Chapter 38: Paradise Street
Brian and Ken's philosophies differed, and their relationship was just average. Brian had hoped for some help from Ken due to their past, but Ken's absence of contact since Brian's arrival spoke volumes about his stance, which became even clearer when Brian noticed people arranged by Ken at the airport.
Below, an accident had caused chaos, with a distressed truck driver talking to onlookers, while others had seen a handsome man jump down from the bridge. Owen noticed some had begun calling the police.
The bridge was already congested, and now it was worse. Police figures could be seen in the distance as Owen and Brian quickly left the scene.
Paradise Street
After being dropped off by a taxi driver who seemed eager to leave, Owen and Brian found themselves on Paradise Street, which, contrary to its name, was far from heavenly.
Paradise Street was a slum, clearly not a nice place. The few pedestrians were unfriendly, with aggressive looks, many bearing gang tattoos. The few residents appeared to be elderly, with more warehouses than homes.
The street wasn't long, and as Owen and Brian walked through, pretending to be pedestrians, the building with a red door was easy to spot in the middle of the street, with no apparent residents nearby, looking more like a warehouse.
As they passed by, the red door opened, and a fully enclosed van drove out in the opposite direction before the door was shut again. Brian had enough time to get a clear view inside: two people visible, possibly more hidden, at least one automatic weapon, with pistols likely common. The distance from the gate to the building was about eight meters, making a direct assault difficult.
After their walk-through, they did not return, having seen all they needed to.
Brian bought some items from a stationery store, then settled in a café to work on something. Ten minutes later, he had altered a security agency ID to bear his photo. Though not expertly done, it would pass unless scrutinized by an expert.
"You'll need this," Owen handed Brian a pistol, which Brian pushed back.
"I won't need it. Keep it, and try not to use it. Prioritize finding the people. I'll keep them busy below. If we're exposed, they're all armed; I'll arm myself. Remember, if either of us starts shooting, we act immediately, ensuring the hostages' safety."
"Understood."
Owen remembered from the movie that by the time Brian found this place, Amanda had died from a drug overdose, and Kem had been sent to an auction. They were at least 10 hours ahead of the movie's timeline, hoping it was still enough.
At the alley entrance, Owen checked the pistol again before tucking it into his waistband. It was a Beretta 92F, taken from an internal security agent at the airport, a weapon Owen was familiar with.
Owen climbed the wall, ran across the rooftop, and leaped to the opposite second-floor window, entering the red door's building with ease. Brian approached the red door from outside.
Brian knocked forcefully. The door was soon opened by a sleazy-looking man, who asked with a disdainful expression, "Who are you looking for?"
"I'm here for your boss."
Brian flashed his ID and entered as if it were his backyard, completely ignoring the man's presence. A bald man with a beard sitting on a rattan chair next to an AK looked at Brian, hand on his gun.
Ignoring him, Brian looked around arrogantly.
The sleazy man was unsure after seeing the ID, but Brian's confidence made him wary. The ID read "Internal Security Bureau, Agent Jess."
"A security bureau agent? Curious, but he said, "What do you want with our boss? Bad timing, he's not here."
"Too bad for him. Once I walk out, GIPN will storm in, and you won't have a chance to run. Want to reconsider?"
The sleazy man hesitated, somewhat bluffed by Brian and after a moment, signaled the bald man, "Wait here."
Brian saw the sleazy man's gesture but didn't care. As a government agent, these gang members wouldn't dare touch him, and even if they tried, they were no match for him.
The sleazy man left, and the bald man stared at Brian, who stared back unafraid. Brian smiled, thinking the man's brain must be all muscle, apt for door-watching.
The sleazy man returned, hesitating whether to search Brian but deciding against it due to Brian's demeanor, he asked, "Are you carrying weapons?"
"Of course, this is it," Brian pointed to his ID.
"Alright, follow me."
The sleazy man led Brian through a lobby, upstairs, passing many who eyed the unwelcome guest suspiciously. Brian noticed the absence of women, only men, mostly armed, all looking at him unfavorably.
Meanwhile, Owen moved from rooftop to rooftop, his parkour skills aiding him. He silently entered through a window into a corridor-like area and began his search, particularly for Amanda.
After several empty rooms and a close call with a man, Owen continued his search. He heard Brian's voice from below, indicating the plan was progressing well, and moved deeper into the building.