The Honey Trap

The atmosphere in the two interrogation rooms was completely different. The air between Roy and Chief George Stacy was somewhat somber; the topic they had just discussed was too heavy. This was a common phenomenon in America, with many people going bankrupt every day, not all of it due to their own fault, but often more so due to the banks'.

The room between Jack and Phil Coulson crackled with tension, the atmosphere unusually heated as they stared each other down. The conditions Phil Coulson proposed were impossible to meet. Why? Because the over four million dollars had already been spent, turned to ash, an incredibly expensive pile of dust that had blown away in the wind, its final resting place unknown.

Roy and Jack, accompanied by their lawyers, walked out of the interrogation rooms. They exchanged a glance before leaving the NYPD headquarters together. Chief George Stacy hurried over to Phil Coulson, "How did it go?"

Phil Coulson shook his head. "No progress at all. From my observation, they are indeed robbers, but their resolve is incredibly strong. It's difficult to get them to talk; we'll have to track them and wait for them to use the stolen money!"

"Sigh, we have a lead but can't pursue it. I guess that's all we can do," Chief George Stacy sighed helplessly. If they were still ordinary workers, perhaps there would be a way. But now, they were running an investment company with clean funds available through legitimate channels, and they had hired lawyers to protect their rights, leaving the police powerless.

Phil Coulson remained silent, frowning in thought. He then took out his phone and turned back towards the interrogation room. "Director, the current situation is as follows..." Phil Coulson began to report the details. He had already identified the suspects but couldn't break through. The suspects were tight-lipped, and they had no evidence or any starting point; their suspicion was based purely on observation.

"Hmm, I understand. Since they possess such technology, it will be difficult for you to catch them. Furthermore, their method of murder was quite skillful." Mo Fei had killed Jerry, and the method was obvious, but there was no evidence. The traffic monitoring center showed everything was normal; the traffic light issue was impossible to verify, making it perfect. The law always relies on evidence.

"Director, then all we can do now is track them. Hopefully, they'll use some of the stolen money," Phil Coulson said.

"Not necessarily. If they can make money through investments, why would they need to use the stolen funds? Or rather, why would they need to use it in the short term? What you need to do now is have someone keep an eye on that bearer account. That should be the money allocated to the technical operators behind them. Also, you shouldn't track the suspects," Nick Fury surprisingly rejected Phil Coulson's plan.

"Keep an eye on the bearer account? I hadn't thought of that. I'll arrange it! Do we really not need to track the suspects?"

"No, I'll make other arrangements. When one path is blocked, we must try another."

"Yes, I understand!"

Nick Fury hung up the phone, pondered for a moment, and then made another call. "Come to my office!"

Not long after, there was a knock on the door, and a tall, beautiful young woman walked in. Her black suit accentuated her height and curves, and her heels added even more to her stature.

"Director!"

"Agent Maria Hill, I have a mission for you. I'm currently classifying this mission as Level Seven!" Nick Fury said sternly.

"Level Seven? Director, I'm only a Level Six agent!" Maria Hill had been with Nick Fury since he joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and was currently his most trusted person and a key individual for development.

"Yes, but your target is just an ordinary person. You'll use your feminine wiles to approach him. His wife recently abandoned him and their child, so now is a good time. Agent Phil Coulson will provide you with the detailed information." Nick Fury was preparing to use a honey trap.

"Yes, understood!" As a female agent, this kind of training was essential for Maria Hill, and she was naturally familiar with it.

"Agent Phil Coulson will inform you of the mission's focus later. Our objective is the technology, and you need to be careful. He's like a ghost in the network; our current technology can't detect him at all, so you can't show any flaws. Go to New York and rendezvous with them!" Nick Fury didn't explain the entire mission in detail; these were not issues a director should be concerned with.

Maria Hill accepted the mission. Although she didn't fully understand it, she wasn't anxious. Since she would be using her feminine advantages, her attire and makeup needed preparation. Moreover, the target's aesthetic preferences were also a factor to consider.

Maria Hill immediately called Phil Coulson. "This is Maria Hill. I'll be taking over this mission." The S.H.I.E.L.D. ranking system was implemented after Nick Fury took office. There was no room for discussion between Level Six and Level Five agents; Phil Coulson and Melinda May directly obeyed orders.

"Understood. Agent Hill, do you need anything?"

"The target's information, detailed information, especially his ex-wife's details, or if he has any lovers. These are the priorities."

"Understood. It will be ready in ten minutes, and I'll send it directly to you."

Jack was an ordinary person who had long been investigated thoroughly. Phil Coulson obtained the information from Chief George Stacy and then faxed it to Maria Hill.

After receiving the information, Maria Hill analyzed the target's personality, aesthetics, and family life. She was not unfamiliar with this. When agents undertake missions, honey traps are frequently used. It's not about sacrificing oneself, but about leveraging one's feminine advantages to gain the upper hand in interactions, especially emotionally. Female agents are generally very suited for such tactics, though Melinda May is an exception; she's a combat specialist!

"The Director wants to do this?" Melinda May asked after Phil Coulson finished sending the information.

"It's a good method!" Phil Coulson nodded in agreement.

"Why not try my method? Sneak into the target's home tonight and use coercion and enticement; maybe he'll talk."

"No, their technology is too terrifying. The target's surroundings might be riddled with surveillance. Once they obtain evidence of your actions, we'll be at a disadvantage. Even if the target confesses, it won't be admissible as evidence then."