[Chapter 576: Desperate Struggle, Congressional Investigative Hearing]
Washington, D.C.
The Blue Leaf Club.
The same most luxurious private suite.
Maslow, Eric, Roger, Carol, and Cody gathered again. But this time, their expressions were far more composed. They sipped red wine with elegance, chatting casually as they watched the large television in the room.
They were watching an MCA broadcast, live coverage of Linton's concert. Compared to the others, Eric Gorelick looked a bit more uncomfortable.
According to the plan laid out that morning, his task had been to coordinate armed personnel to infiltrate the concert venue. Once the sniper shot Linton, they were supposed to create chaos at the scene and plant evidence framing Middle Eastern operatives for the assassination attempt.
But unexpectedly, when the concert began and attendees passed security checks, his men reported back that the venue's security was too tight to bring in weapons. The mission inside the venue was therefore abandoned.
Fortunately, upon hearing this, the other four showed only slight surprise -- no one outright blamed him. After all, in their eyes, those people weren't the key players in the assassination plot. Without them, the attempt wouldn't be affected. The worst was that they might have to deal with some FBI scrutiny later, but with Maslow around to manage the aftermath, it probably wouldn't be a major problem.
As the concert officially started, the five saw Linton on TV: clutching a microphone with one hand, singing loudly, while slowly lowering himself from the rigging by a rope.
MCA had strategically placed a crane camera at the perfect angle, capturing Linton's descent in high definition. The image on the screen was stunning -- he seemed like a god descending among mortals.
The crowd's screaming was deafening; surely audiences watching at home shared the same excitement.
However, these five men were anything but ordinary. They weren't really watching Linton's performance -- they waited with bated breath for the moment he would be gunned down, seeing his death as a way to eliminate their threat.
Maslow's immediate reaction to the live image was cold: "Linton's a goner now. This is the perfect moment for the sniper to take the shot."
Roger was the first to respond, raising his glass of wine: "I've been looking forward to seeing Linton's head explode. Let's drink to that."
They clinked glasses but didn't immediately drink. Their eyes were glued to the screen, eagerly awaiting the shot that never came.
Linton continued descending, slow and steady, until just three meters above the stage. Then, somewhere in that motion, he flipped midair, landing easily and gracefully at the center of the stage, his singing uninterrupted.
His effortless stunt electrified the crowd, who rose to their feet cheering loudly.
The high-definition camera caught every detail, broadcasting this flawless landing live.
But inside the private suite, the five remained unenthused.
Watching Linton continue his energetic singing and dancing, a flicker of doubt and unease crept into their minds.
Maslow slammed his wine glass down, anger flashing in his voice: "That was the perfect shot. Why didn't the sniper fire?"
They exchanged uneasy glances.
When Linton finished his first song, Eric Gorelick spoke professionally, explaining to the three senators: "When Linton was descending slowly, his movement and trajectory offered the sniper the clearest shot. It's strange -- why didn't any of the three sniper teams take the opportunity? After he landed and started moving unpredictably on stage with a dance partner, the difficulty skyrocketed."
Roger hesitated before adding, "That does sound odd. What if something went wrong? Should we contact the field liaison?"
Carol replied, "Let's wait a bit longer. We have to trust the skill of the snipers I arranged. They served with distinction in Delta Force and only recently retired a couple of years ago. They later joined my mercenary debrief in South America and performed excellently."
Cody added, "The snipers I assigned just retired from the Navy SEALs last year. I believe in their abilities. We should wait -- the concert still has over two hours left; they'll find a chance."
Roger's confidence returned: "Mine are ex-Green Berets, retired two years ago. They've solved many problems for my family. Their skills and loyalty are unquestionable."
Hearing the senators' assurance, Maslow and Eric Gorelick raised their glasses once more: "Alright, we'll watch with calm for now."
"Still, let's discuss how we'll grab Linton's estate after he's dead," Maslow suggested.
...
Time slipped by silently. The concert audience roared repeatedly, and viewers at home were thrilled by Linton's stunning performance.
Meanwhile, the five remained in the suite, watching and fervently plotting alliances and schemes to claim Linton's fortune when he died.
Yet, despite expectations, no gunshot ever rang out. Then suddenly, a piercing scream burst from the TV, jolting the five out of their heated discussion.
Maslow glanced at his watch -- 9 p.m. It meant the concert had been going on for an hour and a half, more than halfway through, with only about an hour remaining.
But the three sniper teams had shown no sign of action. Something was definitely wrong. There was no way they couldn't find a shot by now.
He quickly snapped his fingers for attention. "Gentlemen, the situation is bad. With only one hour left, we have to notify the snipers to seize any chance immediately. If we miss it tonight, we're in serious trouble."
Roger, Carol, and Cody now grasped the gravity of the crisis, but fortunately, time was still on their side.
All three reached for their phones to call the operation's local liaison in New York.
...
Foyt, a trusted operative recruited by Senator Roger, was a former Green Beret major who specialized in neutralizing troublemakers. He commanded several elite armed units, including two overseas mercenary teams, and covertly backed some Middle Eastern militias.
Responding swiftly to Roger's urgent order, he had already dispatched the star sniper duo, Ernesto and Stike, from South America back to New York.
He personally returned as well, preparing weapons, communication gear, scouting the attack location, and arranging escape routes.
At this moment, his vehicle was parked discreetly near Madison Square Garden, waiting for Stike's call.
Per their plan, Ernesto and Stike had infiltrated a building about a kilometer from Madison Square Garden.
By 6:30 p.m., they found a suitable upper-floor position, assembled their sniper rifles, and waited for the perfect shot.
Once fired, Stike was to call Foyt, who would pick them up and drive them to a rendezvous point, then escape via the nearest flight out of Philadelphia.
Two hours had passed without the anticipated call. The distant roar from the arena echoed faintly.
Growing restless, Foyt considered calling Stike to check in when his phone rang.
It wasn't the dedicated line for Stike; it was his work phone.
He answered, hearing Roger's anxious voice: "Foyt, why haven't the snipers fired yet?"
"Sir, I'm on standby for the pickup. Let me call and push them now."
After hanging up, he dialed Stike's comm line -- but no answer. He redialed twice. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Something had gone wrong.
Not daring to linger, he started his car and sped away while calling Roger back.
"Sir, the snipers are lost contact. The operation's failed. I'm leaving the scene now."
...
Inside the suite, the five men's faces had drained of color, replaced by panic and dread.
Moments ago, Roger, Carol, and Cody received calls confirming the snipers had gone silent -- the assassination attempt had failed.
For them, this was a catastrophe. Six elite former special forces snipers missing all at once? They had thought it foolproof.
Plus, Eric Gorelick's team couldn't even breach the venue to create the planned chaos.
This meant the entire night's assassination plot had completely collapsed.
Worse still, whatever power Linton wielded had silently eliminated six elite snipers.
And with those snipers missing, Linton could very well trace back the masterminds -- the five men themselves.
They had irreversibly exposed themselves as his enemies.
Considering Linton's ruthless nature, evidence gathering was irrelevant; brutal retaliation was inevitable.
They could not remain passive -- they had to act immediately.
Roger, the most senior, composed himself first. He slammed his hand on the table.
"Gentlemen, we are at the brink of disaster. We must take action."
"Maslow, are your men still near the arena?"
"Just spoke to them -- they're there."
"Tell them we'll pool $2 million apiece -- a total of $10 million. If they kill Linton tonight, the money is theirs immediately."
"I'll try, but it's tough. Without a lead, they can't reach Linton inside."
"Try anyway."
After Maslow finished his call, Roger continued: "We're now facing a matter of life and death. Linton will likely exact bloody revenge. We can't fully trust the FBI in New York. We need to act politically here in Washington, launching a full-scale war against Linton at the congressional level."
"How do we do that?" The other four, gripped by fear, suddenly found their will to survive.
"There were those attacks earlier -- headquarters of three major pharmaceutical giants were destroyed, and the families of Kester, Hoffman, Robert, and Gittens were brutally slaughtered.
Everyone knows Linton ordered those hits. Not just us -- most of the White House and Congress are aware. But the White House wants to classify these as terrorist attacks by Middle Eastern groups to justify future military action overseas. When we weren't in danger, I didn't contest it. But now, our lives are on the line. Do you agree with this cover-up?"
Maslow and Eric Gorelick exchanged a glance before speaking.
"You mean publicly investigating Linton at the judicial level, though FBI hasn't found usable evidence?"
"No. With the current situation, the judiciary can't touch Linton -- but don't forget the upcoming congressional investigative hearings."
Carol realized Roger's intent.
"You want to expose Linton as the mastermind behind these attacks, rally senators, push for a congressional probe, then hand him over for trial."
Cody expressed doubts.
"But declaring these incidents terrorist attacks by Middle Eastern groups is a consensus between the White House and Congress. It provides the US a war justification. If we overturn this consensus, we harm national interests. Will the other senators support us?"
"National interest? Only the national interest that benefits us matters. Otherwise, it's someone else's interest. We're already fighting for our lives. What good is a 'national interest' if we're dead? Besides, we don't aim to sabotage the whole military campaign in the Middle East."
"How do we proceed?"
"The incidents from last night can be split into two categories. First: the destruction of the three pharmaceutical company HQs. Second: the ruthless massacre of Kester, Hoffman, Robert, and Gittens' families.
I propose we leave the first category untouched so the war justification remains intact. But on the second category, we can make our move.
There are precedents -- families like the Bronfman and the Los Angeles gangs were also brutally wiped out. Most senators secretly already suspect Linton. We can push for a congressional hearing based on this. And today, with Linton killing an FBI senior official's entire family alongside major capitalists, wouldn't the senators worry about accidentally crossing him and sharing the same fate?"
"That sounds right. We'll use this as leverage to rally the senators -- if we let Linton run unchecked, he becomes a threat to all of us. I believe most senators will side with justice."
Carol and Cody looked hopeful now.
"I'll coordinate with Maslow to represent the Justice Department and FBI in demanding a thorough investigation into those brutal family murders," Eric Gorelick added.
"Good. There is no time to waste. We divide and conquer. Remember, time's short. Let's push hard for that congressional hearing on Linton. And stay in Washington. Bring your families here ASAP to lay low. With Washington's security, Linton's killers likely won't dare to strike here. Outside Washington, nowhere is safe."
*****
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