There's a reason some people become gang leaders. Traits like brutality and cunning are obvious, but assessing the situation is also essential.
If Bishop initially harbored some ambitions to take over, or perhaps even to co-opt the other three prisoners into forming his own faction, then after Jack repeatedly and clearly emphasized Ronik's leadership, he wisely retreated and waited.
There was nothing he could do about it, just like those powerful gangsters who dominated a small island after 1997, only to be captured or flee, leaving to wreak havoc elsewhere. The saying goes, "
A powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake." The only reason this dragon can't be suppressed is probably because it's a lizard in disguise.
Some people firing blindly from upstairs with AR-15s waste bullets, while others, armed with the same weapon, kill a sniper from upstairs with just three shots.
As a ruthless individual who had once ripped out an enemy's throat with his bare hands during a gang brawl, Bishop was more sensitive to murderous intent than anyone present.
Initially, he hadn't bothered to care about the drug addict's life or death. The drug addict was clearly experiencing a period of irritability as the effects of the drug wore off. He'd likely become disoriented before dawn, perhaps even collapse into a heap, rendering him completely useless in his escape plan.
But after receiving Jack's gaze, the gang leader suddenly remembered his previous promise to Ronnick, who had promised them in front of everyone that he would take responsibility for the remaining three prisoners.
Bishop felt that he and Jack had reached a tacit understanding, so this mess clearly fell to him.
So, he took action, and, following Jack's lead, he emphasized Ronnick's authority.
Jack was quite pleased with the gang leader's understanding. He truly didn't want to kill the drug addict unless absolutely necessary, as that would likely lead to the immediate disintegration of this small team, so painstakingly assembled under external pressure.
As for Bishop's supposed tacit understanding, let him take it for granted. Jack wasn't playing a single-player game right now. To ensure everyone, including John, survived the night safely, everyone needed the combined efforts of everyone involved.
"You stay with him," Bishop said, tilting his head slightly toward the little Black Smiley, signaling him to keep an eye on this unstable element.
Ronik breathed a sigh of relief, sniffing Capra's coat carefully and nodding slightly at Jack. "He's definitely drunk quite a bit, and the smell isn't just on his clothes."
Jack smiled, unconcerned. After handing the drug addict's AR rifle to Alice, he handed Capra the pistol she had been holding.
"I simply can't imagine what leverage that Marcus Duval could use to coerce a happy bachelor into taking such a risk."
Capra looked from Jack to Alice, then to Roenick, blinking in confusion. "Why does the name Marcus Duval sound so familiar?"
Roenick sighed. "Alice, tell Capra what happened, and see if he has any other injuries besides the scratch on his forehead.
Everyone else, return to your posts. Daybreak is less than three hours away. The more people we have, the greater our hope, but only if we can maintain unity."
The addict's argument had some truth to it. Capra's appearance was a bit too coincidental, fitting in the window of opportunity after the failed attack and the temporary retreat of the corrupt police.
But Jack also didn't think the previous scene was a self-torture ploy. Capra's survival was initially due to sheer luck, and then to Roenick's timely arrival, opening the car door and dragging him out of the seat.
Otherwise, the sniper's shot would have been more than a mere glancing blow to his forehead.
As a skilled marksman himself, Jack knew how difficult it would be to fake that shot. At least, given the skill the man displayed before his death, it certainly wasn't possible.
Everyone dispersed, and after Bishop arranged for Blackie to look after the addict, he winked at Ronik and Jack. "I have a plan. Shall we find a place to discuss it?"
"Let's go upstairs. I need to observe the situation across here," Jack agreed readily.
Bishop followed behind, saying, "I was thinking, since your colleague was able to drive all the way in, maybe we could send someone out and get some backup."
"That's going to be hard, isn't it? Jack said they have at least three snipers surrounding us, unless someone can distract them," Ronik frowned.
As they spoke, the three of them reached the second floor. Ronik leaned against the broken window and glanced outside, surprised to see the body lying in the snow in the distance.
"That's you..." He realized only then that Jack had managed to score a kill while shielding him from upstairs.
Jack nodded, looking at Bishop, who seemed lost in thought. "Don't you think it's strange? It's been 15 minutes since I killed him, and his body's still there."
"Maybe they're afraid you're staring that way, or maybe they don't have enough extra men to cover the area." Bishop tried to justify his plan with what he saw, but a hint of uncertainty slipped across his face.
"Or maybe they're deliberately baiting us into thinking that.
The snow has covered the surrounding paths, and the only way out is the main road at the entrance.
Marcus Duval's men can just throw two tire shredders into the road when someone tries to break out."
The other side had let one car in carelessly, but Jack didn't think they'd be careless a second time.
"Okay, I admit you have a point. They're trying to demoralize us this way," Bishop admitted with a grudging expression.
Jack tried to dissuade the two from their hopes. "I think it's in our best interest to hold on. Their remaining numbers are clearly not much greater than ours."
But before he could finish his words, a loud crash erupted from downstairs. This time, it was veteran officer Jasper who came running upstairs. "Hey, two of those bastards got away. I told you they were going to do it."
The explosion had occurred in the Subaru SUV that Jack and John had driven. Several Molotov cocktails had been smashed into the fuel tank, and it was now reduced to a heap of charcoal.
After Jack and Alice returned from the supermarket that afternoon, they didn't park in the large parking lot behind them, but instead parked on the west parking line.
"Here! To the east, they got out through the air vent in the holding area!" Blackie, panicked, met the group of people hurrying down the stairs.
The wooden board on the air vent that Bishop had nailed shut was now gone, and the cold wind howled in, making a whistling sound.
"Guard the back door!" Bishop handed the assault rifle to Blackie and rushed into the office in the corridor, where the window had a better view.
"They burned the car to divert their attention," said veteran police officer Jasper, pointing to the two stumbling figures. The
ones who escaped were, of course, the drug addict and Black Smiley. Their target should have been the Ford SUV that Capra had driven.
They had obviously also noticed the sniper that Jack had taken out, and they thought this was a rare opportunity. Naturally, when Ronik rescued Capra, he wouldn't have had time to remove the car keys.
(End of this chapter)