Chapter 115: Jaquel-Jon

Inside the conference room of the Special Investigation Unit 5.

Upon hearing Varenise’s words, the gray-haired Mrs. Héloïse remained expressionless. She picked up the coffee on the table, took a sip, and said with icy composure:

"The risks involved in this matter are very high. In such situations, we generally act first and then ask for forgiveness and approval later."

Varenise and Augustus looked displeased at this. Roan, however, remained stoic, though he nodded inwardly.

That’s right, that’s the CIA style. In his previous life, he had read a saying online: FBI agents, DEA agents, and local police officers risk their lives to take down drug dealers, but behind those drug dealers, there is always the CIA…

The CIA never fails to disappoint when it comes to unethical behavior.

"Hmph!"

Seeing the indifference on Mrs. Héloïse’s face, Varenise let out a cold snort and asked in a deep voice:

"What exactly is going on with this hit-and-run case?"

Mrs. Héloïse did not speak immediately; she slowly turned her gaze toward Roan and said coldly:

"This agent’s clearance level does not seem to be sufficient."

Roan ignored her entirely, while Varenise narrowed her eyes and leaned back in her chair:

"Special Agent Roan Greenwood is a senior agent of the Special Investigation Unit 5. His appointment letter is sitting in my office right now."

Hearing this, Mrs. Héloïse raised an eyebrow, staring fixedly at Varenise. Varenise did not back down, staring right back with a blank expression. The two women of different generations locked eyes for a long moment. Finally, Mrs. Héloïse’s expression shifted slightly, and after a long silence, she spoke:

"This matter involves a soldier named Jequel Jon."

Upon hearing the name Jequel Jon, Roan froze, and his brow twitched violently. The name sounded familiar. As Roan pondered, Mrs. Héloïse tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and continued:

"Jequel Jon was one of the soldiers declared dead after a failed mission, though he actually managed to survive. Afterward, he became an avenger, intent on killing all the commanding officers who orchestrated that mission to avenge his fallen comrades."

Varenise also vaguely felt the name Jequel sounded familiar, though she couldn't immediately place where she had heard it. However, after hearing Mrs. Héloïse’s explanation, she felt a surge of contempt. Everyone knew the dirty business the CIA engaged in. But since some details about the case remained unclear, Varenise asked directly:

"What does this have to do with Evander?"

"Evander had received an invitation to participate in that operation as a journalist."

Mrs. Héloïse leaned back, crossed her hands over her lap, and said calmly:

"But before the mission officially began, Evander pulled out at the last minute, which is why he survived. Jequel likely assumed afterward that Evander was privy to inside information and considered him to be in league with their commanders, which is why he killed him. In fact, Evander had no connection to that mission whatsoever."

Augustus, who had been listening, pondered for a few seconds before looking up to ask:

"Why did your operative steal Evander’s laptop? Was there information about Jequel Jon on it?"

Mrs. Héloïse remained silent for a long moment before answering expressionlessly:

"There was no information regarding Jequel Jon on the computer. I sent my operative to retrieve it simply to ensure that there was no information about that original mission on Evander’s laptop."

After hearing this, Varenise asked bluntly:

"What exactly was that original operation about?"

Mrs. Héloïse spread her hands, her face blank:

"I’m sorry, I cannot disclose that."

As soon as those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the conference room turned suffocating. Varenise glared at the old woman sitting across from her with hostility. The woman, acting as if she didn't notice Varenise’s gaze, sat motionless in her chair.

"Sir."

Just as the tension in the room seemed ready to snap, Roan gave a light cough. He flashed a smile at Varenise before speaking softly:

"Do you remember Lydia, the owner of the Queen of Flames bar?"

During the investigation into that major NSA honey-trap case, the bar owner, Lydia, had mentioned something: she had approached Roan only to get closer to Mona. And getting to Mona was a means to reach her father, Javarri Evans, a CIA staff operations officer in a certain region. According to Lydia, a mission led by Javarri a year ago had failed, resulting in casualties that exceeded the projected plan.

This Jequel Jon was one of the soldiers deemed KIA during that mission. Furthermore, the NSA had once inquired about the matter with the CIA after hearing about Jequel from a local gang member.

After hearing Roan’s words, Varenise fell silent for a long time as the memory surfaced. Her gaze toward Mrs. Héloïse became even more hostile. Mrs. Héloïse was unaware of this incident, but she made a mental note to look into it later. As for Varenise’s glare, she chose to ignore it.

After taking a sip of coffee, Mrs. Héloïse straightened up, looked around the room, and said with a stern tone:

"According to the intelligence in my possession, Jequel Jon will not leave New York in the short term. Therefore, your next task is to—"

"Excuse me, Mrs. Héloïse."

Varenise waved her hand, cutting the old woman off mid-sentence. She rose from her chair, stared coldly at the woman across from her, and said in a deep voice:

"I will command the specific investigation tasks. You are only responsible for observing and offering suggestions. Is that understood?"

The old woman’s expression shifted slightly. After watching Varenise quietly for a long moment, she asked:

"I have more data that could help us find Jequel Jon much faster."

"Then hand that data over to me."

Varenise stared intently at her, her voice chillingly cold:

"The FBI will be responsible for the specific investigation."

The conference room fell into a heavy silence. Finally, Mrs. Héloïse nodded, her expression unchanged:

"Fine. You can handle the investigation. I will have my operative deliver that laptop to you shortly."

"That won't be necessary, Mrs. Héloïse. Just tell me where the laptop is, and I’ll retrieve it myself."

Hearing this, Roan, who was standing beside Augustus, said with a smile:

"Your operative accidentally sustained some injuries, and my colleagues have already taken him to the hospital for treatment."

Mrs. Héloïse: "?"

—

Leaving the conference room, Augustus watched the old woman walk away from Unit 5, then tilted his head toward Varenise:

"Sir, that CIA woman has kept many things unclear and refuses to tell us the truth. What should we do next—"

"Don't worry about her. I will find a way to get the facts about that mission."

Varenise replied coldly to Augustus, then turned her gaze to Roan:

"I am leaving the specific investigation tasks to you, but you must be careful this time. If you sense anything wrong, prioritize your own safety and call for backup immediately. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir."

Seeing Roan nod with a smile, Varenise nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave the unit. She planned to have a chat with Mr. Clement. She was an FBI squad supervisor, and Unit 5 was responsible for criminal cases, not for cleaning up the CIA’s messes.