Ross knew far too many secrets — not only his own, but those of the entire nation. If he truly fell into enemy hands, the damage to Russia would be immeasurable. Worse still, it could destroy him personally.
But to execute Ross in front of so many witnesses? That would invite public outrage and severely weaken the President's political standing.
After weighing the matter, the President finally spoke:
"Bring them in. And station several gunmen in the office. Once they're inside… kill them."
As he gave the order, he even drew a finger across his throat. The men before him nodded repeatedly, instantly understanding his meaning.
In their eyes, this only deepened their admiration for their leader. Calmly facing down enemies, unflinching, devising a deadly stratagem with a flick of the hand — this was the kind of President the Russian people could be proud of.
But what they did not know was that, beneath the President's steely composure, a murderous resolve burned hotter than ever. No matter the cost, the two Japanese intruders had to be eliminated. If necessary… Ross would die with them.
Only then could the secret be kept safe.
Preparations were swiftly made. The President donned a bulletproof vest, his expression hardened with resolve, and barked toward the doors:
"Let them in!"
His voice carried the weight of supreme authority. In that moment, he looked every bit the fearless statesman — a President who would risk life and death for the sake of his nation.
But tragically, his opponent was Kitazawa Ryōta.
The instant Ross was pushed through the door, the gunmen sprang from hiding, unleashing a storm of gunfire. Yet their bullets struck nothing but empty space — not a single target was hit.
The doorway was empty. The intruders were gone.
Then, in the next breath, Kitazawa Ryōta's figure materialized right before their eyes. In just a few swift, brutal strikes, every gunman fell to the ground, groaning in defeat.
And then — a cold muzzle pressed against the President's temple.
The one holding the pistol was none other than Mari Makinami.
"What… what do you want?!"
For the first time, the President was truly helpless. His ambush had collapsed in an instant. The sheer skill of these operatives — surely they were the finest elite agents of an enemy nation.
"Heh. Mr. President," Ryōji Kaji said smoothly, still pressing his weapon against Ross's head, "we mean you no harm. We only want to know one thing: Who provided the crucial technology that led to the Unit-04 explosion?"
Kitazawa Ryōta stepped forward, his voice calm and unwavering:
"As for anything else, we don't care. We have no interest in your other secrets. I am part of NERV. The only knowledge I seek is what NERV needs to know."
"Hmph! Enough of this slander!" the President shot back, his tone still defiant. "Russia would never stoop to such an act. This is a baseless smear!"
His words rang firm — after all, dozens of security personnel still stood outside, and more were rushing to the Kremlin every moment. With so many watching, the President could not afford to show weakness.
But Kitazawa only smiled faintly.
"Mr. President, I understand. Naturally you cannot admit the truth to such a question. But… we have proof. Once you see it, I doubt you'll deny it again."
"What? What do you mean by that?"
The President's instincts screamed danger. But before he could say more, his eyes caught the flicker of a video projection.
On the screen: Ross, in conversation with Miloshevic of the Sun Gang.
The exact same footage Ross himself had already seen.
"You—!"
The President froze, utterly stunned. He had never imagined his most trusted subordinate would be exposed so quickly, revealing one of Russia's most dangerous state operations. This was a matter of national survival — if the Americans learned of it, it could trigger a world war.
And the world could not survive another great war.
"Mr. President," Kitazawa said softly, his voice as persuasive as a serpent's whisper, "allow me to repeat myself. I don't care how much damage was done in Nevada. That is irrelevant to me. The only thing I wish to know… is who provided the critical technology behind Unit-04's explosion. That is all.
Believe me or don't. But NERV is not America's lapdog. Whatever losses America suffered — they are of no concern to us. We only wish to find the traitor. Nothing more."
Indeed, their suspicions had long been fixed on NERV itself. Only someone within NERV could have possessed such intimate knowledge of Unit-04's systems.
Yet with NERV branches scattered across the world, each riddled with its own agendas, identifying the traitor was like searching for a single drop of poison in the ocean.
The President was their only chance at a breakthrough.
He slumped heavily into his chair. His body seemed drained of all strength, as if his very soul had been pulled away. After a long silence, he finally shook his head and muttered:
"I don't know his name. We only ever communicated by phone. I've never even seen his face. Believe me or not, but I truly have no idea who he is. All I know… is that he's from Japan."
"What? Japan?!"
Kitazawa and Kaji exchanged a sharp glance. Kaji's eyes widened in disbelief.
"How can you be certain? How do you know the one who gave you the technology was from Japan?"
"Phone records," the President admitted with a weary sigh.
"I secretly had his calls traced. The signal always originated from Japan. Our telecom surveillance is second to none — there can be no mistake. He spoke flawless Russian, yes, but the source of the signal… was Japan. That much is indisputable."
"I see…"
Kitazawa and Kaji looked at each other again. In their eyes flickered the same troubled realization.
The trail had led them right back to the beginning. If the signal truly came from Japan, then the traitor might very well be inside NERV Headquarters itself.
The thought alone was chilling.
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