Chapter 271: Luke Shaw's Fangs (Part I)
The Military Divide
"The country cannot fall into chaos!"
Sam Lane's single sentence set the underlying tone for the entire situation.
"The matter of the demon Ghast must absolutely not be spread. If anyone dares to do so, I will personally take their life."
The chilling voice echoed in the room. The generals who supported impeaching the President immediately frowned.
"The reason Joel Nash was possessed by a demon hasn't been investigated yet. Who knows if it was involuntary or voluntary?"
Another general chimed in, "If it was involuntary, fine. But if he willingly contacted the demon, it indicates a flaw in his character. The United States cannot let such a person serve as President."
"Our consensus is to get through the election smoothly. Once the election is over, we'll use all our power to force him out of office and let Hyde Clym or Kylek take over. At least those two don't have a demonic background."
Before the words fully landed, Norman Gant's expression changed immediately, and Sam Lane's face grew dark. The senators had moved fast! In just two days, they had swayed so many high-ranking generals.
"What do you mean by 'use all our power'?"
"A military coup? A power grab? Or using force to drive the President out of the White House?"
"Are you insane!"
Smash!
A water glass shattered on the floor. Norman Gant was furious. "Do you know what that means? The military does not interfere in politics—that is the foundation of national stability! Even people in the Third World know that! You are stupid enough to consider this method? What, do you feel your current power isn't enough and want to advance further?"
Sam Lane narrowed his eyes, radiating bone-deep killing intent.
"A military coup would directly lead to party opposition, national division, and the collapse of the democratic system. Millions of people would die because of it. If any of you try to do this, I swear right now, I will use every means possible to send your entire family to hell."
The men in the office looked at each other and fell silent. The general who had spoken earlier was deeply embarrassed and signaled to his colleagues, but they ignored him. Seeing this, he could only argue forcefully,
"No one is trying to launch a coup. We just don't want someone connected to a demon serving as President. His history is undeniable. Who can guarantee he hasn't been influenced by the demon?"
Sam Lane scoffed. "You'd better stick to that. Otherwise, we won't even be friends anymore."
Someone spoke up, clearly annoyed, "Don't just lecture us! What about you? Whose side are you on?"
Sam Lane was silent for a long moment before answering,
"I do not support Joel Nash continuing as President."
"See? We all agree then," said one of the generals.
Sam Lane glanced up. "I will not employ illegal means to remove the President. He must be removed through official channels."
That sentence immediately wiped the smiles off the generals' faces.
Official channels?
What a joke!
The men were a mix of anger and amusement. "If there were official channels, would we be sitting here? You all know Joel Nash's performance over the years. He doesn't philander with men or women, he isn't greedy or lustful—he's a moral paragon! How could such a cautious man leave behind any criminal evidence?"
Norman Gant coughed. "Actually, there's one person you've overlooked."
"Who?"
"Jason Lowe! The demon Ghast's chief confidant."
Everyone paused, confused. "We heard he's missing. Do you know where he is?"
Norman Gant glanced at Sam Lane, who then spoke slowly. "I have been searching for his location for the past few days and have confirmed his position. If all goes as planned, he'll be arrested tonight."
"Once we catch Jason Lowe, we won't have trouble finding criminal evidence against Joel Nash. After all, anything the President couldn't openly handle, Jason Lowe did."
The Hunter Becomes the Hunted
In a secluded motel in the southern United States, Jason Lowe, the former all-powerful Presidential Chief of Staff, was enduring the darkest period of his life.
The moment Joel Nash was attacked, Jason Lowe received a text message from a Secret Service agent. Sensing something was wrong, he chose not to immediately notify the Department of Defense. Instead, he packed his bags and fled as fast as possible to his cousin's house in Texas.
The worst had indeed happened.
The news was saturated with the fantastical story of the President and the aliens. But as an insider, he couldn't possibly believe that nonsense. The FBI had already learned the President was a demon. The recent attack must have been at their hands—an all-or-nothing effort to eliminate the demon Ghast.
Jason had initially hoped his master would rally and wipe out the enemies. But who would have thought a demon of such terrifying power could be defeated by humans?
Ghast was dead, and the President was suffering from amnesia. Both of his major lifelines were gone. He had to flee immediately. His cousin's house was no longer safe; the FBI, CIA, and A.R.G.U.S. would eventually find him there. Fortunately, he had one or two loyal subordinates who arranged for him to hide in this incredibly remote motel.
The motel conditions were terrible. No hot water, no internet access, and the damned fat landlord only cared about collecting money. Jason nearly blew his head off.
He couldn't continue living like this. After much thought, Jason decided to cross the border into Mexico and then transfer to Russia. The KGB would surely be interested in the intelligence he carried.
With their help, he might be able to live a normal life again.
Having made up his mind, Jason set out that very night. He discarded all his communication devices, keeping only $150,000 in cash and forged personal identification documents.
Near the border, he found a local human trafficker and paid $20,000 for a ride. Then came the long wait.
Meanwhile, at a military base in Texas.
An A.R.G.U.S. intelligence officer entered an office. "Jason Lowe's location has been confirmed. He is in the small town of Hyder near the Texas-Mexico border."
Amanda Waller nodded, her expression severe. "Activate the military satellite. Monitor his position at full capacity. Order First Squad to carry out a secret capture. Remember: alive."
"Understood!"
The intelligence officer nodded emphatically. Less than an hour after the command was given, the seven field agents of First Squad arrived on the outskirts of the town of Hyder.
With the help of the satellite feed, they quickly located the motel Jason Lowe was renting.
The squad leader, Elijah, signaled. The rest of the team took up positions, encircling the motel from various directions. Their movements were clearly displayed on a large screen via the military satellite. Amanda Waller propped her chin on her hand, her eyes unblinking, a faint, undeniable killing intent emanating from her indifferent pupils.
Jason Lowe!
I've been waiting for you.
The capture operation went smoothly. Just as Amanda Waller assumed success, Elijah's panicked voice suddenly erupted over the microphone.
"Bad news! It's a fake! There's a bomb! Retreat!"
Accompanying the piercing roar, the motel was engulfed in flames. Three agents outside screamed as they were thrown backward. Amanda Waller's face instantly paled. As she was about to ask for an update, the screen flickered and went dark.
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