Mercenary's War

An hour wasted, and it’s a precious hour wasted on the escape route. This can only mean one thing: Karl Stemonsen doesn’t believe they can break free.

Perseverance or never giving up, in the end, you need a way out. But Karl and his group of four have reached a dead end, with no miracles left to happen.

So wasting an hour to prepare for their last image in advance doesn’t seem particularly incomprehensible.

"How much?"

"Money? No, no charge, just consider it on me."

"No, money should still be paid. We’re not robbers, we’re just customers getting haircuts. So, how much?"

"Eighty..."

Karl Stemonsen tilted his head, and Mike pulled out a one hundred dollar bill from the soaking wet money and handed it over. After the barber gingerly took it, Karl Stemonsen said seriously, "Here’s twenty dollars extra, as compensation for making you delay closing."

"It’s okay, uh, thank you."

Karl nods and tells Mike, "Tie them up."

The barber is holding the money while on the verge of tears, and his female assistant has started to sob quietly.

"We won’t harm you. It’s just to prevent you from calling the police and revealing our whereabouts, so we’re sorry you have to stay here overnight. Someone will find you tomorrow and free you."

After politely apologizing to the barber, Karl waved his hand, and then Mike and Prince firmly tied the two to chairs and gagged them.

The four walked out of the barber shop, and Karl looked at Roy and then said, "Next, it’s time to take care of your leg."

"Is it necessary?"

"Not really."

"Then let’s just skip it. There’s no need to endure for too long."

Roy gave up on treatment. He felt his survival time was counting down in minutes, so why bother?

Karl said no more; he waved his hand, and the four entered the woods where they had come from.

"The police will lock down the entire city. SWAT or military strike units will close in once our trail is found. The possibility of breaking out from the sea is completely lost; once we enter the water, the surrounding waters will be fully blocked."

Without a map, Karl stood in front of the three and spoke his thoughts, his tone always calm.

"We’ve been locked in Houston’s urban area, each intersection surely blocked, especially nearby. Before our whereabouts are discovered, assume only the police are blocking intersections. The strike units will provide mobile support at any moment, and there’s only helicopters for high mobility."

Karl paused; no one questioned, so he continued, "After we’ve demonstrated our combat power, those pursuing us have learned their lesson. The police will be fully prepared to avoid engagement and stall us while waiting for reinforcements. To ensure high mobility, their helicopters will be the main attack method."

Mike said solemnly, "Our main threat is helicopters. As long as we avoid them, no one can stop us."

Karl smiled and said, "Yes, so my plan is not to hide and evade but to force a breakout out of the city. Let’s go now, before we’re completely surrounded and lose movement space."

After passing through the woods for a while and just leaving them, Karl stopped.

A police car, its lights flashing but without sound, moving very slowly, advancing and stopping, was driving towards them on their side.

"Police!"

Prince said in a low voice, "Only one police car, is it looking for us? I don’t think it’s looking for us; one police car can’t do much."

Karl said in a low voice, "Houston doesn’t have so many police; it’s impossible to deploy large numbers everywhere."

"Should we avoid it?"

"No, seize them, take the car."

Very calmly, Karl gave a command and lightly waved his hand. The three mobile individuals slightly spread out and ambushed by the roadside.

Prince suddenly said in a low voice, "Do we need to take them out?"

"No need, if unnecessary, don’t kill."

Prince let out a long sigh of relief.

The police car slowly drove over, the front window opened widely, and a policeman rested his arm on the window, casually looking into the woods on his right.

As the police car approached, the three suddenly jumped out and aimed their guns at the two officers in the car.

Karl stood in front of the car; Mike pointed his gun at the cop in the passenger seat, while Prince quickly circled the car and aimed his gun at the face of the driving cop.

"Turn off the engine, get out! Or I’ll kill you!"

The two officers in the car were very surprised. The driving cop put his right hand on the radio transmitter but smartly withdrew it and raised his hands.

Pulling open the car door, Prince said in a low voice, "Get out!"

Both officers got out very confused, and Karl stood in front of them, asking in a low voice, "What’s your task?"

"Patrol, check for... any unusual situations."

"You’re looking for us, right?"

"Yes."

The officer who wanted to lie looked at Karl’s eyes and, for some reason, instinctively told the truth.

"How many are searching for us?"

"Lots, lots; all officers are deployed, sealing off all intersections, reporting any anomalies immediately."

"What about this area?"

"Our precinct is responsible, sealing major intersections and dispatching patrol cars. Report any anomalies immediately. Targeting four white men, extremely dangerous..."

Karl nodded, and then said to the two officers, "You cooperated well, and it saved your lives. Thank you for your cooperation; now, please take off your clothes and wait here for rescue."

The two officers began to remove their uniforms, then stood by the roadside, hands raised.

Karl waved an assault rifle and said in a low voice, "Take them into the woods, let them be out for a few hours."

With two muffled sounds from the wood, Mike and Prince soon came out again.

Karl glanced at the items in the car, said to the group, "A shotgun, an M4, both officers wearing body armor; they came prepared. Now we put on the police uniforms and get out of the town. This is a good chance. Prince drives; Mike and Roy are in the back seat."

Karl and Prince changed into police uniforms, then drove the police car slowly forward at the same deliberate pace.