The Gallagher House.
Lip lay in bed with his eyes open until noon. He silently got up, took a shower, and went downstairs.
Fiona was out looking for a job, not at home.
Steve was out too, continuing his car-stealing enterprise.
Ian had gone to work at the grocery store.
Debbie, Carl, and Liam were sitting on the sofa watching TV.
Hearing footsteps behind them, Carl and Debbie turned around together.
Seeing Lip, Debbie looked worried. Her mouth moved as if to speak, but she didn't dare say anything, terrified that one wrong word would set Lip off again.
Carl had no such reservations. He asked directly, "Are you back to normal?"
Lip heard him and forced a smile. "I'm good. Is there anything to eat?"
Hearing this, Debbie instantly felt a surge of relief. She beat Carl to the answer. "There's some in the dining room. Fiona saved it for you."
"Okay," Lip nodded and walked toward the dining room.
Debbie watched him, still uneasy. After a brief hesitation, she got up and followed him. "Lip, everything's going to be okay."
Lip smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Go play."
Debbie wanted to say more.
Lip instantly shot her a fierce look.
Debbie was scared. She hurriedly shut her mouth, turned around, went back to the sofa, and sat down.
Lip put the cold food in the microwave to heat it up, wolfed it down in a few bites, lit a cigarette, and instructed Debbie and Carl, "I'm going for a walk. Don't mess up the house."
He walked out of the Gallagher house and onto the sidewalk.
Subconsciously, Lip looked in the direction of Karen's house. Then, gritting his teeth, he turned and walked in the opposite direction.
---
Karen's House (Sheila's).
Frank, who had indeed taken a beating the night before, didn't go out because moving hurt too much. He lay on the sofa drinking beer.
Sheila was very attentive, bringing him fruit and fussing over him.
Frank found it annoying as hell to listen to, but he couldn't blow up at her, so he endured it, offering perfunctory responses.
Just then.
Eddie, having finished his night shift, drove up to the door, got out, and prepared to go inside to sleep in the basement.
Suddenly, a black Chevrolet SUV sped up and stopped beside Eddie.
Eddie stopped and looked at the SUV, unsure of what was happening.
The car door opened.
The black guy Frank had bet with at the Alibi a few days ago, along with a few friends, stepped out.
"Does Frank live here?" the guy asked Eddie.
Eddie smiled. He knew Frank must have caused trouble out there again. Without hesitation, he nodded and grinned. "Yep. Follow me."
Eddie happily led the way.
The group was a bit surprised by Eddie's eagerness, but they didn't think much of it and simply followed.
At the same time.
Inside the house, Frank heard the voice of the thug from outside. His body jolted. He immediately stood up, gritting his teeth against the pain, and headed for the back door, trying to flee.
Eddie opened the front door and smiled at the thugs. "Come on in!"
The group had been looking for Frank for a long time. They didn't delay and swarmed in immediately.
Instantly.
The thug saw Frank trying to escape out the back door in a weird, hobbling posture. He roared, "Frank!!"
At the shout.
The group sprinted toward Frank.
Frank hurt everywhere; he couldn't run fast even if he wanted to...
In the blink of an eye.
The thug grabbed Frank by the collar like he was grabbing a chicken. Without a word of nonsense, he punched Frank square in the nose. "Motherfucker!! Where's my ten thousand dollars!!"
The punch was heavy.
Frank screamed in pain, blood gushing from his nose. "Jesus!!!"
Sheila, who was already paralyzed with fear and unable to move, saw Frank bleeding and went limp, collapsing to the floor. "Oh my god! Oh my god..."
Eddie was delighted. He spoke up, addressing the thugs, "Please take Frank outside to deal with him. Thanks."
The thug was reasonable enough. He didn't waste words and dragged Frank out like a dead dog.
Frank was in pain and terrified. He desperately cried out to Sheila for help, acting as if he hadn't just been blowing her off moments ago.
Of course, this was normal.
To Frank, people were divided into two categories: useful and useless.
The truth is, there are plenty of people like Frank in this world; most just hide it a little better.
"Sheila, help me! Help me..." Frank screamed.
Sheila heard him, but unfortunately, she was terrified out of her wits and couldn't do anything but cry helplessly, "Frank, Frank..."
Soon.
Frank, cursing Sheila for being useless, was dragged out of the house and thrown into the car.
The Chevrolet SUV started moving.
"Brother, spare me! I'll get your money together, I promise!" Frank didn't want to die and pleaded desperately.
The thug was a simple, direct man. Hearing Frank's promise, he punched Frank in the face again.
Frank screamed heart-wrenchingly. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
"My ten thousand dollars!! Give it to me now! Or I won't kill you, I'll cut off your fingers and toes one by one!!" the thug threatened viciously.
Frank heard him clearly. Images filled his mind, and he trembled. "Brother, no need for that. We're civilized people. I'll definitely give you your money!"
"You bet your ass you will!!" The thug sneered and looked out the window.
The car stopped.
The thug pushed the door open and got out first. "Get out. Let's go. To your house. Give me back my money!"
Frank didn't dare refuse.
After getting out, looking at the Gallagher house in front of him, Frank immediately thought of Lip...
"Shit!!!"
After the savage beating Lip gave him last night, Frank was genuinely afraid of him.
But if he didn't go in, the thug would hurt him.
If he went in, and Lip was there, Lip would probably hurt him too!
"Fuck!!" Frank was out of options, cursing in panic.
The thug laughed. "I've been looking for you for two days! Did you think I couldn't find where you live? Move! Quit stalling and go in there and get my money!"
Frank had no choice. He steeled himself and walked toward the Gallagher house.
The thug walked beside Frank, warning him, "Don't think about running! If you dare try to run again and I catch you, I'll break one of your legs directly!!"
Ten thousand dollars was a lot of money!
The thug was determined to get it.
But the thug didn't expect, and wouldn't expect...
Facing this threat, Frank's mind was already racing, plotting an escape route.
Heh.
Just a broken leg.
Not a big problem.
If I run away this time, I'll just flee to another city, stay there for a few months, and then come back!
Frank calculated silently.
---
Meanwhile.
The two Colombians who had set their sights on Kevin earlier returned to the entrance of the Alibi Room, armed with guns and masks.
Standing at the door.
The two looked at each other, didn't speak, and nodded.
Then.
With practiced movements, they pulled down the rolled-up ski masks, moved quickly, and stormed into the Alibi...
---