"He's taken the bait." Taylor clenched his fists and smiled triumphantly after hanging up the phone.
Seeing everyone's expressions of relief, Jack breathed a sigh of relief. Honestly, this kind of political "conspiracy" wasn't his forte; it was even more taxing than planning the nuclear bombing of the island.
"Fusco, don't participate tomorrow."
Detective "Bean," who had been singled out by him, looked hurt, lamenting that he had been wrong after all. Sure enough, people with a tainted reputation could never be trusted.
"Tomorrow night, Simmons will also target the psychiatrist. You and Aubrey go back up Reese; he might not be able to handle it alone."
After Jack finished making the arrangements, he saw Fusco's face turn from pale to red, his eyes shifting from dejection to a fierce spirit. He had no idea that Fusco's inner drama had just been so intense, like a roller coaster of ups and downs.
"Are you okay?" He glanced suspiciously at Detective "Beanie" (Doudou), unsure what his sudden panic was all about.
"Ah! Of course I'm fine!"
Fusco was already imagining the perfect moment, himself pointing a gun at Simmons' head, his eyes filled with murderous intent, before coldly saying, "You didn't expect it, I'm actually undercover!"
Detective "Beanie"'s complex inner drama aside, given the late hour, everyone dispersed after assigning their tasks.
Writer Mr. Cassel, on the other hand, seemed somewhat unsatisfied, but was ultimately dragged away by Beckett.
After seeing everyone off, Jack returned to the living room to find Hannah and Tyler tangled up on the sofa again.
"Dazed, huh? Trying to stall for time? What are you planning on doing to Jack? Tell me the truth."
Faced with Hannah's questioning, Tyler, his hidden agenda exposed, could easily have made up an excuse, but he hesitated.
Given the strange "friendship" these two girls had developed since middle school, Jack didn't bother trying to persuade them; it would soon die down anyway.
Entering the kitchen, Jiejie, a woman of all housewives, was rinsing the dishes with warm water before sorting them into the dishwasher.
As if he could read her mind, Jack keenly sensed the hint of worry hidden in her brow.
"There's nothing to worry about. I'm very happy with my life now. I don't want to go into politics or become a big shot. When this is over, how about we go on vacation somewhere?"
Jiejie paused, a sly glint in her beautiful eyes. "Just the two of us?"
Jack glanced outside at the two women engaged in a ground-based combat match in the living room, separated by a large glass window. He gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, just the two of us."
—
"Hello, I'm looking for Ms. Taylor Kelly." With a light cough, Jack woke the receptionist who was staring at him in a daze. He tapped his wallet, bearing his FBI badge, on the table.
"Oh, sorry, please wait."
The girl at the front desk covered her slightly hot cheeks, quickly picked up the landline receiver, and after whispering a few words, she put down the phone and asked, "Taylor is in his office, go down the corridor to the second to last one, do you need me to take you there?"
"No, thank you." Jack smiled and nodded at her, turned and strode into the corridor.
Watching him leave, two female clerks, pretending to be busy at the printer, hurried over to the receptionist, whispering quietly.
Even though they were a good distance away, Jack, with his keen senses, still caught a few words, like "walking aphrodisiac" and "that lucky bitch.
" He knocked twice gently on the frosted glass door with its nameplate, then slid open without a fuss.
Taylor, slumped over her desk, lost in thought, looking like a midday sleepyhead. Seeing Jack, she perked up and instinctively rushed over.
But then she realized something was amiss; she had to stick to the pre-arranged script, and quickly resumed her languid demeanor, leaning back in her chair and even crossing her legs.
"Hey, isn't that Agent Tavolar? Why are you suddenly in my office?"
Thinking that this girl might have a promising future as an actress if not a journalist, Jack suppressed his smile and began to recite his lines seriously.
"Ms. Kelly, my patience is running out. If you still refuse to reveal the evidence you have to the FBI, I will have no choice but to send you to jail for obstruction of duty."
Taylor was not afraid at all. He tapped his fingers on his knees like playing a piano, making people look down. "Strictly speaking, I just got some unconfirmed rumors.
Agent Tavola, aren't you a little too impatient? This is not the attitude of a gentleman."
"Really?" Jack snorted coldly, and his voice seemed to be a little louder because he was angry. "Although I don't know what Lai Ya said to you during the visit this morning, you should know the risks involved in this matter.
The Mafia or 'HR', they are all vicious criminals, and they will not show mercy to you just because you have a federal judge as your father.
In fact, you also know this, otherwise you would not have come to the FBI to find me and ask for help, right?"
"Yeah, so how did you help me?" Taylor narrowed her eyes slightly, her voice suddenly turning plaintive. "You said you'd protect me, but in reality, you just wanted to get me into bed and get secrets about Leah from me.
Is this how you FBI agents operate? And what about you just calling me, Ms. Kelly? Where's that girl who kept calling me Terry?"
With this tearful performance, the tense atmosphere in the private office suddenly eased.
Jack, suppressing goosebumps and glancing at the figures peeking out from the hallway, began to play the role of the affectionate scumbag. "Okay, okay, I was wrong, but you have to understand, this isn't just about your career; it's about mine, too."
As their voices faded, the eavesdropping reporters outside the hallway craned their necks more and more until someone heard the door open and the crowd dispersed.
"I assure you, the information is absolutely reliable. We'll look for it together tonight, but you have to promise me that you'll follow my instructions from now on." Taylor appeared at the door, her arm around Jack's, looking like a little bird on her man's side.
"You're the boss. I've reserved a table at 'La Mercerie,' the best French restaurant in Soho, and we're just in time."
And so, in full view of everyone, Jack, looking like a romantic, walked away with Taylor Kelly, the editorial department's recognized new goddess, in his arms.
(End of this chapter)