Madam M Takes the Blame for No Reason

The story should end where it began.

Lake had always believed that.

Like his last relationship, for instance.

Lake had seen it through from start to finish, beginning with Maureen and ending with her as well.

This time would be no different.

The report had started with Rachel, so it should end with Rachel too.

"How is it?"

Lake said to Rachel, "Is this exclusive report a surprise?"

Rachel opened her mouth, looked at the twelve large screens that were gradually lighting up, and then at Lake. "I don’t know what to say, but yes, it’s a surprise. Thank you."

An exclusive report on an operation.

Wow.

Rachel felt that becoming a partner at The Sun was a sure thing now. Moreover, with this connection, she had a whole new source of information.

Lake didn’t object to Rachel wanting to develop him into an informant.

It was mutual.

Rachel looked at Lake, who was standing beside her. "Aren’t you going over?"

Lake waved his hand. "Vice Captain Tyron is in charge of the actual operation. Like you, I’m just here to observe."

Rachel blinked. "Can I ask a few questions then?"

Lake smiled. "Of course."

Rachel nodded. This was a good start.

"Can you tell me why this case was transferred back to the Department of Homeland Security?"

"The White House."

"And where is this person, Megan Walsh, now?"

"She’ll be transferred to Quantico base at noon."

"One last question."

"Oh?"

Rachel looked at Lake. "Can I interview Megan Walsh when the time comes?"

Lake looked at Rachel. "Ms. Armstrong, you are truly an excellent reporter."

Rachel shrugged. "Wasn’t I before?"

Lake burst out laughing.

Just then.

"Go go go!"

"Enemy spotted."

"Bang bang bang!"

"Open fire, open fire, open fire!"

"Rat-a-tat-tat!"

On the twelve large screens, over sixty Marines were engaging the enemy as they approached the killer training base in American Samoa.

Some of the base’s killers who hadn’t managed to escape in time were met with gunfire before they could even explain their situation.

Even some of the children in the base joined the fray.

Looking at the large screens, a child around seven years old holding an RPG and firing at the Marines looked utterly unscientific and somewhat comical.

But…

This was reality.

Who knew what S.H.I.E.L.D. was thinking, setting up a base with an agent core and a killer exterior.

Boom!

"C Team Four is down."

"Medic!"

"Cover me!"

"Base, Base, what do we do now?"

"…"

The Marines were here to rescue the children, but they hadn’t been told what to do if they encountered children with guns.

Should they open fire?

"Stop messing around."

They all knew there was a reporter watching at the convention center this time, and it was the same reporter who had broken the story about this assassin base. If shots were fired, it would be front-page news.

Lake raised an eyebrow, only able to inwardly acknowledge their cleverness.

This operation was a joint effort between Lake and Hydra. Although their objectives differed, their overall pursuits were the same.

Weakening S.H.I.E.L.D.’s power.

Lake wanted Nick Fury to be embarrassed, while Hydra wanted this assassin base, loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D., to be destroyed. Thus, they reached an agreement.

Hydra provided intelligence on the base and guaranteed that Lake wouldn’t be going on a wild goose chase. Of course, they would withdraw some of their people to create a facade.

Undoubtedly.

The ones withdrawing were Hydra operatives, leaving behind the S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel Hydra deemed too hardened to be turned.

But Lake never expected that.

The base’s strongest fighting force wasn’t adults, but a group of children.

Even more so.

During the talks, those children, unable to distinguish friend from foe, had opened fire on an adult who had ordered them to drop their weapons.

Good heavens.

This child must have been arranged by Hydra, right?

It had to be.

The combat strategy was quickly decided at the Quantico operations meeting. The soldiers were on the battlefield, and battlefield situations changed in an instant, leaving no time for extensive thought.

"All combat personnel."

"Eliminate any resisting enemies. For all other resisting forces, the objective is to neutralize their combat capability."

"Team A, copy."

"Team B, copy."

"Team C, copy."

"……"

"Team G, copy."

Soon, the combat teams reported their responses, once again forming their attack formations.

In fact.

There wasn’t much resistance left inside the large base because it had already descended into chaos.

As the saying goes.

This base was designed for training assassins. Only the most outstanding assassins would be selected for covert training as agents.

This was a form of "gu" cultivation, and a rather crude one at that.

Since it was "gu" cultivation, one should be prepared for the cultivator to be backfired upon by their own "gu" insects.

Two hours later.

After the soldiers paid the price of three casualties and nine operatives being taken out of the fight, the war finally entered its later stages.

However…

The soldiers were unable to enter the base.

It was a complete mess inside.

Drones hovered above the base, capturing footage of the interior. The scenes were disturbing, but if one considered locking a group of emotionally immature children together and giving them firearms and ammunition as toys, then the aftermath of them losing control should be understandable.

Samoan police forces were already en route.

The most formidable combat soldiers never feared precise snipers; they feared novice gunmen or children.

To put it this way.

In the Federation’s overseas operations, if all the data were laid out, the number of casualties the Federation suffered from so-called African child soldiers far exceeded those from Black individuals who shot based on their faith.

Right now…

It was like a basketball game entering garbage time.

There was nothing exciting left to see.

However.

Rachel and her photographer seemed to be stunned.

"Oh, God."

"Jesus Christ."

Rachel stared blankly at the footage from the base captured by the drones, feeling utterly unwell. She had personally witnessed a child, who looked to be the same age as her son, being stabbed by another little girl with a dagger, turning him into a rag doll.

"Ugh!"

Rachel gagged, then covered her mouth and turned to run out of the conference room.

Lake gestured to the photographer, then followed her out.

Outside.

Rachel leaned against the wall, gagging repeatedly while holding her chest.

Lake walked up behind Rachel, thought for a moment, then patted her back to help ease her nausea.

Soon.

Rachel looked up, clearly uncomfortable.

"Here."

"…Thank you."

Rachel glanced at the chilled mineral water Lake handed her, thanked him, and took a large gulp to relieve her nausea. She shook her head, "I can’t believe someone like that would do something so inhumane."

Lake shrugged. "Do you want to know?"

Rachel looked at Lake. "I seek the truth."

Lake said, "Madam M, have you heard of her?"

Rachel: "…"

This was something Lake and Hydra had agreed upon.

The base was right there in plain sight, so naturally, an organization needed to take the fall. S.H.I.E.L.D. had already handed over Megan Walsh, so S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn’t be blamed for this base anymore.

At least not openly.

Langley?

Langley was completely set up to take the fall. They had already been targeted twice. A third time, and Langley would likely go from being the world’s top intelligence agency to a third-rate one.

But the Department of Homeland Security had to find the truth when they took over the case.

Hydra believed Lake and Black King were two different people, while S.H.I.E.L.D. believed Lake only knew of their existence without concrete evidence.

Therefore, they needed to find an external scapegoat.

Naturally.

Who would be a more suitable scapegoat than Madam M and her Naked Agents Organization, who also kidnapped children, specifically girls, and trained them into assassins?

What?

Madam M doesn’t admit it?

Did she have a say in this? If the Feds say you did it, you did it. Moreover, as the world’s number one Deep Dive organization, Hydra had planted evidence linking Madam M during their retreat.

And…

Operations had already begun in Hong Kong, China. Hydra members within Interpol had learned through channels that several of Madam M’s subordinates were going to Hong Kong for a birthday.

So this was a setup to kill.

Madam M wouldn’t survive. Dead people can’t speak, and therefore, can’t refuse this blame.

This way, everyone was happy. S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn’t be exposed again, making them happy; Hydra was happy because they crippled S.H.I.E.L.D.; Langley was happy to avoid the blame; and Lake was happy to strike at Nick Fury.

Sacrificing Madam M alone brought happiness to so many people.

Lake felt.

Madam M should be able to die with peace.

Of course.

This operation actually carried some risks.

Megan Walsh.

But fortunately…

When Nick Fury was in charge, he used the alias Hardman. He also had another alias, Mr. M, which was quite reasonable.

Rachel gritted her teeth as she listened to Lake describe this so-called Madam M, "Unbelievable, that such a vicious person exists in this world."

Lake remained silent.

When it came to viciousness, no one could compare to the Feds.

This matter was tacitly approved by several informed federal agencies. After all, pinning the blame on Madam M was much better than blaming the five major powers… cough cough, the five overlords.

It was four o’clock in the afternoon.

Lake and Rachel walked out of the interrogation room in the back.

Megan Walsh was inside.

She no longer needed to testify in court. As Lake had promised, Megan Walsh would receive immunity and join the witness protection program led by the Department of Homeland Security.

The reason?

Megan Walsh was also one of the victims, and her efforts led to the dismantling of the base. The White House spokesperson will take this into consideration, hence the immunity.

What?

A backroom deal in Langley?

Langley sent the person over, and it turned out the photo was fake.

And.

Once Rachel’s report comes out tomorrow, will the public still care about Langley?