Both the Army and the Navy were eager to win over Steve and Booth, who had performed exceptionally well during today's attack, in order to gain an advantage in the inevitable post-incident purge by the disgruntled Benjamin. After all, all four branches of the U.S. military had, for various reasons, inadvertently contributed to the defense during the attack. Even the FBI, which had initially been a bystander, managed to narrowly escape blame thanks to Booth's involvement.
The United States has a long-standing tradition of shifting blame. From CIA operatives using FBI credentials for domestic black ops to military personnel wearing other agencies' uniforms overseas, the first thing the generals at the Pentagon thought of after the immediate danger at the White House had passed wasn't how to handle the aftermath—it was how to shift the blame.
However, Steve didn't have time to report to the Navy commanders at the Pentagon, who were eager to learn the inside details of the incident. He had now been temporarily reassigned as a Secret Service agent by President Benjamin. Not only him, but Booth and Bob had also become Benjamin's personal bodyguards.
Since Benjamin couldn't be sure whether there were still LockSat members within his presidential security detail, and with the ongoing crackdown on LockSat members, the only people he could absolutely trust, aside from Michael Banning, were the three "external reinforcements" provided by Castle.
After learning that his wife had nearly been kidnapped by desperate LockSat members—a plot thwarted by Gianna's pre-arranged "bodyguards"—and realizing that his wife was actually safer staying with Gianna, Benjamin didn't immediately send Steve back to Hawaii. Instead, he kept Steve by his side temporarily to ensure his own safety.
Through today's attack, Benjamin also discovered a blind spot in his security arrangements: his team's first instinct during an attack was to move him to a secure location rather than counterattack on the spot. The Secret Service agents were trained solely in protection, not in launching offensive operations like the three "offensive specialists" had done today.
This is actually the standard procedure for protecting leaders in any country. However, after today's attack, Benjamin's mindset underwent a subtle shift. Watching the three elite warriors—experts in both close combat and long-range attacks—execute a swift and devastating counterattack, the new U.S. President began to think that perhaps having a team specialized in offensive operations within his security detail would be more effective than relying solely on defensive measures.
With this change in mindset, it was only natural that the three individuals who had performed exceptionally well during the attack caught the President's attention.
Most importantly, these three had already proven their innocence, with no ties to the LockSat organization. Additionally, their personal files had been on Benjamin's desk before the attack, detailing their impressive military records and post-retirement careers. Even Bob, who had nearly been framed as the main suspect in the Vice President's assassination attempt, had redeemed himself with his outstanding sniping skills today, backed by Castle's endorsement.
Of course, Benjamin wanted to recruit these three top-tier experts into his team. However, this was easier said than done. Booth, for instance, was the dedicated law enforcement partner of "Bones" (Dr. Temperance Brennan), who had even borne his child without any formal commitment. Steve, on the other hand, was unwilling to leave Hawaii, where he was gathering evidence to avenge his father's murder. And as for Bob, he had no interest in staying in Washington, D.C.
Even Hawaii's Governor Jameson, who had yet to realize that her trusted lieutenant was now investigating her, wouldn't agree to let Steve go. She relied on Steve and his FIVE-O team to maintain her reputation. How could she possibly let the President take him away?
So, after consulting with Mozzie and being rejected by all three experts—including Bob, who was the most likely to stay—Benjamin had no choice but to ask them to remain for a few more days until he had dealt with the major political figures within the LockSat organization.
The LockSat organization was no joke. They had managed to recruit two senators into their ranks. One was in Washington, D.C., and had been the first person Benjamin demanded be arrested in front of the Speaker of the House and the Supreme Court justices after the attack. The other was in New York.
Fortunately, Benjamin's benefactor, Castle, had thoughtfully prepared the FBI's New York field office to handle the situation. Both senators were now under control.
Of course, charges of "treason" were unlikely to stick to these high-ranking officials. At most, they would be forced to resign, vacating their Senate seats for the Democratic Party in exchange for Benjamin's promise not to pursue further action against them.
This is how the U.S. has always operated: once someone steps down, they're no longer held accountable. How can such a system claim to be a beacon of democracy? It's a blatant display of inequality!
But Benjamin had no choice. While he personally wanted to eliminate these traitors who had wished for his death and facilitated the attack, he had to abide by the unwritten rules of American politics. For the two highest-ranking LockSat senators, death was off the table. At most, they would lose their Senate seats.
As for the Democratic Party, which would gain these two Senate seats, they couldn't afford to push for harsher punishments. After all, there are only 100 senators and 435 representatives in the U.S. Congress. They couldn't be treated like minor players.
However, for the other LockSat members—federal employees, government workers, and even military personnel—the situation was different. Armed with arrest warrants signed by Supreme Court justices and the Attorney General, the FBI was already rounding them up. This might mark the beginning of Benjamin's true control over the nation.
None of this concerned Steve, who was now fully focused on his duties. Alongside Banning, he formed a close-and-long-range security team, ensuring Benjamin's safety as the President faced the press in front of the White House.
It wasn't until the danger had completely passed that Steve received a call from Castle: "Hey, I heard Benjamin wants you to join the Secret Service. Why did you turn him down?
I know you want to avenge your father, but with Wu Fa still hiding in Kaesong, North Korea, the evidence you have now isn't enough to take down Governor Jameson. Why not spend some time in the Secret Service?"
Steve, who had no reason to hide anything from Castle—the man who had revealed the truth about his father's death—replied, "I know you must have heard this from Mozzie.
I understand that the President doesn't fully trust his security team right now, but buddy, I have no desire to work in Washington, D.C. I want to go back to Oahu and lead my team while waiting for the right moment. Governor Jameson still has several years left in her term. Now that I have a clear target, how can I just drop everything and come to D.C.?"
Castle, who had been asked by Benjamin to persuade Steve, wasn't particularly invested in the task. Knowing Steve's personality and his unwavering determination, Castle didn't push further after hearing Steve's response.
What Steve didn't expect was that his temporary role as a bodyguard would last an entire week at the White House...
That's right—it took a full week for the aftermath of the attack, orchestrated by foreign anti-American forces in collaboration with domestic anti-President factions, to finally settle. After all, there were numerous LockSat members to arrest within the U.S., and this was without even mentioning the involvement of the Japanese government's intelligence agency, which was already overwhelmed by the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake.
But in the end, Benjamin came out on top. Although dozens had died in the initial attack on the White House, the subsequent gains left both Benjamin and his Democratic Party significantly better off...
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