Karen really was planning to make a move against Langley.
In a word.
Langley had no law-enforcement authority anywhere in the country, much less the right to carry out assassinations on domestic soil.
"Lake."
Karen turned to Lake, who was sitting on the sofa. "Do you still remember your Aunt Tess?"
Lake searched his memory. "Tess Pittman?"
Tess Pittman was one of Karen's close friends. When Lake was young, he had attended Tess's wedding. After turning sixteen, however, he had learned most of the information about her from Karen. He had heard that several years ago, Tess Pittman and her husband had gone to Paris to serve as diplomats.
The Federation's diplomats did not necessarily graduate from specialized schools. That was also a form of exchange, in a sense.
It was like so-called political donations. For example, if you helped a mayor campaign, then after the mayor succeeded, he would repay you with something—such as selling you a piece of land at a cheap price.
Lake said, "I remember that Aunt Tess's family went to Paris."
Karen nodded. "Yes, but fourteen months ago, while they were preparing to return, they got into a car accident and died."
Lake raised an eyebrow. "Langley did it?"
Damn.
If that was the case, it explained why Karen was going after the CIA.
But... where was the evidence?
Lake's thoughts shifted, and his gaze turned toward Anna.
Seeing this, Karen told him the story of her connection with Anna.
Anna had found Karen five days ago—or rather, Karen had found Anna. About three months earlier, Anna had suddenly discovered that her location had been exposed and was attacked by assassins. After killing one wave of them, Anna had taken a bullet to the abdomen and collapsed by the roadside from exhaustion.
As it happened.
Karen had been passing by at the time and happened to see Anna lying beside the road. She got out of her car to check on her. When she saw Anna's gunshot wound, Karen was preparing to call the police, but Anna suddenly woke up and begged her not to. She was being hunted by people from the CIA and the FBI.
Karen had been utterly shocked.
Lake was equally shocked.
A coincidence?
He had never believed in coincidences.
Lake looked straight at Anna. Karen naturally knew what he was thinking and said directly, "I had Dr. Dupont come to the house to treat Anna. After Dr. Dupont left, Anna told me that she knew I was investigating the CIA, and that she had evidence that could help me prove your Aunt Tess's family hadn't died in an accident."
Anna really did have evidence. Fourteen months ago, she had still been moving between the Red Room and Langley. At the time, Anna had not only been a double agent—she had even shared the intelligence databases of both the Red Room and Langley.
Aunt Tess's family hadn't died by accident, but neither Langley nor the Red Room had done it. Anna did, however, have evidence that Langley had known someone intended to make a move against Tess.
Or rather, Aunt Tess had become a pawn Langley used to draw out an assassination target.
Langley had set up a scheme.
They had wagered Tess's family's lives to draw out an assassin who had also come from Langley but had defected. This would allow Anna to locate and kill that assassin while also teaching her a lesson—letting her see exactly what happened to those who left Langley.
"I've already requested a hearing."
Karen turned to Lake. "With Anna's testimony, I'll be able to apply for a full search warrant against Langley in this case and find the murderer who came up with this plan."
Lake looked at Anna. "Do you know who that person is?"
Anna, who was so inconspicuous that she seemed to blend into the shadows of the living room, spoke up. "He's Carmen Ian, the director of the CIA's Third Directorate of Overseas Operations!"
Lake raised his eyebrows.
No wonder the CIA had gone completely insane and launched an attack on the home of General Ross—one of the military's Big Three—in Arlington County, a district filled with military families.
This involved the reputation of a Langley director. If Anna successfully testified in court, what would happen then?
Langley's reputation would be completely screwed.
What?
Langley could claim that they had never even heard of Anna. Ha, that would just be self-deception. Anna had managed to toy with both the Red Room and Langley. There was no doubt that this quiet, seemingly bunny-like Anna had some hard evidence of her dealings with Langley.
What?
Anna was also KGB?
Heh.
Lake looked at Karen. "What kind of deal is it?"
Karen glanced at Anna, then looked at Lake. "Full immunity. She'll exchange the information she knows about the Red Room for entry into the Witness Protection Program."
Lake said, "Is that all?"
Anna spoke up. "I just want to live in peace."
"Unfortunately, you won't live."
"..."
Lake looked at Anna. "Your KGB recruiter told you that five years would buy your freedom. He lied to you. Langley's recruiter told you that helping them obtain information on the KGB would earn you freedom. They lied to you too."
Anna's expression changed drastically as she looked at Karen.
Karen said, "Lake, I've already secured immunity. As long as Anna testifies in court."
Lake turned his head and glanced at Karen, then smiled before looking back at Anna. "I never said Karen had lied to you too. I meant that you seem to have overlooked one problem."
Anna asked, "What?"
Lake smiled. "As soon as you testify in court, Langley will lose face. Do you really think that even if you enter the Witness Protection Program, Langley would have trouble finding you? Or do you think that if they sold this information to the Red Room, the Red Room would let you off?"
To put it plainly.
Langley might be bastards, but they were still their own people.
No matter how valuable the information Anna brought by testifying was, it would only be useful once. Perhaps they wouldn't do anything at first, but what about later?
Besides, the Witness Protection Program was called protection, but it was more like exile.
"You'll die."
Lake spoke bluntly to Anna. "No matter how badly you want to live, you'll die. Langley has influence throughout this country, and they won't allow a traitor like you to remain alive. Besides, you can't expect a secret known by more than a dozen people to remain strictly confidential."
The Federation's Witness Protection Program was indeed a great invention, but it wasn't without loopholes. Especially where Langley was concerned, if they were determined to find someone, they could locate you no matter how deeply you hid overseas—let alone on their own soil.
Anna's expression shifted repeatedly.
Karen frowned as well.
"Bro."
"What?"
"..."
Lake turned his head and saw Betty desperately winking at him, signaling him to look at Karen's expression. He smiled, then said to Anna, "I have a suggestion. Perhaps my suggestion is a little better than Karen's."
Anna raised her head and looked at Karen.
Lake smiled.
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