Dana Moger thought she understood Jack, her subordinate, quite well.
Back when the Federation was still a beacon, despite rampant materialism and rampant gangs, a group of fearless, old-school lawmen stood up.
They overthrew the American Mafia, imprisoning numerous leaders. They engaged in head-on battles with Latin American drug traffickers, risking immense personal risk to bring major drug lords back to face justice.
Though mortal, they possessed a will and courage far superior to that of ordinary men, much like the firefighters and NYPD officers who bravely plunged into the rubble after 9/11.
Yet, even these mortal heroes could not withstand the ravages of time, gradually dissolving like the crumbling Twin Towers.
Those tough men of the past, cigars in one hand, a woman in one arm, a revolver in the other, were now considered "heroes" if they could sleep through the night without getting up, even without diapers.
In contrast, the firefighters who died young from various cancers caused by inhaling excessive amounts of hazardous dust in the rubble, then abandoned by the federal government, were considered "lucky."
Even individual heroism has its ups and downs, just as Hollywood's screens are now filled with various gender-bending monsters.
For those like Dana Moger, who experienced that golden age firsthand, they saw a reflection of that type in Jack.
The same exceptional abilities, the same fearlessness, the same disregard for rules, even the slight lustful streak was identical.
Even if Jack said nothing, just that expression, Dana Moger knew what he was up to.
"You'd better not even think about that," warned the female boss.
"I'm not thinking anything," Jack firmly denied.
Frank Reagan looked at Jack with resignation, "If that's the method, I won't agree to participate in the special election."
"Okay, okay, I got it. I promise I won't kill them intentionally unless I'm forced to at gunpoint. Is that okay?" Jack raised his hands in surrender.
Do you understand what it means to judge by deeds, not by intentions? Eastern philosophy is truly pragmatic.
But now that both of them have stated this, Jack can't just go his own way. Fortunately, the goal is now clear, no longer like the blind men groping for an elephant.
What's the saying from a past life? As long as your mindset doesn't slip, there are always more solutions than problems, right?
That night, the lights in Frank Reagan's study stayed on for much of the night. Neither the female boss nor the director could afford to be hands-off when it came to matters like this.
By the time Jack had driven Dana Moger back to the Federal Building and was driving with Taylor back to the base building, the distant Manhattan skyline was already shimmering with light.
The exhausted female reporter suddenly perked up, twirling a strand of hair from her temple with her fingers and smiling at the man driving diligently.
"So, I'll be staying at your place for the next few days?"
Jack's words froze her smile. "Hannah and Jiejie will take turns staying here to ensure your safety."
While someone's reputation might be less than ideal in some areas, it's still important to be mindful of the necessary precautions. Maintaining the status quo is already a struggle; there's no need to constantly risk your life.
After sending Taylor back to the base building to rest, Jack quickly washed up, waited for Jiejie and Hannah to arrive, and then set off alone for NYPD headquarters.
"What's this?" Fusco asked, puzzled, flipping through the small notebook Jack handed him in the underground parking garage.
The book was filled with a series of abbreviated names, each followed by a string of numbers and a dollar sign. The amounts
ranged from a few names with only ten or twenty thousand dollars, to the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
Fusco quickly found names like Simmons Patrick, Landon Walker, and even his former partner, Stiles, who was probably rotting away in Oyster Bay.
Detective Doudou suddenly realized, "Is this Lai's account book?"
"I have the original, and this is a photocopy." Jack gestured for him to put it away. "Make a fake copy based on what's inside. I need you to find a suitable place to hide it, and then have someone find it."
"Luring the snake out of its hole?" Fusco said he was familiar with this kind of thing; he'd been tricked and tricked by these guys before.
"This is a case of borrowing a knife to kill someone. Remember to find a suitable excuse and be mindful of your own safety. Now that HR's power is gone, the gangs they once extorted aren't afraid to take advantage of their misfortune and seek revenge on those who once bullied them,"
Jack warned. Previously, HR and Reia had taken out three and one of the leaders of the five major American Mafia families (with old Moretti as a bonus), and Zambrano was imprisoned by the FBI. Now, only the elderly and dim-witted Grifoni remains.
While it might seem reasonable to say they're leaderless, it also means there are many who want to take over.
The biggest difference between organized gangs and street gangs is that their internal fighting adheres to some rules. Using a Chicago typewriter to openly shoot opponents in the street was a last-century practice; no one dares to do it now.
To achieve power, one must command the support of the people. Now that Reia has been temporarily imprisoned in an IRS tax prison, the only enemy the Mafia can deal with is HR.
Although many of HR's top brass have been apprehended, some have slipped through the net, and the identity of the mastermind, hidden deep within the organization, remains a secret.
Even if they can't deal with the ringleader, Leah, taking down HR's top brass, or even the mastermind, would be a significant feat, and would likely draw considerable attention.
Jack, after much deliberation, decided that using a borrowed knife to kill someone was the most foolproof solution he could come up with.
"Remember that Leah confidant we captured earlier? I'll arrange for him to be transferred to another prison. You can seize the opportunity and use him to leak the news."
"The scarred one?" Fusco admitted, a look of anticipation on his face. "I know what I'll do. Now that this is over, my undercover mission is complete, right?"
"How about having Director Reagan personally award you a medal later?" Jack casually promised him.
Bidding farewell to Fusco, Jack rushed to the Federal Building. After arranging everything, he finally had time to find a monitor in the operations center and have Alice play the live news.
The news channel is reporting the latest "fundraising scandal" with the headline "Breaking News." Ed Griffin, one of the popular mayoral candidates, is frantically claiming he knows nothing about a certain amount of money.
To prove his innocence, he is willing to donate the questionable funds to charity.
(End of this chapter)