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Dom was gone, and the FBI had officially issued a federal warrant for him, charging him with murder and armed robbery. Ron knew the story of Fast & Furious had come to an end.
But that didn't stop Ron from paying Inspector Jack a visit for a proper chat.
"Ron, I gave you everything you needed last time. What the hell are you doing here again? You're not exactly welcome, you know." Jack was clearly annoyed to see Ron back in his office.
"I thought we were friends, Jack." Ron settled into the leather chair across from Jack with casual familiarity. He pulled out a small digital recorder, placed it on the mahogany desk, and hit play. "I happened to come across an interesting recording. Maybe you'd like to hear it."
"Your shipment's been compromised, and this guy's becoming a real problem..." Jack's own voice emerged from the recorder's speakers. He bolted upright in his chair, eyes wide with alarm.
Reacting quickly, he lunged for the recorder, ejected the memory card, and began trying to destroy it.
Ron watched the whole performance with an amused smile, making no effort to stop him.
"You've got backup copies, don't you?" Jack finally realized the futility of his actions. Ron nodded matter-of-factly, and Jack slumped back into his executive chair.
"What do you want?"
"A presidential pardon. You know exactly what I'm going to use it for." Ron stood up and leaned over the desk, his voice carrying steel. "If it weren't for you and your corrupt dealings with these street gangs, my friend Dom wouldn't be running for his life right now!"
"That's impossible! We just issued the warrant, and the case is already closed. If we cancel it now, where does that leave the Bureau's credibility? Go ahead, release that recording! You think I'm scared? These senior officials all know that organized crime is one of our main intelligence funding sources, and they're also a key part of the mayor's voter base. You really want to make enemies of all of us?"
Ron had suspected the gangs were paying protection money to federal agents, but he hadn't known the mayor was involved. This wasn't just a criminal case anymore—it was a full-blown political scandal.
No matter how powerful his boss was, there was no way he could support him in something like this. Going up against such a large and influential constituency would be political suicide for anyone with White House ambitions.
Ron rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on, mentally cursing the whole damn system.
Jack softened his tone. "However, I can pull back the FBI's active pursuit. You know that'll make things a lot easier for your friend. Then I'll get you that pardon, but you have to promise me it won't be used for at least six months, and you'd better have a legitimate reason when you do use it.
The condition is that every copy of this recording gets permanently destroyed. Deal?"
Ron considered it. There didn't seem to be a better option. This deal could work. With Dom and his crew's skills, without federal agents actively hunting them internationally, they could probably live more freely abroad than they ever could back home.
Worst case scenario, they'd wait out the six months and then use the presidential pardon to bring them back. Still, if he was going to negotiate, he might as well push for more. "Alright, but I want two pardons."
"Two?!" Jack's eyes bulged. "We're only after Toretto! You're pushing your luck!"
"Relax, Jack," Ron said, gesturing for calm. "Ever heard of 'Mockingbird'? I think you'd be very interested in teaming up to give him some grief, wouldn't you?"
'Mockingbird' was the code name for the CIA's West Coast operations chief. Through his own intelligence networks, Ron had discovered this man was the real power behind Shawshank's corrupt system. Now that he had some downtime, why not cause him some trouble?
The three major US intelligence agencies—CIA, FBI, and NSA—are theoretically equal, but they represent different power structures, leading to long-standing rivalry disguised as professional cooperation.
In theory, the FBI, under the Department of Justice, holds ultimate authority over matters like pardons and judicial decisions in federal criminal cases. Even the other agencies have to work through the Bureau for such matters.
However, funding flows through the Treasury Department and is tightly controlled by congressional appropriations. The NSA, meanwhile, operates under the Department of Defense and has access to the largest intelligence budget.
The CIA, while boasting the strongest operational capabilities and running various off-the-books enterprises that operate independently of Treasury oversight—receiving funding directly from Pentagon black budgets—these operations are largely illegal. Any aggressive FBI investigation results in significant losses for the Agency in terms of personnel and funding.
Consequently, the three major agencies are constantly working to undermine each other. From another perspective, these intelligence agencies, each with law enforcement powers, represent another form of checks and balances.
It's a uniquely American approach to governance.
Jack was clearly intrigued. "What exactly are you planning?"
"I happen to know about a man who's been wrongfully imprisoned for over twenty years. He was framed, and the real perpetrator is currently doing time elsewhere. With a little maneuvering, we can exonerate him."
Ron planned to use Andy's case to blindside the CIA and, in the process, clear Andy's record so he could recruit him. His special operations unit was still a one-man show, and he needed to expand his team.
Andy, with his sharp intellect and mastery of financial systems, would be a perfect addition.
"But what does this have to do with 'Mockingbird'?" Jack asked, confused.
"This guy escaped from Shawshank and, while inside, he managed the prison's entire financial operation. He even prepared tax returns for high-ranking officials throughout the state corrections system. You see where I'm going with this, right?" Ron gave a knowing wink.
Jack stared for a moment, then suddenly jumped up and started rifling through files from several recent drug cases. When he saw where the convicted dealers had been sent, the pieces clicked into place.
They'd all been sent to Shawshank. That couldn't be a coincidence!
Ron flashed his signature devil-may-care grin. "We just need to..."
(End of Chapter)
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