Chapter 85 Two Pairs of Similar Yet Different Green Eyes Suddenly...
The image freezes on the moment when Nekono Ikuya's azure eyes are about to look out the window of the Chevrolet.
The next second, the camera switches.
Inside the car, the light was dim. Shuichi Akai, wearing a black knitted hat, leaned calmly against the back seat of the still-running Chevrolet, his dark green eyes piercing through the tinted glass as he silently observed the outside world.
His gaze passed over the pale-faced Wilson, who was being heavily "protected" to the side, and the security team standing by in a state of high alert, and settled on the black-haired youth in the eye of the storm.
She was elegant and composed, completely out of place in the tense atmosphere. And she was undeniably beautiful.
He saw his trusted boss and partners, James and Judy, walk toward the dark-haired youth.
Shuichi Akai watched this scene quietly, his dark green eyes still fixed on Ikuya Nekono.
The Chevrolet's windows were coated with a deep film, like a one-way dark curtain separating the inside from the outside. The person being observed on the curtain should not be able to perceive anything.
But, without warning! Right under Shuichi Akai's gaze! Ikuya Nekono suddenly looked up!
Without a spark or a sound, two pairs of similar yet different green eyes suddenly collided!
One inside, one outside; one bright, one dark.
Even the wind held its breath.
Time seemed to stretch out infinitely.
One pair was a deep, cold, dark green, like a dark, icy pool covering a primeval forest.
One pair of eyes was a clear, jade-like emerald green, resembling the emerald green of a shallow sea with low salinity under the sunlight.
The latter's clear eyes, gazing out the car window, were not focused, but his gaze was clear and resolute.
He can't see him.
He knew he was there.
Their gazes briefly met through the void and the dark glass, and Nekono Ikuya paused.
Shuichi Akai's observation was equally imperceptible, his dark green eyes narrowing slightly.
Oh dear, did you notice his gaze? Your senses are really sharp.
He calmly accepted Ikuya Nekono's "look back" and continued to observe through the one-way glass.
A moment later, Nekono Ikuya's eyes remained unchanged as she looked away without any sign of anything amiss.
Inside the Chevrolet, Shuichi Akai slowly leaned back, hiding half of his face in deeper shadow.
In the shadows, only those dark green eyes shone brightly.
The camera cuts back.
Because of the natural and effortless way Nekono Ikuya looked at them, James and Judy didn't notice the brief exchange that occurred under their gaze.
They had just shown their identification and were waiting for Nekono Ikuya's response.
“Nekono Ikuya. You already know.”
He nodded slightly in return, and also stated his name.
Even without saying anything, the other party already knows.
But... it's just politeness.
Then, Ikuya Nekono calmly spoke up: "Mr. Black, Agent Sterling. The danger was indeed unexpected, but fortunately no one was injured."
His turquoise eyes calmly met James's gaze, and he changed the subject slightly, "Mr. Wilson is here; he seems to have been somewhat frightened. Now that you are here, the people and the scene are officially handed over to you."
Nekono Ikuya didn't mention the details of the sniping, didn't question whether the FBI was aware of it beforehand, and didn't show any intention of interrogating him.
He didn't even stop the FBI from taking Robert Wilson away, and simply offered to hand him over, as if the thrilling crisis he had just experienced was just an insignificant episode.
He was too calm.
This overly understanding, even cooperative, attitude caused a glint to flash in James' eyes, while Judy raised an eyebrow slightly.
They were all experienced detectives, and they naturally understood that in this kind of situation, the other party's decision not to pursue the matter was itself a signal that they expected further repercussions.
"Thank you again for your understanding and cooperation. We will always remember Mr. Nekono's kindness." James nodded solemnly, accepting this weighty favor without saying a word.
"In the subsequent investigation, we will probably need your testimony, which will inevitably bother you again." This means that they will give Nekono Ikuya an explanation.
"I'll be waiting anytime." Nekono Ikumi's lips curved into a very faint smile, her tone gentle.
The clear emerald eyes are as crystal clear as the shallow sea under the sunlight, allowing one to see the clouds and sky reflected in them at a glance, but the undercurrents surging beneath the shimmering waves make it difficult to see the truth.
"I'm also looking forward to finding out the truth behind this 'accident' as soon as possible. I believe the FBI's professionalism won't keep me waiting too long, will it?"
Nekono Ikuya looked at James quietly. He was willing to wait, but not indefinitely.
James's eyes flickered slightly; he understood the underlying warning, and he nodded calmly: "We will move forward as soon as possible."
“Very well, then I won’t bother you any longer.” Nekono Ikuya nodded and left decisively.
Blake—another Blake—opened the car door that had been waiting for him not far away.
The remaining communication with the FBI is not urgent and will be handled by Black from Ikuya Nekono's side. This meeting was just a preliminary statement of our stance.
That's enough.
James watched Nekono Ikuya leave, paused for a moment, and then gestured to the agents behind him: "Take over the scene and escort Mr. Wilson."
“Yes.” The agent walked toward Robert Wilson.
Robert Wilson had mixed feelings; at least someone was protecting his safety, right?
It wasn't until they were walking back that Judy spoke softly, "That young man..."
Although Judy herself wasn't very old, Ikumi Nekono's soft, Asian-looking face made him appear remarkably young in the eyes of Americans, leaving a deep impression on Judy.
"I can't quite figure it out."
He's been shot, yet he's remained remarkably calm.
James slowly exhaled, his eyes behind his glasses filled with complex emotions. "Yes. Not only did he not pursue the sniping incident, he also handed over Wilson voluntarily." He paused, his tone becoming somewhat grave. "Prepare the corresponding intelligence in exchange. This Mr. Nekono is no ordinary person."
The easier it is to receive a gift, the more trouble it will cause later.
Back in the car, Shuichi Akai, who had been silently leaning against the back seat as if he had become one with the shadows, finally moved. He lifted his knitted hat, his dark green eyes revealing no emotion.
"You've had the experience, what was it like?"
"On the surface, they were quite cooperative, even overly friendly."
Judy leaned back in her seat and rubbed her temples.
"That Mr. Nekono is even more unpredictable than the information suggests. Despite just being ambushed, he didn't utter a single question."
Judy found it troublesome, and what was even more troublesome was that they hadn't actually collected much information about Ikuya Nekono. Most of the information the FBI had about Ikuya Nekono was information that the Nekono Group had screened after he became an adult.
There is no trace of Ikuya Nekono's upbringing, so how can there be such a strong sense of family secrecy!
Judy was going crazy.
Shuichi Akai said calmly, "Instead of wasting energy on meaningless pursuits, we should turn the crisis into bargaining chips..."
"A smart move." A hint of appreciation flashed across Akai Hide's eyes.
That being said, Judy thought to herself, everyone's capacity to cope is different; not everyone can be like Mr. Nekono and...
She glanced at Shuichi Akai.
Like Mr. Nekono and Shu, they remain calm and composed no matter what happens.
“Indeed, he makes friends very readily, but that very readily makes people more uneasy,” James couldn’t help but chime in. “We owe him a considerable favor, especially…”
Judy couldn't help but snort, her tone clearly showing dissatisfaction: "Especially considering the fishing decisions made by some of our high-ranking officials! Knowing that someone wanted to target Wilson, they deliberately put him out in the open as bait, resulting in the danger of an important person. If Mr. Nekono pursues this matter, it will cause a major diplomatic dispute!"
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down: "In comparison, Mr. Nekono is indeed reasonable. At least he is willing to communicate with us instead of putting pressure on his superiors directly. If it were someone else with a troublesome background and a petty personality, just explaining and appeasing them would have been a nightmare."
Shuichi Akai glanced out the window at the rapidly receding scenery, his tone remaining calm: "The higher-ups are always keen on these dangerous games, but this time we do owe them a favor."
"Is it confirmed?" James suddenly asked.
"...What?" Judy asked, puzzled.
But Shuichi Akai remained calm: "Yes, Ikuya Nekono is fine; he didn't know beforehand."
"!" Judy was taken aback.
She frowned, glancing at James and then at Shuichi Akai.
Judy was quick-witted, so she realized what was going on: "...Someone in the higher-ups suspects that Mr. Nekono is connected to the organization? They want to test Mr. Nekono?"
"That was too risky! Wilson was showing up in public like that, Mr. Nekono almost got hit!"
I routinely suspect that the top brass of the FBI are idiots!
Judy didn't blame James and Akai because she knew them and knew they would also disagree... rank really does have an advantage.
James's eyes lit up with a strange expression: "The higher-ups...they didn't expect the organization to be so audacious." Aren't they afraid of provoking the Cecil and Cat Wild families?
However, his eyes showed distress, because this would cause trouble for the FBI.
Sigh! The FBI leadership!
The FBI really didn't expect those people to snipe Wilson today.
They infiltrated the organization, and the undercover agent who had recently died sent word before his death that Wilson, the general manager of the Nekono Group's branch, was involved with the organization. After a long period of infiltration and investigation, they have confirmed that the organization's headquarters are in Japan.
The headquarters of the Nekono Group are also in Japan, and no one knows how deep the organization's reach extends.
Logically, they should have apprehended Wilson as soon as possible, but the FBI learned that Ikuya Nekono was coming, so they wanted to test whether Ikuya Nekono was also involved with the organization.
Nekono Ikuya's identity is too significant, as he is connected to both the Nekono and Cecil families, two powerful clans. If he is also a member of the organization, then the others simply don't know how to deal with it.
Before he could observe the interaction between Nekono Ikuya and Wilson and determine whether Nekono Ikuya was aware of what Wilson was doing, Wilson was shot.
The three people in the car all looked somewhat heavy-hearted. Was the organization targeting Wilson at this time because they had discovered crucial information from the fallen FBI undercover agent, or because someone within the FBI had leaked the information?
It's not like the organization could just kill Nekono Ikuya in advance and provoke her because they knew Wilson couldn't hide it from them when Nekono Ikuya arrived, right?
Shuichi Akai still had questions: how did he encounter a sniper and see the FBI arrive so quickly...?
What percentage of the time did Nekono Ikuya so easily let go of Wilson because he guessed there was more to the story and took a step back from the vortex? I always felt that he saw through James's scrutiny the moment they met!
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