Free Web NovelAfter declaring a war on drugs, the United States implemented a variety of policies to crack down on drug offenders.
The starting point was the mandatory minimum sentencing laws, policies created specifically for the war on drugs.
Under these laws, simply being caught in possession of drugs was enough to severely limit probation, parole, and bail, and to impose a legally mandated minimum sentence.
Which meant that once Hong Seokgeun was sent to prison, it was a done deal.
On top of that, he had been caught in possession of a large quantity of illegal drugs.
It was obvious he would be locked up in prison for at least five years, no matter what.
“I’m not sure if your son will be able to endure it. I wonder how he ended up touching drugs in the first place... From what I’ve looked into, he worked incredibly hard just to get into Princeton University.”
Hong Jinwoo clenched his teeth so hard they creaked, his face twisting violently as it flushed red with rage.
No matter how much he searched, no weakness ever turned up—so family had been his weak point after all.
Watching him mutter bitterly after throwing away his mask, I lifted one corner of my mouth.
If it were me, I would have continued negotiating as if nothing bothered me, but Hong Jinwoo was so incensed that he kept glaring at me.
Of course, there’s no one whose family isn’t a weak point—but exposing your emotions like this was a disadvantage in negotiations.
The more weakness you show, the more the other side digs into it.
Hong Jinwoo, who had been glaring at me with murderous eyes, slowly opened his mouth.
His voice, weighed down by fury, was already hoarse.
“What do you want from me?”
“Today, I only asked to meet to see your face. I wanted to know why you’re hostile toward me—and what’s really going on in your head.”
“······.”
“The more I looked into you, the more disappointing it felt. If there were more upright politicians like you, our country would develop even further. If you had stood on the same side as me, I would’ve supported you wholeheartedly.”
Even in the political arena, where it’s easy to be tainted by bad intentions, politicians who kept their backbone were rare.
That was why my praise was sincere.
“······I asked what you want.”
But my sincerity didn’t reach him. Ah, what a shame.
I clicked my tongue and shrugged.
“It seems you still don’t understand how serious this situation is. Once you’ve grasped the full scope of it, contact me again. Then we can have a proper conversation.”
I deliberately took a step back.
If I demanded something right now, he might think it excessive.
In moments like this, you have to let them flail around using everything they’ve got.
And then they need to feel it—their own powerlessness.
They need to be utterly crushed by the frustration of being unable to do anything.
Only when they’re writhing in despair do you extend a hand.
“I’ll be taking my leave first. Until next time, Assemblyman.”
As I stood up after finishing my words, Hong Jinwoo raised his voice.
“Wait, CEO Kim Muhyuk!”
“Is this really the time to be doing this? Determining your son’s condition should be your top priority. Isn’t every second precious right now? You seem far too agitated to weigh what truly matters······. In this state, no conversation will get anywhere.”
“······.”
“Shouldn’t saving your son come first? Do whatever you can—anything at all. I’ll excuse myself now. There are too many eyes around. Take your time to collect your thoughts, then get up comfortably. I’ll be waiting for your call, Assemblyman.”
Without waiting for Hong Jinwoo’s reply, I turned around.
As I stepped outside, Manager Ma followed behind me.
“Manager Ma, keep an eye on Hong Jinwoo’s movements. I’m curious how far he’s willing to go for his son.”
I slightly turned my body and looked back at the Korean fine-dining restaurant.
The image of Hong Jinwoo turning deathly pale the moment he saw the photos of his terrified son came to mind.
* * *
Hong Seokgeun was taken not to the Drug Enforcement Administration, but to a residential neighborhood.
“Remove the handcuffs and lock him in a room. And let him contact his lawyer. Make sure you follow proper procedures so there won’t be any issues later.”
“Yes. We’ll do that.”
A Department of Homeland Security agent took Hong Seokgeun to a room tucked away in the corner.
After confirming that Hong Seokgeun had been led inside, Jessica smiled at the DEA agent standing beside her.
“Thank you for your hard work today. And I’m sorry. The DEA ended up doing unnecessary work because of us.”
Peña, who had led the DEA team, replied curtly.
“······Make sure you keep your promise.”
Peña had come here believing he was arresting a drug offender. Only after the operation ended did he learn the full truth.
“Of course. Naturally. Just like the DEA, we also view drugs as a serious threat to national security. I’ll be sure to keep our promise to cooperate with the CIA and assist DEA operations.”
Despite Peña’s gruff attitude, Jessica maintained a gentle smile and responded warmly.
“And······ this matter remains classified until you die, Team Leader. If this ever leaks outside, it could amount to treason. That worries me greatly.”
Jessica’s tone was kind, but beneath it lay a subtle threat and unease.
If the DEA were to change its stance later, her own safety could be jeopardized.
Within the Department of Homeland Security, only her direct superior knew about this operation.
She hadn’t even reported it to the Secretary of Homeland Security, executing it in complete secrecy.
The Secretary maintained close ties with the White House, and involving the State Department would only complicate matters.
That was why they had no choice but to pull the DEA into this instead of using DHS agents alone.
“If you keep your promise, this secret will go to the grave with me. But if you break it······ well, even I don’t know what will happen then.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep the promise. You can leave now. You may also leave the bag ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) with the drugs behind.”
Once the DEA agents left, only Jessica and the DHS agents remained at the safe house.
Jessica sat at the desk and let out a deep sigh.
After checking the photos taken during Hong Seokgeun’s arrest, she sent them to Kim Muhyuk’s email address.
Then she picked up her phone and called Kim Muhyuk.
After several rings, Kim Muhyuk finally answered.
“Phew, Charlie. Please don’t make requests like this anymore. The job’s done.”
— Thank you. I won’t forget this.
With those subtly pleased words, the call ended.
Jessica toyed with her phone, now warm in her hand, and sighed once more.
“······This was the right choice, wasn’t it?”
Just as Kim Muhyuk had said, the terrorist had remained in Madrid. Acting on DHS instructions, the CIA arrested him in cooperation with Spanish authorities.
He confessed that he had carried out the attack and that he was affiliated with Al Qaeda.
It was unfortunate for the Spanish government, but once Al Qaeda’s responsibility was confirmed, the anti-war sentiment spreading across Europe was somewhat tempered.
Politically, the United States reaped enormous benefits.
With her mind in turmoil, Jessica closed her eyes and recalled her superior’s words.
— Jessica. If you pull this off, I’ll recommend you for the newly established Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Not as a regular staffer, but as an executive.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
The United States had numerous intelligence agencies.
As a result, during the resolution of the Al Qaeda attack, information from too many agencies became tangled, creating chaos.
While the Department of Homeland Security had been coordinating them, public backlash grew over the excessive authority granted to DHS, leading to the creation of a new agency.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence would serve as a control tower, resolving conflicts and coordination issues within the U.S. intelligence community.
It wouldn’t conduct intelligence operations directly, but would collect and oversee all information coming from the intelligence community.
Even if its practical power was limited, the stature of an agency overseeing more than ten intelligence organizations in the U.S. was bound to be immense.
After all, all power ultimately comes from monopolizing information.
“An executive position at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence······. You’d be a fool not to want that.”
Having sorted out her thoughts, Jessica curled the corner of her lips upward.
What had begun as a casual business trip to Korea had turned into a huge opportunity for her.
Kim Muhyuk provided information faster and more accurately than any U.S. intelligence agency.
The value of the intelligence he gave was immeasurable, allowing her to rise swiftly within the Department of Homeland Security.
And this time, too, he had lowered a golden lifeline.
“I don’t know how he gets his hands on Al Qaeda’s information, but······ I can’t let this opportunity slip.”
Unconsciously, Jessica bit down on her thumbnail.
If terrorist attacks could be prevented in advance, her own value would only continue to rise.
“To do that, I need to wrap this up properly. I’ll have to keep my promise with the DEA as well.”
In truth, what the DEA wanted was simple.
The dismantling of Mexican drug cartels.
To that end, the DEA wanted full cooperation from the CIA, as well as connections to Mexico’s political and business circles.
Mexico’s hostility toward the DEA was well known, and with their mobility severely limited, the DEA had little choice but to make this deal.
“Well, I’ll think about that later. For now······.”
Jessica murmured as she looked toward the room where Hong Seokgeun was being held.
“How can I help Charlie the most?”
Putting Kim Muhyuk in her debt wasn’t a bad thing.
* * *
It wasn’t until half a day later that Hong Seokgeun’s lawyer arrived.
“Good afternoon. I’m Peter Park, legal counsel for Hong Seokgeun.”
Park Hyungsoo handed his business card to Jessica.
Jessica toyed with the card before responding.
“I’m Jessica. I’m with the Department of Homeland Security.”
“Y-yes······? With which department, exactly······?”
Park Hyungsoo froze mid-motion as he was putting his card case away.
When he finally gathered himself and asked again, Jessica smiled brightly.
“The Department of Homeland Security.”
“But I was told he was arrested by the DEA. Why is the Department of Homeland Security suddenly involved······?”
“There was intelligence suggesting that Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations were connected to this drug distribution. That’s why we stepped in directly.”
This time, Park Hyungsoo couldn’t even bring himself to ask another question. It felt as though someone had smashed his head with a hammer.
Al Qaeda? Terrorist organizations?
At this point, serving a few years for simple drug possession would be preferable.
Being tied to a terrorist organization in the U.S. right now was the equivalent of boarding an express train to hell.
“What are you saying? How could a student studying at Princeton University be involved with Al Qaeda? There must be some misunderstanding. My client’s family member is a National Assembly member of the Republic of Korea, a U.S. ally. There’s no way he’d cooperate with terrorist organizations.”
But after a brief moment of panic, Park Hyungsoo’s mind began racing.
It would be better to quickly acknowledge the charge of drug possession, and firmly deny any connection to Al Qaeda. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
“The information came from a highly reliable source. That’s how we were able to arrest Mr. Hong at the scene.”
“······.”
Despite Park Hyungsoo’s objections, Jessica responded with absolute confidence.
Biting down hard on his lip in frustration, Park Hyungsoo spoke.
“May I meet my client first?”
“Of course. Even if he were a terrorist, this is the United States—where he’s still entitled to legal protection.”
Jessica readily led Park Hyungsoo to the room where Hong Seokgeun was being held.
Standing in front of the door, Park Hyungsoo asked her,
“But······ is an investigation conducted in a place like this?”
“This involves national security. If it were made public, it could cause problems. This is a safe house operated by the Department of Homeland Security. Right now, no one knows that Mr. Hong has been detained. Even you, as his lawyer, can’t go around talking about this. If you disclose this case elsewhere, it won’t end with just losing your license.”
“······The client’s family has a right to know.”
“Family is fine. Just don’t inform the media or anyone else. Understood?”
Park Hyungsoo nodded.
In present-day America, the word ‘security’ justified almost any action.
After terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, anyone deemed a threat to national security could be branded a traitor.
It felt like a revival of McCarthyism that had swept through the United States in the 1950s.
Jessica gave instructions to the agent guarding the door.
“Open it.”
At Jessica’s command, the agent opened the door.
Through the doorway, Hong Seokgeun could be seen sitting on the edge of the bed, clutching his head.
“Seokgeun.”
At the familiar voice, Hong Seokgeun jerked his head up.
“U-uncle! Uncle!”
Seeing Park Hyungsoo, Hong Seokgeun burst into tears and sprang to his feet.
In such a short time, the mental strain had clearly taken its toll—his face was hollow and drained.
Park Hyungsoo felt a lump rise in his throat, but after steadying his emotions, he turned to Jessica and requested,
“May we speak alone?”
Jessica nodded readily.
“Go ahead. Ah, and there’s one more thing you should know. The blood test conducted immediately after his arrest also came back positive.”
Receiving the final blow, Park Hyungsoo let out a quiet sigh. free𝑤ebnovel.com
A positive result meant there was no way out—no matter how he tried.
“I understand. Then······.”
After entering the room, Park Hyungsoo glanced at Jessica and closed the door behind him.
