Members of the standing committee were super-high-ranking executives at or above the ministerial level of most countries who assisted the president and led the Communist Party.
To put it simply, they were people who could be called “next to the commentary.”
Not only those who governed local governments, but also had power comparable to that of most heads of state.
Even if he became the henchman of the President, it would be no different.
Because I was in a good position.
Of course, it was an existence that could not be killed recklessly, and also should not be killed.
They were the ones who would not be surprised if a war broke out if they made a mistake.
While I naturally thought that this was nonsense, I heard Rachel’s voice.
“… Are you referring to a former member of the Standing Committee?”
It was a voice in case, but Robert’s nod shattered any remaining expectations.
“No, I am on active duty.”
“… … !”
I paused again.
Are you removing an incumbent member of the Standing Committee?
While looking at him, Rachel’s voice came again.
“Are you serious, Robert? We had a similar operation, but the target was legitimate. He was a traitor, he was an insider. How to become a member of the Standing Committee… … .”
“Listen, I will explain, the chief agent will give you an overview.”
Robert answered briefly and looked at the chief agent from the CIA.
The chief agent, who had quietly collected the tablet PCs, looked around us and raised his voice.
“First, it has to do with your ongoing terrorist, codename TP (Top Priority).”
“TP… It looks like you’re talking about Pikal.”
At Jake’s murmur, the chief agent nodded and continued.
“That’s right. The target is a person who has been in contact with the TP and is in the role of a fellowship with the commentator. By removing him, we plan to cut off China and TP or make them antagonistic.”
“That is possible… Maybe. Because that’s your specialty.”
While Andrei was talking and nodding his head, Rachel asked again.
“Any other reason? I don’t think that alone would kill a member of the Standing Committee.”
“Yes, there are more.”
The chief agent nodded in response, then alternated between Thomas and Robert, the Secretary of Defense.
He opened his mouth as he looked at us.
“… The target is the person who ordered the raid on our agent in the past, and is currently repeating the same thing in Taiwan… Among other things, we have confirmed intelligence that dozens of people will be massacred.”
“A massacre?”
It was an unexpected word.
Rachel asked right away, and a heavy answer came back.
“From what we currently understand, it seems that we are planning an operation targeting our agents and recruited Taiwanese informants… I’m expecting to kill all of the dragon’s personnel because I can’t tell them apart.”
“How many people are on our side?”
“Two agents and four informants, six in total.”
“Then how many civilians? I think double digits will be more than enough.”
Before I knew it, Rachel was continuing to ask questions, and when I answered consistently, the chief agent nodded.
Then the moment I thought there would be about ten people.
An unexpected number came.
“There are a total of 86 people on board the dragon.”
“… … !”
“It also includes not only our agents and informants, but also high-ranking US government officials and key executives from TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company).”
There were words like American or TSMC, but only the number 86 remained in my memory.
It was because it was not about 10 people, but about 100 people.
Then came Rachel’s surprised voice.
“You really want to exterminate those people?”
“With a very high probability, yes. We expect to kill them using aerial bombardment or ground artillery fire.”
“What crazy! Aren’t you crazy bastards?!”
At the same time as the chief agent’s answer, Andrei’s harsh curse spread.
Jake sighed without restraint.
Neither did I.
Trying to kill 86 innocent civilians?
It was an obvious war crime, something a psycho would do.
Soon Jake’s mouth opened.
“… When is the date of the operation?”
“According to intelligence, the operation is predicted to be carried out within a week, at most within a month, so the operation should proceed within next week at the latest.”
“Hey… … .”
A sigh came out of nowhere.
It was because not only the deadline of next week, which came suddenly, but also the lives of 86 people, the place of China, and the target of the Standing Committee were all too heavy.
There was nothing to be taken lightly.
While I was thinking about that, Jake, who was sitting in the last seat, looked at me.
“Lee, what do you think?”
“what… It sucks.”
“Yeah, it’s a f*cking thing. Are you going to refuse?”
I shook my head after laughing at Jake’s swearing for the first time in a while.
“No, I have to.”
There were plenty of reasons to do so.
The most important thing among them is the fact that the target is woven by Pikal.
There was nothing I couldn’t do with just that.
If Pikal, who has lost all his limbs, is kicked out of Russia and even China turns his back on him, then it will be really easy to kill.
Soon Jake took his eyes off me and turned to the rest.
“Is there anyone who refuses?”
To that, the entire team responded almost simultaneously.
“no.”
“… I guess I’ll have to do it too.”
“If you need to kill civilians and protect our agents, and with our team, of course you should go.”
“I will do it too. Even if the place you go is hell, I will go with you. I have no intention of rejecting anything.”
While only Marcus, who was not on the operation team, nodded instead of answering.
Robert looked at the chief agent.
“Then let’s do a detailed briefing.”
* * *
between briefings.
The Minister of Defense, Thomas, looked at Kang-tae with a happy face.
‘He said he was mentally healthy… More than that, it’s great. I should have such a talented person under me… … .’
Kang-tae’s voice came into his mind as he replied, “I have to.”
When Jake asked if he would refuse the operation, he replied without a second thought.
There were swear words like f*ck, but it wasn’t a harsh reaction.
It was just a mumbling level.
Andrei, his colleague, made more double-talk, which was not unusual.
Rather, it was natural.
It wasn’t because I knew the information that Andrei was rough-mouthed.
If the other agents did, it wouldn’t be strange.
Because I walked the battlefield where life came and went.
It was fortunate that the situation ended with only swear words.
Even after a few battles, PTSD symptoms appeared or suffered from various aftereffects.
Thomas, who had been through the real battle, knew this well.
That’s why I took a closer look at Kang-tae.
It was because even though he had tremendous abilities, he was fine even when he carried out harsher operations than his colleagues.
From nob le mt l dot com
Like the answer from before, even now while listening to the briefing, it’s the same.
‘It would be perfect if he had patriotism and a view of the country, but that would be an aside. There’s nothing better than just doing this… … .’
Then Thomas paused.
It was because Robert, who was looking at him, met his eyes.
Thomas hurriedly erased the smile on his lips and naturally looked away, but Robert, who saw this, let out a shallow breath.
‘You’re already looking at me like you’re looking at your own child… … .’
He knew from the beginning that Thomas wanted Kang-tae.
It was also the reason why he approved the Pentagon’s wedding, wrote a congratulatory card to Harry, the groom, and bought him a present.
To buy Kang Tae’s favor.
It was different from the evaluation of being a disciplined and upright soldier, but it was not that I did not understand.
It wasn’t that he knew roughly the value of Kang-tae, he was one of those people who knew it very well.
There was nothing strange about giving away both the liver and gallbladder.
Also, being nice to Kang-tae was natural, and it was something he should be willing to do.
The problem was elsewhere.
It was the fact that if Kang-tae was passed over, there was a high possibility that the nameless organization would collapse, and if that happened, the positions of contract agents and informants would disappear as they were.
Of course, normally the organization wouldn’t be disintegrated by a single person, but it wasn’t something that couldn’t happen because it was Gangtae.
It was possible.
All the teams here will pass, and the people in the organization who heard of his reputation will also move.
‘The end of the organization that has been built since the Foreign Cooperation Bureau is not far away.’
Robert had a hunch.
It wasn’t because of Thomas’ gaze at Kang-tae.
It was because Pikal’s downfall was imminent, and he assumed that if he was captured or eliminated, Kang-tae would change.
I could have quit my job and started a family, I could have gone to the Pentagon or the CIA, or whatever I wanted, even if it wasn’t.
Robert laughed bitterly at the thought.
‘Do you still have lingering attachments to work… … .’
It was definitely a car that often reminded me of retirement and thought I wanted to quit.
It was the same when Kang Tae went in and out of Russia.
The harder the operation got, the harder the agents were put in, the more Robert wanted to quit his job too.
However, now that the end was in sight, everything was disappointing.
It was because his patriotism and loyalty to the United States was still strong, his body was old but not senile, and he had become seasoned with experience.
But the most important thing was different.
‘Lee rather than me… He must be the reason.’
Robert, who moved his gaze, looked at Kang-tae listening to the briefing.
He wanted Kang Tae more than Thomas.
I wanted to command Kang-tae in the future operation, and I also wanted to see the achievements he would achieve up close, and I wanted to find out how far his ability was.
So it was difficult to leave the organization that was nearing its end.
Wanting to stay and watch Kang-tae was his most honest feeling.
While Robert let out a shallow breath.
Detailed briefing is over.
“… More details will be finalized and delivered by midnight tomorrow.”
After the chief agent’s words, Marcus shook his head.
“It must be very difficult… Are you okay, Lee?”
“I have to. And is it much better than last time?”
“It’s much better… … ?”
Hearing Kang-tae’s answer, Marcus asked with his eyes wide open.
Although he could not carry out the operation himself, it was because he knew quite a lot while participating in and helping with the planning process.
Whether infiltrating Russia or propaganda, nothing has ever been easier.
In particular, in the most recent Russian infiltration, Kang-tae was brought in almost half-baked.
Until recently, he was confined to a wheelchair.
It wasn’t that I was forced to use a wheelchair because of the surgery, it was just an injury sustained by excessive wind in the process of being discharged.
Just looking at it, I could tell how hard it was and how serious it was.
However, Kang-tae, who had heard the briefing, was staring at Marcus as if it was natural.
The words that followed were equally nonchalant.
“okay. much better.”
As Marcus still looked at him with puzzled eyes, Kang Tae’s answer continued cheerfully.
“Pikal was left alone.”
A soft smile hung over his face as he spoke.
Marcus looked at this and flinched.
‘Unless there is a bad relationship we don’t know about… Did he have a bad relationship with him in the previous life?’