"What did you say? Sean's son told you that Edward Bailey isn't dead and has been held by the British for over thirty years? How is that possible? We watched him die with our own eyes! And how does that kid even have access to thirty-year-old classified files? This has to be a joke..."
When Frank returned to the safe house and shared his conversation with Castle, Marvin, initially calm and smiling, immediately stood up in shock when Frank mentioned what Castle had revealed. This was way beyond what Marvin had expected.
Like Frank, Marvin wasn't particularly worried about Vice President Andrew wanting to clean up his past by eliminating those who knew about his dirty secrets. Nor was he concerned about the possibility that the attack was orchestrated by Andrew's political rivals, posing as his men to frame him. Marvin, despite being a crazy old man fed hallucinogens by the CIA for years, didn't fear the petty squabbles of these politicians.
But the bombshell about Edward Bailey shook him to his core. Thirty years ago, it was Marvin and Frank who had gone to Russia on a top-secret mission. Only a handful of people knew about it, and back then, Castle was just a kid. How could he know about "Operation Nightshade" and Dr. Edward Bailey? And now, he was saying that Bailey had been imprisoned by the British for over thirty years? What was going on?
Victoria, who hadn't been involved in these events, remained calm. After all, this elegant older lady was once with British Intelligence, not the CIA, so she wasn't as invested in Marvin's outburst. She was more concerned with their current predicament. Marvin was often erratic, so Victoria addressed Frank, who was trying to calm Marvin down. "So, we're not really after Vice President Andrew? It's his political opponents—Senator Charles Hahn from Montana and former CIA Africa Division Chief Colonel Johnson—who are the real culprits behind the attack on you? And they hoped you would believe Andrew was responsible, framing him?"
Sarah, Frank's much younger girlfriend who had always dreamed of the spy life, lit up with excitement. "Did you meet my idol? Why didn't you bring me back some signed copies of his books? And are you really shifting your target from the Vice President to the Senator?"
Frank felt exasperated by the questions swirling around him. He was an old-school operative, skilled in action, but not in explaining his plans. Yet, the people before him weren't just anyone. Marvin, despite his eccentricities, was his most reliable partner; Victoria had come out of friendship to help; and Sarah, well, was the younger girlfriend he'd found at sixty-something, and he had to keep her happy. She was thirty years younger, after all—if he didn't manage this well, his second chance at love could vanish quickly.
So, suppressing his usual "shoot first, talk later" instincts, Frank took a seat in the safe house's living room. Grateful that Castle had stocked up on Kentucky bourbon whiskey, he poured a glass for each of his companions. After a moment of reflection, he began explaining.
"Marvin, sit down first. Edward Bailey isn't our immediate concern, and if Rick was brave enough to tell me this, he wouldn't have done so without a reason. Whatever source he used to find this classified information, it's clear he isn't lying to us. We'll deal with Bailey after we finish the task at hand."
Marvin, having worked with Frank for decades, immediately calmed down, though he muttered under his breath, "You said it. I always thought something was off about Bailey's death. After we finish our current mission, we'll head to that asylum in London and… check it out…"
Having reassured Marvin, Frank took a sip of his whiskey and turned to Victoria, who was most focused on their current situation. "Here's the thing. The situation has taken an interesting turn. Earlier today, during the attack, Sean's son's girlfriend—she's the captain of a NYPD precinct—led her officers to catch Charles Hahn's men red-handed. To make it even more absurd, those idiots were carrying CIA credentials.
But here's the kicker: this captain probably had a heads-up from Rick, so after detaining these guys and bringing them to the precinct, she quickly handed them over to the FBI. The FBI, not knowing what they were stepping into, asked their superiors at the Department of Justice for permission to take over the case. Now I bet the FBI regrets getting involved.
They might use this opportunity to go after their long-time rivals at the CIA, but that's not our problem. Our original goal was to find out who was behind the attack, but thanks to Rick's intel, we already know it was Charles Hahn and Colonel Johnson.
So now, the question isn't who's behind it. The real issue is: how do we protect ourselves in this situation?"
Victoria quickly grasped Frank's point. "You're suggesting that Andrew does, in fact, want to get rid of you, but before he could make his move, Charles Hahn's attack threw a wrench in his plans?"
Frank smiled, enjoying Victoria's perceptiveness. "Exactly. Rick didn't say it outright, but he made it clear in our conversation. Andrew's motives are obvious. The guy's running for President soon, and his strongest rival, Republican Senator William Bracken, was taken down by Rick and his police captain girlfriend. Now Andrew has a clear shot at the presidency, and we, the people who know his dirty secrets, are exactly the kind of loose ends he'll want to tie up.
Funny enough, it was Rick and his girlfriend who toppled Bracken, a major Republican figure. That kid's craftier than he seems."
Victoria, uninterested in the personal lives of Castle and his girlfriend, focused back on the bigger picture. "So, what do we do now? Do we go after the Senator and the CIA Colonel who attacked us? Or do we expose Andrew's past and eliminate him before he becomes even more dangerous?"
Sarah, who had led a quiet life for thirty years, was practically glowing with excitement. She had never been involved in something so thrilling. Here they were, about to take on a sitting Vice President and a powerful Senator. This was the excitement Frank had promised her, and he wasn't kidding!
Despite his affection for Sarah, Frank kept his focus. He couldn't afford to get distracted at such a crucial moment. Ignoring her eagerness, he spoke calmly to Victoria, though his words were anything but gentle. "Why choose? Isn't it better to take them both down? Think about it. If we help one side, they'll only turn on us after they've won. These people are scum, and once they've used us, they'll point their guns at us. So why not eliminate them both? It's the only way to ensure we're safe.
Besides, I saw the sniper they planned to frame—Bob Lee Swagger—at Rick's place. We know exactly what Rick is thinking. Do I even need to say more?"
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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