An Organization Not Even Worthy of a Name

The girl stood out in the crowd, like a drop of ink in an otherwise harmonious painting, drawing everyone’s attention.

However…

Lake wasn’t focused on the girl’s attire, but on something else.

This was an assassin.

And judging by her strange attire, which surprisingly didn’t feel off to him, she was likely trained within an organization from a young age, possibly her first time out on her own.

Since it fell within his area of expertise, Lake made this assessment with just a single glance.

It was difficult to identify a freelance assassin with just one look, as they were wild and untamed, lacking any common traits.

But organized assassins were different.

Being organized meant being mass-produced.

Their method of training assassins was akin to a factory assembly line, churning out assassins molded according to specific patterns. Naturally, these assassins possessed certain distinct and noticeable characteristics.

The M Killer Group?

Lake immediately shook his head. While the M Killer Group did train female assassins from a young age, they emphasized seduction more than killing techniques. If she were from the M Killer Group, she’d be seductive, not…

eye-catching?

"Hi, J."

"Gwen."

"What’s with that girl?"

"No idea. I heard she’s a new exchange student from the twelfth grade, from Liz Larson’s family."

"Thanks."

Lake overheard Gwen and her classmate’s conversation and noted the name.

Soon after.

Lake and George parted ways at the school gate. George was heading back to the NYPD, while Lake returned to the Homeland Security Building.

The sixteenth floor!

"Tiffany."

"Sir."

"Help me find some information on Liz Larson, and also on a new exchange student at their place."

"Understood."

An organized assassin suddenly appearing at Midtown High, posing as a student – who would believe that?

Lake certainly didn’t.

This person must have an ulterior motive.

After briefing his assistant, Lake entered his office. The door to the adjacent office opened, and David Bass, having overheard Tiffany and Lake’s conversation, knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

"Lake."

Lake, who had just walked over to the liquor cabinet, turned to look at David as he entered, greeted him, and raised his glass, "Care for a drink?"

David replied, "It’s working hours."

Lake shrugged, poured himself a drink, and took a sip, "Too bad, I’ll have to drink alone."

David: "…"

After three months, David was unsure whether to be grateful for Lake’s hands-off approach to operations or to request a replacement assistant operations chief from Secretary Kelly.

Initially, David was relieved to be partnered with a capable and non-interfering colleague. But after three months, David suddenly realized this was more than just a hands-off approach; it was a situation where he was constantly busy, while his partner lived a life of debauchery, doing nothing.

This made David feel rather awful.

A scene of a farmer and a serf flashed through David’s mind.

Something’s not right.

David shook his head, quickly regaining his composure, and thinking about the information he’d overheard outside and the files delivered to Lake’s office that morning, he asked, "Are there any operations?"

Lake looked at David, paused, then said, "Not yet confirmed."

He paused again.

Lake invited David to sit down and asked with some curiosity, "If an assassin went to a high school, seemingly to attend classes, would you believe it?"

David chuckled, "April Fool’s Day is over, Lake."

Lake nodded, "That’s what I thought too."

See.

This wasn’t Lake being paranoid; it was simply illogical. Why would an assassin, instead of killing, go to school? Was he crazy? Even for further studies, one would go to university, not high school.

Not everyone could be like Lake, straddling two industries – a professional assassin and a part-time law enforcer. This wasn’t some movie about skipping school.

Besides, that was from Fight Back to School, where law enforcement impersonated students.

David’s gaze fell on Lake’s desk, on the file recently transferred from the BATF. "You’re investigating this arms trafficker?"

Lake looked up at David. "You know?"

David nodded, then asked curiously, "This case doesn’t involve our department, does it?"

Lake shrugged. "I received intel from an informant that this arms dealer might appear in New York soon. What they’re doing isn’t clear yet, but an arms dealer is a potential terrorist."

Arms traffickers have nationalities, but in reality, they’ve long since abandoned them. They supply arms to whoever pays the most. Most terrorists get their weapons through these people.

The Department of Homeland Security investigates any potential terrorist threats to the federal government.

Naturally.

These arms traffickers, who possess large quantities of weapons and could become terrorists at any moment, are also within their scope of investigation.

But…

David shook his head and chuckled. "Then your informant must be unreliable."

Lake raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

David said, "About a month ago, Victoria Knowles was successfully apprehended by an international law enforcement agency. She was caught red-handed during an arms deal at the Cape of Good Hope."

"An international law enforcement agency?"

"Mm-hmm."

David nodded. "When the file arrived, you weren’t here. The BATF agent told me about it, and I thought we were taking over the case. So, I asked around, and it turns out the suspect has already been arrested."

Lake smiled faintly. "It seems the person you found has a lot of influence."

David stood up. "You have informants, and so do I. It’s all for the job. Alright, I’m heading out too."

Lake nodded.

Soon.

David left.

The office door closed.

Lake glanced at the file on his desk, thinking about what David had just said.

Victoria Knowles had already been arrested?

And by an international law enforcement agency that didn’t even deserve a name?

S.H.I.E.L.D.?

Lake blinked. After all, if it were an international criminal justice organization that made the arrest, there would be a specific name. But David had just said an international law enforcement agency made the arrest. If not for the nameless S.H.I.E.L.D., who else could it be?

Moreover…

This deal was placed by Hydra. Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. are mortal enemies. Given this, Lake could easily connect it to S.H.I.E.L.D.

But something felt off.

If S.H.I.E.L.D. arrested Victoria Knowles, then, according to normal reasoning, shouldn’t Hydra have placed an order to rescue her instead of ordering her death?

Doesn’t the fact that S.H.I.E.L.D. arrested her imply that Victoria Knowles is one of Hydra’s people?

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