"Mr. Allen!"
"General Ross."
Ross rose and shook hands with Allen, the current Secretary of State appointed by the President, who had just walked in.
Another person had entered with the Secretary of State. His features were extremely distinctive: dark skin and an eyepatch. If his skin had been a little lighter, he would have looked exactly like a medieval pirate.
Of course, with that skin color, he couldn't have been a pirate in the Middle Ages. At most, he could have been a slave aboard some pirate ship.
Nick Fury.
He possessed the ability to call in support from across the planet, but he was not yet the top leader in charge of a secret organization. He was merely a deputy.
At that moment, Nick Fury's gaze fell on Lake, who stood beside General Ross in a military uniform. His single eye narrowed slightly.
Just then.
General Ross looked at Nick Fury, then asked Secretary of State Allen, "And this is...?"
Nick Fury extended a hand toward General Ross. "Nick Fury, Deputy Director of the Strategic Homeland Defense and Logistics Agency."
General Ross glanced at the hand Nick Fury held out.
He did not shake it.
Hmph.
Not only did this man want to poach his people, he had even schemed against them. If the Secretary of State hadn't come today, then with General Ross's explosive temper, he would have already called in the guards and had Nick Fury detained here as well.
Some Homeland whatever agency.
What the hell was this? He had never heard of it. Even if he had, Ross still wouldn't have been intimidated.
What?
Oh.
So it had passed a congressional resolution granting it legitimate law-enforcement authority on domestic soil? No? Then this agency didn't exist. Impersonating the FBI was a federal felony.
After glancing at Nick Fury's hand, General Ross chuckled and looked directly at Secretary Allen. "Mr. Secretary, the director of this whatever agency behind you certainly has quite a temper. He's arresting people on military property."
The military was riding high at this time.
Although the World Trade Center incident two months ago had dampened USA's arrogance, military morale was now extremely high. In the previous month alone, the number of soldiers who enlisted to seek revenge had surpassed the total number recruited throughout the entire previous year.
Nick Fury's single eye flickered, but he showed no embarrassment. He looked directly at General Ross. "General Ross, Detective Inspector Lake Edwin is suspected of intentionally killing one of our agents. Yesterday, my people merely wanted to bring him in to assist with the investigation."
General Ross seemed to suddenly understand. He looked at Lake. "You killed someone?"
Lake shook his head. "No, General. The killer was an assassin, not me."
Nick Fury said directly, "We also have evidence that you were connected to that assassin. He helped you kill two innocent people who intended to press charges against you for deliberate assault."
Lake said nothing.
Ross looked at Nick without expression. "Do you have evidence?"
Nick Fury looked at Ross. "That's why we asked him to come back with us to assist in the investigation. I hope you won't interfere, General."
Ross laughed. "Don't interfere? You're trying to arrest my man, and you're telling me not to interfere?"
As he spoke,
General Ross walked to his desk and picked up the phone. "Hello? Have Colonel Glenn Turnbull from the military prosecutor's office bring several prosecutors over."
After hanging up,
General Ross said to Nick Fury, "Even if Lieutenant Lake Edwin really is suspected of a crime, the only people who can investigate him are our military prosecutors. You schemed against my man and still want to arrest him. Think carefully about how you're going to explain yourself to me."
Nick Fury frowned. "General Ross, Lieutenant Lake Edwin isn't military personnel. He has already been discharged."
General Ross sneered. "Oh, is that so? You seem to know my soldiers quite well."
Isn't saying that basically admitting you've investigated my man from top to bottom? And you still claim you don't intend to poach him? You must have a death wish, trying to take my people.
General Ross had released Lake without releasing his records because he hoped that one day Lake would see the error of his ways and return to the military. After all, he had watched Lake grow up. No one understood Lake's potential better than he did.
Secretary of State Allen hurriedly spoke up to smooth things over, but inwardly he couldn't help blaming Nick Fury for dragging him into this mess.
When Secretary Allen received the call that morning, he had thought S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military had gotten into a minor dispute, a small conflict. But now he realized: was this really a small conflict?
This was a full-blown hornet's nest!
Secretary Allen turned toward Nick Fury, his tone already somewhat displeased. Still, Nick Fury was part of the political establishment, after all. "Deputy Director Fury, do you have any evidence to support what you're saying?"
Nick Fury looked at Lake, who stood there in his military uniform with an expressionless face, and remained silent for a while. "No."
The bullet that killed the person had been fired through the window.
And when the bullet was fired, Lake had an ironclad alibi.
The same had been true of White plus Black earlier.
But...
There was no evidence whatsoever. Anyone with eyes could see that Lake was deeply involved in this matter. The two people who had intended to frame Lake had been killed, and the person who had intended to poach him had also been killed.
Did this really require evidence?
If Lake were already in S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick could guarantee that he had a hundred ways to find evidence.
But now?
Damn it. Where exactly did things go wrong? This guy had clearly retired from the military, so how had he become military personnel again?
Nick Fury couldn't figure it out.
But things had already reached this point. He couldn't take Lake away anymore. If he insisted on pushing forward, S.H.I.E.L.D. would be the only one to suffer, not the military.
To USA, S.H.I.E.L.D. could only be considered an adopted son.
But General Ross, a lieutenant general of USA who held real power, was a pure-blooded biological son.
So.
Nick Fury took a deep breath and said to General Ross, "General Ross, since Detective Inspec—Lieutenant Edwin is military personnel, our Strategic Homeland agency has no authority to interfere. I ask that you release the agents you've detained."
"Heh!"
Ross's expression remained flat. "Too late."
Just then.
Colonel Glenn Turnbull of the military prosecutor's office entered with several of her subordinates. "General."
General Ross looked directly at Colonel Glenn Turnbull. "Initiate an investigation. Work together with the FBI. Yesterday, several unidentified individuals impersonating FBI agents attempted to abduct Lieutenant Lake Edwin."
Colonel Glenn Turnbull replied, "Yes, sir!"
Nick Fury's expression changed instantly. "General Ross..."
Secretary Allen's expression also shifted slightly. "General Ross..."
This was an open slap in the face.
Although Secretary Allen, as Secretary of State, had the ability to interfere with the FBI and could find a way to make the FBI acknowledge those S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as federal agents,
but...
That would become a stain. It might look like a minor issue now, but who could say what would happen in the future?
General Ross raised a hand to stop them from speaking. He showed the Secretary of State no consideration whatsoever and even had his guards come in to politely see them out.
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