Chapter 219
Although everyone's mental state was collapsing, they were still reliable workers who realized after a brief breakdown that now wasn't the time to settle scores. Gathering personnel to capture the exposed undercover agent Rye and his accomplices in one fell swoop was the real business—any questions could wait until this was over.
Rather than thinking about these mind-exploding problems, it was better to let work fill their minds and suppress those wild thoughts!
So Vodka continued making calls, Rum gave Gin a harsh reprimand before hanging up and began reporting to the boss, and Gin, having been indirectly scolded by Rum until his face was black, was busy notifying others.
Because Scotland was close by and could quickly arrive for support, he agreed to head over immediately.
However, leaving right away was impossible. Scotland knew this matter had to be reported immediately, so like Usuha Izuki who didn't want to waste time even brushing his teeth, he called his friend who was also undercover in the organization, put it on speaker to the side, and quickly packed his gear.
Bourbon answered quickly: "Scotland?"
Scotland skipped pleasantries and went straight to the point: "Rye is an undercover agent."
"...Huh?"
For a moment, Bourbon suspected he wasn't hearing Japanese. After working hard to understand the meaning, his first reaction was to question: "Did Botanist come find you?"
This sounded exactly like something Usuha Izuki would force Scotland to say!
"No, Rum tested him and discovered Rye and his accomplices had set a trap at this mission location." The sound of Scotland packing traveled through the microphone, adding credibility. "The organization is now gathering nearby personnel for a raid. I'm heading out now."
"Wait?! Hold on!"
Bourbon could clearly feel his rationality crumbling bit by bit: "So this time it's not an accusation? It's already confirmed?"
"Yes, Rum personally confirmed it..."
"But didn't Gin just investigate him?! Vodka told me personally!"
Mentioning this, Scotland's deliberately controlled calm tone also began to crack: "Botanist called Vodka not long ago, saying Gin was investigating his own people..."
Forget rationality—Bourbon now felt even his worldview collapsing: "Impossible!"
Scotland had been suppressing himself for too long and couldn't help shouting: "But Botanist has already guessed correctly at least twice!"
Adding the two of them, that was at least four. This accuracy rate... Scotland didn't dare think deeply about it.
Bourbon was in a daze.
He didn't know what he found more unacceptable—whether Gin was also an undercover agent, or whether Usuha Izuki's undercover spotting was foolproof... Anyway, he couldn't accept either!
"Botanist's exhaustive method doesn't count!" Bourbon struggled to maintain rationality, trying to find bugs to convince himself and his friend not to be superstitious about Usuha Izuki. "He also said Rye was FBI! Is Rye?!"
Don't say, Bourbon was worthy of being in intelligence—he immediately grasped the key point.
Scotland also calmed down a bit: "...That's still unclear. I'm going to check the situation now. I'll leave the rest to you."
He specifically made this call to tell Bourbon that if Rye was an undercover agent, this time would be different from last time. Everyone Usuha Izuki had named might be investigated again, so Bourbon needed to quickly check if there were any loopholes in their fake identities over time and patch them up just in case.
If it turned out Rye wasn't FBI, proving Usuha Izuki was just talking nonsense, that would be fine. But if Rye really was FBI...
Come to think of it, Usuha Izuki had also said he seemed like Japanese Public Security...
...Hopefully it was just a coincidence.
Scotland left with his sniper rifle, feeling uneasy.
Meanwhile, Akai Shuichi also sensed something was wrong.
Vodka suddenly called him saying they'd be late and to wait a bit longer.
The content seemed fine, but after hanging up, Akai Shuichi decisively said: "The arrest mission failed. We're withdrawing directly."
Cameron was confused: "Why? Isn't it just being a little late? Can't we just wait?"
"Gin never runs late—he calculates traffic and everything into his timing. Not showing up by now is already strange." Akai Shuichi pressed his temples, frowning as he scanned the warehouse trying to find the problem. "Something unexpected must have happened..."
His gaze swept to Cameron and suddenly froze.
Cameron looked back with naive confusion: "Agent Akai? Are you sure we should retreat now? We've checked our plan many times—there shouldn't be any problems..."
Akai Shuichi, having realized the issue: "..........."
The problem is you yourself!!
I see! Is this what Usuha Izuki meant?!
His sarcastic comment about "trusting companions" wasn't hinting that there were undercover agents among his companions, but simply mocking his "trust"!
That old man who sat down to rest earlier was from the organization, right?
Akai Shuichi had actually wanted to continue pretending not to be there and wait for the old man to leave on his own, but he hadn't expected Cameron to act so quickly and go over directly—he couldn't even stop him.
Although this place was designated as a trading location by the organization, it actually wasn't very remote. Before that old man entered, people often passed by.
Thinking this was an abandoned warehouse and coming in to rest wasn't completely impossible. Plus the old man really seemed fine, and their colleagues monitoring outside said he walked away slowly like an ordinary old man, so Akai Shuichi had also relaxed most of his guard...
But now it seemed that old man really was problematic!
However, now wasn't the time to blame companions. Vodka making this call was probably to keep him steady while mobilizing other organization members to arrest him. Therefore, the most urgent goal was to evacuate quickly before the organization's people arrived.
Facing Cameron's clear but stupid gaze, Akai Shuichi didn't even feel like explaining and directly ordered:
"Don't ask—retreat."
"Yes, Agent Akai."
Cameron didn't realize anything, just followed the commander's opinion. Listening to Akai Shuichi communicate with other companions through his earpiece, he obediently walked to their reserved car, sat in the driver's seat, and waited for Akai Shuichi to get in.
Judy sat in the passenger seat and turned to ask Akai Shuichi as he got in: "What exactly happened? Why so sudden?"
Cameron started the car and entered evacuation mode, but he was also confused, so he pricked up his ears to listen to their conversation.
Akai Shuichi just started: "Earlier..."
Before he finished, his phone suddenly rang.
Akai Shuichi frowned, took out his phone, saw it was Usuha Izuki calling, and decisively answered.
In the slight turbulence of the high-speed vehicle, Akai Shuichi heard Usuha Izuki's consistently cheerful voice through the receiver.
"How's the situation?"
"Failed." Akai Shuichi didn't hide their mistake. "Gin and the others haven't arrived yet—they must have already discovered something."
Usuha Izuki's tone was very calm: "Mm, so how did they find out?"
Akai Shuichi couldn't help pondering.
Although he had been so eager before for him to capture Gin and record it, now hearing about his failure, Usuha Izuki seemed completely unsurprised...
"Have Gin and the others already contacted you?"
Mentioning this, Usuha Izuki finally showed some emotional fluctuation: "No, half an hour ago I woke up and saw your email saying you were acting today, so I called Vodka to remind him you were an undercover agent. Not only did Vodka not believe me, he blacklisted me! In my anger, I blacklisted them all too."
Akai Shuichi: "..........."
Judy's eyes nearly popped out: Shu! You really sent Botanist an email telling him our plan's timing?!
This Botanist guy can't be trusted!! He really will go around tipping people off!!
...Although it sounded like the person he tipped off didn't believe him at all, and this mission's failure didn't seem to be Botanist's fault, the behavior of notifying enemies about operations was inherently bizarre...
Cameron couldn't help it: "Why tell the enemy?! This caused our mission to fail!"
Judy: "..........."
No, can't you hear that this Botanist's complaint actually had no effect? They all blacklisted each other!
Akai Shuichi looked deeply at Cameron, then asked Usuha Izuki: "An old man came earlier—I might have been discovered. Do you think he was from the organization?"
"Oh, probably Rum. After all, Vodka said the intelligence team was also going, and the one with the leisure to enjoy disguising as an old man for various tests would be Rum."
Usuha Izuki was quite schadenfreude: "If it were you, you'd definitely pretend not to see anything, so it was your 'trusted companion' who made the mistake, right?"
Akai Shuichi: "...Mm, you guessed right."
Cameron: "?!?!?!"
Is—is it my fault?! The plan failed because of me?! That old man was from the organization?!
"I find it strange—others aside, I said everything and they didn't believe me, but you clearly know my eye for people is good, so why don't you take my words to heart?"
Just as Akai Shuichi was about to say something, he suddenly heard his own voice from the other side.
[I trust my companions], [I trust my companions]...
Akai Shuichi felt his face hurt a bit: "..........."
He even recorded it... Usuha Izuki, did he know it would turn out this way? This level of calculating human hearts and abilities—no wonder even someone like Gin who extremely hated Usuha Izuki had once inadvertently praised his people-reading skills.
After his stupor, Cameron finally understood reality and broke the awkward atmosphere: "I'm—I'm sorry, I caused everyone's mission to fail..."
He was so ashamed he wanted to find a place to hide, but he was still driving and really couldn't escape.
Judy felt cold all over and instinctively asked: "How did you know what people we'd send?"
"I didn't know." Usuha Izuki kindly answered. "Just treat it as divination results... I estimate Gin and the others will catch up soon—don't die."
After saying this, Usuha Izuki hung up.
Judy: "...Divination??? Is he a gypsy?!"
Akai Shuichi adjusted his earpiece: "The organization caught up."
With a gunshot, this street seemed to unlock some seal, instantly entering the rhythm of an American blockbuster and beginning a street chase accompanied by gunfire.
Akai Shuichi had already assembled his sniper rifle, aiming at the cars pursuing from behind in the back seat, occasionally firing shots.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
FBI companions all communicated through radio channels—only organization people would call this phone at a time like this.
"Judy, help me answer it." Worried it might be Usuha Izuki with something important, Akai Shuichi hastily entrusted his girlfriend.
No choice—although he was wary of Usuha Izuki in various ways, in reality they had no real conflicts and could even chat calmly on the phone. He had even given him intelligence that the old man might be Rum just now. Akai Shuichi felt they might be able to cooperate in the future, so maintaining contact and pleasing him so Usuha Izuki wouldn't lose interest in him was important.
Judy picked up the phone: "It's Vodka."
"...Answer it too."
Although Vodka was probably in the cars chasing them from behind, calling at this time was confusing, but at this point, if they dared call, he dared answer.
Judy pressed the answer button.
"Rye!" The wind was very loud on Vodka's side—the windows might have been shot out, so Vodka was essentially shouting into the phone. His tone seemed surprised the call went through. "You actually dare answer the phone!"
Judy put it on speaker, and Akai Shuichi responded directly: "Why wouldn't I dare? What's the point of calling now—trying to persuade me to surrender? I don't think you can keep me here."
As he spoke, he fired a shot, blowing out a car's tire.
Then he heard something go wrong on Vodka's side... So that was Vodka's car? Makes sense—this wasn't suitable for driving that classic car...
"I was reminded of something—let me ask you a question!!!"
Vodka probably knew his blown tire meant he couldn't catch up anymore. Worried this might be his last chance to speak with Akai Shuichi, his emotions became even more intense as he loudly asked:
"Everyone knows you're an undercover agent now! But are you actually FBI or not?! You better explain clearly!!!"