Chapter 252: Sam Lane!
Political Turbulence
The sudden death of the FBI Director injected a potent dose of reality into the already volatile political landscape, which had been in disarray due to the upcoming election. Suddenly, all voices of anger vanished, and people everywhere began to mourn the "highly prestigious" old man.
High-ranking politicians gave touching speeches, expressing profound grief.
Joel Nash was no exception. Not only did he issue a statement, but he also personally visited the Hoover Building and spoke in detail about his every interaction with Jack Harvey in front of all the agents. His moving words echoed through the hall. Those who didn't know the truth showed genuine sorrow, while those who did gritted their teeth.
Watching the villain on the podium, Maeve curled her hands into fists, her body temperature rapidly rising. Fortunately, Stavros held her back in time, preventing a confrontation.
After the speech, Joel Nash, in his capacity as the current President, held a meeting with FBI high-level management and then left the Hoover Building, surrounded by a crowd.
In that moment, Stavros felt a cloud of darkness descend upon his heart, and he knew all those who knew the truth felt the same.
But what could they do?
The Director was dead. Who had the courage to take up that heavy burden?
No one. Not a single person.
Even if the high-ranking officials knew the President's true identity was a demon, they would choose to forget for the sake of power. If they thought about it carefully, maybe it wasn't a big deal. As long as his motives were for the people, did it matter if a demon was President?
How bad could he really be?
However, some people weren't willing to let things slide.
Two days later, Luke was taking a walk in a street park after dinner. Turning a corner, he ran into someone who shouldn't have been there. Glancing at the neck brace the man was wearing, Luke joked,
"Why are you out here instead of faking death in a hospital bed? Be careful. If Joel Nash knows you can get up, he'll definitely send you to hell."
Amanda was expressionless. "I'll only go to heaven after I die."
Luke shrugged. "That's what all the bad guys say."
"So, what do you want?"
"Someone wants to see you."
"Who?"
"They're in the coffee shop next door. You'll find out when you get there."
The two arrived at the coffee shop, which had a "CLOSED" sign hanging on the door. Pushing the main door open, they walked in. The vast restaurant was dark, with only the innermost table illuminated.
In the dim light sat a thin old man in a crisp military uniform. He was not tall, just over five feet six, with short hair and sharp eyebrows. His stern face carried the distinctive demeanor of a soldier. His eyes, however, were locked on Luke the entire time, as if trying to pierce right through him.
Amanda introduced them:
"Luke Shaw, from the Shaw family of Coast City, the former Grandson of the Hongmen Society leader."
"Sam Lane, General Lane, employed by the Department of Defense, a Senator."
Sam Lane!
Hearing that name, Luke was momentarily stunned. Lois Lane's father! Superman's father-in-law! He couldn't help but size the old man up and said,
"You have a very excellent daughter."
Sam Lane replied coldly, "I have two daughters."
"Is that so?"
Luke pulled up a chair and sat down. "General, what business do you have with me?"
The old man stared deeply at Luke, as if observing an opponent in a duel to the death. He seemed unfamiliar with basic conversational etiquette. It wasn't until Luke's patience was wearing thin that he finally spoke.
"Harvey told me everything."
"And then what?"
"He's dead."
"So, your purpose for seeing me today is to confirm whether or not I'm the one who killed him."
"No."
The old man leaned forward, staring straight at Luke. "I came to you for one thing: tell me if what Harvey said is true."
Luke smiled, a look of helplessness on his face.
"I don't even know what the Director told you. How can I confirm its truthfulness?"
Sam Lane glanced at Amanda, who clarified, "The General already knows Joel Nash's true identity is the demon Ghast."
"No!"
Luke shook his finger, his gaze sharp as a sword. "You don't know. You suspect. You doubt the intelligence's credibility, and you even suspect that everything was a trick set up by Jack Harvey. You think he was greedy for the power of the FBI Director's office and created this whole plot to bring Joel Nash down and extend his own term."
"It's not just you; the people you represent are the same. You were full of apprehension, hesitant to act, and the result is the current situation. Jack Harvey is dead, and you caused it."
The single sentence hit the core issue, leaving no room for subtlety.
"Because of your foolishness, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has become the demon's prize. Who do you think he'll appoint as the next Director? Jason Lowe? Quite the excellent choice, wouldn't you say?"
As he spoke, he glanced at Amanda, who remained impassive, though her fingers were tightly clenched. The injuries on her body were caused by people sent by Jason Lowe.
Before either of them could speak, Luke continued,
"Speaking of which, we should thank Director Harvey. If it weren't for him proving his resolve by dying, how would you people have woken up? How would you feel fear? A demon as President! This is a rare anomaly, unbelievable even to think about. Just imagine how explosive the scene would be if the American people knew their President was possessed by a demon!"
The sarcastic remarks echoed in the restaurant, harsh and grating. Amanda and Sam Lane felt as though they'd been slapped, yet didn't know how to respond.
The feeling was suffocating!
"General Lane, I've roughly guessed your intention. Unfortunately, it's too late. My cooperation with Jack Harvey is over. I will no longer interfere in the struggles between the upper echelons. You deal with Joel Nash yourselves. Of course, you can also pretend nothing happened. Like a flock of sheep with a wolf, the flock at least doesn't have to worry about other dangers, right?"
As he finished speaking, Luke immediately rose, giving them no opportunity to stop him.
The sound of his footsteps slowly faded, and the restaurant fell into a deadly silence. Sam Lane's face was dark, his eyes cold enough to kill. After a long moment, the anger on his face subsided.
"You were right. He has indeed backed out."
Amanda replied, "Luke Shaw will not sacrifice himself for others. Relying on him to lead the charge is impossible. I hope you can make up your minds soon. If you drag this out any longer, Luke Shaw is likely to cooperate with Joel Nash, and then you will lose your last chance."
Sam Lane frowned. "Aren't they mortal enemies?"
"Enemies are relative. Where there is common interest, no grudge is irreparable. Furthermore, a person like him wouldn't care if the one sitting in the President's chair is human or not."
"There's one more thing I need to remind you of: the bargaining chip to eliminate the demon Ghast is in Luke Shaw's hands, and he has no intention of handing it over."
"Dammit!"
Sam Lane slammed his fist on the table, a mixture of hatred for the incompetence of the higher-ups, regret over his own foolishness, and an indescribable sense of irritation.
Jack Harvey's "sudden" death not only woke up the old senators but also cast a shadow over their hearts. The more one possesses, the more cautious they become, and the more they fear death. At such a tense moment, no one stepped forward to take over the Swamp Forest case, forcing them to bring back Sam Lane, who was currently investigating super-human activity.
He was called back to take charge, but in reality, he was a mere shield.
If he, too, were to die in an accident, the Senate truly might choose to forget everything. After all, it was all just rumor, wasn't it? Without proof.
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