Kapitel 648: Chapter 648: Is There Time to Be Like This?
After declaring war on drugs, the U.S. implemented several policies to capture drug offenders.
The starting point was the minimum mandatory sentencing law created for the war on drugs.
Simply being caught with drugs could lead to restrictions on parole or bail, insisting on the legally mandated minimum sentence.
So, it was certain that Hong Seok-geun would end up in prison.
Moreover, he was caught with a substantial amount of illegal drugs.
He would undoubtedly have to spend at least five years rotting away in prison.
""I really don't know if your son will be able to hold up. It's hard to believe he got involved with drugs after working so hard to get into Princeton."
Hong Jin-woo's face flushed red with anger as he bit down hard on his teeth.
Despite searching high and low for weaknesses, it turned out family was his true vulnerability.
Watching him squirm out of his mask brought a smirk to my lips.
If it were me, I would have handled negotiations with a poker face, but Hong Jin-woo continued to glare at me indignantly.
Of course, no one is immune to family being a weakness, but showing such emotion during negotiations is pretty disadvantageous.
The more vulnerable you appear, the more your opponent will exploit that.
As Hong Jin-woo glared at me with a look that could kill, he slowly opened his mouth.
His voice, largely steady, was already slightly crackled from rage.
"What do you want from me?"
"I just wanted to meet to see your face today. I was curious about why you view me as an enemy."
"······."
"The more I learn about you, the more disappointing it becomes. If we had more politicians like you, our country would thrive. If you had stood by my side, I would have genuinely supported you."
In the political game, where it's easy to harbor ill intentions, there are few who can stay true to their principles.
That's why, from the bottom of my heart, I praised him.
"······I asked you what you want."
But my sincerity didn't resonate with him. What a shame.
I clicked my tongue and shrugged my shoulders.
"You still don't seem to grasp how serious this situation is. Once you understand the gravity of it, reach out again. Then we can have a proper conversation."
I deliberately took a step back.
Even if I demanded something right now, he might think it was too much.
In times like this, you must let him flail about with everything he's got.
And let him feel it. His powerlessness.
He needed to suffer the brutal frustration of being completely helpless.
When he was thrashing about in despair, that's when I had to extend a hand.
"I'll take my leave first. We can talk again later, Congressman."
As I finished speaking and got up, Hong Jin-woo raised his voice.
"Hey, Kim Mu-hyeok!"
"Is there really time to be like this? The priority should be finding out your son's condition. Isn't a power struggle with me a secondary concern? You seem far too worked up to clearly see the situation."
"······."
"Your priority should be saving your son, right? Do whatever you can. I'll take my leave now since we have eyes watching us. Gather your thoughts and feel free to get up. I'll be waiting for your contact, Congressman."
I turned my body before hearing Hong Jin-woo's answer.
As I stepped outside, Manager Ma followed closely behind.
"Manager, keep a close eye on Hong Jin-woo's moves. I'm curious how far he'll go for his son."
I turned slightly to look at the traditional Korean restaurant.
The sight of his terrified son flooded back memories of Hong Jin-woo's pale face.
* * *
Hong Seok-geun was dragged not to a drug enforcement agency, but to a residential area.
"Remove the handcuffs and lock him in the room. Let him contact his attorney. And ensure all procedures are upheld to avoid any issues later."
"Understood. We will do that."
An agent from the Department of Homeland Security led Hong Seok-geun to a room in the corner.
After confirming that Hong Seok-geun had entered the room, Jessica turned to the nearby DEA agent and smiled.
"Thanks for your hard work today, and I apologize. The DEA has endured unnecessary trouble because of us."
Pena, who had led the drug enforcement agency, replied gruffly.
"······Make sure you keep your promises."
Completely unaware of the true nature of the mission, Pena only learned the facts after the operation concluded.
"Absolutely, of course. Like the DEA, we understand that drug issues are a serious threat to national security. I'll ensure we coordinate with the CIA's operations."
Despite Pena's gruff demeanor, Jessica replied with a sweet smile.
"And… this matter is top-secret until the team leader passes away. If this leaks, it could be considered treason, and I'm genuinely worried about that."
Though Jessica's tone was gentle, an underlying threat and anxiety were apparent in her voice.
If the DEA ever changed their story, her own safety could be jeopardized.
Within the Department of Homeland Security, only her direct supervisor knew of this operation.
They executed this operation secretly, without even informing the Secretary of Homeland Security.
The Secretary maintained close ties with the White House, so involving the State Department risked complications.
This forced the need to involve the DEA in this matter rather than agents from the Department of Homeland Security.
"As long as you keep your promises, I will take this secret to the grave. But if you break your promises… who knows what will happen then?"
"Don't worry. I won't break my promises. You can leave now. You can leave the bag with drugs behind."
After the DEA agents vanished, only Jessica and the Department of Homeland Security agents remained.
Sitting at her desk, Jessica let out a deep sigh.
After confirming the photos of Hong Seok-geun's arrest, she sent them to Kim Mu-hyeok's email address.
Then, she picked up her phone and called Kim Mu-hyeok.
After a few rings, Kim Mu-hyeok finally picked up.
"Ugh, Charlie, please don't ask me for favors like this anymore. I've finished my job."
—Thank you. I won't forget this matter.
With a tinge of joy in his words, the call ended.
Fiddling with her now warm phone, Jessica sighed again.
"······It better be a good choice."
As Kim Mu-hyeok mentioned, the terrorist remained in Madrid, and under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security, the CIA captured him in collaboration with Spanish authorities.
He revealed his affiliation with Al-Qaeda and claimed responsibility for the terrorist act.
While it was regrettable for the Spanish government, learning of Al-Qaeda's involvement somewhat quelled the anti-war sentiment growing in Europe.
For the U.S., this was a significant political gain.
As her mind became cluttered, Jessica closed her eyes and recalled her supervisor's words.
—Jessica, if you can successfully complete this mission, I'll recommend you to the new U.S. National Intelligence Office. Not just as a regular employee, but as an executive.
The National Intelligence Office.
The U.S. boasted a plethora of intelligence agencies.
This led to a chaotic mix of conflicting information during the resolution of Al-Qaeda's terrorist incident.
The Department of Homeland Security had been coordinating these agencies, but growing public backlash against giving them too much power prompted the creation of a new organization.
The National Intelligence Office would serve as the control tower to address conflicts and cooperation issues among the U.S. intelligence community.
Although it wouldn't engage in practical espionage activities, it would gather and supervise all incoming information from the intelligence community.
Though its practical power was slight, the stature of an organization supervising over ten intelligence agencies in the U.S. was undeniably massive.
All power derives from the monopoly of information.
"Being an executive at such a National Intelligence Office… It would be foolish not to be ambitious."
Organizing her thoughts, Jessica gave a small smile.
What had started as a mindless business trip to Korea became a tremendous opportunity for her.
Kim Mu-hyeok provided her with information faster and more accurately than any other intelligence agency in the U.S.
The value of the information he gave was immeasurable, allowing her to excel in the Department of Homeland Security.
And once again, he had dropped a golden lifeline for her.
"I don't know how you know about Al-Qaeda's activities… but I can't let this opportunity slip away."
Jessica unknowingly bit her thumbnail.
If she could prevent their terrorist act beforehand, her worth would undoubtedly increase.
"To do that, I need to resolve this matter successfully. I also have to honor my promise to the DEA."
Ultimately, what the DEA wanted was simple.
Dismantling the Mexican drug cartel.
The DEA hoped the CIA would fully cooperate and sought connections within the Mexican political and business sectors.
It was well-known that Mexico held a grudge against the DEA, leaving the agency with limited options.
"Well, I'll think about that later. For now…"
Jessica glanced at the room where Hong Seok-geun was confined, mumbling to herself.
"How can I help Charlie?"
It wasn't bad to be indebted to Kim Mu-hyeok.
* * *
Half a day later, Hong Seok-geun's lawyer arrived.
"Hello. I'm Peter Park, legal representative of Hong Seok-geun."
Park Hyung-soo presented his business card to Jessica.
Jessica accepted the card, fiddling with it as she responded.
"I'm Jessica, working for the Department of Homeland Security."
"Excuse me? Which department did you say you're from?"
Park Hyung-soo froze, stuffing his business card into his wallet.
Regaining his composure, Park Hyung-soo asked, and Jessica responded with a bright smile.
"I'm with the Department of Homeland Security."
"No, I was informed the DEA has arrested him. Why is the Department of Homeland Security suddenly involved…?"
"We intercepted intelligence indicating that Al-Qaeda and terrorist organizations were involved in drug distribution. That's why we had to step in."
This time, he couldn't even ask further questions. Park Hyung-soo was struck with shock, as if someone had hit him in the head with a hammer.
Al-Qaeda? Terrorist organizations?
He would have preferred a simple conviction for possession of drugs.
Being linked to a terrorist organization in the U.S. was akin to boarding an express train straight to hell.
"What do you mean? How could a student studying at Princeton be involved with Al-Qaeda? There must be some misunderstanding. My client is a Congressman from the Republic of Korea, a U.S. ally. It's unthinkable he would collaborate with a terrorist organization."
But his momentary panic quickly gave way to urgency. Park Hyung-soo swiftly calculated.
He decided to admit to possessing drugs while firmly denying any links to Al-Qaeda.
"This information comes from a reliable source. That's how we managed to apprehend Mr. Hong at the scene."
"······."
Even with Park Hyung-soo's denial, Jessica replied confidently.
Feeling defeated, Park Hyung-soo bit his lip.
"Can I meet with my client?"
"Absolutely. Even if he's classified as a terrorist, he still has the right to legal protection here in the U.S."
Jessica willingly took Park Hyung-soo to the room where Hong Seok-geun was confined.
Standing at the door, Park Hyung-soo looked at Jessica and asked.
"But… do investigations really occur in a place like this?"
"The content is related directly to national security. If it gets out, it could cause issues, right? This is a safe house owned by the Department of Homeland Security. Right now, no one, not even you as the attorney, knows that Mr. Hong is detained. If you leak this to anyone, losing your certification will be the least of your worries."
"······Family members have a right to know."
"I understand about the family. You just can't tell the media or anyone else. Got it?"
Park Hyung-soo nodded.
In today's America, everything was justified under the banner of national security.
Since the terrorist incidents that invaded U.S. soil, anyone posing a threat to security could be easily framed as a traitor.
This felt reminiscent of the McCarthyism that swept through America in the 1950s.
Jessica instructed the agent guarding the door.
"Open the door."
Following her command, the agent opened the door.
Through the opened door, Hong Seok-geun was visible, sitting on the bed with his head in his hands.
"Seok-geun."
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Hong Seok-geun raised his head.
"Uncle! Uncle!"
Seeing Park Hyung-soo, Hong Seok-geun burst into tears and jumped to his feet.
He looked pale, as if he'd suffered immeasurably during the short time.
Park Hyung-soo felt a wave of emotion but composed himself and turned to Jessica.
"Can we talk alone?"
Jessica nodded willingly.
"Go ahead. Oh, and you should also know, the result of the drug test conducted immediately after the arrest was positive."
Receiving an ultimatum, Park Hyung-soo let out a small sigh.
A positive result meant there was no way to escape the charges.
"Understood. Then…"
As Park Hyung-soo entered the room, he glanced at Jessica before closing the door.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein