Lake Falls into the Trap (Second Update, Please Subscribe!!)

"What?"

"This is impossible!"

The Chief of the Secret Service slammed his hand on the table as soon as he heard this, before Lake’s voice had even faded.

Good heavens.

This guy was here to usurp authority.

Although the Secret Service system had been incorporated into the Department of Homeland Security after its establishment, just like the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center that was also incorporated, they were only nominally under Homeland Security. In reality, they were like Erlang Shen, only obeying orders when summoned, not when sent.

No.

The Secret Service was even worse.

Relying on the fact that their office was located in the White House, they acted as if they were nominally part of Homeland Security, but in reality, they were just listed on the roster.

Now.

The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Deputy Director of Operations were reporting directly to Mr. President in front of him, the Chief of the Secret Service. The implication was that there was a mole within the delegation, and the Secret Service had failed to detect it. Therefore, the Secret Service was no longer qualified to handle such vetting work.

Could he tolerate this?

If they lost their vetting function, what other functions would the Secret Service have? Would they really just become the President’s bodyguards?

The Chief of the Secret Service looked directly at Mr. President. "Mr. President, this is just Director Edwin’s side of the story. Regarding the vetting of this delegation, we, in conjunction with Langley, have vetted it no less than ten times."

Lake looked at the Chief of the Secret Service. "Ten times, and you still haven’t found the mole."

"That’s because there’s no mole."

The Chief of the Secret Service said to Lake in a deep voice, "Since Director Edwin claims to have received an informant’s tip, may I ask where Director Edwin received this tip from?"

Lake said, "Are you questioning me?"

"Yes."

"Do you have the qualifications?"

"What?"

"Didn’t hear clearly. I said, do you have the qualifications to question me?"

"…"

Cowardice was never Lake’s style.

If he was unhappy, he acted.

Besides.

If Secretary Kelly hadn’t been promoted on the spot just now, then in terms of rank, the Chief of the Secret Service would indeed have had the qualifications to question the informant of the Deputy Director of Operations for New York State of the Department of Homeland Security.

But…

Lake had been promoted.

From the perspective of the Department of Homeland Security’s organizational structure, the Secretary was undoubtedly at the top, followed by the two Deputy Secretaries, the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Chief of the Secret Service, the Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, the Commandant of the Coast Guard…

Alright.

Lake was still half a rank below the Chief of the Secret Service.

But…

Lake was directly subordinate to the headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security, while the Secret Service was an affiliated agency. For any agency, the headquarters automatically gained half a rank when meeting with an affiliated agency.

Therefore.

The current Chief of the Secret Service truly did not have the qualifications to question who Lake’s informant was.

Perhaps.

The reason Secretary Kelly was promoted on the spot was precisely this.

After all, Secretary Kelly and Lake had known each other for many years, and naturally knew that Lake played a wide variety of games. Those who knew him well could turn a blind eye, but if others were to investigate, they would likely end up in federal prison.

The Chief of the Secret Service looked incredulous. "I don’t have the qualifications?"

Lake tilted his head and looked at him. "Do you?"

Secretary Kelly kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart.

The Secretary of Defense was watching the show.

"Alright."

Mr. President slapped the documents about Kang on the table and said to Lake and the Chief of the Secret Service, "Gentlemen, mind your positions."

The Chief of the Secret Service, like an enraged bull, said, "Mr. President, Director Edwin is accusing the Secret Service of having a mole based solely on an intelligence tip of unknown origin. I cannot accept this."

Lake said lightly, "I’m helping you, you idiot."

"You…"

"Enough."

Mr. President once again stopped the Chief of the Secret Service from rolling up his sleeves in anger and looked at Lake. "Director Edwin, this is the White House. Thaddeus mentioned you when I was playing golf with him. You are very capable."

Lake smiled and said, "Thank you."

Mr. President looked at the Secretary of Defense, who was watching the show, and said, "Corey, what’s your opinion?"

The Secretary of Defense, sitting in his chair, looked up and said, "I lean towards Major Edwin’s opinion. Since there’s a potential hidden danger, we should investigate it, even if it’s just a possibility."

The mere mention of "Major" was enough to show the Secretary of Defense’s stance.

Lake was his man from the military.

Although currently seconded to the Department of Homeland Security, Lake was still part of the military. It was similar to Captain America, Steve Rogers, where the military had a dedicated Rogers Office responsible for managing Rogers’ commercial value.

The Chief of the Secret Service glanced at the Secretary of Defense, who had unhesitatingly taken a side, and then said to Mr. President, "Media reporters and news agencies have already been notified. If we postpone or cancel at this time, it will create a negative impression."

The purpose of the President of Ghost Island Country’s visit this time was to discuss the matter of military deployment on the island.

As scandals involving the island’s bases had been surfacing continuously in recent years, the people of Ghost Island Country’s opinions regarding the stationed military bases, which acted like emperors, were growing. Their purpose for this visit was merely to put on a show.

What if the meeting with the President of Ghost Island Country was suddenly canceled or delayed at this moment?

The residents of Ghost Island Country would think it was a blatant humiliation. No one could be certain, nor could they predict, what the people of Ghost Island might do.

Back in the day, when Ghost Island attacked Pearl Harbor, the then-President of the Federation pondered for more than ten days, unable to comprehend what kind of thought process Ghost Island Country had at the time to believe they had the strength to confront the Federation.

Lake looked at the Chief of the Secret Service again, saying, "Even if an attack occurred on Pennsylvania Avenue, the consequences would likely be more severe than just the Chief of the Secret Service tendering his resignation."

The Chief of the Secret Service gave Lake a deep look. "Director Edwin is so confident in his intelligence, so confident that he believes his intelligence sources can surpass the combined efforts of our Secret Service and Langley?"

Lake shrugged. "No, I’m just curious. If I received such intelligence, why didn’t your Secret Service receive it? I’ve thought about it, and there seems to be only one reason: your Secret Service is compromised."

With that said.

Lake looked directly at the President. "Mr. President, I suggest suspending all duties of the Chief of the Secret Service. I suspect the Chief of the Secret Service has defected and committed treason."

Good heavens.

The Chief of the Secret Service felt his blood pressure surge.

Secretary Kelly coughed at this moment and spoke up, "Mr. President, the Ghost Island Country delegation is scheduled to depart in half an hour. My suggestion is to first find an excuse to postpone the meeting and have Director Edwin lead a team to re-screen the delegation."

The Chief of the Secret Service said expressionlessly, "The embassy compound is foreign territory."

The Department of Homeland Security had no jurisdiction over foreign territory.

Lake smiled and said, "But, beyond the iron gate, it’s not."

While the embassy compound was indeed foreign territory, once one passed through that iron gate, it was federal land.

"Director Edwin, have you forgotten that vehicles within the embassy compound are also foreign territory?"

"This can be easily resolved."

Secretary Kelly proposed, "We can have the President of Ghost Island Country picked up by a special vehicle dispatched by the White House."

This was an unprecedented courtesy for a visiting head of state.

Just then.

The Vice President and the Secretary of State also walked in from outside.

Mr. President asked the two for their opinions.

The Vice President and the Secretary of State glanced at Lake, who had been promoted to Director of Operations. Although Lake had dealt with them before – the Secretary of State in the Coulson incident, and the Vice President in the Winter Soldier incident – those were personal matters. This was a matter of public duty.

After thinking for a moment, they sided with Secretary Kelly, Lake, and the Secretary of Defense, agreeing to postpone.

However…

The postponement should not be too long.

Mr. President thought for a moment and looked at Lake, saying, "You have one hour."

Lake nodded.

One hour was enough.

On the way, Lake and Secretary Kelly had already discussed the most acceptable plan, so two teams of Department of Homeland Security agents were already on standby near the Ghost Island Country’s embassy.

Exiting the Oval Office.

Lake stopped, clutched his stomach, and said to Secretary Kelly, who had stopped to look at him, "Sorry, my stomach hurts. I’ll be right back."

With that.

Lake swiftly slipped into the nearby restroom.

He closed the door.

He exhaled.

Lake shook his head.

He guessed that the restroom here was the most difficult restroom to use in the entire Federation.

No.

Lake had previously tried to use the restroom at Area 51, but unfortunately, General Ross had directly denied Lake’s New Year’s wish for that year when he was seventeen.

The restrooms at Area 51 are the hardest to get into.

The White House restrooms are second best, at most.

He opened the lid of the toilet tank.

He saw it.

Submerged beneath the water was a USB drive.

He grabbed it.

As Seifer had instructed, he opened the USB drive’s casing and verified it was genuine.

He stored it in his inventory.

Lake relieved himself, then flushed the toilet. After washing his hands, he left the stall and exited the restroom.

Mission: Betray the Federation, complete.

Next mission.

Initiate mission: Protect the Federation.

However…

Just as Lake exited the White House, he heard footsteps behind him.

"Stop him."

"…"

Lake narrowed his eyes as the two guards at the door drew their weapons on him. He turned and faced the Chief of the Secret Service, who had arrived with three Secret Service agents, with a blank expression.

Secretary Kelly, who had already settled into the back seat, also stepped out of the car with some displeasure.

The Chief of the Secret Service wore a mysterious smile. "Last month, a Langley intelligence analyst jumped from his car and committed suicide after leaving the White House. Does Director Edwin know about this?"

Lake chuckled. "Of course. I knocked on Secretary Kelly’s door at four this morning, and we discussed it. Perhaps it’s because of this incident that Langley hasn’t realized there’s a mole within the Secret Service."

The Chief of the Secret Service ignored Lake’s sarcasm. "Did Director Edwin just go to the restroom because of a stomach ache?"

Lake replied, "What, is the Chief of the Secret Service concerned about whether my stomach hurts?"

The Chief of the Secret Service shook his head, glanced at his three agents, and then smiled. "What a coincidence. Director Edwin just went to the restroom, and the USB drive left there specifically to lure someone out has disappeared? Can Director Edwin explain this?"

Lake: "…"