"Is there a stipulation in the regulations that during maintenance, at least seventy percent of the surveillance caras must be operational?"
"Yes... but those old models on the west side have a very high failure rate; the engineer said it's best to replace them all together..."
"Which engineer?"
"Cardiff from the airport's technical departnt. He wrote a report..."
Jeff pulled out a piece of paper from his folder and pushed it forward: "This is Cardiff ndes's testimony. He said you approached him, asking him to 'adjust' the maintenance ti for the three caras on the west side to June 10th and 11th. He initially refused, but you hinted that if he didn't comply, his wife's job at the airport duty-free shop might 'have issues.'"
Rojas's face turned from red to white, his lips starting to tremble.
"I didn't! He's lying!"
Jeff ignored him and pushed forward a second piece of paper: "On June 10th, two days before the explosion occurred, your personal account received a transfer of fifty thousand New xican Coins, the remitter is 'Caribbean Sea Logistics Consulting Company.' This company is registered in the Cayman Islands, with only an email address and no way to verify the actual controller."
"That's consulting fees! I do so airport process optimization plans for them in my spare ti..."
"Fifty thousand coins, equivalent to ten months of your salary, just for optimization plans?"
Jeff leaned forward, speaking in a very low voice, "Rojas, do you know the penalty for treason?"
"I'm not a traitor! I didn't!"
Rojas scread, tears and mucus flowing down together, "I just... just took so money and turned off the surveillance for two days! I didn't know they'd bomb a plane! They only said they wanted to 'ship so sensitive goods out,' didn't want to be caught on cara!"
Jeff's eyes were like ice picks: "'They' who?"
"I don't know the nas! Really! The middleman contacted , using a voice changer on the phone, and the money was sent to an offshore account..."
"Who is the middleman?"
Rojas shook, covering his head with his hands, speaking incoherently: "A... a 'Professor,' I only heard the voice, never t him. He said there'd be another fifty thousand if the job was done, my daughter is studying abroad and needs money, my wife is sick..."
The recorder quickly jotted down notes. Jeff watched the broken man with no expression.
"How did they contact you?"
"Public phone, every ti he called my office, he'd say a location, I'd go there to find a payphone and wait. He'd call over, say sothing, and hang up."
"When was the last contact?"
"Yesterday... yesterday morning, he said 'proceed as planned,' then there was no more news."
Jeff was silent for a few seconds, suddenly asking: "Do you know Kara?"
Rojas was stunned, his gaze flickered for a mont: "Diego? Yes... not very well, just a colleague at the airport..."
"Did he contact you before resigning?"
"No! Definitely not!"
"Then why did you et him in the alley behind the 'Conch Bar' on the night of June 9th?"
Jeff pulled out a blurry photo from his folder, a screenshot of the bar's back door surveillance, showing two n talking in low voices. Although the pixel quality was low, it could be recognized as Rojas and Kara.
Rojas collapsed in the chair, as if his bones had been removed.
"He... he asked for help, said he wanted to advance half a year's salary in advance, said his mom was seriously ill and urgently needed money. I said it wasn't in line with the regulations, and he left..."
"Then the next day he resigned, coincidental?"
"I don't know! I really don't know!"
Jeff stood up, walked to the window.
The sky began to brighten slowly, and maintenance vehicles were already moving on the airport runway. He turned his back to Rojas, his voice very calm: "I give you two choices. Continue to insist you know nothing, I'll charge you with treason and attempted murder, you'll be sentenced to death, your daughter abroad will be deported, and your wife's dical expenses will be imdiately cut off."
Rojas let out a whimper.
"Second, cooperate. Spill out all the details you rember, including the voice characteristics of 'Professor,' the ti and location of each call, every word Kara has said to you, and then, you'll enter the witness protection program, your wife and daughter will receive basic living security, of course, you'll be spending many years in prison but at least you get to live."
The room was left with nothing but Rojas's heavy breathing and repressed sobbing.
After a long ti, he said hoarsely: "I... I choose the second."
"Smart." Jeff turned around, "Start with the first call. Every single word."
Hmm...
He admits the other party is innocent, but the leader won't acknowledge it, and when things go down, no one will bla themselves.
What words?
Is this called a scam?
This is called 'technical interrogation!'
xico City.
Victor changed trains and rushed back to the capital overnight.
He dared not fly anymore.
Fear...
A bunch of idiots boast this is the safest in the world. Nonsense, the unsafe ones are dead!
Sunlight stread through the high arched windows, cutting out bright squares on the long oak dining table.
The air was filled with the aroma of toast, fried bacon, and coffee.
Maria sat in the child's chair, swinging her legs, clutching a small wooden turtle from Belize.
She wore a red dress, her hair braided neatly into two plaits, her eyes shining like polished obsidian.
"Daddy, was Belize fun?" she asked.
Victor sat in the main seat, his shirt sleeves rolled up, reading a morning report summary, he looked up, the lines on his face softened: "Fun, there's a long coastline, monkeys in the rainforest."
"Do monkeys steal things?"
"They do, so when you go to play, hide your snacks."
Bruto sat quietly beside his sister, poking the scrambled eggs on his plate with a fork. He also received a gift — a set of Belize stamps, but he hardly touched them.
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