Chapter 23: A Wild Ride!
Jack, was still puzzled as to why the CIA allowed Jim and Claire to operate within the same team after they fell in love and married. But he shrugged it off, knowing it was pointless to dwell on.
Ethan was caught in a whirlwind of emotions as the news of the leak of their mission, and the ambush of his team members hit him hard. He couldn't focus or think straight. That's when Jack made his entrance, provided Ethan with vital information, and helped him regain his composure.
As Ethan went through the motions of checking Claire for weapons, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Jack's arrival only added to his doubts and suspicions.
When Claire arrived at the rendezvous point precisely at 4 AM, as Jack had predicted, Ethan's suspicions hit an all-time high. He was almost sure that Claire was the traitor or at least one of the traitors. But what about Jim, Claire's husband? What was his role in all of this?
Ethan was in utter turmoil as he tried to piece together the events that led to this disastrous outcome. Jack's arrival and the information he provided helped Ethan regain control of his thoughts and piece together the puzzle. Every doubt only added to the suspicion surrounding Jim.
This was a high-stakes operation, and the fate of Ethan and his team was hanging in the balance. It was time to put the pieces together and find the real culprit.
Ethan struggled with his thoughts as he considered the possibility that Jim, the leader he admired and followed into the life of an agent, could be the prime suspect. Despite being just a hair's breadth away from solid proof, Ethan couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Jim might be innocent.
Frustrated, Ethan decided to take out some of his anger on Claire. After confirming that she wasn't armed, he pinned her to the bed and demanded to know who sent her.
Listening in on the conversation, Jack couldn't help but smirk as he took off his earphones. "This Ethan doesn't look too serious," he chuckled.
Jack knew that Ethan's actions wouldn't affect his plans. The mobile phone he'd given Ethan could reach him, but it was just one of many ways he could get in touch. Jack suspected that Ethan would be wary of him and conceal some information.
However, Jack didn't need any information from Ethan to proceed with his next step. He was confident in his information channels, his strength, and the resources he could mobilize, making him stronger than Ethan.
"Time to go," Jack said as he packed up his belongings and quickly left Prague.
He was headed to Langley, where the CIA headquarters was located. He had everything planned to ensure a smooth trip.
As Jack boarded his flight back to the United States, he felt excited, knowing that the next stage of his plan was about to unfold.
Jack had just stepped out of the airport when his boss, Chris, approached him with a serious expression.
"Are you serious, Jack?" Chris asked.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Jack replied with a smirk. He was used to Chris' skepticism towards his antics.
Chris remembered when Jack had delayed his return from Dubai for a month, and he realized that he couldn't control his subordinate. So, instead of confronting Jack, he chose to cooperate with his actions.
This resulted in Jack being promoted to ace agent this year, and Chris, the head of the operations department, was promoted to the director of the IRS. Chris was more determined than ever to support Jack.
But this time, Chris was flustered. Jack was on his way to the CIA headquarters to steal the list of agents! If this was discovered, Chris feared he wouldn't be unable to save himself.
"Don't worry, I have connections in the CIA who will help me out," Jack reassured Chris as they approached their car.
"You're sitting in the wrong seat," Chris pointed out as Jack settled into the driver's seat.
"What? This isn't the driver's seat?" Jack said with feigned innocence.
"No, no, I'll drive," Chris said, "The last time you drove, I got dozens of tickets!"
"I only drove slightly over 200 mph," Jack said, trying to defend himself.
"In the city! In the city!" Chris emphasized, "Not on a race track!"
"Okay, okay, I got it," Jack said with a chuckle, "Hurry up and get in the car. I don't have all day."
"Hehe, I still have the car keys," Chris said triumphantly, holding up the keys for Jack to see.
"This time, I learned my lesson and took the keys out ahead of time. Now, the initiative is in my hands!" Chris said, feeling proud.
"Really?" Jack raised his eyebrows, "Take a look at my hand."
Jack held out his right hand and showed it to Chris, who looked at it closely.
"Uh... nothing?" Chris said, confused.
"It's true. There's nothing there," Jack said, turning his hand over. Suddenly, a silver-white key appeared in his empty palm!
"But now..." Jack inserted the key into the car, turned it, and the engine roared to life, "Who's driving the car now?"
Chris stared in disbelief, speechless.
With a grin, Jack revved the engine and took off. As Jack sped down the highway, Chris was in the passenger seat, holding on for dear life.
"How did you do it?" Chris was shocked as he jumped into the co-pilot seat, fastening his seat belt instinctively.
"This is a brand new car. I just got the key myself!"
"In the hands of an expert mechanic, there is no distinction between new and old cars," Jack replied with a mysterious smile, twirling his keys.
"You're kidding me, right?" Chris raised an eyebrow, a look of disbelief on his face. "When did you become an expert mechanic? And moreover, how does that key suddenly appears in your hands like magic? Is it a new technology? Why wasn't I informed?"
"No, this is actually a secret ability," Jack explained, his eyes shining with excitement.
"I can control any car and start it up in seconds as the right key appears in my hand like magic."
"You expect me to believe that?" Chris shook his head, black lines appearing on his forehead.
"I'm the director of the IRS. I'll check in with the equipment department and see what's happening."
"Oh, it doesn't matter. They wouldn't know,"
Jack shrugged, not at all bothered by Chris's skepticism. He smoothly shifted gears and stepped on the accelerator.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Chris said, finally realizing the absurdity of Jack's claims.
As they drove, Chris felt his body pushed back into the seat by an almost irresistible force.
"Jack, what are you doing? We're in Langley!"
But Jack just laughed, hitting the gas pedal even harder. "This car is top of the line. Hold on, I am gonna let it rip!!!!"
"I should have just driven my grandfather's old car!" Chris yelled, clinging to the door handle as they weaved in and out of traffic.
"Believe me, even an old classic car in my hands can transform into a majestic beast," Jack shouted over the wind as they picked up speed.
Jack drives through the city with a grin on his face and the wind in his hair.
Weekly Power Status
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