Chapter 219
Although everyone was mentally broken, they were still reliable working people. After a while, they realized that now was not the time to settle scores. The important thing was to gather people and take down the exposed undercover agent, Ray, and his accomplices. Any questions could wait until this was over.
Instead of dwelling on these mind-blowing questions, let's fill our time with work and suppress those random thoughts!
So Vodka continued making phone calls. After Rum made some harsh remarks to Gin, he hung up and began reporting to the boss. Gin, who had been indirectly criticized by Rum, turned dark and busied himself notifying the others.
Scotland, being nearby, could quickly provide support, so they agreed to go there immediately.
However, leaving immediately was impossible. Scotland knew that this matter had to be communicated as soon as possible. So, just like Usaku Saiki, who didn't want to waste time brushing his teeth after getting up, he dialed the number of his friend who was also infiltrating the organization. He put the phone on speakerphone aside and then quickly packed his luggage.
Bourbon answered the phone quickly: "Scotland?"
Skipping the pleasantries, Scotland went straight to the point: "Ray is an undercover agent."
"……ah?"
For a moment, Bourbon doubted that he was hearing Japanese. After trying hard to understand the meaning of the words, his first reaction was to ask, "Did Potts come to see you?"
This sounds like something Usaku Saiki forced Scotland to say!
“No, it was Rum who probed and discovered that Rye and his accomplices had set a trap at the mission location.” The sound of Scotland packing his luggage came through the microphone, adding to the persuasiveness. “The organization is now gathering manpower from the vicinity to encircle and annihilate them. I’m off now.”
"Wait?! Hold on a minute!"
Bourbon could almost feel his sanity crumbling bit by bit: "So this isn't an accusation? Is it already confirmed?"
"Yes, Rum personally confirmed it..."
"But Gin just checked it once?! Vodka told me himself!"
Speaking of this, Scotland's deliberately restrained calm tone gradually cracked: "Potternis just called Vodka not long ago, saying that Gin was investigating its own people..."
Forget reason, Bourbon now felt his worldview crumbling: "Impossible!"
Scotland, who had been holding back for so long, finally couldn't help but shout out, "But Potts has already guessed at least two correctly!"
Adding those two, that makes at least four. The accuracy rate... even Scotland doesn't dare to think about it too much.
Bourbon was in a daze.
He didn't even know, what he found even more unacceptable was whether Gin was also an undercover agent, or whether Potts was so good at catching undercover agents... In short, he couldn't accept either of them!
"Bottenis's exhaustive method doesn't count!" Bourbon, struggling to maintain his composure, tried to find a flaw and convince himself and his friend not to blindly believe in Usakata Saiki. "He also said that Ray is an FBI agent! Ray is?!"
Sure enough, Bourbon, being an intelligence officer, immediately grasped the key point.
Scotland calmed down a bit: "...It's not clear yet. I'll go check it out now. The rest is up to you."
He made this call specifically to tell Bourbon that if Ray was an undercover agent, then this time would be different from last time. People that Potts had named might have to be investigated again. Bourbon needed to hurry up and check if any loopholes had appeared in their false identities as time went by, and quickly fill in the gaps to prevent any unforeseen circumstances.
If it turns out that Rye isn't an FBI agent, proving that Potts was just making things up, that's fine. But if Rye really is an FBI agent...
So, Potts also said he resembled the Japanese Public Security Bureau...
...I hope it's just a coincidence.
Scotland, feeling uneasy, went out with his sniper rifle.
At the same time, Shuichi Akai also sensed that something was wrong.
Vodka suddenly called him, saying he would be late and asked him to wait.
Judging from the content of the call, there seemed to be no problem, but after hanging up, Shuichi Akai decisively said, "The capture mission has failed. We're withdrawing immediately."
Cameron was puzzled: "Why? It's just a little late, isn't it? We can just wait a bit, right?"
“Gin is never late; he always factores in traffic and other delays. It’s strange that he hasn’t shown up yet.” Shuichi Akai pressed his temples, frowned, and scanned the warehouse, trying to find a problem. “Something must have happened…”
His gaze fell on Cameron, and he suddenly froze.
Cameron looked back blankly, seemingly oblivious: "Mr. Akai? Are you sure you want to retreat now? We've checked the plan many times, it should be fine..."
Shuichi Akai, who had already realized what was happening, was speechless.
The problem lies with you!
I see! Is that what Usaku Saiki meant?!
The sarcastic tone he used when talking about "trusting one's companions" was not an implication that there was a mole among his companions, but simply a mockery of his "trust"!
Was that old man who sat down to rest just now one of the organizers?
Shuichi Akai actually intended to pretend he didn't see anything and wait for the old man to leave on his own, but he didn't expect Cameron to move so quickly and come out directly from his hiding place.
Although this place was designated as the transaction location by the organization, it was not actually very remote. Before that old man came in, people often passed by.
Thinking it was an abandoned warehouse, it wasn't entirely impossible for them to come in and rest. Plus, the old man didn't seem to have any problems, and his companions monitoring outside said he walked away slowly like an ordinary old man. Therefore, Shuichi Akai was temporarily relieved...
Now it seems that the old man was indeed the problem!
But now is not the time to blame his comrades. Vodka made this call to keep him calm so that other members of the organization could be mobilized to capture him. Therefore, the most urgent goal right now is to evacuate before the organization's people arrive.
Faced with Cameron's clear yet foolish gaze, Shuichi Akai didn't even bother to explain and simply gave the order.
"Don't ask anymore, retreat."
"Okay, Mr. Akai."
Cameron was completely unaware of anything; he simply followed the commander's instructions and listened as Shuichi Akai, wearing a headset, communicated with his companions. He obediently walked to the car reserved for them, sat in the driver's seat, and waited for Shuichi Akai to get in.
Judy, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to Shuichi Akai, who was getting into the car, and asked, "What happened? Why all of a sudden?"
Cameron started the car and put it into evacuation mode, but he was also confused, so he listened carefully to the conversation between the two men.
Shuichi Akai had just begun to speak when he said, "Just now..."
Before he could finish speaking, his phone suddenly rang.
Shuichi Akai frowned, took out his phone, and saw that it was a call from Saiki Usaba. He answered it without hesitation.
Amid the slight bumps of the vehicle traveling at high speed, Shuichi Akai heard Saiki Usaba's usual cheerful voice coming through the receiver.
"How is the situation?"
"We failed." Shuichi Akai didn't hide his mistake. "Gin and the others haven't arrived yet. They must have already discovered us."
Usakabe Saiki's tone was calm: "Well, so how did they find out?"
Akai Shuichi couldn't help but ponder for a moment.
He had been so excited about him catching Gin and recording it, but now that he'd failed, Usui Saiki didn't seem surprised at all...
"Has Gin and the others contacted you yet?"
Speaking of this, Bo Yezaki finally showed some emotion: "No, I woke up half an hour ago and saw your email saying that today's operation was underway, so I called Vodka to remind him that you were an undercover agent. But Vodka not only didn't believe me, he also blocked me! In a fit of anger, I blocked them all too."
Akai Shuichi: "…………"
Judy's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets: Wow! You actually emailed Potts to tell him our planned operation time?!
That guy Potts is a no-go!!! He'll really go around tipping people off!!!
...Although it sounds like the person who tipped them off didn't believe it at all, and the failure of this mission doesn't seem to be Potnis's fault, the act of informing the enemy about an operation is itself very strange...
Cameron couldn't hold back any longer: "Why did you tell the enemy?! This caused our mission to fail!"
Judy: "…………"
No, can't you tell that Potts's complaint didn't really have any effect? They've all blocked each other!
Shuichi Akai gave Cameron a deep look, then asked Saiki Usui, "An old man just came by. It seems we've been discovered. Do you think he might be someone from the organization?"
"Oh, it's Rum, right? After all, Vodka said the intelligence team was going too. Rum is the one who has the leisure to dress up as an old man and test people in various ways."
Usoppei gloated, "If it were you, you would definitely pretend you didn't see it, so it was your 'trusted companion' who made the mistake, right?"
Shuichi Akai: "...Yeah, you guessed right."
Cameron: "?!?!?!?!"
Was it...my fault?! The plan failed because of me?! Was that old man part of the organization?!
"I find it strange that it's one thing for others—they don't believe anything I say—but you know I have a good eye for people, so why don't you take my words to heart?"
Just as Shuichi Akai was about to say something, he suddenly heard his own voice coming from the other side.
I believe in my companions. I believe in my companions...
Shuichi Akai felt a slight pain in his face: "........."
They even recorded it... Usaku Saiki, did he know it would turn out like this all along? With this level of scheming and ability to manipulate people, it's no wonder that even someone like Gin, who despises Usaku Saiki so much, once inadvertently praised his ability to judge people.
Cameron's face hurt even more.
After a moment of stunned silence, he finally grasped the reality and broke the awkward atmosphere: "I'm so sorry, I made everyone fail the mission..."
They even made Mr. Akai lose face in front of the enemy! It's like the FBI is completely unreliable!
He was so ashamed he wanted to disappear, but he was still driving and had no way to hide.
Judy felt a chill run through her body and instinctively asked, "How did you know who we would send?"
"I don't know," Usakabe Saiki kindly replied. "Just take it as the result of divination... I reckon Gin and the others will catch up soon, so don't die."
After saying that, Bo Yezaki hung up the phone.
Judy: "...Fortune telling??? Is he a Gypsy?!"
Shuichi Akai adjusted his headset: "The organization is catching up."
With a gunshot, the street seemed to break free of some kind of seal, instantly entering the rhythm of an American blockbuster, and a street chase began amidst the gunfire.
Shuichi Akai also assembled his sniper rifle and aimed at the car chasing behind from the back seat, firing a shot every now and then.
As the chase drew to a close, his phone rang.
FBI agents communicate via radio channels, so the only people who would use this cell phone in this situation are members of the organization.
"Judy, answer this for me." Worried that something might have happened to Usui Saiki, Akai Shuichi hurriedly asked his girlfriend for help.
There was no way around it. Despite his various fears of Usui Saiki, the two of them didn't actually have any real conflict. They could even have a calm phone conversation. Usui Shuichi even gave him the information that the old man might be Rum. Akai Shuichi felt that the two of them might be able to cooperate in the future, so it was important for him to keep in touch, please the other party, and not let Usui Saiki lose interest in him.
Judy picked up her phone and saw: "It's vodka."
"...Take it too."
Although Volta was probably in the car chasing him right behind him, it was a bit confusing to call him at this point, but now that things had come to this, if they dared to call, he dared to answer.
Judy pressed the answer button.
"Lay!" The wind was howling on Vodka's end, probably because the window had been smashed. He was practically shouting as he made the call, and he sounded surprised that the call had gone through. "You actually dared to answer the phone!"
Judy put the phone on speakerphone, and Shuichi Akai responded directly: "Why wouldn't I dare? What do you mean by calling now? Are you trying to persuade me to surrender? I don't think you can keep me here."
As he spoke, he fired a sniper shot, blowing out the tire of a car.
Then I heard something strange coming from Vodka's side... So Vodka was driving that car? Well, that's inappropriate for this occasion...
"I was reminded of something, and I have a question for you!!!"
Vodka probably knew that his tire had blown out and he was no longer able to catch up. Fearing that this might be the last time he could speak to Shuichi Akai, he became even more agitated and asked loudly.
"Everyone knows you're an undercover agent! But are you actually an FBI agent?! Tell me now!!! Are you?! Are you?! Tell me!!!"
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This chapter is over 4,000 words. I originally planned to write it to 6,000 words before posting, but seeing how eager everyone is, I'm releasing it now.
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Bourbon: Huh?
Try to find bugs
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We also need to explain things to the boss; let's see in the next chapter.
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