At 8 PM, the ballroom of the Waldorf Hotel was packed with guests, all awaiting the arrival of Vice President Andrew. The attendees were all politically aligned with the Democratic Party, and although the guest of honor had yet to arrive, these frequent socialites were already deep in conversation.
The recent assassination attempt in Times Square, seemingly targeting both the Vice President and the African politician, had been the hot topic. Rumors were swirling, and since everyone had access to different sources, not all knew that the incident was actually a ploy by the Republican Party to damage Andrew's political standing.
However, those with more reliable intel were now speculating how this event might affect Andrew tonight. After all, the people present were betting on Andrew's political future, and many believed that with the downfall of William Bracken—once a rising star of the Republican Party, taken down by a New York cop—the Democrats held a significant advantage in the next presidential election.
As long as Andrew didn't make any major mistakes or self-destruct, he had a strong chance of becoming the next president. And those who backed him early would reap generous rewards. In this country, despite its proclamations of "democracy," becoming president was largely about wealth, political backing, and support from powerful entities like corporate lobbies or the military-industrial complex. Once elected, presidents rewarded their key contributors handsomely.
For instance, if you financially supported a presidential candidate during their campaign, don't be surprised if you were appointed Director of the CIA once they were in office. This was the reality behind the "democracy" that the country so proudly touted.
As the guests quietly gossiped about these power plays, Andrew finally arrived at the Waldorf Hotel in an armored Cadillac, escorted by the Secret Service. As he spoke softly with his chief of staff about the upcoming event, he had no idea that in half an hour, he would deeply regret coming to New York.
Through the hotel's surveillance system, which had long been hacked and controlled by Harry, Castle and Frank's team, who were in the safe house, were immediately alerted to Andrew's arrival. Marvin, who had been a bundle of nerves, finally relaxed and excitedly asked Frank, "Are you sure all we have to do is release Andrew's dirt? It feels strange not to be directly involved, but technology these days is amazing!"
Frank exchanged a knowing smile with Victoria before explaining to the puzzled Sarah and Marvin, "Once we release the evidence Andrew thought only Charles Hahn had, what do you think Andrew will do? Yesterday, he reluctantly agreed to halt hostilities with the Republican Party, but tonight, at his fundraising banquet, the same evidence Hahn had shows up. Will Andrew stop to think someone might be trying to provoke a conflict between him and Hahn? Or will he, in his rage, launch a vengeful attack on Hahn, the very person he had made peace with?"
Marvin grumbled, "You tactical masterminds are so devious…"
Sarah, who was more of a homebody, quickly grasped Frank's plan. She realized how brilliant it was to reignite the feud between two seemingly pacified factions without lifting a finger. The fact that her idol, the novelist Castle, had devised the plan made her even more excited.
Finally, the fundraising banquet that had everyone's attention began.
To loud applause, the energetic Vice President Andrew strode confidently onto the stage and began his speech. Behind him, a massive screen showcased his impressive political career, framing him as a man of humble origins but with deep political ties. Andrew's eloquent, impassioned speech, coupled with his tall, handsome figure, garnered enthusiastic applause from the many opportunistic political figures in attendance.
In Castle's study, the team, waiting for the right moment, all turned to Harry at his computer.
With a mischievous grin, Harry, noting Castle's signal, quickly typed in a series of codes.
As Harry executed the command, the giant screen behind Andrew began displaying gruesome photos of a massacre. Andrew, who was still speaking passionately, was unaware that the audience's attention had shifted to these disturbing images, where he was unmistakably the central figure. Though much younger in the photos, it was clear that Andrew was on the side of the perpetrators, and shockingly, he appeared to be smiling—seemingly proud of the carnage.
The images were followed by a video of the younger Andrew standing among the bodies, giving orders to bury them. The growing murmurs in the ballroom soon erupted into a wave of gasps and horrified whispers. Only then did Andrew sense something was wrong. As he turned to look at the screen, his face drained of color as he saw himself laughing amidst the massacre.
His chief of staff reacted quickly, ordering the screen to be turned off, but it was already too late. Reporters in the room had swiftly aimed their cameras at the screen, capturing the damning footage.
Simultaneously, in Castle's study, he used Charles Hahn's name to send the same evidence to all major media outlets, ensuring that the Vice President's darkest secret would spread far beyond the ballroom. Harry also took the liberty of broadcasting the photos and video on every large outdoor screen in Manhattan, including the massive displays in Times Square.
Although Andrew's staff managed to shut off the screen at the banquet, countless people across the city were now seeing the horrifying footage on public screens. Andrew's secret was out, and there was no stopping it.
The moment Andrew saw the massacre images, his mind immediately blamed the Republicans. He quickly concocted a narrative: after Colonel Johnson's death, the Republicans, no longer fearing backlash from Johnson's actions, had pretended to make peace, only to deliver a fatal blow to his campaign by releasing this damning evidence during his most crucial fundraiser.
Andrew knew he was finished. Even the most optimistic person could see that an incident like this at a major fundraising event couldn't be covered up. But he had no idea that the worst was yet to come.
As Andrew left the stage, his chief of staff delivered even more devastating news. The footage had been broadcast on every outdoor screen in Manhattan.
Upon hearing this, Andrew nearly fainted.
It was over. He was truly done for.
Seething with rage, Andrew almost lost all self-control. If not for his chief of staff forcibly pulling him backstage and rushing him out through a secure exit, he might have exploded on the spot. But these damage control measures were meaningless. Even though his team had managed to turn off the screens at the banquet, word had already spread. Across Manhattan, people were talking about the Vice President's involvement in a massacre. His past, long buried, had come back to haunt him with a vengeance.
Tonight, Andrew's political career had imploded, and there was no recovering from the fallout.
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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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