"How did they manage to pull this off!"
Kelly stord out of the conference room back to her office.
Along the way, colleagues who brushed past her could feel the fury of their female boss.
Once in her office, she sat back in her chair, not yet having started a reprimand when the landline rang.
The voice of Pence on the other end was equally furious.
"Kelly, what's going on with Nathan? What the hell happened with the military?"
"SIR, I just finished the eting and got back to my office, and I was about to report to you the situation in Illiguo."
"I received a ssage saying Nathan is dead?"
"That's correct, they encountered traffic after leaving the airport, took a detour, and were ambushed near an abandoned block, Nathan and Lance in the sa vehicle were killed, 'Watcher' squad suffered four wounded and five dead, Marine Corps lost eight n and have five wounded..."
"Kelly, all travel routes were supposed to be confidential, how did the information get leaked? Why was their ambush so precise?"
Pence posed the question.
The CIA has its own operational processes.
For soone like Nathan who was sent to Illiguo on a special mission, all travel details including routes were strictly confidential.
If the attackers knew the route, it ant there was a mole.
"I will definitely investigate this to the end, in fact, I also suspect that we have a mole inside..."
"Hold on, Kelly, did the military also know the route for this operation?"
"The military..."
Kelly paused for a mont before quickly grasping Pence's implication.
"SIR, are you suggesting that the military leaked Nathan's travel route?"
"Of course!" Pence said confidently: "Don't forget the very close relationship between Song Heping and the military. He keeps in close contact with Peter, the deputy commander of the stationed troops, and this ti they used Marines for escort, aning the military was aware of Nathan's itinerary. You must focus on investigating Peter, checking all his communications, seeing if there's any secret contact between him and Song Heping."
"I'll do that, but Peter is a general after all. Shouldn't we communicate with the Pentagon before we start investigating him?"
Kelly expressed her concern.
The military has always disliked the CIA, feeling that the latter always brings unnecessary trouble to them.
Especially when so covert operations require military personnel involvent, it often ends up with complications.
Now they prefer using ISA, an intelligence departnt belonging to the military itself, to avoid cooperation with the CIA.
"They won't agree to it, but you can conduct the investigation secretly, I support you."
Pence fed Kelly a reassurance.
Then changing the subject, he asked: "What's your plan now? With Nathan dead, who will take over the capture mission?"
"We'll have to send soone else..."
Kelly glanced at the clock and said, "At the earliest, 20 hours from now."
"The attack on Nathan is not as simple as it seems. I believe this was likely Song's doing; he's trying to disrupt our plans and buy ti to launch an attack on the I5I5 organization. If I'm not mistaken, he will begin his operation during this 20-hour window. The intelligence service just sent a report saying that since yesterday, the 'People's Power' militia has beco very active in Illiguo, deploying a large force in the Southwest Region, it looks like they're gearing up for sothing big."
"I'm aware of that situation too," Kelly said. "Song Heping is very goal-oriented in his approach. He's definitely after Baghdadi, who knows about our affairs. Song Heping is likely trying to capture him and then extract so information through him, trailing the clues back to us."
"If you're right, this will be tough," Pence said. "Bear in mind, we can't mobilize US Army to engage the 'People's Power' militia; they are a formal militia organization, not a Resistance Organization, while I5I5 is a terrorist group. If we ask the military to deploy troops to I5I5's active area to protect Baghdadi, it's likely they won't agree. They wouldn't collaborate with terrorists, let alone offer protection. Besides, our cooperation with the I5I5 organization is highly confidential, not even the military is aware."
Kelly said: "SIR, I've already instructed soone to notify Baghdadi to leave the country imdiately for Siria. Song Heping won't find Baghdadi within Illiguo's borders."
"That's good to hear."
Pence's tone softened slightly.
"Cooperation with the I5I5 forces absolutely cannot be disclosed."
"I understand."
"Alright, let's leave it at that for now, you need to dispatch soone there quickly, Song has turned the world upside down; he dares to kill Marines. Share the ambush intelligence with ISA, inform them that Song Heping is to be held accountable for this attack, and have them dispatch troops to the Southwest Region to surround and eliminate Song Heping."
"Yes, SIR, I will take care of it."
After ending the call, Kelly stared at the landline for a mont, then looked up to the two subordinates in front of her and said, "You're both aware of the situation, we need soone in Illiguo to direct the capture operation now, you two leave imdiately, fly to Illiguo right now."
"Yes!"
The two operatives took the order and left.
"SIR, did you need for sothing?"
Shortly after Kelly and Pence ended their call, in the Alliance Headquarters' green zone in Illiguo, Colonel Brown, the head of the ISA's Illiguo division, entered the office of the deputy commander, Peter.
"Take a look at this intelligence report."
Colonel Brown walked to the table, picked up the intelligence analysis report that was on it, and then began to skim through it quickly.
A few minutes later, he put down the report.
Peter asked, "Do you think it was done by soone from Musician Defense?"
Brown nodded, "A lot of intelligence indeed indicates that it was Song Heping's doing."
Peter's face turned very unsightly.
This was the last outco he wanted to see.
It wasn't that he had a particularly deep relationship with Song Heping.
But he was very clear about how deeply intertwined their interests were with Song Heping.
"This guy is insane! Actually attacking our people!"
Peter stood up, scratching his head as he walked to the window and gazed out, lost in thought.
Brown patiently waited for his superior to give the final instruction.
After a while, Peter turned around and asked Brown, "The report ntions the CIA's request for our involvent in the war that may happen tonight in the Southwest Region. What do you think?"
"We can choose not to get involved."
Brown observed Peter's expression.
He was soone good at gauging others' thoughts.
He could see the hesitation in Peter's furrowed brows.
The deputy commander didn't want to get muddled in that ss.
"We have also received intelligence in the last couple of days that ard clashes will break out in the Southwest Region, near Siria, and they won't be on a small scale. However, according to the information available, it is most likely a fight between the People's Power and the I5I5 organization. Not to ntion that over the past year, we have had no precedent for involvent; even if we did, we still shouldn't go this ti."
"Hmm..."
Peter, deep in thought, returned to his seat and sat down.
"Give the reasons."
"I5I5 is a notorious terrorist organization. To speak bluntly, Nathan's purpose for coming to Illigo itself is unclear, and there have always been ssages indicating that the CIA is behind the scenes manipulating I5I5. Previously, the attacks on Song Heping's company convoys and oil fields were also carried out by the I5I5 organization. If we get involved, whom do we assist? Should we really go help arm I5I5 against People's Power, a local militia organization? If we really do that, it's estimated to have a huge impact on us."
He paused and then continued, "The CIA has its own operational teams, don't they? They can deal with such a ss themselves, letting us get dragged into this to clean up their ss, if ever exposed, claiming that our military has collaborated with terrorist organizations to target local militias, I'm afraid even you, the deputy commander, couldn't bear such a responsibility..."
These words struck ho with Peter.
He nodded repeatedly, "Yeah, you're right, we can't be a gun for the CIA, let them clean up their own ss! Besides, when you go back, imdiately issue a wanted list to hunt for Song Heping, and by the way, make it big, make it high-profile, to express our stance on this attack. Regarding the potential battle tonight, your ISA doesn't need to get involved, and I will also instruct the stationed troops in Mosul not to get dragged into it. Let them fight it out."
"Alright, I'll get on it right away."
After Colonel Brown left, Peter sat in the chair deep in thought for a mont, then opened a drawer, took out a secure phone, and dialed a number.
This number was the one he used to secretly communicate with Song Heping in the past.
Beep beep beep—
Busy signal.
Turned off.
Peter sighed, placed the phone back in the drawer, and locked it.
"Song, what exactly are you up to!"
He couldn't help but feel emotional.
The trouble Song Heping had gotten himself into this ti was big.
Peter knew it.
He also knew that the so-called attack on the transport convoy and the ensuing termination of the contract with Musician Defense were both traps in themselves.
In Washington, soone wanted Song Heping dead or alive.
As the situation had escalated to this point, Peter also had heavy things on his mind.
After all, Song Heping had helped them make a lot of money in the past; he had even received quite a bit of "sponsorship" from Song Heping through his children's foundation on a personal level.
If Song Heping ultimately fell into the hands of the CIA, it was likely to be bad news for him too.
Soon, he made up his mind.
Song Heping absolutely could not fall into CIA hands.
Even if it ant silencing him, he couldn't let him reveal any secrets.
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