Capítulo 95: Chapter 95
It is well known that the FBI and CIA are extremely at odds, to the point of even inserting spies into each other's organizations.
When it comes to significant matters, each department has its own methods and principles, with both sides wanting to be the top dog, resulting in chaotic disagreements. The antagonism between the two has posed numerous crises to the security of the Führer's life and territory.
For minor issues, the FBI considers CIA agents to be arrogant intellectuals with a superior attitude, while the CIA sees FBI agents as nosy, rigid police officers.
Especially at this moment.
Zhen Ai stood at the corner of the hallway, glancing at the two groups arguing by the glass window before continuing to make coffee.
She had previously agreed to cooperate with the investigation so she could return to the police station with Yan Su. Regarding the laboratory, she didn't need to mention it; the CIA would immediately intervene to stop the FBI from investigating. As for Suki, the physical evidence at the scene had been tampered with, and she hadn't figured out how to present it credibly yet.
When they arrived at the police station, Yan Su had just helped Zhen Ai out of the car when she spotted her brother, Spencer Vanderbilt, accompanied by a whole legal team. Spencer said nothing but politely nodded at Zhen Ai.
One of the lawyers approached Yan Su, reminding him, "Don't say anything to the police."
That was utterly pointless advice, but instead of ignoring and mocking his unnecessary reminder like usual, Yan Su simply nodded in acknowledgment.
Zhen Ai asked, "Can you bail him out?"
"Bail?" A shrewd glimmer appeared in the lawyer's eyes. "Don't let the police intimidate you; they don't have an arrest warrant. S.A. hasn't been arrested, and the police don't have enough evidence. So he can go anywhere at any time. The police are just putting psychological pressure on him, trying to get him to come back for questioning. If Mr. S.A. wants to pursue this, we can file a lawsuit."
Zhen Ai was taken aback; in her moment of urgency, she had overlooked this detail. No wonder Yan Su said they wouldn't miss dinner tonight.
Laise, upon hearing this, had a grim expression. "We'll apply for a restraining order as soon as possible. Mr. Yan, you'd better not try to leave the country for a while."
Yan Su seemed to quip, "Then I must sneak out before the restraining order comes through."
Laise looked furious.
Later, when asked by Zhen Ai, she also played coy: "I want to remain silent." Laise was nearly driven to frustration. He tried various ways to get Zhen Ai to speak, but soon CIA personnel arrived. He felt like he was dealing with a plague.
Then the two groups argued for more than ten minutes until now.
Zhen Ai sat with Yan Su, holding her coffee.
"I really didn't expect your brother to come. I thought you would at least cooperate with the investigation and give them a statement first," she said.
Yan Su casually glanced at his watch. "I will, but not now."
He had something important to attend to and didn't want to cooperate with the police for the time being. Moreover, Suki was dead; even if he laid everything out, they wouldn't be able to catch the mysterious figure behind it. Plus, his words might not even be believed.
In any case, he was already under suspicion; cooperating or not made little difference—it was merely a matter of the degree of suspicion, and that didn't concern Yan Su.
Finally, the CIA and FBI personnel reached a consensus and came out, each group's face displaying dissatisfaction.
Spencer approached and called Yan Su aside for a discussion.
Zhen Ai noticed Annie in casual attire, appearing as Yan Su's sister-in-law rather than in her official capacity to negotiate with the police.
Annie walked over with a cup of coffee and sat down across from Zhen Ai, appearing like two strangers. Holding her cup, she spoke softly, "Suki had too many resources, which led to this situation. But why have you lost contact with Owen?"
Zhen Ai shook her head.
Annie sipped her coffee. "Suki has leaked information; your identity has been exposed. That's why wherever you go, the organization's people can track you down."
Zhen Ai remained silent.
"Only a few people within the CIA know your identity. We recently investigated these individuals, and the results were clear. However, traces indicate Suki had accomplices, and we suspect they are within the FBI. This is something we cannot control at the moment. So, for your safety, I recommend you change your identity again."
Annie paused. "Completely cut ties with everyone you've met this time, including me."
Zhen Ai felt a shock in her heart, gripping the mug tightly until her knuckles turned white. She remained silent, but her body language was clear: No!
Annie's expression was indifferent. "To be blunt, you don't have a choice."
Zhen Ai lowered her gaze, staring at the brown liquid in her cup, her emotions boiling over as she coldly retorted, "No!"
Annie was taken aback; Zhen Ai had always obeyed orders and had never been this resolute. She paused, collected herself, and turned her gaze to the other end, where Yan Su and Spencer stood, tall and slender, quietly conversing.
Zhen Ai followed her gaze, her Yan Su still habitually with his hands in his pockets, his profile calm and relaxed, except for faint bloodstains on his white shirt.
The two women looked at their respective loved ones, either tender or silent.
"Spencer is the youngest senator in New York," Annie said with a slight smile. "He's truly remarkable. God knows how much I love him... because I love him, I love his family too. So I hope his brother, S.A., can be well."
Zhen Ai remained silent.
Annie continued, "Whether from a sister's perspective or from the viewpoint of my husband's family's reputation, I hope S.A. can live simply and peacefully, untainted as before."
Zhen Ai softly replied, "He has always been like that. He has always been clean."
Annie chuckled. "Precisely because of this, such a pure child being wrongfully accused is particularly heart-wrenching, isn't it?"
Zhen Ai was taken aback, her face paling.
Annie continued, "He's lucky to be born in a country that values evidence, with a powerful family to support him. So no matter what, he won't end up in prison for something he didn't do, even if one day, those who frame him ruin his reputation."
Zhen Ai's beautiful face paled even further, her voice sounding almost unfamiliar, very faint: "S.A. doesn't care."
"I believe he doesn't care; but I'm surprised you don't care about the disaster and misfortune you might bring him." Annie's blunt words flushed Zhen Ai's face again. "You know, S.A.'s family has countless scientists like him, researchers like you, and even more politicians like Spencer. The family is too large; everyone's reputation is interconnected."
Annie turned to look at her. "S.A. may not care about his own reputation, but he will certainly feel guilty for the other upright and hard-working members of his family."
Zhen Ai's face flushed with a mix of red and white as she gripped her cup, her mind blank, feeling lost in a vast, icy expanse with no direction. Annie glanced at Yan Su's white shirt and remarked, "Look, he's hurt again."
Zhen Ai felt a deep sadness but was unwilling to give in, almost defiantly stating, "Once this phase of research is done, I'll end my collaboration with you, regardless of how it turns out between us." It was as if this declaration could restore her sense of agency. Annie remained unconvinced, coolly replying, "But I believe you won't abandon the mess your mother left behind."
Zhen Ai fell silent, feeling defeated. Her earlier stubbornness felt irrational now; Annie was right. Deep down, she wished she could be a carefree, rebellious girl, but she was not. In that moment, her childhood submissiveness resurfaced, and after a long silence, she asked, "How can you guarantee my safety next time?"
"Since you ran off to Columbia University for that lecture, they've gradually tracked your movements. You should know you're not a normal person; you can't just go wherever you please," Annie explained. "Remember before Owen, when the previous agent died? You were really resistant back then, saying..."
"Live underground for life?" Zhen Ai finished for her, her expression blank. Back then, she rarely went out; whenever she did, trouble followed. After several agents, she felt guilty and insisted she didn't want protection, preferring to stay underground and work. At the time, it didn't seem difficult; she was used to it. But for mental health reasons, they wouldn't isolate her from the outside world.
On the way back in the limo, Zhen Ai felt colder than ever, overwhelmed with despair. She knew that besides Owen, many others secretly protected her. Without the witness protection program, Arthur would have captured her by now. His inaction was likely due to his fixation on Yan Su. Perhaps it was time to change identities again and disappear from this new world.
She buried her head in Yan Su's chest, refusing to look up, clutching him tightly like a child with their only toy.
In the past, she felt time stood still, spending endless days conducting experiments, content to be a little robot. Locked in the lab, she imagined dying there years later, feeling fulfilled. Living without any connection to the world, dying without any regrets, suited her well.
But now, she didn't want to leave; he was the only light in her life. The thought of never seeing him again felt like a knife to her heart. She had never understood loneliness until now; she had fallen in love with him. Going back was impossible.
If someone thought about him every day for a long life, how could she endure it?
Yet, as Annie hinted, he brought her endless hope and joy, while she brought him pain and disaster.
Perhaps emotional turmoil had clouded her judgment. She suddenly felt naive and reckless about her life. She wasn't fit for someone as good as Yan Su. Her world had been incredibly simple growing up. No one taught her right from wrong; she didn't understand the world and once thought what Arthur did was natural and justifiable. Sometimes, overthinking left her confused. Was the world's definition of justice and fairness truly correct, or was it just people standing in their own corners, banding together to defend their organizations?
Like Suki, she had walked through extremes. Was she right or wrong?
Zhen Ai couldn't grasp it. Often, she was unsure of her own definitions of good and evil, lacking clear standards and acting on impulse, wanting to avoid feelings of guilt and discomfort.
But now, having done nothing, she was overwhelmed with unshakeable discomfort and guilt.
Suddenly, she recalled reading Mandela's biography in her youth, where the freedom fighter said: sometimes, some things are destined to vanish, and no matter how hard you try, you cannot save them from their fate—it's ultimately futile.
A sense of pessimism spread in her heart.
Noticing her distress, Yan Su leaned closer and asked, "What's wrong?"
Feeling lost, she stared blankly at him and said, "Dear, the mysterious person behind Suki is Bert; it has to be Bert."
He was unperturbed: "I had a hunch."
Thinking of Bert and Annie made Zhen Ai's head hurt. "Dear, I don't like the so-called righteous people protecting me now; they always say things that make me hate and despise myself. It hurts."
As she gripped his arm, her words became a jumble, "I know it sounds absurd, but I never thought Bert's actions were wrong. He was just that mischievous boy who grew up with me. I even considered him family for defending me. I shouldn't say this, but before I left the organization, I never felt shame or humiliation for my actions."
Yan Su's gaze darkened, his arm sliding down as he held her trembling body tightly, trying to give her strength, but her confusion and fear seemed to come from deep within, her voice shaking: "Ever since I escaped, I've realized I'm a bad person, a demon. I can't look them in the eye; I hate them!"
Tears shimmered in her eyes, filled with terror, and her speech grew frantic and illogical: "Dear, what if I just escaped from one organization to another? No, I shouldn't say that. They were right, and I just argued with them and said things I didn't mean. How could I not atone for my mother's sins? How could I..."
"Ai, stop talking!" He saw her nearing a breakdown and pressed his cheek against her lips. "I understand; just don't say anymore!"
His lips brushed her ear, and his heart raced. Typically calm, he felt flustered by her confusion and turmoil.
For the first time, he was overwhelmed with thoughts: she was being hurt; he hadn't protected her; she was self-harming; his heart ached unbearably. But suddenly, a bizarre thought crossed his mind—she didn't really want to return to a disorganized world, did she?
The sudden thought made him stiffen for a moment, instinctively tightening his arm to press her slender body into his warm and solid form. His voice was gentle, "Ai, what's wrong? Why are you confused? Why don't you have confidence?"
His voice was low and rich, like a piano.
Zhen Ai, held tightly in his embrace, couldn't help but feel her grievances rising as she choked on her words, "Why are you never confused? Why are you always so confident? How do you know that what you're currently holding on to is truly right?"
She actually wanted to ask how he could be sure that the person he liked now was his ideal partner, but she didn't dare to.
Yan Su's previously tense heart slowly relaxed. He had faced Laise's doubts without worry, but now he experienced the feeling of a prisoner being released.
She was held so tightly that her breathing became slightly irregular, yet instead of struggling away as usual, she clung to his waist like a koala bear to a tree. He allowed her to nestle closer, then after a moment, kissed her hair.
"Ai, I hold onto what I believe is right in my heart, but I don't consider it absolute. Everyone has their own measure in their heart. When your thoughts clash with others, if you don't learn to protect your true self, you'll waver. I don't follow anyone, nor do I depend on any force; perhaps that's why I remain steadfast. But, you're not asking this, are you?"
He slightly loosened his grip on her, suddenly lifting her onto his lap, his large palm cradling her face. His palm was warm, and his clear gaze pierced deep into her heart.
"Ai, please trust my judgment, especially when it comes to women."
Zhen Ai's heart trembled quietly, her small face in his hands, staring intently at him.
He lowered his head, his forehead resting against hers, "Ai, I hope you can do what you want to do in the future. If you think you actually enjoy your current job, then shed the emotions you impose on it—whether guilt or burden—and treat it as a simple job. If you choose this path, I'm willing to change my identity with you. If you're tired of it, please let go of all burdens and come with me easily. There's no need for witnesses; I will protect you. We'll first head to Cuba, then travel the world. If you're worried about someone recognizing me and harming me, I don't mind changing my appearance."
Zhen Ai's heart shook. When did he make such a significant decision on his own?
"Why?"
"Because I love you." He said it plainly, the first time he declared his love.
Many questions no longer needed to be asked; he had provided the most reliable answer.
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