Mercy is for Humans

"Deputy Director Edwin, we’re doing everything we can to make him talk."

"Not fast enough."

"What?"

Lake set aside the documents in his hand and looked at Agent Knoll on the big screen. "How long have we been investigating this lead? Two years?"

"About a year and a half."

"Thank you."

Lake politely thanked Director Carmen beside him, then said, "A year and a half ago, we received intelligence that someone was planning a terrorist attack against the Federation. How long would it take for a black ship smuggled from Afghanistan to reach the Federation? Can we assume the terrorists have already arrived? Therefore, we need this person to talk as soon as possible."

Who knew what methods the extremists from that so-called Divine Kingdom would use to bomb the Federation? A small bomb, a light one, or perhaps a suicide bomber.

Agent Knoll on the big screen looked serious. "Deputy Director Edwin, like you, I know the gravity of this situation. We are doing everything we can to make him talk."

"Thank you."

Lake made a gesture to the Homeland agent operating the controls, and the big screen instantly went dark.

Director Carmen frowned and looked at Lake. "Is something wrong?"

Lake said, "This Agent Kelly Knoll is not a qualified agent."

"What?"

"Have you looked at her file?"

"Of course."

Lake nodded. "I just looked at it too. It’s true that her professional ability and intelligence analysis skills are strong, but there’s one thing that makes me uneasy."

Carmen remained silent.

Lake handed the file he had set aside to Carmen. "In college, she joined the Animal Protection Association, and even participated in activities for the Wildlife Rescue Association six months ago."

Carmen was puzzled. "So?"

Lake chuckled. "Kelly Knoll, thirty-five years old, unmarried, no children, no family, passionate about caring for small animals. She might be a qualified intelligence analyst, but she’s definitely not a qualified interrogation expert. Unscrupulous, unfounded compassion and love – I don’t think she can get Hassan Raham to open up. I suggest we send someone else for the interrogation."

Carmen didn’t immediately agree or refuse, just asked, "Who do you plan to send?"

Lake thought for a moment. "Mandy!"

Compared to Kelly Knoll, who believed that vegetarianism could benefit the world and whom he barely knew, Lake was more willing to trust Mandy, also an intelligence analyst from Langley.

Mandy had compassion too, but Mandy’s compassion was for her own people. People were the priority. As for enemies or small animals, Mandy was keen on hunting.

Carmen frowned. "Suddenly changing an intelligence officer at this time seems a bit…"

Like stealing credit.

This case had always been handled by that female agent from Langley, Knoll. Suddenly changing an intelligence officer would look a bit bad.

Lake smiled. "Knoll is an intelligence officer. I’m just suggesting we send an interrogator."

Director Carmen pondered for a moment and nodded.

Lake directly connected to Quantico Base. Coincidentally, Mandy and SEAL Team B were stationed in Afghanistan. Therefore, Lake, under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security, temporarily requisitioned Mandy from Langley as an interrogator.

Upon receiving Lake’s message, Mandy immediately agreed. It so happened that Mandy and SEAL Team B had no arrest missions scheduled for the time being. Moreover, the place where Hassan Raham was being held was within a military base. However, the mission to arrest Hassan was completed by SEAL Team D, who were also stationed there.

In the interrogation room.

When Mandy pushed the door open, Agent Kelly Knoll was telling the still-silent Hassan Raham words similar to "confess and be lenient, resist and be severe."

Knoll frowned as she saw Mandy enter.

She walked out.

Knoll looked at the fax from the Department of Homeland Security in her hand and frowned at Mandy. "This is my case."

Mandy said, "I know, this is still your case. I’m just here to temporarily act as an interrogator."

"I don’t need that."

"I’m sorry," Mandy said calmly. "The Department of Homeland Security clearly doesn’t think so."

As intelligence analysts from Langley, Mandy and Knoll were colleagues as well as rivals. Unlike so-called field agents, they were capable of climbing the pyramid of Langley step by step to reach the very top.

Knoll let out a laugh and looked at Mandy without reservation. "I know about your relationship with Director Lake Edwin."

Mandy shrugged. "I wasn’t planning on hiding it."

"This is my case."

"I’m not planning to steal it. I’m only responsible for the interrogation."

"…"

Knoll looked at Mandy expressionlessly, remained silent for a moment, then snorted, crumpled the Department of Homeland Security fax in her hand into a ball, and walked past Mandy.

She was going to complain.

Mandy didn’t mind. She pushed open the door, looked at Hassan sitting inside, closed the door, and prepared to begin her interrogation.

Unlike Agent Knoll’s so-called reasoning, appealing to emotion, and the policy of leniency for confession and severity for resistance, Mandy went straight for the big guns.

Mandy took out several photos and placed them on the table.

Hassan Raham’s three wives and seven children of varying ages.

It was obvious.

Hassan Raham, whose expression had been like dead water, changed upon seeing the family photos thrown at him. At the very least, Hassan’s unfocused gaze began to sharpen.

Mandy leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and looked at Hassan Raham. As she spoke, she pointed to the candid photos on the table. "You already know what we want to know. Tell me, or I’ll go ask them!"

Hassan Raham: "…"

Three days later.

Lake reappeared in the Operations Center.

The big screen lit up.

Lake greeted Mandy, who appeared on the big screen, "Good morning, Mandy."

Mandy replied, "It’s not morning here."

Lake smiled and exchanged pleasantries. "How is it, did you get anything out of him?"

Mandy said, "He knows what we want, but he also has a few demands."

"The Federation never makes deals with these people."

"…"

This door absolutely cannot be opened. Once opened, the consequences will be endless. What if people follow suit in the future? Is it really a situation where putting down the butcher knife immediately makes one a free person?

Mandy said, "I know, so I just threw him out. He’s already been apprehended by local authorities and charged with terrorism."

Lake’s lips curved upwards. "Alright, what kind of cooperation do you need from us?"

Mandy shrugged. "The local authorities are preparing to execute him in five days. I need a stay of execution permit."

Lake rubbed his chin. "I’ll figure something out."

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome."

After Lake waved his hand to signal the end of the communication, he thought for a moment, took out his phone, and called Secretary Kelly. Interfering with local affairs, even if it was a puppet regime’s execution ruling, was something that required Secretary Kelly’s intervention.

Five days later.

In a prison that couldn’t even be called a thatched hut in the local area.

"Crack!"

Mandy slammed the stay of execution permit onto the iron bars and said to Hassan Raham, who was still unrepentant, "I can’t save you, but I can save your youngest son. Tell me everything you know."

Hassan Raham thought the Federation would negotiate with him, but they made an outrageous demand. Unfortunately, Mandy didn’t fall for it. She directly threw his entire family out of the base, and they were then taken away by local authorities. During these days, the so-called "Freedom Glory" organization never intended to rescue him; they only wanted to silence him. Yesterday, a bomb was thrown into the prison, killing his entire family except for his youngest son.

Terrorists are inhumane.

Hassan Raham no longer insisted on his conditions and told Mandy everything he knew. After speaking, he watched Mandy turn and leave, shouting, "Remember your promise."

Mandy left without looking back.

Take care of them?

Take care of a bunch of destitute people.

Putting aside whether Mandy had the authority, even if she did, helping the descendants of a terrorist live a heavenly life in the Federation, hehe, as I said before, people would follow suit.

Soon.

Mandy reconnected with Lake.

Lake looked at Mandy’s expression as she came back online and raised an eyebrow.

Mandy directly stated, "About half a month ago, this Hassan Raham secretly smuggled a batch of bomb materials into Federation territory."

Lake raised an eyebrow. "Where?"

"Los Angeles port."

"…"

Seeing the expression on Lake’s face, Mandy had no intention of playing coy. "Hassan Raham smuggled enough materials to create three bombs."

She paused.

Mandy directly said, "Nuclear fission material."

Lake: "…"

This has gotten out of hand.

Lake frowned. "Three nuclear bombs?"

Mandy nodded. "Hassan has no more chances to lie."

Lake wiped his face.

The Homeland agents in the Operations Center couldn’t help but exchange glances upon hearing the news.

Lake let out a disbelieving laugh. "Wait, do you really think nuclear bombs can just be made on demand?"

If nuclear bombs could be easily made with just the raw materials, then there was no doubt the Federation would be dealing with this kind of Homeland Security incident every single time.

This was a nuclear bomb.

Not a regular explosive.

Did they really think this was some mutated Earth, where all the terrorists living in the Marvel Universe could just whip up nuclear bombs with their bare hands?

What a joke.

Mandy said, "Hassan said the ones who will launch the attack in the Federation aren’t their people, but ours."

Lake raised an eyebrow. "Our people?"

Mandy nodded, her expression serious and solemn.

Lake fell silent.

This…

This was a huge problem. Should I consider immigrating to Europe?