Manhattan Reborn 1978

New York state.

Most place names in New York State are obviously influenced by the European Renaissance culture brought by early immigrants.

Therefore, with the romance of the Aegean Sea in mind, people at that time built a small town called Ithaca surrounded by the mountains in the Finger Lakes region of central New York State.

On the top of a hill in the northeast of Ithaca sits Cornell University, the youngest and largest of the "Ivy League" schools.

. . .

Near noon, the sun is just right.

Cayuga Lake at the foot of the mountains.

Harold Stone, director of the New York FBI, accompanied Harris Schultz as he strolled toward the lake a little further away.

Mr. Stone, divorced for many years~

I have long forgotten how to get along with young girls, let alone what to talk about with Helis Schulz at this moment.

The two walked side by side.

When they reached a temporary resting area for tourists by the lake, Mr. Stone invited Schultz, and the two sat down on a wooden bench.

Schultz had a calm expression on his face, staring at the lake surface that was slightly rippled by the breeze.

On the lake, some yellowing leaves floated and danced gracefully, as if they were telling something to the autumn wind and the lake water.

Mr. Stone was also affected by the beautiful scenery in front of him. He took a long breath, completely relaxed and calmed down, and talked about his past to himself.

"My ex-wife and I were..."

There was no negative emotion in Mr. Stone's voice.

The past, after all, has passed.

When he and his ex-wife first met, there was a spark of love, they fell in love, they were inseparable, they thought each other was the love of their lives, they proposed, and they entered the palace of marriage hand in hand. .

The whole process is just like most ordinary couples~

There aren't too many accidents, gores and twists and turns in some romantic dramas.

Everything is so natural and comes naturally~

until. .After the birth of their second child, the two did not continue to maintain their unlimited enthusiasm for life as they had hoped.

As the children grow older.

With two children, one older and one younger, Mr. Stone's ex-wife struggled with endless housework every day, feeling dizzy and exhausted both physically and mentally. .

Sometimes, even the smallest things in Mr. Stone's opinion would make her collapse and cry.

"This is not the life she wants..."

Mr. Stone sat up slightly and let out a long breath.

"Maybe, you know~"

"The FBI headquarters a few years ago was not peaceful~"

"Director Hoover died mysteriously at home. In order to seize power, some people began to eliminate dissidents in the headquarters, intending to remove all obstacles that hindered their rise to power."

"I have always worked hard and I dare not be careless or careless at work~"

"I try to make myself a transparent person who is not noticed and reduce my sense of existence."

"But... it was a real storm!"

"No one can guarantee that they will not be implicated in the storm..."

Schultz suddenly spoke and asked curiously: "Is Hoover really holding as many unknown secrets as the legend says?"

Mr. Stone shook his head and said with a wry smile: "Haha~"

"I'm just a little person in the headquarters who gets promoted step by step based on my seniority."

"I don't have any great ambitions...let alone any bizarre fantasies about becoming a big shot~"

"I just want to keep this stable job with good income and give my wife and two children a peaceful and happy life for a middle-class family~"

"Many people have asked me this question~"

"My answer... is the same for them all: I don't know~!"

"Director Hoover served as director of the FBI for 48 years..."

"As far as I know, he has never cultivated his cronies in the headquarters."

"The top management of the entire FBI headquarters has experienced continuous intervention by several presidents. They have long been like Europe before World War I, where the heroes are divided and the appearance is different."

"The accidental death of Director Hoover itself can prove this!"

Mr. Stone tilted his head and saw that Schulz's expression was still calm, so he continued.

"Like everyone, I am full of curiosity as to what kind of secret Director Hoover holds."

"but.."

"These secrets will probably never be known to outsiders~"

"Even if one of them is accidentally leaked."

"It will have a huge impact on the current political situation in the United States~!"

"So, no one within our FBI headquarters will dig deep into the secrets hidden by Director Hoover..."

"Because they are all reminders that will cause us to die inexplicably at any time."

"You said, this kind of..."

"Got it~!" Schultz interrupted Mr. Stone softly.

She stood up, the breeze blew the gauze scarf around her neck and shoulders, and a burst of fragrance floated to Mr. Stone's nose. .Somewhat itchy.

"I... discussed it with Mecia."

"We are not planning to leave the United States or New York for the time being~"

Mr. Stone stood up and asked with hope and curiosity: "So... what's our plan?"

"constant!"

"Before Christmas, we will get married and help you get custody of your children."

"But, we have to make sure first that having you take care of the children is the best choice for them!"

"If your ex-wife can give your children a stable family, a better life, and more love..."

"I won't help you anymore to get the children back!"

Mr. Stone turned to look at the lake and whispered in his mouth: "A stable family..."

"As long as... you feel that the children can have a better and healthier life by their mother's side..."

"Our plans can be put on hold indefinitely or abandoned."

"However, I also want you to help me get more visiting time~"

"At least... I can spend one day alone with them every week or every two weeks~"

"..I will!"

----

new York.

Wall Street, Stanley [-]th Floor.

David, Polly, Giles, and Lilith walked into the elevator together, preparing to go to a nearby restaurant for lunch.

But just as the elevator they were riding in closed its door and headed downwards, an elevator next to it opened its door.

Gayden Milken, chef Zhang Wenbiao and Brother Biao walked out of the elevator.

The two people, who didn't know each other, walked out of the elevator.

Gayden Milken, who had been here before, walked towards David's office first.

Brother Biao, who was here for the first time, was wearing a suit that he had not worn for a long time, carrying a briefcase, and looked around curiously for a while, but saw no one familiar. .

A female clerk passing by the elevator door saw Brother Biao poking his head and asked him the reason for his visit.

After Brother Biao explained his purpose, the clerk pointed him in a direction and led him to David's office.

Inside the office.

Secretary Maggie, chatting with Gayden Milken.

Brother Biao thanked the female clerk who showed him the way. He walked aside consciously and found a seat to sit down and wait. His eyes kept looking around.

After Gayden Milken chatted with his secretary Maggie for a few words, he thanked her and turned to find Sam.

Maggie looked at Brother Biao who was standing up, and asked with a smile: "How can I help you?"

"Um..Hello~"

"My name is Zhang Wenbiao, and I am David's friend~"

"I came here this time to give him a few copies..."

After Brother Biao explained his purpose, he took out the new restaurant share allocation contract he had drawn up with the help of lawyer George from his briefcase.

Maggie didn't know about this, but said she would help Brother Biao transfer the documents to David.

After Brother Biao politely thanked Maggie, he couldn't help but raise his hand to tighten his tie, turned around and left.

When he walked to the elevator on the fourth floor again, he turned around and looked at the busy people in the office area again, and let out a sigh of relief.

The so-called elites of Wall Street. .Is this how they all work?

Brother Biao, who felt that he had gained experience again, walked into the open elevator door.

He listened to the chatter and complaints of the people around him, and suddenly felt something. .It seemed that he and the people around him had taken Wall Street too far. .Idealized?

After a few minutes.

Brother Biao walked out of the elevator, walked out of Stanley, looked up at the surrounding buildings, and sighed in his heart.

American dream~

Known as the quickest way to realize the American dream, joining Wall Street doesn't seem that high-end. .

hehe~

----

Manhattan.

In a restaurant not far from Wall Street.

The four of David ate a delicious lunch, chatting and laughing.

After a while.

Lawrence and Cohen, who were recruited by the one-eyed Andres from nowhere, both wore suits, walked into the restaurant, and looked around.

Polly, one of the four Davids, has been silently paying attention to the door of the restaurant.

When she saw Lawrence and the two coming in, she smiled and raised her hand to call them over.

David looked at the two people in suits with slight surprise. After asking the waiter to add two chairs, he asked curiously.

"You guys...how long have you not worn a suit? How do you feel?"

After taking the chair from the waiter, Cohen sat down relaxedly and joked.

"The ones I wore before were not suits at all..."

"This is my first time wearing this...something like a bondage..."

"Hahahaha~"

David put down the tableware, pointed at Cohen, shook his head and said with a smile: "You guy..."

"Lawrence, what about you?"

Lawrence's character is not as relaxed as Cohen's. .

He thought about it seriously and said with a smile: "In my hometown in Arizona, we usually dress very casually~"

"Often just a few shirts, a few pairs of jeans, and two coats can last a year or even several years."

"So, the last time I wore this outfit was when I got married~"

"Later on, that suit was always placed at the bottom of the closet, gathering dust..."

"Hehe~"

Several people at the table smiled kindly~

Lawrence's answer seemed to satisfy several people even more. .

Before David continued to ask, Polly explained: "I asked them to come here~"

David turned his head and looked back and forth, nodded to Polly and said, "Oh~"

"...let me tell you~"

"Ok!"

David glanced at Giles who had an uninterested expression, pondered for a moment, and first asked Lawrence and Cohen about the status of the DA Security Company and the New Jersey training base.

As the current person in charge, Lawrence spoke in detail about the construction of the base and the newly added personnel and soldiers in recent days.

After listening, David turned to look at Cohen and said, "Do you remember the mercenary plan I once said?"

"Remember~!"

"Then...what do you think of this plan?"

"Or what do you think about letting soldiers pick up their rifles again and cooperate with government law enforcement agencies to fight crime and arrest criminals?"

Cohen and Lawrence looked at each other, and Cohen sensitively discovered another meaning in David's question.

He lightly kicked Lawrence with his foot under the table, coughed slightly and said.

"Do you want us to further cooperate with the New York City Police, New York State Police, FBI, or DEA?"

David raised his eyebrows: "What difference does it make?"

"Of course there is!"

Cohen looked around at the people at the table and laughed softly: "Although the names are different."

"The New York City Police, the New York State Police and the FBI all have similar special operations teams."

"The members of these teams are all police officers and agents on duty."

"They have fixed training time every month to maintain the team members' status in dealing with emergencies or armed criminals."

"But, like I said~"

"These team members usually have their own work to be busy~"

"With only 40 hours of training time per month, it is completely impossible to maintain a good combat condition for a long time."

“So, it’s not surprising that when these teams respond to emergencies, they are unable to form a tacit cooperation and often suffer injuries~”

"Oh...that's it~"

"Where's dea? They..."

"Hehe~"

"Dea, there is no such group formed at all~"

"When they want to arrest drug dealers, they always ask the FBI or the local police for help."

Cohen nodded and thanked the waiter who brought him lunch. After quickly unfolding the napkin, he picked up the cutlery and said with his big white teeth.

"Judging from the current personnel quality of the New York Police, FBI and other law enforcement agencies, combat status, equipment, and tacit cooperation, etc."

"Perhaps they are professionals in solving crimes, finding clues, and arresting suspects~"

"But as long as you give me a few months, I can lead the soldiers of the security company and use our existing equipment to kill them several times in New York and beat them to pieces!"

"Combat, destroy targets...killing people, we are the most professional!"

David blinked and stared at Cohen's big white teeth that were constantly chewing food. He raised his hand and patted his forehead a few times, not knowing what to say. .

Seeing that several people at the table were silent, Lawrence asked David tentatively.

"Is there anything we need to do?"

"Have!"

Polly picked up the wine glass, gently shook the wine in the glass, and briefly told the story about Griselda Blanco sending people to find her.

Cohen put down the tableware, frowned, and looked at David with a strange smile.

"You want us to go to Miami?"

"No!"

David rested his elbows on the dining table, looked directly at Cohen and Lawrence, and whispered.

"The war has left you with too many traumas~"

"I just want to give you a home!"

"A home where you can live a stable life and enjoy an ordinary life!"

"I don't want to see anyone I really want to help die!"

"But there are tens of thousands of soldiers who have returned from the Vietnam War..."

"With my ability, I simply cannot help everyone~"

"Just like... what you just said, those of you who have come out of the battlefield alive have almost no survival skills except combat skills."

"It is inevitable that some people will be able to resist the temptation of drug lord Griselda Blanco and make her the steel knife that eradicates dissidents~"

David paused, his voice became deeper and slower, and said: "There is no doubt that money can solve many problems!"

"When retired soldiers who are short of money see tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions of dollars of knives piled in front of them..."

"How will he choose?"

"Everyone has the right to choose their own life!"

"If I were them, I only need to show up at the right time and pull the trigger... and I can get money that I can't earn even after working for several years or more than ten years..."

"I will also choose to take risks and make a lot of money!"

"Use it to change my shitty life, or to leave assets to my family that can continue to live a prosperous life."

David stared at Cohen: "I know there are many new people coming to the training base."

"If anyone among them gets the news from certain channels...will they be tempted?"

"Can you guarantee that everyone will continue to live a stable and ordinary life?"

"If, one day, someone tells you... that he wants to make this money, what will you do?"

Cohen lowered his head, stared at the tableware in front of him, and fell into silence. .

David turned to stare at Lawrence: "If Black Mike hadn't contacted you to come to New York, what would you have done now?"

"Working? Silently around your family and watching them?"

"Suddenly one day, a hundred thousand swords are placed in front of you. As long as you kill someone, you can earn it. How do you choose?"

Lawrence’s face looks very ugly~

He took a few deep breaths, showed a helpless smile, and said, "I will make a detailed plan for the whole thing and won't let anyone find any clues."

"If...if another hundred thousand knives were placed in front of me, I would still do it!"

"This money... will allow my two children to successfully complete college without having to bear the heavy burden of student loans."

This time, after Lawrence finished speaking, several people at the table fell into silence.

Two lives. .

With this $20, the two children can finish college without any burden. .

suddenly~

It’s as if everyone has seen the future~

There are many drug lords with brains like Griselda Blanco.

She can see this, and so can everyone else!

Until then. .What will America become?

Do retired soldiers transform into cold-blooded killers and gun-toting maniacs, causing chaos in the streets?

hiss~

Cohen, who had been bragging just now, twitched the corners of his mouth several times and looked up at David with a darkened face.

"Fight to feed war, I will do it!"

"All I ask... is that we can help more soldiers who want to live a normal life."

David frowned, looked at Cohen for a while, and shook his head: "You can't!"

"Hehe~"

"I can't? Jackal? Rambo? Or Lawrence?"

"They are even worse!"

"I don't care about that~ Anyway, you can't go!"

"You all can't go!"

"We can cast a wide net and find those... people who already feel that there is no way out, darkness, no will to survive, and don't care if their hands continue to be stained with blood, do this!"

Cohen pursed his lips and stopped talking.

There was silence again at the dinner table.

David tapped his fingers on the table anxiously, thought about it, and continued to ask Lawrence.

"Do you know such a person?"

Lawrence opened and closed his mouth a few times, exhaled a long breath, and nodded slowly.

"My home state, Arizona, has not been very peaceful in recent years."

"After returning, many soldiers unfortunately went astray and joined the so-called motorcycle gangs..."

"Those people are helping the Mexican drug lords to smuggle and sell drugs, and they have become a thorn in the side of the Arizona police!"

"So...there are retired soldiers who choose to take risks for money, secretly kill many smugglers and motorcycle gangs, and loot their drugs and drug money..."

"These soldiers who think they help the police eradicate evil have given themselves a name: Green Shield!"

"One of my former comrades joined the Green Shield..."

"However, he was beaten to death by a drug dealer during a robbery last year~"

"Then...didn't your comrades invite you to join the Green Shield?"

Lawrence smiled self-deprecatingly: "I joined... so what?"

"Is the justice promoted by Green Shield just robbing drug dealers?"

"No!"

"No one will agree with their behavior of using evil to fight evil."

"They are robbers who kill people and steal goods!"

"The only difference between them and drug dealers is that they think murder is not guilty. Instead, they should be praised."

"But who would praise and respect a group of cold-blooded robbers who killed countless people?"

David felt choked for words and nodded silently, expressing his agreement with Lawrence.

Polly, who was sitting on the side, felt that the heat had arrived, so she spoke.

"You should be familiar with the director of DEA in Florida, Bog Bellu~"

"We can cooperate with him~!"

"Blanco wants to eradicate dissidents, and Borg Beru wants to use these people and drugs to gain merit. We need these anti-crime operations to earn some rewards."

"You can go back and think about this matter~"

"Just do what David said and find some people who are willing to make this money to do it!"