Chapter 185: Industry Jargon
"We naturally have our own sources. You just need to tell me what you know—for example, where did you hide the one billion yen?"
Setting other matters aside for now, there was plenty of time for questions. First, they needed to locate the one billion yen.
"In the parking lot of the Beika Grand Hotel. The license plate is..."
Miyano Akemi stated the location directly.
After receiving the information, Jodie waved toward the surveillance camera, signaling the personnel in the monitoring room to handle the matter.
Tokyo, as the FBI's main operational area, had many agents stationed throughout the city, and Beika Town also had plainclothes operatives. The specific situation could be confirmed quickly.
During this lull, Jodie continued pressing, "You've had so many contacts with Tequila—what do you know about him? His characteristics, habits, anything."
"???"
A question mark appeared above Miyano Akemi's head. Wasn't Tequila a member of the FBI?
Why would the FBI ask this question? They might as well ask her how many Organization members were operating in Japan.
She knew a little about that, though she hadn't met many. Her sister had mentioned some before.
Noticing Jodie's serious expression—as if she'd face harsh interrogation if she didn't answer—Miyano Akemi shrank back slightly and said,
"He's almost two meters tall, distinctive black suit and black tie, often wears a fedora. Judging from his voice and overall appearance, he's probably in his forties.
Oh, and he has a very obvious Kansai accent, so he should be from the Kansai region.
I remember he used to mainly handle the Organization's... illicit business operations, but recently, for some reason, he started acting as the intermediary between my sister and me."
Yes, with the Kamogawa facility destroyed, Tequila was definitely out of work, which was why Gin had assigned him to be the go-between for Miyano Akemi and Sherry.
Jodie tapped the table, her brow furrowed.
She vaguely remembered this description—this person had been photographed by Akai and sent back in intelligence reports a few years ago.
Jodie pulled a stack of photos from her jacket pocket and drew one out.
"Is this the person?"
When Akai had sent back the photos, he'd probably been in a hurry and hadn't labeled the person's name. They could only confirm this individual was a code-named member of the Organization, but didn't know the codename.
Now she could confirm it through Miyano Akemi.
"Yes."
Miyano Akemi confirmed, then glanced at the other photos in Jodie's hand.
Jodie understood, arranging the photos neatly like a dealer's deck. There were many photos, but actually only about four or five different people.
"Identify these individuals and tell me their code names."
Actually, she already knew several of them—she was just asking to verify whether Miyano Akemi was being truthful.
Miyano Akemi carefully examined each photo, finally dividing them into several groups, each representing one person.
But how had the FBI obtained these photos?
Judging from the images, these people had all been secretly photographed while drinking, and their faces were all angled toward the camera. It seemed they'd been chatting with whoever was taking the photos.
Sure enough, the FBI had operatives within the Organization.
However, this was normal.
The Organization appeared tight-knit, but in reality, the backgrounds and capabilities of its peripheral members varied greatly. It was entirely normal to have some spies or undercover agents.
Code names weren't assigned overnight—they were selected from among many peripheral members, so having one or two infiltrators was expected.
Countless undercover agents had died at Gin's hands, including not only peripheral members but also code-named operatives.
"Vodka, Chianti, Korn."
Miyano Akemi looked at the last two photos for a long time and shook her head. "I haven't seen these two people before. They're probably not from Japan. Maybe only my sister knows them."
The two photos Miyano Akemi indicated showed Western faces, both male.
Jodie didn't mind. Bourbon's assignments seemed to require traveling worldwide, so it was normal to have photos of Organization members from branches outside Japan.
Speaking of which, the man in the photos was quite handsome—sharp features and intelligent eyes. He'd be very popular in Europe and America.
Yes, popular with everyone.
Some Western circles had... particular tastes. It was normal for certain social groups to be quite open-minded.
She'd only learned this after working international cases. Once, during an assignment in London attending a diplomatic reception, she'd nearly been cornered by a wealthy aristocrat with unusual intentions.
She remembered it vividly.
"Never mind if you don't recognize them." Jodie marked the photos and put them away, then changed the subject. "You must have met Sherry quite a bit. Do you know what she's researching? Has she entrusted anything to you for safekeeping, like research data or something?"
Miyano Akemi's expression remained unchanged—or perhaps exhaustion had dulled her features, making it impossible to discern anything. Only her heart skipped a beat internally.
Should she tell them?
Miyano Akemi hesitated.
The FBI was America's premier federal law enforcement agency. If she couldn't trust them, then probably no organization could be trusted.
However, her sister's research was too important.
Now that she was in custody, her sister would definitely retaliate against Gin, and conflict was inevitable.
Given Gin's personality, he certainly wouldn't let her sister act freely, and she would undoubtedly face severe consequences.
If she leaked the research data to the FBI, the FBI agents themselves would likely be fine, but the politicians and officials above them might be a different story.
She'd dealt with enough corrupt officials to understand how these things worked. If they discovered that her sister's research could shrink people, wouldn't they go insane?
They might frantically search for the Organization's research facility. What would become of her sister then?
Setting aside the possibility that Gin might eliminate her sister prematurely for leaking information, even if she survived, she'd be imprisoned by government officials for further experimentation.
Essentially, there was no difference—both were forms of exploitation.
The cycle would never end. They could all use the drug to restart their lives, maintain their power indefinitely.
An endless cycle.
It would be catastrophic.
For her sister's safety and to prevent such an outcome, Miyano Akemi stated firmly, "My sister seems to be researching some kind of health supplement. She hasn't given me anything—after all, we're always being monitored when we meet. Before it was Vodka, now it's Tequila."
Jodie didn't care who was monitoring them. What she cared about was what Miyano Akemi had just said—health supplements!
Such a massive criminal organization, and its chief scientist was researching health supplements?
"Are you kidding me?"
Jodie's expression darkened as she slammed her hand on the table. The lamp toppled over with a loud "clang," its harsh light shining directly on Miyano Akemi's pale face.
Although she knew Jodie wouldn't believe her, Miyano Akemi was still startled by the sudden outburst, but she nodded firmly. "That's what my sister told me.
It's possible they called it a health supplement because someone was listening.
Perhaps 'health supplement' is some kind of code word or professional terminology, but I'm not a researcher and don't understand its meaning."
Her sister had once mentioned that the term 'health supplement' had a different meaning among certain scientists. She didn't know the specifics, but saying it would definitely mislead any investigation.
"That's... actually possible." Jodie straightened the lamp, stood up, and left the room. She went to the door, found an agent, and instructed them to locate a scientific consultant for questioning.
The FBI wasn't just field agents—they employed scientists who, besides handling case-related data analysis and forensics, also worked on specialized equipment.
Like the black sedan they'd driven tonight.
It looked ordinary, but it actually had a hidden nitrous oxide system.
Opening the sunroof wasn't for ventilation—it would deploy an automated defense system with substantial firepower.
The entire vehicle was bulletproof, with run-flat tires and reinforced armor plating.
Serious tactical capability, which was why the two had dared to travel to Tokyo Bay alone.
If they couldn't win, escaping definitely wouldn't be a problem.
Soon, a researcher in a white lab coat hurried over, walking briskly.
The researcher was clearly somewhat impatient—being called away to answer questions in the middle of important work was extremely annoying for someone focused on research.
"What is it? Hurry up, I need to get back to my work."
Jodie understood researchers' temperaments, so she didn't waste words and asked directly, "Does 'health supplement' have any other meaning in the scientific research field?"
"Health supplement?" The researcher was taken aback, then seemed to realize something, pulled up a chair, and began explaining:
"You should understand the general term 'health supplement.' On the surface, it refers to products that claim to have specific health benefits or are intended to supplement vitamins and minerals. They're marketed to specific demographics, regulate bodily functions, aren't meant to treat diseases, and supposedly don't cause acute, subacute, or chronic harm to the human body.
However, in the field of bioscience, 'health supplement' is indeed industry jargon. Not only does it harm the human body, but its actual effects are vastly different from commercial products."
Jodie nodded, pulled up a chair, and listened attentively.
"In research circles, 'health supplement' usually refers to performance enhancers, but these are different from ordinary stimulants. Besides accelerating cellular metabolism and enhancing explosive physical capabilities, they also subtly improve overall physical condition.
But the cost is obvious—it damages cellular integrity, and long-term use can significantly shorten lifespan."
"These enhancers differ from regular stimulants. Their effects last over a week after injection, and once you start, you can't stop.
They're highly addictive. Quitting is extremely difficult, with withdrawal symptoms that are nearly impossible to overcome. Many people who try to quit die of cardiac arrest because they can't endure the process.
This substance is sometimes used in enhanced interrogations—the truth serum you've used before contained derivatives of this compound."
"There's such a thing? That's even more dangerous than controlled substances."
Jodie was hearing this for the first time. She'd never expected that 'health supplements' would be used this way in scientific research.
"You said 'usually refers to,' so there's also an unusual meaning, right?" Jodie asked, her eyes narrowing.
If the usual meaning was this disturbing, what about the unusual interpretation?
The researcher nodded, his expression becoming very serious. "Some people illegally study human biology, searching for the secrets to longevity and eternal youth. Many wealthy individuals worldwide fund this research, and they call these inhumane experiments 'health supplement projects.'"
"What did you say? Longevity?" Jodie's mind went blank for a moment.
"Don't worry." The researcher's serious expression vanished instantly, replaced by a slight smile. "Scientists who research longevity and eternal youth are delusional fantasists. How could such a drug possibly exist?"
"Tch~~"
Jodie breathed a sigh of relief, glared at the researcher who'd made such an unsettling joke, waved for them to leave, and returned to the interrogation room.
"Is Sherry researching performance enhancers?"
Miyano Akemi shook her head. She'd already thrown out the term "health supplement"—the rest was for Jodie to figure out herself.
Jodie asked a few more questions.
Not long after, the interrogation room door burst open. Before Jodie could react, Kazami Yuya pushed the door open forcefully and rushed in.
"What is it?" Jodie asked, frowning.
"The one billion yen—it's gone!!!"
"Impossible!" Miyano Akemi sat bolt upright, shocked by this unexpected development.
She'd hidden it so carefully—how could it have disappeared?
Kazami Yuya glanced at Akemi, then ignored her and said directly, "We found the vehicle she mentioned, but it was driven away shortly after she left the Beika Grand Hotel."
"By whom?"
Kazami Yuya shook his head. "The car had privacy tinting, so the surveillance cameras couldn't capture who was inside.
However, it's certain that Miyano Akemi was being monitored the entire time—otherwise, the cash wouldn't have been taken immediately after she switched vehicles.
We found a tracking device in Akemi's discarded clothing, which explains the disappearance of the one billion yen."
"Damn it!" Jodie rubbed her temples, seemingly remembering something, and asked, "Can tracking devices be reverse-traced?"
Kazami Yuya shook his head. He'd already consulted the technical team. After analyzing the signal characteristics of the tracking device, they'd found no corresponding receiver signal, indicating the other party had destroyed the tracking equipment.
"It's Tequila—it must be him!" Miyano Akemi suddenly realized. "No wonder he didn't come to make the exchange with me. He's been following me all along!"
No wonder Tequila had been stalling—he'd already secured the cash.
But what did it mean that he wouldn't meet with her? Was he planning to let her go?
Judging from the FBI's reaction, it seemed Tequila wasn't one of their operatives. That was peculiar.
Who exactly was he, and why would he let her go?
Jodie had her agents escort the contemplative Miyano Akemi away while she led Kazami Yuya to the senior agent's office.
Although it was late, the senior agents were still waiting for updates due to Miyano Akemi's arrest and hadn't left yet.
Before, she hadn't been certain, but now she was sure the informant was definitely Tequila.
Although she didn't know the individual's true intentions, she couldn't rule out the possibility that they were also working undercover.
A Kansai accent—could it be an agent operating from Osaka or Kyoto?
Had law enforcement from those regions also made contact with the Black Organization?
This matter needed to be reported to senior management so they could coordinate with regional offices in Osaka and Kyoto. If they could establish contact with Tequila and coordinate operations with their other assets, it would undoubtedly be much safer.
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