Although he understood what William was implying, Benjamin was still silent for a long time when he heard that the person plotting against him was from his own faction. Finally, he sighed and said, "It seems my father was right—there are no real allies, only interests and betrayal. Thank you for telling me this. It's invaluable to me."
William replied with a smile, "Glad it's useful to you."
"Of course it is. It might even save my career one day. Anyway, enough about that. Next Monday is Goblin Day. If you're free, I'd like you to come to the White Palace for the festival banquet. Maybe we can discuss a few things."
"Haha, you're too polite. Right now, you're my lucky charm, bringing in one or two million pounds daily. Forget just finding evidence—I'd even help you deal with Charles Meane."
"Don't forget, Bob Lee Swagger is still furious over being framed and would likely be more than happy to send Charles to meet Satan. As for attending the banquet, I'm afraid I'll have to decline since I'm on vacation."
"Alright, but I hope you'll stop by the States when your vacation ends. As for Charles, William, it doesn't have to be so direct. For people like Charles and me, a scandal could end not just our careers but also damage our families for generations."
"And if something happens, we won't even need to lift a finger; anyone connected to him will handle it on their own. Charles can either stay quiet or lose his chance to speak entirely."
"You mean to wait for someone else to make a move? What if Charles decides to take desperate action before that happens?" William shook his head, skeptical. "Think it over carefully, Mr. Arthur. Mercy can backfire."
"Alright, I'll be cautious," Benjamin replied reluctantly. "There are rules I can't break. Assassination carries too much risk, with consequences that would be too severe. If I want to run for re-election, I can't resort to that."
Ah, truly the mind of a top official. He's only been in office for less than a year and is already thinking about re-election.
"Alright, anyway, I've kept myself completely out of sight. If the Meane family wants revenge, it won't come back to me. I hope you won't regret this decision. I'll send you the video of Charles Meane soon. I hope it helps."
"Thank you, and I assure you, there'll be no loose ends. Goodbye."
"Goodbye," William said, ending the call.
Despite his words, William was secretly considering how to get rid of Charles Meane. He didn't believe someone capable of ordering a massacre would quietly step down. Now that he had already targeted the Meane family, there was no room for mercy.
But that very afternoon, his worries proved unnecessary. Somehow, Benjamin Arthur had taken action. Charles Meane suffered a sudden stroke during his lunch break and slipped away to meet Satan without any warning.
With Charles gone, there was no need to worry about Johnson, the retired colonel. Johnson disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again.
Meanwhile, the agents Johnson had sent to London to capture Swagger were immediately tracked by Kingsman agents, as William had notified them in advance. All were promptly thrown into a secret prison.
Once everything was handled, William called Swagger, who was still recovering from his injuries. "Good morning, Swagger. How have you been?"
"Not bad. Although moving around is still difficult, the wound isn't showing any signs of infection. I should be fine in about a week," Swagger replied, pausing for a moment. "Did you find anything?"
"Haha, I'll send you some information and a video. You'll know when you watch it."
Two hours later, William received a text from Swagger with just two words: "Thank you."
The next morning, Swagger, wearing a hat and mask, took a taxi to the New York bus terminal, then rode a bus to Philadelphia, where he turned himself in to the FBI.
The high-profile assassination attempt on a top official ended in a sensation when the suspect, who had evaded capture for days, voluntarily surrendered to the FBI. Everyone was curious about what could have driven Swagger to come out of hiding.
The outcome, however, shocked the world. Not only was Bob Lee Swagger quickly acquitted, but he was also awarded a medal personally presented by Benjamin Arthur for saving FBI agent Nick Murphy in Philadelphia.
Swagger took full responsibility for the actions of Brian's team, following a tip-off from Sunday. He was hailed as a national hero, while Brian's team faded into the shadows, and William, orchestrating everything from behind the scenes, remained completely hidden.
William's direct involvement was minimal, but his profits were substantial. Since he sent the video to Benjamin Arthur, both Arthur and his son had frequently appeared in public wearing bulletproof suits "courtesy of a friendly sponsor," giving speeches and attending charity events.
Only a few days later, new orders for the suits poured in, amounting to over 60 units worth more than 300 million pounds, which pleased William with the Arthur family's cooperative spirit and reliability. He promptly sent Katherine, who had resigned as England's Minister of Security to become CEO of the bulletproof clothing company, to Texas to meet Benjamin Arthur's mother, Barbara.
But while William enjoyed his success, some others weren't so lucky.
Before his death, Charles Meane had ordered his subordinates to eliminate anyone who might know that his son, Robert, had been captured by African tribesmen.
Even though Charles had died seamlessly, without arousing suspicion within the Meane family, the man entrusted with carrying out the orders informed Robert Meane of the plan after Charles's funeral.
Now the backbone of the Meane family, Robert Meane didn't want any evidence that could be used against him, so he quickly agreed to go through with eliminating his would-be rescuers.
But while the plan was progressing methodically, eliminating all 11 people involved in the rescue mission was unrealistic. They hadn't managed to find everyone, with no leads on Frank Moses and Marvin Boggs.
However, Frank Moses, who hadn't used that name in years, was facing his own misfortune. Recently, he'd been arguing with his wife, who didn't understand why he resigned from his position as CIA director.
Frustrated and unable to share his troubles, Frank reluctantly moved out and returned to the old house he had purchased under his former name, Frank Moses. Moving back not only brought him trouble but also sealed the fate of his marriage.
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