At the bus station.
The two young men stepped out of the car and immediately spotted Hardy standing by the vehicle. The scene was reminiscent of Bill picking up Hardy.
"Leo, Kerry."
"Hadi."
They embraced warmly.
Hardy had met Leo and Kerry on the injured ship. After his injury, he had helped Catherine care for the wounded, including Leo and Kerry. They had been close in recovery, exchanging stories and forming friendships. Leo, known as "the Wolf," was a skilled fighter, while Kerry, nicknamed "Tank," was a tall and robust machine gunner. Hardy had taken care of their wounds and stayed in touch. When he needed support, they were among the first he thought of.
"Get in the car. I'll show you around and introduce you to some friends," Hardy said with a smile.
The car soon arrived at the Bunny Girl Nightclub.
Leo and Kerry met Sean and Ryder, along with Richard and Neal. "We have a few more brothers coming. Henry and Matthew will be here in two days, and Bill is in the hospital. We already have ten people," Hardy explained.
Everyone settled in, drinking and catching up.
They discussed their previous situations. Leo had worked in a garage after leaving the army, while Kerry had been making shoes. Richard washed dishes, Neal worked in a factory, Henry raised cattle, and Matthew drove a truck. Life had been challenging for everyone.
As they drank and talked, the nightclub security captain approached Hardy.
"Hadi, I need to talk to you," the captain said cautiously.
"What's the matter?" Hardy asked, surprised.
"The Russians we detained in the cellar—do you want to keep them there?" the captain inquired.
Hardy was taken aback. He had been so focused on gathering his team that he had forgotten about the Russians. They had been held for a week.
"Have they been fed?" Hardy asked.
"No," the captain replied. "You ordered them to be starved for three days. After that, I continued to keep them there. They were hungry and screaming, so I gave them some bread and water. Each got three slices of bread a day and a pot of water."
Three slices of bread was hardly sufficient for the tall, strong Russians, especially Ivan, who was nearly two meters tall.
"Alright, we don't want them starving to death," Hardy said, pondering how to deal with them. Killing them wasn't an option, and letting them go posed risks. He decided to see if he could subdue them.
"Brothers, come with me," Hardy said.
Richard, Neal, Sean, Leo, and the others followed Hardy to the cellar. When the door was opened, a foul stench greeted them.
The conditions in the cellar had been dire for Ivan and his men. The hunger they experienced was a form of torture.
On the fourth day, they had been given a few pieces of bread and two pots of water. It felt like a feast after days of deprivation.
When the door opened again, Ivan and his men had no strength left. Upon seeing Hardy, Ivan pleaded.
"Mr. Hardy, please let us go," Ivan begged, no longer the imposing figure he once was.
Hardy considered their situation and said, "I'm currently short on manpower. Would you be willing to work for me?"
Ivan was surprised but quickly realized the opportunity. "We're willing to work for you, Boss Hardy. We'll do whatever you say."
Hardy stared at Ivan, then nodded. "Alright, I'll let you go. Clean up, eat, and change. Come back to me tomorrow."
Ivan and his men felt a sense of relief. With Sean's help, they were driven back to their residence.
Upon arrival, they ignored the stench on their bodies and rushed to get food. Bread, jam, barbecue, and caviar felt like a feast to them.
After they had eaten, Ivan's men looked at him anxiously. "Brother, are we really joining Hardy's gang?"
Ivan clenched his teeth. "We've been working in the shadows for years. Hardy is ruthless but capable. We swore an oath in the name of God. We need to follow through."
The next day, Ivan and his men returned to Hardy. They joined his ranks but were not stationed directly with him. Hardy allowed them to continue their previous work but would call on them as needed.
Meanwhile, Matthew was finally released from prison. With bail money resolving his case, he and Henry arrived in Los Angeles.
In just a week, Hardy had assembled a solid team. Now, he needed more equipment.
Previously, he had bought some guns and seized a few submachine guns, but more was needed. He took his team to Old Mike's gun shop.
"Old Mike, I need to buy a batch of arms. However, I'm short on cash. Can we arrange credit?" Hardy asked.
Mike considered it. "Yes, but with a 30% interest."
"Deal!" Hardy agreed.
He waved his men inside. "Pick out whatever you need."
The men rushed into the gun shop, excited. When they emerged, they were armed with various weapons—pistols, long guns, shotguns, and even a German MG34 machine gun. Kerry, the machine gunner, was particularly pleased.
Neal carried not only a pistol and a rifle but also a bag full of explosives.
"What's in the bag?" Hardy asked.
Neal grinned and opened the canvas bag, revealing fireworks, grenades, and even two mines. With these, Neal could create a variety of bombs.
True to his nickname, Cannonball, Neal was well-equipped.