While "Genmei" was brewing tea, Jack walked over to her desk and inserted a USB drive into her laptop, then removed it a moment later.
"The computer is clean, or perhaps too clean. There's almost nothing there except the schedule. Even the patients' names are listed with just their initials. This lady seems very cautious,"
Finch muttered into his earpiece, having completed the intrusion.
A few minutes later, "Genmei" sat across from Jack with two cups of black tea, sitting elegantly with her knees together, her demeanor impeccable.
"So, let's talk about what's bothering you?"
Jack thought of "The Pretender," a somewhat old American TV series he'd watched in his previous life. The protagonist, Jarrod, was a genius who could disguise himself as anyone.
"Genmei" clearly had a similar talent; at least her disguise as a psychiatrist was nearly flawless in front of Jack.
Half an hour later, Jack left Dr. Turing's office and climbed into Finch's parked Lincoln. "Smart, handsome, cautious. Aside from her figure and lackluster professional skills, she's practically impeccable."
Finch looked at Jack with a strange look. "A former soldier who joined the IRS in pursuit of his dreams, now struggling with alcohol addiction and entangled in an office romance with a single mother. Do
your colleagues know it's okay for you to copy their personas?"
Jack retorted. "It's my mental health that keeps me sleeping soundly every day. Next time you have a mission like this, go on your own. Maybe I can help you solve some problems."
"I sleep well, too." Finch, clearly not wanting to dwell on the topic, started the car and prepared to leave.
"Not waiting for Reese?" Jack asked casually.
"Since your previous attempts were fruitless, I have to keep an eye on your psychiatrist 24 hours a day. Tell Jessica I can't have dinner with her tonight," Reese, who was hiding somewhere, said angrily.
"Don't you guys always eat at my place?" Jack was speechless.
——
"Is it always this busy here?" Taylor was helping Jessica wash some fruit at the faucet, glancing up at the packed dining room.
That evening, the most wanted criminal squad returned to the base building. Since it was the weekend, Clay's wife, Stella, had also arrived with their toddler.
There was also Fusco, who had come with his son, Danny Reagan, who had come alone, and the writer and his detective fiancée, who loved to join in the fun.
"We're not usually this crowded. I usually only prepare enough to feed ten people," Jack replied, tasting the chicken soup for saltiness.
His family, who weren't picky eaters, were usually easy to please, so Jack didn't need to prepare a grand meal every time. A simple bowl of noodles with some vegetables and a few fried eggs would keep them happy.
Sometimes, when he was too busy to bother, he'd just get out the hot pot base, dig out some meat from the fridge, and everyone would slice and cook together, which was just as enjoyable.
Today wasn't too busy. Besides working undercover for "POI" during the day, Jack had lunch at the Reagans' house. That's why Jack had some free time to make some soup and cook some dishes after returning.
After the family dinner, Frank Reagan gathered his three children in his study, along with his father, a former NYPD commissioner, and announced his decision to run for mayor of New York City.
Jack loved the Reagan family atmosphere the most. Although the three siblings sometimes argued, the blood-bound ties were incredibly strong.
While Americans often clamor for "family," as an immigrant nation with less than 300 years of history, which transitioned rapidly from a slave plantation economy to a modern industrial society, the family, as the smallest unit of society, faces numerous challenges.
Sometimes, advocating for diversity is a helpless move. After all, a mother and one or two children can barely be called a family.
Black children on a block without fathers, whose biological mothers are forced to work in illegal industries and live a precarious life, sharing a "Big Mama," and raised on fried chicken and French fries, can still say they have a "big, loving family."
But most people still yearn for a father who provides them with a sense of security and a loving mother, even if they
are of the same gender. Of course, it would be even better to have kind grandparents, uncles who, while sometimes bullying, occasionally give them pocket money, and gossipy but equally fond of their aunts and cousins.
Frank Reagan ultimately decided to follow Dana Moger's advice. The decision to run for mayor posed a significant challenge for the Reagan family.
As a family with two successive NYPD chiefs, the Reagans had always lingered on the fringes of the city's upper crust.
Lawyers and doctors were considered the standard entry points into the country's upper class, and Erin Reagan, as an assistant district attorney, barely qualified. But Danny, the eldest, and James, the younger brother, were both detectives and, for now, street cops.
While they sometimes received special treatment as the chief's son, and their mishaps attracted media attention, their lives were largely like those of ordinary Americans.
But all of this would change dramatically once Frank Reagan became mayor. The title of "New York City's First Family" would attract significant attention.
This presented a test not only for the family's three adult children, but also for their underage children.
Fortunately, this time, all three children, including Erin, expressed their support for their father's desire for progress.
For Jack, this also meant that another familiar American TV series character had their fate derailed by his appearance.
After a sumptuous dinner, several women took the initiative to leave with their children, and Jack entered the conference room with the others.
"I met with Scar today and interrogated him about the Leah account book. The guy is frightened to death after being transferred to another prison. Several members of the prison gang are watching him. I guess the news will get out tonight."
Fusco looked very happy.
Aubrey glanced at the three beautiful women sitting opposite him with a strange look. Taylor was sandwiched between Hannah and Jiejie, like a prisoner being escorted. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke.
"Today, the gossip in the New York office is spreading about someone who has fallen in love with someone else and seduced a beautiful New York Times reporter to get information in order to catch the boss behind 'HR'."
Jack's neck suddenly stiffened and creaked, and he turned to look at the guy with a look of disbelief.
(End of this chapter)