The news channel even deliberately fanned the flames by inviting Landon Walker to the studio, where he delivered a long speech about the situation, alleging things like a guilty conscience and that concealing evidence doesn't change the facts.
"When did you become interested in current affairs? Are you planning to run for president?" Aubrey slumped down on the desk next to Jack, ungraciously.
"Ever since I found out that Leah was betting on both sides, funding these two guys with millions of dollars each."
Jack glanced at the men and women in the operations center, and a sudden thought struck him. "You said, 'HR' has people in the NYPD, the courts, the prisons, and the District Attorney's Office. What about us in the FBI?"
Aubrey, who had been folding his arms and looking relaxed, instinctively straightened up at Jack's words, the playful expression on his face instantly disappearing.
"Are you serious? Do you have any suspects?"
"No, but it can't be ruled out, can it?" Jack shrugged, thinking that catching one is still catching two, and maybe there's a surprise.
The FBI currently has approximately 37,000 full-time employees, with nearly a thousand assigned to the New York office alone. It's inevitable that there won't be a mix of good and bad.
"Spread the word internally: A New York Times reporter has come to me for protection because she has information on the mastermind behind HR."
Unfounded suspicion of one's own people is a taboo, and Jack doesn't want to incur such a bad reputation. But if a mole were to come after him, that would be another matter.
Aubrey's expression was odd, a mixture of gloating and implicit sympathy. "I don't think anyone would be foolish enough to try to steal your protection from you or kill someone to silence them."
"Take that as a compliment," Jack chuckled. While there's no shortage of smart people in this world, there are far more self-confident fools, and the federal government is in no shortage of such people.
When Jack found Reese outside a commercial building, he was hurried out of the security exit, dressed as a maintenance worker, carrying a tool kit.
"Confess and you'll get leniency. How many cameras did our Peeping Tom install this time?" Jack feigned seriousness.
"I was maintaining the central air conditioning thermostat, and Finch planted a hidden camera inside. I'm just a paid operative. He's the villain, hiding in a dark room, spying on beautiful women through the screen."
Reese's face was cold, seriously criticizing his "boss.
" "It's a motion-sensing camera that captures the faces of all patients entering and leaving Ms. Turing's office. These photos are sent to your FBI IT department through Alice for facial recognition, allowing them to immediately detect any unusual individuals.
We suspect it's an 'HR' hired by one of them, trying to silence her by killing her."
Finch, an honest man, explained his intentions over the phone.
"If life-threatening conditions were associated with the profession of psychiatrist, the FBI would surely classify all psychiatrists in the United States as high-risk. So what's so special about our Dr. Turing?"
Jack was curious about the persona "Genmei" had created for herself.
"She specializes in high-end clients, the kind of wealthy people who need to keep their affairs confidential." Finch continued to explain, "We've noticed that some of Ms. Turing's clients seem to be a bit persistent, but we haven't found anything special so far."
"So I have to follow this beautiful woman around the clock and protect her when the killers hired by 'HR' come to her door. This job should actually be done by the security department of 'Shangri-La'. They should be better at this kind of thing."
Reese seemed somewhat reluctant. He actually wanted to switch places with Jack, not to protect Tyler, but to deal with the boss behind "HR.
" "I'll explain this to Jessica for you," Finch finally found his chance to counterattack, changing the subject. "Jack, you're just in time. Are you interested in seeking psychological counseling?"
"Huh?"
—
"How about we start with your profession? Oh, sorry, what's your name?"
"Genmei" was wearing a professional-looking gray sleeveless dress that accentuated her slender figure. Her long brown hair was piled high on her head, revealing her swan-like neck. Her smile, looking back, looked both endearing and innocent.
The scene before him felt a bit like déjà vu, as it reminded Jack of the first time he met Maureen.
That was probably the only time he'd ever seen a therapist properly. Although Maureen later tried to help him with some of his "psychological issues," the process was neither formal nor serious.
"Jack Tawalle, just call me Jack. Um... As for my profession, is it that important?" Jack looked embarrassed.
"Of course." "Genmei" quickly tapped on the keyboard, entered Jack's name, and explained with a smile, "I believe that work and a person's private life are closely related."
Jack hesitated and didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "I've heard that you're a doctor who is very good at keeping secrets."
"Of course, I make a living from it. Every psychiatrist has an obligation to protect their patients' privacy, and the clients I work with do take this very seriously, so you can assume so."
Under the other person's smiling gaze, Jack paced back and forth in the office a few times, slightly irritated, and finally came to the sofa, but he didn't rush to sit down. It took a while, as if he had made up his mind.
"Well, I'm a federal employee, and I've been in some trouble lately, which could mean the end of my career."
"Genmei" paused, glancing sideways at him. "Like the FBI?"
His acting was excellent, not a single quirky expression showing, not a hint of guilt at all. Jack silently gave him a thumbs-up and nodded.
"The IRS."
It wasn't a fabrication. Although he used his real name, he did have a number of consultant aliases listed in the federal database. Besides the IRS, there were also DHS and DEA aliases, all of which were his "real" identities used in previous joint operations.
"Would you like something to drink? It might help you relax a little," "Genmei" stood up from her desk.
"Am I being so obvious?" Jack smiled shyly, looking as innocent as a newbie. "If it's not too much trouble, how about black tea?"
"How about tea bags? I'm actually good at making coffee. Just a moment." After joking, "Genmei" walked into the office's small, separate tea room.
(End of chapta)