134. Intelligence Bureau Reid

"Intelligence Bureau, Reid?"

The moment he heard the newcomer identify himself over the channel, Yarman's first reaction was shock. Blanca, his superior, had never mentioned that the Intelligence Bureau would be assisting with this mission. But after a moment's thought, he understood.

Blanca—his direct superior—had never mentioned Intelligence Bureau support in the mission briefing. However, this encrypted high-clearance channel was virtually impossible for outsiders to breach. Considering the gravity of the presidential aircraft crash, it was only natural that the Intelligence Bureau would intervene in the investigation.

Perhaps Blanca had simply felt there was no need to inform him in advance, or perhaps the Intelligence Bureau had decided to step in at the last minute.

Friendly reinforcements?

That possibility slightly loosened Yarman's tightly drawn lips.

They were in an unprecedented predicament. The five Arasaka agents had demonstrated combat capabilities far beyond his expectations. Their interception line had already been torn open in several places; they were losing men by the minute and could collapse at any second. They desperately needed reinforcements.

Although Yarman had never had the privilege of working alongside Intelligence Bureau elites during his service in the New United States military, stories about them circulated among every special operations officer.

It was said that each of them had endured brutal training beyond the imagination of ordinary people, mastering special skills that ordinary agents could never hope to match. Encountering such reinforcements in a desperate situation was like grasping a lifeline while drowning.

"Agent Reid," Yarman said, his voice slightly hoarse with tension. He had to clear his throat. "It is an honor to receive the Intelligence Bureau's assistance, but how many personnel can you deploy right now?" His gaze unconsciously swept across the red markers on the reconnaissance map as they grew ever more distant, while his thumb