Chapter 131: Jane - I Was Here First!
"Why is he so resistant to working with us?"
Susan frowned as she watched the elderly accountant walk away.
The surveillance footage of the bribery couldn't be used as evidence in court since it wasn't obtained legally, but they didn't need to go that route. They could simply connect the elderly accountant to the corrupt New York judge and then implicate the Gambino family. Their strategy was that the judge would either fold under pressure or the Gambinos would silence him to clean up the mess.
Either way, the elderly accountant's future looked grim.
Over the past four decades, the accountant had certainly served the Gambino family and other crime syndicates faithfully, but when push came to shove, organized crime wouldn't risk their entire operation for one man's loyalty.
Smart as he was, the accountant understood this perfectly. Yet no matter what they offered, he'd rather take his chances with the mob than cooperate with federal law enforcement. She couldn't wrap her head around it.
Chuck wasn't surprised at all. He said calmly, "Like I told you, he's intelligent."
"..."
Susan felt her throat tighten.
She knew Chuck was referring to the statistical probabilities of entering witness protection.
Taking his chances with the Gambino family meant a quick death at worst.
Choosing to cooperate with the feds almost certainly meant years of looking over his shoulder, living in fear, before eventually meeting the same fate anyway.
Smart people know how to calculate odds.
But people like Susan despised overly analytical minds!
"So what's our next move?"
Susan pushed down her frustration.
"Continue surveillance and monitoring," Chuck said. "Wait for the right moment. When someone's life is truly on the line, even the smartest people can lose their rational thinking."
Susan nodded, then shot Chuck a look. "You shouldn't have mentioned the fake assassination angle."
"Isn't that standard procedure?"
Chuck looked at her matter-of-factly.
"..."
Susan took a deep breath and said irritably, "Besides this 'standard procedure,' what other tactics do you know about? Enlighten me."
"You want to try them?"
Chuck raised an eyebrow.
"Is there a problem with that?"
Susan smirked inwardly, then mimicking Chuck's deadpan expression, said, "Isn't that routine for you?"
"Of course there's a problem!"
Chuck said seriously, "These methods are still technically illegal. They can't be disclosed in court because they violate constitutional rights."
"You care that much about the law?"
Susan laughed, looking at Chuck with disbelief.
"Absolutely!"
Chuck said bluntly, "The law represents the minimum moral standard for civilized society. I consider myself civilized."
Susan was taken aback, mulling over his words. The more she thought about it, the more it resonated. Though she agreed with the sentiment, she couldn't stand Chuck's matter-of-fact delivery and argued back, "So according to you, lawbreakers aren't civilized? What about those who exploit legal loopholes and bend the rules constantly?"
"It's not that black and white," Chuck shook his head.
"Why not?"
Susan pressed.
"Because some laws aren't written by civilized people," Chuck said calmly.
As the old saying goes, "The more laws, the more criminals." American jurisprudence had taken this to extremes. To create loopholes for the wealthy and powerful to exploit through legal maneuvering, statutes had become increasingly complex and contradictory. This supposedly aimed at better law enforcement, but in reality, it not only corrupted the system itself but forced everyone else to operate in morally gray areas.
Jane, who had been listening from the sidelines, couldn't help but smile.
She'd never realized how much she enjoyed watching Chuck verbally spar with people.
With that philosophical exchange, the case entered a waiting period.
After Susan instructed the FBI's tech division to maintain surveillance, she called it a day.
After all, work was meant to support living, not replace it.
"Agent Banner, want to hang out?"
Susan invited Jane with a grin.
"...What?"
Jane had wanted to speak with Chuck privately, but catching Susan's knowing look, her planned refusal turned into a curious question.
"Las Vegas, obviously—time to test our luck," Susan said cheerfully. "Just us girls. He doesn't get an invitation!"
"Why not?"
Jane was puzzled.
Susan explained how Chuck had been automatically upgraded to Supreme VIP status.
Jane was both amused and slightly annoyed. She hadn't known about this development, but Susan did... and Jane had known Chuck first.
"Dr. Wolfe, care to comment?"
Susan teased.
"Yes," Chuck nodded. "Stay away from the slot machines."
"Why?" Susan baited him. "Because slots are pure luck with no skill involved, and casinos can manipulate the odds so you'll lose nine times out of ten?"
"No," Chuck shook his head. "For you two, all gambling is luck-based anyway. I'm warning you about slots because Cooper's grandmother is here."
"What does Sheldon's grandmother have to do with anything?"
Susan automatically filtered out the dig about 'pure luck with no skill' and asked curiously.
"Because she's elderly," Chuck said matter-of-factly. "Senior citizens who still enjoy gambling typically prefer slot machines, and their bodily control isn't what it used to be. Under the excitement of winning and losing streaks, they often experience bladder control issues..."
"Ugh," Susan cut him off with a disgusted expression.
She hadn't expected Chuck to be brutally honest to such a nauseating degree.
But after a moment's consideration, she realized Chuck probably wasn't lying just to gross her out—it was actually a reasonable and likely scenario.
She would never touch a slot machine again!
No way in hell!
Jane couldn't contain her laughter anymore, covering her mouth.
"You think this is funny?" Susan looked at her incredulously. "Aren't you grossed out?"
"Not really," Jane stifled her giggles. "From a medical standpoint, Chuck is just describing a normal physiological phenomenon. Besides, don't you have elderly relatives? Even someone as beautiful as you will experience these bodily changes someday."
Susan was speechless. Seeing Jane's genuine amusement, her expression softened into a smile as well. "You're right—even supermodels have to use the bathroom."
"..."
Jane's smile froze.
Medical facts were one thing, but did Susan have to be so crude about it?
She was practically mortified.
Seeing this, Susan's laughter intensified.
Trying to out-shock her? Someone as innocent as Jane was no match for her!
When she let loose, even she scared herself sometimes!
Chuck couldn't be bothered with their banter. No matter how attractive they were, constantly discussing bodily functions wasn't exactly pleasant conversation.
As they reached the elevator, they encountered the Cooper family returning from their Vegas adventure, led by Sheldon's mother Mary.
Well, everyone except Sheldon and his grandmother looked like they'd had fun.
"Hey, Chuck!"
Missy, sporting fashionable sunglasses and clutching a colorful tropical drink, greeted Chuck enthusiastically.
Chuck nodded acknowledgment.
"This place is amazing!" Missy, ever the social butterfly, ignored Chuck's cool response and continued expressing her excitement. "The buffet was incredible, and these drinks are to die for. Want to try some?"
She offered her fruity concoction to Chuck.
"Missy!" George Sr. intervened awkwardly. "Dr. Wolfe is a grown man. He can't drink those girly drinks."
"Dad, that's so narrow-minded," Missy rolled her eyes. "Why can't men drink these? If something tastes good, it tastes good. Why does everything have to be gendered?"
"You don't understand," George Sr. hesitated.
He couldn't exactly tell his daughter that men drinking fruity cocktails looked unmanly and might send the wrong signals.
"Chuck, back me up here," Missy smiled at Chuck expectantly.
"No," Chuck shook his head.
In another context, her argument might hold water, but in the world of American social dynamics, everything carried meaning and assumptions. If you were a straight man sipping a rainbow-colored drink, some guy might approach thinking you were advertising your availability, because those were typically drinks that sent certain social signals.
"Missy, that's enough!" Mary couldn't take anymore and snapped at her daughter. "You've been wild all day—time for bed!"
"Better not wet the bed," Georgie, Sheldon's older brother, couldn't enter the casino due to his age, which meant he couldn't study business models. Frustrated and bored, he couldn't resist needling his sister.
"Georgie!" Missy blushed and glared at her brother.
"That's enough! If you kids keep this up, I'm sending everyone to their rooms right now," Mary threatened.
Missy fell silent.
At her age—not quite a little kid but not yet a teenager—having family publicly mention such embarrassing topics was truly mortifying.
"Aren't you getting on?" The elevator arrived, and Mary looked questioningly at Chuck when he didn't enter.
"I'll catch the next one," Chuck glanced at George Sr.'s prominent belly.
"Ha!" Missy immediately burst out laughing.
George Sr.'s mouth twitched as he self-consciously sucked in his gut, trying to compress his beer belly.
Just as the elevator doors began to close, Chuck looked at Mary and said, "You might want to be prepared."
"Ah!" Missy let out a small shriek of delight.
"Not you," Chuck clarified, looking at her.
The elevator had already closed and begun its ascent.
"Not Missy?" Mary looked confused.
"Of course not me!" Missy immediately understood and grinned wickedly. "I'm way too old to wet the bed! Chuck must mean Sheldon! Remember, Sheldon peed himself the first time he met Chuck. Maybe this time won't be any different, hehe."
"Exactly!" Georgie nodded enthusiastically. "That kid probably sees Chuck as his personal boogeyman."
"Why are you two so happy about this?" Mary believed it was likely and mentally prepared to make arrangements, but seeing her two children's gleeful expressions, she frowned. "That's your brother!"
Missy and Georgie exchanged looks and said in unison: "Yeah, and if it wasn't Sheldon, we wouldn't find it nearly as funny."
"I suppose that makes sense..." George Sr. muttered.
Mary: "..."
(End of Chapter)
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