CHAPTER 514: CHAPTER 514: "[DEATH OF A DEPARTMENT HEAD AT FBI HEADQUARTERS: CASE OF A MISSING AGENT]

Seeing the gloomy expression on Trick Kennedy’s face, Luo An knitted his brows and raised a hand to rub his temples.

The meaning behind the other party’s words wasn’t hard to understand: he was worried that there might be a mole inside the FBI Washington Headquarters, or some other situation that was amiss.

Such things were not uncommon, whether in the CIA or the FBI, and Luo An had heard of many similar cases.

Snap—

Just then, a sound of electricity crackled in the room, and Luo An opened his eyes to find Trick Kennedy bending over to turn on the bulky computer monitor on the desk beside them.

A flurry of black and white static flickered past, and then the face of an old man appeared on the display—it was Vireness’s uncle and superior officer, Mr. Clement.

"Good evening, Luo An."

"Good evening, sir."

Mr. Clement on the monitor was straightforward and said:

"Kennedy should have already briefed you on the matter, so I won’t repeat it.

Luo An, this case is special, and you must clarify the situation behind it."

"I’ll do my best."

Luo An didn’t make any overpromising remarks, he then asked:

"What about Chief Vireness...?"

"You only report to me and Kennedy for this case. If you have any problems, call us directly."

Mr. Clement in the screen gave Trick Kennedy a look, and upon receiving it, Trick immediately turned and took out a flip phone from his briefcase and handed it to Luo An.

"..."

Looking at the somewhat retro flip phone in his hand, Luo An’s mouth twitched slightly.

After Mr. Clement said a few words, he ended the call on the monitor, and Trick Kennedy then turned off the monitor on this side, and said:

"Luo An, you must do your utmost to clear up this case."

Luo An tilted his head in confusion:

"What do you mean?"

"Recently at the FBI Washington Headquarters, there was another argument about the presence of your ten Special Investigation Teams."

Trick Kennedy sneered and said:

"Their final topic of discussion was about abolishing your ten Special Investigation Teams and having you return to the sequence of regular investigation teams.

A bunch of shortsighted people with brains full of cat poop coffee!"

Upon hearing this, Luo An’s brows furrowed slightly and he asked:

"Have they decided?"

"It’s been settled - due to some reasons the decision will be officially issued four months from now."

Trick Kennedy patted Luo An’s shoulder, his face grave:

"However, as long as you clear this case, Mr. Clement will have sufficient reason to shut those people up and keep your Special Investigation Team in place."

"OK."

Luo An was silent for a moment then nodded, and then asked:

"Before investigating this case, do you have any information files to give me?"

Trick Kennedy shook his head:

"None."

"New tech equipment?"

"None."

"The work content handled by Minister Alexander before his death?"

"Taken by the Information Management Department, I can’t get it."

"The information about those three agents from the Washington Headquarters?"

"Previously taken away by Minister Alexander."

"...So, you can’t provide any help?"

"No, I’ve already given you the autopsy reports for Minister Alexander and that truck driver.

Additionally, you still have that flip phone in your hand, which you can use to call me and Mr. Clement."

Luo An: "..."

Ten minutes later, Trick Kennedy left the room with his African American bodyguard.

They still had to take that small plane back to the FBI Washington Headquarters; that aircraft was meant to prevent attracting attention from some people to Trick Kennedy’s meeting with Luo An tonight - a decoy plane.

Starting tonight, the Special Investigation Team led by Luo An was officially on a three-month vacation on the surface.

In reality, however, Mr. Clement and Trick Kennedy had allotted this time for the Special Investigation Team to covertly investigate this case.

At the top of a building in Los Angeles, outside a small room, lights flickered, and the cold wind howled.

Gazing at the helicopter carrying away Trick Kennedy and the Black bodyguard, Luo An, in a black suit with somewhat messy hair blown by the wind, appeared stern and silent for a long time, then he pulled out his own mobile phone from his pocket:

"All agents from the Special Investigation Team, assemble in Reesi’s hospital room in two hours."

————

Winslow was the first to arrive at Reesi’s hospital room, and upon seeing that in addition to her existing injuries, she now had her left arm in a cast and two fingers wrapped in bandages, his face was full of surprise:

"Reesi, what happened to you, did you fall when you went to the bathroom?"

"..."

Reesi lying on the hospital bed shot Winslow a look and couldn’t be bothered to engage with him.

Winslow chuckled, pulled up a chair to sit next to her, and casually picked up an apple from the bedside table to start eating.

"Hey, aren’t you being a bit too much?"

Reesi’s eyes widened in shock:

"You come here without bringing a gift, and even have the nerve to steal and eat something from an injured patient. When Luo An and Mona came earlier, they even brought me some drinks."

"It would be a waste if they spoiled since you can’t eat them right now anyway."

Winslow finished the apple in a few big bites, while explaining that he was drinking with someone in a bar when he got the phone call, and he rushed right over without time to buy a gift, but he will make it up to Reesi next time.

Before Reesi could speak, Winslow had already picked up a second apple, and at the same time, he asked:

"Do you know why Luo An called us in such a hurry just now?"

It was now close to midnight.

"Since I joined the Special Investigation Team, it is rare for Luo An to call for a meeting at this hour."

Reesi yawned a big yawn and speculated:

"There might be a new case."

Winslow was still puzzled:

"But if we come across a case, we should go to the Special Investigation Team’s office area."

"Maybe this time it’s a case that happened in the hospital."

"...Makes sense."

The two chatted idly for a while, then Chenier and Michelle arrived together at Reesi’s hospital room, followed by Mona. After another fifteen minutes, Luo An was the last to arrive in the room.

"Sorry for being late."

Luo An entered the room, waved his hand, and offered an apology. Trick Kennedy and that Black bodyguard were really a pain.

Earlier, the building they were in was an office building, not only was the rooftop door locked, but there were also several security guards patrolling inside the building.

Trick Kennedy and his companion left easily by helicopter, whereas Luo An had to pick the lock to the office building’s rooftop door, then take the elevator down, and eventually hail a taxi to the hospital.

Luo An was very frustrated throughout the journey, only able to say that those agents in the movies who are suave all the time are nonsense. He would have to have a serious discussion about this with Trick Kennedy later.

Once everyone had arrived, Luo An had Winslow and Chenier carefully check the hospital room again to make sure there were no hidden listening devices or similar equipment, to prevent any problems. After ensuring there were none, Luo An briefly outlined the situation with Minister Alexander’s case.

"What?"

After hearing Luo An’s account, Reesi’s face displayed utter astonishment:

"We, the Special Investigation Team, are being asked to investigate a case from the FBI Washington Headquarters?"

"Under normal circumstances."

Chenier leaned against the wall, arms crossed in front of her chest, and coldly stated:

"The agents there are much more complicated than us agents from the branches. It’s typical for Minister Trick Kennedy to not trust them."

Sitting in the chair, Winslow focused on another matter, speaking with a grave face:

"The FBI Washington Headquarters has three missing agents, and the Chicago Branch Special Investigation Team has seven missing agents.

To have ten well-trained agents, each with their specialties, go missing indicates that the mastermind behind this case is certainly not ordinary."

Mona pulled out her laptop again, analyzing:

"Is there a possibility that these ten people have gone off the grid on purpose?

Perhaps they were investigating something when they learned about Minister Alexander’s car accident, and to be safe, they had no choice but to disappear."

Michelle, who had previously worked in the Office of Professional Responsibility at the FBI Washington Headquarters, nodded in agreement:

"It’s possible."

After a moment of analysis, everyone looked at Luo An and asked:

"Team leader, what do we do next?"

A smile curled on Luo An’s lips, and with a grand gesture, he declared:

"It’s simple, since we’re on vacation, let’s go on a trip!"