The authentic entrance was located in the warehouse area near the parachute center, surrounded by warehouses of all sizes. Carter's gang had acquired the ownership of this warehouse area through a front company, making it their territory.
At night, the parachute center closed, and the surroundings became unusually quiet.
The hidden passage was discovered by the Bloodhound. He came across a map that showed the location of the underground passage in comparison to different historical landmarks. Using a false identity, he leased a large warehouse with a basement and dug up the long-sealed tunnel.
Originally, they believed it to be a treasure left by Prohibition-era bootleggers, but it turned out to be a long underground passage crossing international borders.
A black Chevrolet SUV entered the warehouse area and finally stopped in front of an old-style warehouse guarded by a well-trained team.
Ronan and Will protected Burke as he got out of the car.
Other vehicles arrived one after another.
Two large black suitcases were taken out of the SUV's trunk.
The group entered the warehouse, with Ronan holding his gun down, guarding beside Burke.
Burke checked the time, waited for a while, and said, "The meeting point is in Mexico, with each party not allowed to exceed ten people. We will go with twenty!"
He selected ten people, including Ronan and Will, to execute the deal.
The remaining ten people stayed in the tunnel, ready to come out and provide support if they heard gunfire.
Heading towards the basement, Will said to Ronan, "Be cautious. The Mexican traffickers have a good reputation in this regard; they won't harm the trading party."
Ronan nodded, continuing to follow Burke in silence.
They turned on their flashlights and entered the basement. The entrance of the tunnel was fitted with stairs. Smith, who was familiar with the way, led the group, while Ronan protected Burke and the ones carrying the suitcases in the middle.
The tunnel, built by bootleggers in the previous century for the convenient transportation of alcohol, was slightly over one meter wide, allowing people to walk upright comfortably.
Ronan had heard a saying that the American gangsters were not rampant until the Prohibition era when bootlegging became popular, leading to the rise of the underworld.
At this point, Burke said, "Let's do this properly. Now that business is booming, we'll lay narrow tracks here for mechanical transportation."
Everyone around laughed; it seemed like vast amounts of dollars were beckoning to them.
Ronan gently touched his left arm.
Will asked, "Is your wound hurting?"
Ronan casually made up, "It's just a bit chilly."
Will patted his shoulder, saying, "Hang in there a little longer."
Ronan glanced at Will. Humans were complex creatures, and Will seemed friendlier to him, at least on the surface.
However, from the conversations during the day, it was not difficult to discern what Will had been up to these past few days.
...
Mexico, in the desolate wilderness to the east of Tijuana, concealed behind the hills.
Ian and Eric put on their bulletproof vests, donned helmets, and gathered the team of mercenaries they had worked with multiple times, giving them final instructions.
Ian said, "Once the gunfire starts over there, we move in. Wait for my command to clear the area!"
John, the leader of the mercenaries, hailing from the Mediterranean, asked, "What are the rules of engagement?"
Ian checked his magazines and replied, "Fire at will."
"They have a large number of people!" John expressed his concern, "And they have heavy firepower!"
Eric assured him, "Don't worry, my men will draw their fire. Our primary objective is to destroy the tunnel. Then we'll retreat to the safehouse, where Matt's team will provide support."
John wiped his nose and asked, "What about your people?"
Ian said, "This is a covert operation and must remain secret. No reinforcements!"
John nodded in understanding, then inquired about the distribution of spoils.
Ian casually said, "Same as always. So, clear everything!"
John and the other team members laughed; clearing the area had its reasons for a covert operation, and that was crucial.
Eric thought about the medical expenses for his daughter's treatment. The funds were already tight, and he hoped the higher-ups wouldn't scrutinize their actions too much. As long as there was no direct evidence, they would turn a blind eye.
Moreover, eliminating those who caused problems meant no more problems.
Ian instructed, "Get the C4 ready!"
"Ready to go! We'll detonate it right after clearing the area," John said as he put on his helmet, then suddenly asked, "We've known each other for years. Ian and Eric, are those your real names?"
Ian quickly replied, "Of course!"
One of the team members muttered, "I don't believe a word the CIA says."
Eric patted him on the back, saying, "Buddy, the CIA has an excellent reputation!"
John laughed, "Yeah, an excellent reputation! Posing as DEA agents all year round."
Ian leaned against the car door, looking at the eastern sky. The daylight was gradually brightening.
Eric's satellite phone rang, and after answering, he handed it to Ian, saying, "It's Matt Grave's call."
Ian took the phone, spoke for a few moments, then hung up, clapping his hands, "Alright, everyone, get ready to work. After the job is done, we'll spend a few more days in the safehouse."
The mercenary team was used to doing such things and had no objections.
Ian and Eric walked aside to have a private conversation in Japanese.
Ian had worked in the island country for many years, and Eric was a second-generation immigrant who could both speak fluent Japanese.
When they needed to discuss matters privately with so many people around, the partners communicated in Japanese.
This was a clandestine operation deployed by the special district, specifically targeting the active forces in northern Mexico.
Some say that Mexico is too far from heaven and too close to the United States.
America is the world's largest white market, accounting for sixty percent of global consumption, which is consumed by the American people.
The complexity between Eagle Sauce (likely referring to the US) and Mexico is hard to describe in a few words.
Various chaotic phenomena are frequently seen in the latter.
The government forces are outnumbered by the armed traffickers, and the anti-narcotics special police have defected to become traffickers. Mayors have been killed by traffickers and so on.
Among them, the Mexican authorities cannot shirk their responsibilities, and certain departments in America have also contributed significantly.
In recent years, the Garcia group, which was supported by the CIA, gradually slipped out of control. Antonio Garcia's whereabouts are hidden, and he has even disrupted CIA operations several times, causing much dissatisfaction.
After falling out with the Shorty group, the Jose group became very active in Tijuana. Once they find a suitable channel, they are highly likely to grow rapidly.
The special district does not want to see any powerful criminal groups and requires the situation in northern Mexico to be manageable and balanced.
Ian and Eric's superior, Agent Matt Grave, obtained authorization from the special district and took full responsibility for the plan and operation.
Despite the CIA's strength, their actions within Mexico are still somewhat restricted. Matt Grave devised a plan to instigate conflict, intending to make the Garcia and Jose groups fight each other like dogs.
Plans may change rapidly, and the situation in Churavista suddenly changed when a tunnel emerged that could bring substantial profits to the Jose group. Matt Grave had to divert resources and ordered Ian and Eric to handle the matter quickly.
Additionally, a key figure in the dog-eat-dog plan unexpectedly delayed their trip, forcing Matt Grave to make another adjustment in response.
Operations on their side continue!
As a precaution, Ian and Eric not only found informants within the Carter Investment Group but also bribed people within the Jose group.
These are all routine CIA operations.
...
In the dark underground, even with the light from flashlights, people easily lose track of time. After walking for a long time, a draft of wind was felt in the stuffy tunnel, and lights appeared ahead.
Someone asked, "Who's there?"
Smith answered, "Carter!"
From the other side came the response, "Jose!"
Both sides identified each other, and Burke turned back and waved his hand, signaling the ten people behind him to stop and hide in the darkness, just in case.
The rest continued forward and soon emerged from a makeshift shack covering the tunnel entrance.
This side used to be an abandoned small quarry, unknown for how long. The terrain was much lower than the surrounding area. Now, they were installing shacks and machinery, planning to use quarrying as a cover.
The sky was getting brighter.
Ronan protected Burke and was prepared to take action at any moment during the trade.
Led by two Mexicans, they headed toward one of the shacks. The sight of Burke and a large, hefty African-American carrying a heavy leather suitcase attracted the attention of the Mexicans, who kept glancing at them.
Several Mexicans stood in front of the shack.
Ronan remained expressionless, walking amidst the crowd to ensure they were surrounded.
Seeing Ronan being so serious, Will was about to say something from the front.
Ronan's mind trembled, and he immediately moved away from Will!
Bang!
Blood spurted from Will's body, and half of his shoulder was gone.
Ronan didn't care about the others and quickly rolled to a pile of rubble.
Gunshots rang out from an angle, and another African-American was shot down!
"Return fire! Return fire!" Burke yelled.
The African-Americans didn't wait for his command and started shooting at the Mexicans. Several Mexicans near the shack fell to the ground.
"Kill the Americans!" someone shouted in Spanish. "The Americans have no honor! Kill them all!"
Gunfire erupted from both sides, and there was no possibility of stopping. It quickly turned into a melee.
Gunfire also came from the tunnel, and the African-Americans inside were trying to rush out.
Above the quarry, over ten Mexicans appeared, ignoring the outer perimeter and heading towards the firefight.
Ronan hid behind the pile of rubble and quietly looked towards where the first shots were fired. Although the sun had not risen, it was already getting light.
There was a Mexican with an explosive hairstyle!
He was the one who fired the first shot and triggered the chaos.
At the entrance of the tunnel, some Mexicans blocked the mad gunfire.
Due to the unique terrain, the African-Americans couldn't break free.
Three people were killed, and the remaining African-Americans frantically fled back.
The Mexicans had the advantage of timing, location, and manpower, causing the battle to tip in their favor.
Ronan felt something was off, but he couldn't pinpoint it immediately. With his professional sensitivity from his previous world, he sensed that something was not right.
He quickly removed a layer of bandage from his left arm with his right hand and discreetly threw away a mini transmitter.
The sudden gunfire from the Jose group was not beneficial to either side. It might even lead to Carter's gang blocking the tunnel in the US. Criminal organizations were not small-time thugs; their interests came first.
Ronan had a suspicion: Could that Mexican guy be someone arranged by the DEA in advance? If so, what did they intend to do? Let the two gangs fight and then come out to clean up the mess?
"Help... me! Help..." Will, not yet dead, struggled on the ground not far away and reached out to Ronan. "Help me!"
Bullets were raining around them, and going outside meant certain death. However, Ronan couldn't wait either. Once the African-Americans collapsed, he would be facing dozens of heavily armed gunmen.
Ronan didn't look at Will; he raised his gun and fired a short burst, taking down a Mexican trafficker more than thirty meters away.
Bullets whizzed past, turning Will into a pincushion.
The hefty African-American carrying the suitcases was killed, and Burke quickly grabbed the boxes, dragging the two heavy suitcases and hiding behind another pile of rubble not far from Ronan.
He was lucky and hadn't been injured.
Ronan glanced at the suitcases, but as bullets whizzed by, he quickly pulled his head back.
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