Chapter 006: Changing the Plot

In the Wasteland film, the Potaski brothers were quite prominent. During the early stages of resource grabbing, they caused plenty of trouble for David Lawrence. Later, when they threatened Angie and Rachel's safety, David actively sought them out and eliminated them.

The Potaski brothers were huge and muscular, with thick faces, looking like bears standing upright. The elder Ivan and younger Yakov had previously served in the Russian Airborne Forces before coming to America to join the mob. Despite being in their forties, they weren't to be trifled with.

This murder case hadn't officially appeared in the "Wasteland" movie, but tomorrow's TV news would report it - a prostitute working at the black bar was killed near the Lawrence home, which scared Angie so much she didn't dare go to school.

Cyrus Greene was sweating profusely. He forced himself to stand still when he saw Ivan reaching for his gun, knowing he couldn't run. Because no matter how fast he was, he couldn't outrun bullets, and New York street killings were so numerous that police couldn't keep up.

So Cyrus Greene raised his hands and shouted, "I wanted to warn you - the police are here! They're arresting some drug dealers on 198th Street, with five or six police cars and over a dozen officers, in that direction."

Cyrus Greene's improvised lie made the Potaski brothers extremely wary. While criminals in America could be ruthless due to widespread gun ownership, American police were equally formidable because of the terrible security situation.

If you're walking on an American street and police order you to stop or raise your hands, you'd better comply. Otherwise, police won't give many warnings - they'll shoot directly at anyone they perceive as dangerous. They don't care if you're old or young, male or female.

Countless innocent people die at the hands of police in America each year, including children shot for playing with toy guns in public places. So even the most vicious criminals have to be careful around police.

Hearing Cyrus Greene's warning, though Ivan hadn't heard any commotion, he didn't make any further moves. His bulky frame blocked Cyrus Greene as he grabbed his collar and growled, "Kid, I know you. You're Victor Hugo, living on this street. If you're lying to me, I'll kill you later."

With that, Ivan waved his hand and left quickly with his brother Yakov. Watching their retreating shadows, Cyrus Greene let out a huge sigh of relief. In less than a minute, he felt his back soaked with cold sweat - this had been incredibly dangerous.

The woman under the tree slumped to the ground, sobbing softly. Her original fate was to be robbed, raped, and ultimately killed, but now she had survived.

Wonderful! I did it! Changing a branch of the plot was this simple - I really can alter the storyline, which means I can definitely profit from this.

An excited Cyrus Greene felt almost light-headed as he walked. He approached the woman, seeing her disheveled hair, open clothes, torn dress, and underwear pulled down to her knees.

Just from her heavy makeup and revealing clothes, it was clear she worked in the entertainment industry - if not a street worker, then something similar. Cyrus Greene felt sorry for her and asked softly, "Are you hurt?"

The woman shook her head as she got up from the ground, pulled up her underwear, casually adjusted her clothes, and said with a bitter smile, "Thank you, I'm Lena. I'm... I'm a prostitute. They took my wallet, so I can't repay you. If you need, I could..."

"Oh... no, no, no! I'm just glad you're okay." Cyrus Greene felt the woman before him was pitiful enough and had no intention of taking advantage of her. He could tell from Lena's appearance that she was likely an Eastern European immigrant. Such people in America could barely find work washing dishes - men could only do hard labor, while women often had to sell themselves.

Lena nodded, laughed self-mockingly, and somewhat awkwardly waved her hand, saying, "I understand, I'm not in a proper state to serve you right now. But I'll remember that you helped me. If you ever need me, you can find me at the Cat's Claw Bar, anytime."

Cyrus Greene watched the woman and thought to himself: I know you're at the Cat's Claw Bar, that's exactly why I saved you.

Under normal circumstances, Cyrus Greene couldn't possibly get money out of nowhere unless he broke the original plot by using information he knew in advance - like the money hidden in the Cat's Claw Bar.

The Cat's Claw Bar was a notorious underground black bar where the Potaski brothers worked as bouncers. It was also where David Lawrence eventually killed the brothers.

Cyrus Greene clearly remembered a detail from the movie: after David Lawrence killed the Potaski brothers, he searched their room and found rolls of dollar bills in a hidden safe, amounting to tens of thousands of dollars.

Since the catastrophe had already happened by then, the paper money had become worthless. David Lawrence even had a line saying these bills were 'too stiff even for wiping, not even as good as toilet paper.' But now, before the catastrophe, Cyrus Greene needed to take control, and he needed money.

However, those Russian brothers were as strong as bears, and confrontation would be fatal. To get the money, he needed to think of another way. Cyrus Greene's idea was to save this prostitute who was about to be killed and get her help.

"Hey! Lena, want to make some money? Ten thousand dollars." Cyrus Greene knew that low-level prostitutes like Lena couldn't earn much, and ten thousand would be enough to make her take the risk.

"Are you joking?" Though Lena expressed doubt in her words, her interest was immediately piqued. "What's your idea? Got a better job for me?"

"I know the Potaski brothers have hidden a large sum of money in a room at the Cat's Claw Bar. If you can help me, I'll give you ten thousand when I get the money." Cyrus Greene didn't explain his plan in detail but made sure to warn her about the dangers.

Ten thousand was a significant amount for Lena, but when she heard about stealing from the Potaski brothers, her face immediately changed color. She angrily muttered "You're crazy" and turned to leave. She didn't even want to hear how Cyrus Greene planned to do it.

No way, don't go!

"Hey, hey, won't you at least consider it?" Cyrus Greene called out several times. He had thought Lena would harbor a deep hatred for the Potaski brothers and could be easily persuaded. Who knew she would turn and leave so quickly? This wasn't going according to his script at all!

Without Lena's help, Cyrus Greene wouldn't dare venture into the chaotic den of the Cat's Claw Bar - the chances of getting killed were too high. He stood there sighing, wondering if he had made a mistake somewhere.

But before Cyrus Greene could think further, he heard footsteps approaching. Looking up, he saw Lena had returned.

The prostitute had a cigarette between her lips, taking several deep drags while examining Cyrus Greene with suspicious eyes. After hesitating for a long while, she said, "I don't think you mean to harm me, but you must have a death wish. If the Potaski brothers catch you, they'll kill you and dump you in a garbage bin. Don't think they wouldn't dare - I've seen them kill people with my own eyes."

Though she seemed to be trying to discourage Cyrus Greene at first, Lena's next words were: "Tell me your plan. If it's feasible, I'll help you. That's at least better than you going alone. But I want twenty thousand as a payment because I'm taking a big risk too. Whether we succeed or not, I'll have to run afterward."

"Hahaha...!" Good deeds do pay off - what an unexpected turn! Cyrus Greene's mood brightened immediately, and he said with a laugh, "No problem, twenty thousand it is. The Potaski brothers have saved enough money over the years for us to split. And with your help, I guarantee this will be a low-risk operation."

By utilizing and changing the plot, this temporary partnership was established.