about their other demands? For example, their demand for evacuation? They wouldn't be foolish enough to ask you for cars, because blocking the highways is easy. They must have asked for helicopters, right?"
“Yes!” Officer Louis thought for a moment and said, “They did request a helicopter. I think they plan to escape by air and take a group of hostages with them to prevent our air interception.”
“They’re stalling for time.” Yang Wei’s voice came from beside me. She looked somewhat weak and slowly said, “I suspect these people are terrorists. They may already be preparing to take extreme measures. They’re just stalling for time to prevent the police from forcibly breaking in after confirming their intentions! They want to continue delaying and further escalate the impact of this incident…”
Yang Wei was speaking to me, and she was speaking Chinese. I glanced back at her and nodded.
“Wait a minute…” Officer Louis suddenly listened through his earpiece, then his expression turned grim: “Breaking news… they’ve made demands… they’re demanding the video feed be released to the media… and they’ve made demands… Damn it! These people aren’t just thugs! They’re terrorists!! I have to go now, I’ll contact you in five minutes!!”
After saying that, Officer Louis hurriedly walked away.
I turned off the screen and switched back to power saving mode.
I glanced at Yang Wei and noticed that her body was trembling slightly... She was clearly not afraid, but very weak.
"What's wrong with you? Tell me!" I gently put my arm around her waist and felt that Yang Wei's body was a little weak. I helped her to the side.
Yang Wei shook her head, her breathing was a little rapid, and her face was even more flushed: "Xiao Wu, listen carefully. We're afraid we have to find a way to leave here... Yes, I'm right. From what I can see now, I have reason to suspect that these people are preparing to take extreme measures, and also... The reason they haven't dealt with us or paid any attention to us is because they don't care that we're hiding here... They have ways to get rid of us at any time! So, we're not safe here now."
leave?
I frowned: "But how do we leave?"
All the ways out are blocked. Even if we wanted to jump off the building, we probably couldn't break the tempered glass window in the room!
Get out from the rooftop? Break through the ceiling and run to the rooftop to call the police for help?
Impossible. How thick is the ceiling on the top floor of this building? Reinforced concrete—could I possibly break through it with my bare hands? And all I have is a fire axe. Besides, there are three armed thugs on the rooftop.
So, what about next?
Similarly, I can't break through the floor either... and even if I did, don't forget, the floor below is the sixty-first floor! And that floor is also controlled by the bandits!!
Yang Wei shook her head: "I don't know, and I have no way to do it now, but we have to try... Besides, I have a feeling that these people are planning something big!"
I sat in front of the computer for a few minutes, then turned it back on. Now, the battery only had fifteen minutes left.
Officer Louis appeared on the screen, his face grim. Seeing that I had finally made contact with him, he seemed to sigh, then said in a deep voice, "I'm afraid I have to inform you that from now on, my command here has been terminated. The FBI has arrived, and they will take over command of everything here."
"Officer Louis! Tell me, what did they ask for just now?"
"...You guessed right! They are indeed terrorists."
The word "terrorist" was heard by everyone in the room as the computer's voice came through!
The woman gasped in surprise, and the men's expressions changed drastically... most noticeably the two male guests. Their faces fell, and one stammered, "Terrorists...terrorists?!"
Americans have a peculiar fear of terrorists... 9/11 left Americans with such painful memories that it has almost become a nightmare for the United States!
Suddenly, a male guest lost control and rushed to the computer, yelling at the screen, "Quick! Get me out of here!! I demand you get me out of here right now! Otherwise, I'll fire you!! You bastard!! Hurry!!"
He screamed until he was hoarse, and the veins on his forehead bulged out.
I grabbed him, then shoved him away forcefully and punched him in the stomach. The man grunted and bent over, clutching his stomach.
"Quiet down!" I said coldly, then looked at the screen: "Time is tight, no time for nonsense! Just say it!"
“Okay,” Officer Louis said slowly. “They’re demanding the release of a group of members of an extremist group being held in custody, with a one-hour deadline. They also demand to speak to the media, and that the media publish their statements… They’ve threatened that they have people hiding outside who will watch on television to see if the media actually publishes their statements without reservation… If we dare lie to them, they will immediately begin executing the hostages. Clearly, they are terrorists, and their demand is to rescue several leaders of the terrorist organization being held and tried.” He paused for a moment. “The FBI agent has arrived and is coordinating with other departments. They are aware of your situation, and in a few minutes, the FBI will connect with you from here. So, to save battery, let’s end our conversation here.”
"Wait!!" I yelled desperately.
No...no! Something's definitely wrong!!
These terrorists took hostages simply to rescue their accomplices who were imprisoned by the government.
wrong!
“This is a smokescreen to buy time!” Yang Wei said slowly. “They are stalling for time so that the police don’t know their true purpose, thus avoiding a direct police raid. Their demand is actually… just to make everything here public, nothing more.”
“Officer Louis!” I stared at the screen, my voice snarling, “Hey, listen to me! I believe you’re not stupid! You should have far more experience than I do!! Do you think this is normal? These people went to great lengths to infiltrate, arrested over two hundred world-renowned celebrities! And all they ask for is the release of a few prisoners??? Do you believe they’re telling the truth?”
“I… I don’t believe it.” Officer Louis hesitated, but he still told the truth: “To be honest, I have a bad feeling! These people are definitely planning something big! But I can’t be sure yet… It’s just that the FBI doesn’t seem to believe me…”
He looked at me and said coldly, "In fact, if it were me, I would rather order a direct assault!"
He paused for a moment. He seemed to hesitate for a long time, glancing left and right. Looking at me, he lowered his voice and said, "Sir, personally, I admire you because you were able to lead a dozen men out in that situation and bravely fight them. Therefore, I think it's necessary for me to tell you the truth!"
"What?"
Officer Louis took two steps closer, bringing his face close to the screen. His face loomed large on the screen as he gritted his teeth and said, “When that Ramuch spoke to us earlier, he said… he possesses some dangerous weapons… he said he has TG23 nerve gas! If we force our way in, they will detonate it… Personally, I need to tell you the truth, otherwise I cannot face my conscience! This TG23 nerve gas can be transmitted through the air. The undiluted form can kill a strong man in three seconds… and when it diffuses into the air, an ordinary person who inhales only a small amount will go into shock within five seconds and die within fifteen seconds! You have ventilation ducts where you are, right? So… you are not safe! If they are prepared to die together with them… you will still… die!”
...
…………
The whole room fell silent!
Even the crying woman stopped sobbing and stared at the computer screen in astonishment.
"So, I suggest you find a way to leave there immediately... Although I know it will be difficult. But staying there is probably more dangerous! I've already spoken with that Ramuchi, and from my intuition, he's a very dangerous person... I even suspect this might be a suicide attack!"
...
"Leave? How can I leave?!" I shouted, then slammed my fist on the table.
“I shouldn’t have told you this… but those guys at the FBI, they’re not taking responsibility. They don’t believe me, and they’re still planning to continue negotiating with these people, trying to resolve this peacefully… but I think they’re just stalling for time! Think about it, if they really wanted to rescue their comrade, even if their comrade was released, it would be difficult for them to leave here! So, regardless of whether their goal is truly to rescue their imprisoned comrade, they might ultimately choose to take… extreme measures!”
I felt my hands trembling... not from fear, but from excitement!
I gripped the edge of the table tightly, my arm muscles throbbing, and stared intently at the screen: "Officer Louis, you have to help us! For God's sake! You can't just watch a dozen men sit here and die!"
“…Alright.” He said in a low voice, “It’s a pity I no longer have command. But I’ve made a small discovery. I once drafted a plan, but it was rejected by those FBI idiots. They were afraid to take the risk. They were worried about being held responsible for anything that went wrong… Those guys are just a bunch of bureaucrats. Listen, sir, I now have a set of architectural plans for this building! I can’t send you the plans, but I can tell you… Let me make it clear first, this plan is very dangerous, but I personally think it’s better than sitting there waiting to die.”
"Go ahead and say it," I said through gritted teeth, uttering each word clearly.
“OK!” Louis’s expression was uncertain. “I’ve seen the building’s later interior design plans. After completion, a company bought the entire building from the 60th to the 62nd floor. Their original plan was to build an additional staircase between the 60th and 63rd floors. Each floor had two lounges, each with a passageway leading up or down the stairs! Unfortunately, the company that was going to buy those three floors went bankrupt unexpectedly, so the unit that took over the building resealed the two passageways on each floor. However, since the passageways were opened up and then resealed, it shouldn’t be too difficult to dig them up again. Fortunately, I’ve confirmed the original locations of the passageways on each floor!”
I was instantly invigorated!
"I can assure you that right here, in this security guard's rest room, is one of the rest rooms originally planned by that company, right where the current changing room is. If you pry up the tiles on the floor and dig around, you'll find a passage locked with a steel plate door that leads to the 61st floor! I'm not sure if that door is welded shut, but if it's just locked, I think dealing with a lock shouldn't be too difficult!"
Once you open that steel plate door on the ground, you can pry open the ceiling of the 61st floor. The ceiling is a suspended ceiling, which is very fragile. You can chisel it open to reach the 61st floor!
Then, in the same location on the 61st floor, you can find another passage on the ground. Using the same method described above, you can reach the 60th floor! The 60th floor is no longer under the control of the bandits. You can go down to the first floor from there, and then you will be saved!
Have I made myself clear enough?
There are two problems here: First, the 61st floor is also occupied by bandits! You're currently in the security guard's break room on the 62nd floor, the door is blocked, and you can easily dig a hole in the ground! However, on the 61st floor, I've checked the later renovation plans; it's now been turned into an office by a new company, the walls are just simple wooden planks, a strong man could easily break them down! Even if you reach that floor, you probably won't have enough time to dig a hole in the ground! And on the 61st floor, there are also a large number of armed terrorists!
As he spoke, everyone held their breath and listened intently. When they first heard about the passage, everyone's face lit up with joy. But as they heard the rest, they were all stunned.
Indeed, even if we descend to the sixty-first floor... surrounded by terrorists, would they allow us to dig a hole right under their noses?
“I also want to point out…” Officer Louis said slowly, “The criminals have already taken control of the security cameras on two floors of your building! That means even if you reach the sixty-first floor, you must be extremely careful with all your actions! I know this is very difficult… but it’s our only hope!”
I glanced back at Yang Wei and found that she had her eyes closed, as if she was thinking about something.
Part Two: The Road to Success, Chapter 148: The Operation Begins
After the call ended, I shut down my computer.
Officer Louis's words shocked everyone and instilled fear in them! They had all thought that hiding here was at least "safe" for the time being.
However, the speculation about "terrorists" and whether they will actually carry out extreme suicide attacks has created a sense of unknown fear—although these are still just speculations, with no evidence to prove them.
"Hey!" The first to speak was a male guest... In fact, I was already filled with disgust for these two male guests. At this moment, he shouted in a hoarse voice, "I think that guy is exaggerating! Look, he's just a cop! It's all just speculation! We have no evidence that those guys outside would kill everyone indiscriminately—including themselves! Nobody would be so stupid as to commit suicide... I don't believe that cop! It's just wild speculation! We should be safe hiding here!"
His voice trembled; it was loud, but lacked conviction. Moreover, his words seemed more like an attempt to comfort himself than to persuade others. Unfortunately, it seemed others agreed with him. Another male guest exclaimed, "That's right! We have no evidence! We don't need to risk everything for a guess that might not even be true, right!"