Linda didn't say anything. For the first ti, she felt that this guy, Benjamin Hayes, could destroy their entire careers, and their lives before Jas even could.
"How do you even know?" Stephen asked him.
This whole thing was classified, only the President knew all the details. Everyone else only knew the lies that had been spread, like how Linda had simply fallen, or how the chief's death was due to a ntal illness.
He had shot one of his colleagues before turning the gun on himself. Of course, all the details had been censored, his eyes, ears, and nose were completely erased from the reports.
The officers in the station said nothing. They feared that Jas would give the order to have them all executed, so they stayed quiet, going along with the fabricated story.
But sohow, Benjamin knew everything.
"The NSBI isn't the sa as it was when that old fucker Odin was in charge." He smiled at Stephen before turning to Linda. "But don't worry, boss… I'm not your enemy. In fact, I'm with you." He pointed at her.
"I don't understand what you an by that." Her eyes flickered between Stephen and Benjamin.
"I admire Jas Bellini."
Linda and Stephen just sat in silence.
He admired the man who had tried to kill them and their families if they didn't assassinate the Vice President. The man who had killed agents and corrupted the entire governnt.
"For a mont I was scared, but you're just as dumb as we are." Stephen said leaning back in his chair.
"What exactly does admiring him an?" Linda asked, pressing an ice pack against her nose as the stress made the pain worse.
"It's actually quite easy to answer." Benjamin stood up from his chair and moved to the window, letting the sunlight illuminate him like he was so kind of prophet. "If he weren't a mafia boss, he could be in your position." He pointed at Linda again.
"My position?" She looked confused.
"Yeah. He would be the best Justice Minister this country has ever seen."
"…Fuck, you've lost it." Stephen said.
Linda, still pressing the ice pack against her nose, narrowed her eyes. "You think Jas Bellini, one of the most dangerous criminals in the country should be in charge of justice?"
Benjamin chuckled. "Tell , boss, has anyone else been able to control the chaos like he has? The governnt is corrupt to its core, and your so called justice system is a joke. Yet Jas… he bends the system, manipulates it, but never lets it fall apart."
Stephen scoffed. "He's a criminal. He kills, extorts, and runs a drug empire."
"And what about the people sitting in their offices, pretending to serve the law while they take bribes?" Benjamin countered. "The only difference between Jas and them is that he doesn't hide behind a suit and a fake smile. He owns what he does."
"Benjamin he is a—"
"A person who knows what's right and wrong." He interrupted Linda. "I know that he trades drugs, but there was never an incident where he killed innocent people or caused mass shootings."
"He bribed governnt officials! Isn't that enough to get his ass in prison for life? Yes, it is, just like Lucian."
"No, Stephen." Benjamin shook his head. "Lucian was a maniac who lost his mind to the power he held. But Jas? Even though there were monts when he slipped up, he only targeted other gangs and mafias and corrupt people. He bribes with the intent not to destroy lives, but to save them."
Stephen and Linda didn't understand a word of what he was saying. They could only think, how the fuck did soone like him get into this position?
Linda's hand wasn't in his promotion.
It was the President.
You old fucker, why do you make my life so difficult?
"Benjamin, you're a man with countless diplomas and expertise in this field, so you know that justice is not about violence."
After saying it, she realized it was a nice saying, but none of it was true.
Benjamin laughed. "Then why do the NSBI, IF, and ISB exist? Do you know the motto of these three agencies?" He leaned forward. "Justice is served by the one who wields the sword." He smiled. "So don't fucking lie to or to yourself."
Linda pressed ice pack harder against her face. Her head ached, not just from the pain, but from the sheer absurdity of this conversation.
Stephen crossed his arms looking at Benjamin. "So what? You think Jas Bellini is so kind of necessary evil? That we should just let him run the country from the shadows because he's selective with his cris?"
"Tell , Stephen, do you really believe the governnt is clean? That the people giving you orders aren't just as bad, if not worse than Jas?"
Stephen opened his mouth, then closed it. He didn't have an answer.
Linda sighed. "That doesn't change the fact that he's a criminal. A dangerous one."
Benjamin grinned. "And yet, in all his years of ruling the underworld, he's never let it collapse into chaos. Think about it. If it weren't for Jas, the streets would be a war zone. The gangs would be tearing each other apart, innocent people caught in the crossfire. He keeps things… controlled."
Linda leaned back in her chair. "So what? You're saying we should let him keep playing king of the underworld? Just pretend he's not breaking every law we stand for?"
"No." Benjamin's smile widened. "I'm saying we should help him. And to be true, I don't know why the fuck you two are pretending otherwise." She stepped toward Linda. " You know Odin left a good amount of docunts about your little plans with the DTA."
They both just stared at him in silence.
"Yeah." Benjamin laughed again. "He ran like a bitch, left the country after it all failed, and after the police killed Jas his little brother. But he was too dumb to clean up. Left everything in one place. So I read it. And after that, I realized, understood just how fucked up you two are. "So don't lie to . What did he ask you two to do?"
"To kill the Vice President… or he'd kill us and our families."
"Ohh." Benjamin's eyes widened in surprise. "Well, that's kind of a hard thing to do. But I'm supporting this, Carter is a motherfucker who only cares about money and power."
"Just like Jas." Stephen said.
"No." Benjamin shook his head. "The difference between a politician and the mafia is that at least the mafia doesn't steal from governnt funds." He smiled. "He's a misunderstood hero of our world. That's exactly why I invited him to dinner."
Linda's grip on the ice pack tightened. "You what?"
Stephen blinked in disbelief. "You invited him to dinner."
"Why not?"
"We're in the middle of a crisis, planning to kill Carter, and you want to have a fucking steak with him? Do you not understand how much pressure we're under?" Stephen covered his face with his hand in frustration.
"That's your problem, not mine." Benjamin shrugged. "He didn't threaten or my family, only yours. So even if we're on the sa side, I still need to know more about him. And the best way to do that is in person."
Linda throwed the ice pack on the table stood up. "And what if sobody sees you? Congress is already at each other's throats, arguing all day, and if a picture leaks of the NSBI director eting with Jas Bellini, it'll be a political disaster. The dia will eat you alive."
"Let them talk."
"Are you even taking this seriously?" She asked, eyeing him.
"Oh, I am." Benjamin said. "But I also understand how politics work. The public doesn't care about truth, they care about the story they're being fed. If this gets out, we control the narrative. A negotiation. A classified operation. Maybe even national security talks. There are a dozen ways to spin it."
"You really think Congress will buy that?" Stephen asked.
Benjamin chuckled. "Congress? They can barely agree on what day it is. Half of them already take bribes, and the other half are too busy fighting each other to notice anything until it's too late. If anything, so of them might be relieved."
Linda folded her arms. "Relieved?"
Benjamin nodded. "Carter is a problem, we all agree on that. He has too much power, too many enemies, and no real allies, just people who tolerate him out of necessity."
Stephen stared at him. "So this isn't just about us. You're looking at the bigger picture."
Benjamin smiled. "Of course. The world doesn't run on justice, it runs on power and deals. And right now, Jas Bellini holds a lot of power, and we need him on our side even if it requires blood."
Linda didn't like the way this was going. "And if he refuses?"
Benjamin's smile didn't fade. "Then we find another way to work with him."
Stephen shook his head. "You're gambling with the future of this country."
Benjamin laughed. "No, Stephen. I'm ensuring it has one."
"Do what you want, just don't cause more trouble." Linda said. "And now get the fuck out of my office."
Stephen stepped out first, and Benjamin followed, but just as he was about to leave, he turned back with a smirk.
"I have the dinner tomorrow, so please, until then, don't do anything dumb." He waved his hand casually. "Bye-bye."
As he left Linda sat back in her chair looking out the window at the sun.
Fuck dad I said I wanted to study dicine, not law…
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