"Information leak? What the hell?" Natasha looked over the documents. "A large number of Congress members received threatening emails. Those damaging materials... could Electronic Life have obtained them by attacking the FBI's information security system?"
"The question is, why would the FBI have those damaging materials?" the deputy director, seated across from Natasha, said. "According to informed sources, the material used to threaten the members of Congress was extremely detailed. It would have been impossible to gather it so comprehensively without a long-term investigation."
"This proves that the president may have been preparing to purge them for a long time." Natasha gave a soft laugh. "Electronic Life saved their lives, in a way. If the information hadn't leaked, once the president freed up his hands, they'd all be off to prison."
"The problem now is that the information has leaked, and everyone knows. A small number of idiots are preparing to run, but more are still waiting to see what happens. They probably think the law can't punish everyone, or perhaps they think the president won't be in office much longer."
Natasha lightly tapped her fingers against the tabletop. "The problems in the West California industrial district did shake the president's position. But he did save everyone on that ship, and he's won considerable public support in the central states. It's too early to talk about him stepping down."
"Yesterday morning, Congress urgently approved the FBI's funding request for 'Constructing Firewalls Against Information Leaks Through Program Differentiation.'"
"What the hell is that?"
"Forty firewalls," the deputy director said. "Each one requires roughly thirteen million dollars in research and construction funding."
Natasha froze slightly, then said, "Congress just approved that?"
"They did. The money has already arrived. After all, the members' damaging material leaked from the FBI, and luckily it leaked