Chapter 15: 015, aftermath
Explosive news about billionaire Stark and Stark Industries.
Finally pushed off the front page by even more sensational reports.
Temporarily quieted down.
An explosive news story about eleven children kidnapped by New York gangs.
Swept the nation through newspapers, media, TV, and the internet.
Shocked countless bystanders.
The daily old news of murder, robbery, drug trafficking, and gang fights.
No longer enough to stir the numb nerves of most lower-class people.
But children are one of their few bottom lines.
After all, children are the future and hope of countless people.
For a moment, phones at the New York Police Department and district offices were overwhelmed by angry citizens.
Even after a morning of fermenting.
Even the central nervous system of the entire country—the White House.
Had to come out quickly and hold a press conference.
Attempting to appease the masses of lower-class people marching in the streets and protesting.
One o'clock in the afternoon.
Countless men, women, and children, shouting protest slogans, braving the dwindling rain.
Like wandering mindless zombies, completely surrounded the police headquarters on Parklow Street.
Angry and swift-moving protesters.
Even the City Hall across the street was not spared.
In one fell swoop, it was all surrounded.
No one allowed in, and no one allowed out.
Meanwhile, inside the police headquarters, in the chief's office.
The flustered white mayor with tousled brown hair was livid.
Gesticulating furiously, his angry roars echoed so loudly that even the police officers passing by in the corridor could hear.
"I disregard strong objections from other departments, allocating such a large budget to you every year... And you, as the police chief, is this how you repay my kindness?"
"John! Eighty billion! Your police department gets eighty billion every year! And it increases every year!"
Once impeccably dressed, the New York City Mayor now flushed red.
Like a redneck from rural Kansas, spit flying from the corners of his mouth.
"Listen to me! It was the White House! Even the White House called me! The President asked me what the hell is happening in New York!"
"I don't even know... I fucking don't know anything!"
"It was the President who personally told me that the gangs in New York have grown so bold as to kidnap children everywhere!"
"John! What the hell have you been doing these years? What accomplishments have you made as the chief of the New York Police Department? Sleepwalking at work?"
"Most importantly... my reelection as mayor next year is completely ruined! Ruined! Do you understand?"
At this moment, the furious New York City Mayor, with wide-open eyes, trembled all over.
His anger, like the tides of the Hudson River, inexhaustible.
Almost wave after wave surged towards the gloomy-faced black chief.
The speechless black chief could only stand alone behind his desk, enduring the furious berating.
"Ah, exhausted me..."
Finally, as if exhausted, the New York City Mayor stopped roaring.
He reached out and adjusted his expensive luxury tie.
Staring with bloodshot eyes, he coldly said:
"Now, I'm ready to hear your explanation... But John, keep it brief... There's a large crowd outside waiting for me to come out and appease them."
The expressionless black chief remained silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke:
"I have no excuses. Such heinous child kidnappings in New York are undoubtedly the primary responsibility of the New York Police and myself as the police chief, and cannot be shirked..."
"However, I must reiterate some points..."
"The expansion of gangs and the rising crime rate are not problems that can be solved simply by the police working harder... It could be an economic issue, perhaps even a cultural or institutional issue worth discussing by the White House..."
The black chief changed the subject.
"But, this is not a simple multiple-choice question of catching thieves for the police!"
"John! You..."
The New York City Mayor, suddenly red-faced, involuntarily cursed.
However, afterward, the tousled-haired New York City Mayor.
As if restoring his arrogant strategist mentality.
He turned around without a word, leaving the office directly.
At the same time, the expressionless black chief suddenly reached out and tapped the desktop.
Slowly sat back into his temporarily-owned chair.
He fell into silence.
As the chief of the New York Police Department.
Black John knew many things, even more than the New York City Mayor knew.
He knew why humans kill and rob.
He also understood why humans murder and traffic drugs.
He even inadvertently discovered that the kidnapping of children by New York gangs was never a national shocking headline.
Kidnapping children is just a mature, stable industry chain belonging to criminals.
Even if it's just one link, the profits it can gain are considerable.
Police John tried to solve similar problems from a legal perspective.
But until Police John became the police chief.
The entire industry chain has never disappeared, but instead flourished.
Every year, hundreds of missing children in New York City alone.
If counted across the country and even across the entire Americas, it is simply an astronomical figure...
At this point, the black chief suddenly closed his eyes in pain.
He was powerless against this.
Dong dong dong—
At this moment, a knock on the door interrupted the black chief's desolate mood.
He took a deep breath and said:
"Come in."
A moment later, a middle-aged police officer hurriedly entered.
Under his arm was a thick stack of folders and reports.
"Chief, the basic information on murder cases and child abduction cases has been preliminarily completed."
The middle-aged police officer approached and spread the folders and reports in front of the black chief.
"How are the children?"
The black chief looked at the report and asked casually.
"Um... their condition is not bad. They are all unharmed and should be eating chocolate cake right now?"
The middle-aged police officer smiled reluctantly and said:
"However, because the children need to provide testimony to help solidify evidence for both the murder and abduction cases, the FBI has prohibited their parents from taking them away..."
"You go tell the FBI people to get the hell out of here!"
The black chief frowned and glanced down at the report.
"As long as there's no order from above, the investigation rights for a few cases belong solely to the New York Police Department!"
Before the words fell, the black chief suddenly threw down the heavy folders and reports, raised his head and asked:
"Uncle Red Hood? Green Face Man? Chocolate Cake Guy? Is this the testimony provided by the children?"
"Their ages? Appearance? Ethnicity? You've been busy for half a day, and you haven't even investigated these basic details?"
"We investigated! And the report details it!"
The middle-aged police officer quickly bent down, flipped through the report, and pointed to one page to explain:
"Through brief exchanges with the children by psychological experts, as well as on-site inspections by investigators, we have compiled several characteristics that fit the image of the suspects."
"Ages from twenty to forty, white or yellow race, military training background, mercenaries or retired soldiers, skilled in cold weapon combat, and extremely strong counter-reconnaissance awareness. There were hardly any useful clues left at the scene..."
"Hiss... Frank Castle?"
The black chief suddenly widened his eyes and took a cold breath.
"He's back?"
"Uh, maybe not him..."
The middle-aged police officer smiled bitterly.
"According to information disclosed by the FBI, Frank has been active on the border recently, engaging in skirmishes with many Mexican gangs. It's said that the local situation is quite dire..."
"Then... the 'Short-Horned Devil' from Hell's Kitchen?"
The black chief raised another guess, but then shook his head to dismiss it.
"The 'Short-Horned Devil' usually only operates in Hell's Kitchen, with less brutal methods, and most importantly, does not kill!"
In an instant, the black chief and the middle-aged police officer exchanged a meaningful glance.
But in each other's eyes, there was shock!
"Perhaps, a new... villain has emerged in our New York..."
....
Bois don't forget about stone's
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