Supervisory Bureau’s Contingency Plan

Rachel had no intention of staying in New York for long. By October 9th, she couldn’t wait any longer and announced she wanted to return to Washington D.C.

Lake felt a bit helpless.

Rachel was a very independent person. Her maternity leave was over, and she wanted to go back to work. Her career was in Washington D.C., and Josie was also there. Therefore, Lake had no reason to stop Rachel from leaving.

One shouldn’t be hypocritical.

When Lake decided to give up one and embrace a whole forest, he set this principle for himself.

Back then, he hadn’t forced Emilia to return to New York with him, and now he wouldn’t force Rachel to leave. After all, if they weren’t selfish, why should he be?

Lake watched Rachel packing her clothes and asked, "Are you sure we don’t need to find a nanny?"

Rachel pointed to her sister Mia, who had rushed over from Los Angeles after hearing about her pregnancy and the birth of her daughter last month, and said, "I already have one."

Mia, who was playing with Helen, who had grown quite a bit in the past few months in a somewhat unnatural way, grunted, "I can demand a salary for taking care of the baby."

Lake looked at Mia and said, "Sure, how about I pay you a salary of ten thousand US dollars a month?"

"Lake."

"I…"

Lake directly gestured towards Rachel and interrupted Mia, who was about to joke, "I’m serious. And if you take on this task, I can get Brian back into the FBI."

Yes.

Brian.

After all, they were soulmates, and ultimately, Mia forgave Brian. However, Dom was furious. Seeing that her secret was out, and with Rachel calling her around this time, Mia told Brian and then came to New York to lie low.

Mia blinked her eyes, "Can you really do that?"

Lake shrugged, "You can ask Rachel."

Rachel gave Lake a look, "I remember you saying you’ve pretty much offended the entire law enforcement community."

Mia opened her mouth.

Lake smiled and looked at Mia, "So, what do you say? But there are requirements for accepting this, you know. Requirements like meeting the standards of ordinary nannies in Washington D.C.?"

Mia was speechless, "I’m very good at taking care of people."

Lake nodded, "Then it’s settled."

After speaking.

Lake took out his latest model smartphone, which he had replaced last Christmas, in front of Mia, dialed a phone number, and then pressed the speakerphone button.

"Boos!"

"It’s me, Lake."

Lake said directly to Senior Special Agent Boos of the FBI, who had answered the phone, "Do me a favor and get someone into your department."

Boos was slightly taken aback and then said somewhat speechlessly, "I’m a Senior Special Agent, not a Senior Supervisory Agent, okay? Get someone in? Don’t you know our job?"

Lake replied, "I know. If he were a civilian, I’d go to your boss. But he’s not. He was at the Los Angeles office before, and he was fired because he offended me."

Boos was even more confused, "Then you’re helping him? And he’s still alive after offending you?"

Lake glanced at the looks from the two women in the living room and said to Boos somewhat speechlessly, "He was caught in the crossfire. I have no problem with him. Just be straightforward, don’t let him go undercover anymore. That guy is a hopeless romantic. Brian O’Conner, activate him, and I owe you a favor."

Seeing that Lake had made it so clear, Boos simply said, "OK."

After hanging up.

Lake said to Mia, "Done. You can tell Brian to get ready and buy a plane ticket to Washington now."

Mia’s mouth fell open.

This… it was done?

It was that simple?

Didn’t Brian say he had been removed from the rolls and that it was incredibly difficult to get back in?

Rachel looked at Lake, who was shamelessly engaging in a power-for-power transaction in front of her, a political reporter, and said speechlessly, "Are you planning to give me a major scoop on my first day back at work? Shocking! Senior Supervisory Agent of Homeland Security’s Backroom Deal with the FBI!"

Lake walked over and hugged Rachel, "Will you?"

Rachel tried to put on a stern face, "I’m a reporter, I pursue the truth… mff."

Lake directly kissed Rachel’s lips.

Soon.

On the way to New York International Airport, Mia also hung up the phone call to Brian. Brian on the other end had clearly received the shocking and joyous news ahead of time.

"Thank you, Lake."

Mia put away her phone and thanked the driving Lake.

Lake said, "I accept your thanks. But you can also tell Brian that if he ever leaves you, I’ll take him back directly, in a physical sense. How about that?"

Mia decided not to speak anymore.

He wouldn’t dare.

My brother can blow his dog head off.

Airport hangar.

The private jet was already waiting, warming up its engines.

Lake got out of the car with Rachel.

Rachel looked curiously at Lake, who followed her onto the plane. "What, you don’t trust me to go back alone?"

Lake nodded. "You could say that, but I’m going to the Department of Homeland Security. Same day trip."

Rachel looked at Lake with a smile.

Lake shrugged. "Alright, I can stay in Washington D.C. for an extra day."

Only then did Rachel let Lake off the hook.

Washington D.C.!

Department of Homeland Security Building.

"Come in."

Lake knocked on the door, heard a voice from inside, pushed the door open, and said to Secretary Kelly, who was working at her desk, "Secretary, why did you drag me all the way from New York?"

Secretary Kelly looked up at Lake and chuckled. "Sit down. There’s a document over there, take a look at it first."

Lake’s gaze fell on the document on the coffee table.

He sat down.

He opened it.

Whoa!

Good heavens.

As soon as Lake opened the folder, his eyes landed on the title, and he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

This was a proposal to increase the budget for a new department.

Simply put, it was a plan to re-establish a secret agency under the Department of Homeland Security, with security and law enforcement powers, and regulated by the Department of Homeland Security, for the monitoring and action of supernatural activities.

In short!

S.M.B.

Lake blinked and looked up at Secretary Kelly, who was sitting on the sofa opposite him.

"What do you think?"

"I think…"

Lake thought for a moment, then shook his head and looked at Secretary Kelly. "The Department of Homeland Security exists to protect the peace and stability of the Federation. The proposal is okay, but we have something similar."

Secretary Kelly said, "It’s not ours."

Lake closed the folder. "Theoretically, it’s not, but in reality, it is."

Last Christmas, Lake had heard General Ross mention something like this. But ten months had passed, and Lake had thought it was another proposal that died in the womb. He hadn’t expected Secretary Kelly to finally bring it out ten months later.

Secretary Kelly said, "Mr. President has already approved it."

Approved?

Are they crazy?

Does Mr. President intend to shoot himself in the foot?

Isn’t he afraid of being impeached by Congress?

And…

Once this agency is established, will the poor Nick Fury still have money to build his seventy-two bases?

No.

How many of his seventy-two bases have been built so far?

Lake looked at Secretary Kelly. "Is the establishment of this S.M.B. public?"

Secretary Kelly said, "The Bureau of Supernatural Activity Monitoring and Action, the name says it all. It will also be under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security, but after its establishment, it will deal with major cases similar to the Clone Crisis last year. I plan to make you the first director of this department."

Lake wasn’t surprised by this at all.

After all…

Who else but me!

Lake never thought about being humble. To put it again, humility was meaningless. Humility might earn you a little respect, but most people would take your humility as proof that you were a wimp.

However…

Lake still asked somewhat confusedly, "Why did Mr. President suddenly agree to this proposal?"

Secretary Kelly said, "Actually, it’s not entirely an agreement. After all, when Congress agreed to the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security back then, there was a provision that the Department of Homeland Security could add or cut agencies according to the situation."

"Was there?"

"As a Senior Supervisory Agent, you don’t even know this?"

"Uh…"

Secretary Kelly looked at Lake, who seemed ready to lie, and shook his head. "In short, I want this department. Unless the President fires me, he can’t stop me."

Lake took a deep breath and gave Secretary Kelly a thumbs-up. "You’re so commanding, Minister."

Truly the nineteenth heir to the presidential throne.

His words were so commanding!

He learned something.

"And besides…"

Secretary Kelly said, "It’s impossible to build the Bureau of Supernatural Activity Monitoring and Action in a single day. Moreover, since it’s a brand new, independent department, its headquarters will definitely be in a separate location."

Lake nodded. "I know, Minister. I think the Three Feathers area is good."

Secretary Kelly opened his mouth, then looked at Lake irritably. "If you plan to move your base of operations to Washington D.C., I’ll start the process immediately."

Lake waved his hands repeatedly. "Keep it in New York, let’s keep it in New York."

Washington D.C. was unlucky for him.

Every time he came here, something bad happened. The only reason nothing happened last year was that S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra were too busy. Besides, Lake had no intention of working in Washington D.C.

He’d rather resign!

Secretary Kelly said, "For the next two years, I’ll give you a budget of ten billion US dollars, which is one-seventh of our Department of Homeland Security’s budget. Within two years, I want you to set up the framework. How about it?"

Ten billion?

Lake was speechless. "Minister, you’re making things difficult for me. Where in New York can you build a headquarters that’s cheap? Not to mention the construction. If you’re saying ten billion is the total cost for the headquarters, then I have no problem, I’ll take it."

"…You still think it’s not enough?"

"It’s really not enough."

New York was a place where every inch of land was precious. New Jersey was quite cheap, but putting the headquarters of a secret organization in the countryside would lower its prestige by half before any conflict even began.