"That man is John Pierpont Morgan's private coachman," Frost said.
In the room, the flickering firelight from the fireplace cast shifting shadows on Felix's expressionless face.
It turned out to be Morgan.
Felix slowly walked to the large French window, his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the bustling yet treacherous street below.
Morgan.
This name, like a key, instantly unlocked all the tangled clues in his mind, re-linking them.
Why did the conflict in Nebraska "just happen" to erupt when Union Pacific Railroad Company was preparing to issue new bonds in Europe?
Why were those malicious and sexist rumors targeting Catherine "just happen" to be concentratedly released the day before Crane's assassination?
Why was Crane, that greedy and cowardly contractor, "just happen" to be assassinated in the street by a fanatical Irish "martyr" on his way to defect and expose the mastermind?
Why did that "martyr" "just happen" to leave behind a suicide note that perfectly directed all blame towards himself, thereby completely igniting a full-scale war between himself and Union Pacific Railroad Company?
Everything pointed to one answer.
"Boss..."
Flynn's voice sounded behind him.
"According to the intelligence we have, Morgan has frequently and secretly entertained several European bankers at the Astor Mansion Hotel over the past two months. This includes Henry Ashworth from Baring Bank in London, and Emile Leroy from the Rothschild family in Paris."
"Although we don't know what they discussed, if Morgan is truly behind this, it's very likely related to European capital."
Felix slowly turned around, his face devoid of anger, only a calmness like one who had seen the end of a chess game.
"What a grand scheme," he murmured.
He finally saw the entire chessboard clearly.
"First, he found Crane."
Felix began to retrace the events, his voice low, yet it sent a chill down Flynn's and Frost's spines.
"He hinted to Crane that he could use local forces to 'deal with' our troublesome surveyors. He knew Crane's greed and stupidity, so he was certain Crane would act."
"Then, he waited for me to retaliate. Waited for me to charge at Union Pacific Railroad Company like an enraged bull. He didn't even mind if I caught Durant and Cartwright."
"But this alone wasn't enough to trigger a relentless war."
"Those old foxes like Ames, they would not hesitate to throw Crane out as a scapegoat to 'reconcile' with me. This wasn't enough for Morgan. What he wanted wasn't conflict, it was destruction."
"So, he made his second move."
Felix's gaze fell on the ashes of those tabloids about Catherine.
"He used the most despicable means to attack the person I cared about most. He wanted to provoke me, make me lose my reason and reject any form of reconciliation."
"Finally, when he discovered that Crane, this pawn, had lost control due to fear and was even preparing to defect to me, he unhesitatingly initiated his third move."
"He found Seamus O'Malley," Flynn interjected, having fully grasped his Boss's line of thought.
"A perfect assassin. A 'martyr' who could use his own life and that forged suicide note to firmly pin the blame for the assassination on you."
"Once Crane was dead, I would become the murderer with no way to defend myself."
"Union Pacific, for the sake of its reputation, would have no choice but to declare war on me. A relentless, full-scale war between two industrial giants would thus erupt. Union Pacific Railroad Company's stock price would plummet, and its bonds would be worthless."
"And he," Felix looked towards Wall Street outside the window, "John Pierpont Morgan, would bring his newly befriended European friends, like a flock of elegant vultures, to swoop down and feast on the corpse at the lowest possible price."
Frost's back was completely drenched in cold sweat.
He couldn't imagine that a person could, for money, orchestrate such an insidious, vicious series of murders, treating everyone as pawns, even sacrificing innocent lives.
"Boss," Flynn began, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent, "This Morgan... is playing with fire. I'll arrange it now. Does he think he's safe hiding in Gramercy Park? I'll have someone take care of him..."
"No."
Felix raised his hand, interrupting him.
"Responding to an assassination with an assassination?" Felix shook his head, "That's not what should be done now, at least not before exposing his true colors."
"Then... what do we do?" Flynn asked, puzzled, "Just let him go? Let him hide in the shadows, continuing to watch us?"
"A venomous snake has entered your garden."
"Of course, you can't let it go. But you can't wrestle with it in the trap it has prepared."
"What you need to do is find its nest, pinch its vital spot, and then... drag it out from the shadows it thought were safe, bit by bit, into the sunlight, so everyone can see its ugly true face."
Felix sat back down behind his desk, the aura of an empire's controller returning to him.
"Frost."
"Yes, Boss."
"Is Chairman Ames still waiting for us from Union Pacific's side?"
"Yes, Boss. Their lawyer sent someone with a meeting invitation early this morning."
Felix nodded, "Reply to them. Tell Chairman Ames again that Crane's death is full of suspicious points, and I myself have suffered greatly from it. I am willing to have an unofficial private meeting with him before the Washington investigation team arrives, to jointly discuss how to respond to this... malicious conspiracy against both of us."
"What?" Frost was stunned, "Boss, are you really going to... reconcile with them?"
"Of course," Felix smiled, "Morgan least wants to see me reconcile. So we will reconcile just to show him."
"Flynn."
He then turned to the intelligence chief.
"Here."
"You have only one task now." Felix's thoughts became incredibly clear.
"Thoroughly investigate who is around Morgan, and Crane's assistant is definitely problematic; arrest him and interrogate him."
"And that customs clerk, Timothy Finn."
"Immediately send people to protect him, at all costs. He is the only living witness we have who can link Morgan and Seamus O'Malley."
"Morgan thinks he has destroyed all the evidence." Felix's gaze fell on the analysis report from Wall Street.
"But he forgot one thing. In this world, as long as you do something, you will leave traces."
"He wants to acquire Union Pacific through a war?" A hint of disdain curved Felix's lips.
"Then I will personally tear off his mask as a genius banker in front of his European friends."
"I want to show them whether this partner is truly a strategic lion, or a... venomous snake playing with fire."