Basement Situation Room in the West Wing of the White House, Washington, DC, USA.
The receiver was heard in the hand of the US president, who was sitting at a long conference table.
It wasn’t the first time. It’s already been several times.
Shortly after Kang-tae killed his target, Wang Qing, a member of the Standing Committee, he was contacted by key figures from around the world.
The president, or influential people who are equivalent to the president.
Those who had difficulty contacting the President directly were making inquiries through the Secretariat or through intelligence agencies.
To find out if the death of a member of the Standing Committee was true and how the United States responded.
In it, there were often people who wondered if the United States had done it, but anyway, the answer the president would give was simple.
principled and canonical words.
Other than that, I didn’t mention how to really respond.
It was because the mere fact that the US did not show a big reaction was an expression that it admitted or condoned this incident.
If it wasn’t for that, I would have reacted quickly and forcefully.
Continuing with obvious answers, the president calmly ended the conversation.
“… I’ll just hang up. I’ll call you back later.”
pop.
Reports piled up in front of him as he put the receiver down.
It was a document that summarized additional communications, military trends in China, wiretapping results of key figures under surveillance, and so on.
This wasn’t the first time either.
It’s been several times already, and the president also sighed in disgust as he picked up the file folder on top.
Reports, sorted by priority, were related to Kang Tae.
To be precise, the internal situation of China’s highest level.
As the president read this, instead of discomfort, a light smile took over the corner of his mouth.
‘It looks like it will work as intended.’
It was because there was a call from a working-level official in China immediately after Kang Tae had completed his mission, and it seemed that the request had been communicated in the process.
For example, reducing the Taiwanese offensive and mitigating war-related state wrongdoing, and so on.
Of course, the highest-level situation was impossible to eavesdrop on, so details were not written, but it was easy to infer from the situation described.
The general contents were found out through the instructions issued by the state president’s courtroom to lower working departments, the local government’s response, and the movements of the factors under surveillance.
And that happened just a couple of hours after it happened.
The president’s eyes narrowed as he satisfactorily reviewed the report.
It was because the most important thing didn’t come out in the middle of this.
Right away, Kang Tae’s wanted order was lifted.
It was not something China did, but it was requested because it was within the scope of involvement.
It was a country that had contact with Pikal, and it was judged that it could exert sufficient influence.
However, in a situation where information about various requests was leaking, only the wanted order was not mentioned.
The president’s face, which had brightened slightly, quickly became blurred.
Accordingly, Secretary of Defense Thomas, who was observing the operation together, opened his mouth next to him.
“What are you doing?”
“There has been no mention of the wanted order issued to Alpha yet.”
To that, Thomas replied quickly.
“If China fails to lift the wanted order on Alpha, similar measures will surely be taken. Do not worry.”
At the end of his words, Thomas met his eyes and added confidence.
It was because he knew very well that the president, who had solidified the dictatorship system with three consecutive terms, feared death more than anyone else.
This was different from what ordinary people feared.
Intoxicated with an unimaginably great desire for power, he transformed into a person who would do anything to avoid losing that power.
The Ministry of National Defense’s subordinate intelligence agencies had already acquired and reported the information for a long time.
And death, unknown now, when, where, and how, was more than a disaster to Joo Seok.
Maybe it’s something that Satan doesn’t even know what to do.
If so, it was clear that even if the wanted order was not lifted, such measures would be taken.
to avoid sudden death.
I looked at the president, but his expression was still not resolved.
“I agree with the minister, but… Wouldn’t the cancellation of the wanted order be more important than the action corresponding to the wanted order? If there is a wanted order, that would be a reason to stay in the US, but… I think it’s better to stay willingly than to stay out of necessity. In particular, according to related reports, Alpha replied that she would like to start a normal family in the future.”
“ah… … .”
To the president’s answer, Thomas responded that he had overlooked it.
As a result, it was because the purpose was to scout Kang-tae and use him in the US Army.
This was true not just for the Department of Defense, but for all agencies.
CIA, FBI, whatever.
So, the US Department of Defense was also cooperating most enthusiastically and proactively.
There was no choice but to have a difference of position with the president.
Unlike the president, whose institutions belong to the United States, Thomas came from the military and was the head of the Pentagon.
The CIA director, who was noticing this, opened his mouth.
Towards Robert, not the President.
“Anderson, is Alpha happy with her current life?”
“For now, yes.”
Then, the director’s gaze naturally turned to the president.
“So don’t worry too much. Until it accomplishes its purpose, Alpha… … .”
“Does the director equate Alpha with a mere agent?”
“yes? Oh no.”
“Then you should think about taking preemptive measures, why do you think about doing nothing? he is… It hurts my mouth to speak. Do you know the director? What an important strategic asset. Am I the only one who is worried about what to give him and what reward to give him?”
“Sorry, Mr. President.”
“The same goes for the Minister of Defense. You have to give him what he needs. Isn’t that right, Secretary of State?”
The president’s gaze landed on the still-quiet Secretary of State, who occupied a seat.
It was because he was the only politician-turned-bureaucrat with whom he could speak.
As expected, a satisfactory answer was returned.
“That’s right. If you don’t need anything, you have to give it what you will need or will need in the future.”
Only then did the president nod.
“Let the Secretary of State come up with a compensation plan. enough that the finances of the United States could afford it.”
The back talk was a joke, but the Secretary of State who was listening responded with a serious attitude.
“I understand, Mr. President.”
* * *
The exit process was similar to the infiltration.
The big difference was that they were pursued by the enemy in the process of escaping, but that did not pose a real threat.
The only thing I could hear was the sound of helicopter rotors from afar.
There was no case of searching near me or firing a cannon.
It was because my location was not discovered in the first place, and only the approximate direction was revealed through the gunfire.
But the most important thing was different.
It was that at the beginning of the withdrawal, the speed was increased as if it were sprinting, so it greatly escaped the search range of the Chinese army.
The distance traveled in two hours reached almost 50 km.
It was so far that it was only a few kilometers from Seoul to the Kaesong Industrial Complex.
It was enough to escape China’s surveillance network.
It would be even more difficult to predict since they moved through mountainous areas rather than flat terrain.
So it’s been free since then.
went slowly
I slowed down considering the accumulation of fatigue, but it was not slow because it was comparable to a rapid march.
It was only relatively slow compared to the speed I had run so far.
As a result, everything went smoothly.
I evaded the enemy search, the exit route was not changed, and nothing special happened during the movement.
It was just time consuming and moderately difficult.
And I met a familiar face.
“Seniors! You came at the right time. also… … !”
It was Harry who had been waiting for 10 days after digging up a beat on the exit road.
“Are your feet okay? Are you not hurt?”
“Oh, I’m fine. you? Was everything okay?”
“I was a little nervous waiting, but I’m fine now. After seeing senior, I feel relieved.”
“… Get that sorted out.”
“All right. Ah, you worked really hard, senior.”
“Are you talking more and more?”
“Anyway, since I’m alone, I talk to myself… … .”
“Close your mouth and do that.”
“yes!”
Harry, who had been shivering, filled in the beat, erased the traces, and followed behind.
Then, on the exit road several kilometers away, he joined Andrei, and then Jose, Rachel, and team leader Jake all succeeded in contacting each other.
The atmosphere during the move was good.
It’s not an operation, it’s like an ordinary mountain training.
Of course, I didn’t have enough time to get out using various IDs like when I infiltrated, and to go back and forth between vehicles and ships, scattering with my colleagues, and then meeting them again.
And there was one minor problem.
Tuong! Tadadang!
It was a brief skirmish off the coast.
It was because they were ambushed while moving through the informant’s fishing boat.
To the pirates, not the Chinese army.
“Oh my god, do you mean there are real pirates in a country called an economic powerhouse? That damned data is still valid?”
Andrei spoke with a sense of exhilaration, but he watched the ships scattering.
He was referring to the pirate data he had checked before infiltration, and I had to agree with him.
“I know… Team Leader? Do you change plans or do you keep going?”
“Keep it for now. Soon it will be Philippine waters.”
It was time for Jake to respond to my words, and then to radio again to the command center.
Andrei’s mouth opened as he watched the fleeing ship.
“It’s not even Somalia, I never thought I would see these guys… How can there be such an asshole country?”
“Didn’t you say something similar when you went to Shenzhen?”
He was talking about going to China saying he would catch a traitor.
via Hong Kong to Shenzhen.
Perhaps remembering this, Andrei tilted his head for a moment before replying.
“maybe. did you say sh*t? Well, even then it wasn’t good. Ah, thinking about it again makes me feel dirty.”
“hehehehe, now that I’m leaving, I feel relieved.”
“It doesn’t seem to fit with China. No, it must be weirder to be beaten, aren’t you f*cking Reds?”
It was around the time when he kept an eye on the remnants of the pirates who were moving away like dots while chatting like that.
Jake, who finished the radio call with the command post before he knew it, opened his mouth.
“Keep the course first.”
At those words, our Chinese intelligence agent nodded and entered the wheelhouse.
Andrei replied again.
“Keep the course? Is that all? Wouldn’t it be a f*cking nuisance if the pirates came like cockroaches or if the Chinese navy came?”
said Andrei annoyed.
It’s like recalling the days when I fought hundreds of people in Shenzhen.
At this, Jake shook his head.
“The aircraft carrier is heading north.”
“what?”
“It will pick us up in three hours.”
Andrei, who heard the answer, hesitated and then let out a blank laugh.
“… Huh, there isn’t a separate ferry.”