"Charlie, leave the car keys and head back."
"Yes, Boss."
Once he was gone, only Luke and Emily remained.
At that moment, the sunset was painting the western sky. A good-looking young man and woman strolling under the orange-red setting sun should have been a romantic scene, but the girl kept staring at the ground, utterly silent.
"Why so quiet? Who upset you?"
Emily looked up and demanded, "Did you ever consider that if that gun had accidentally fired, Ibn could have died, and you would have become a murderer?"
Luke laughed heartily, taking the pistol and tossing it to her.
"See for yourself."
Emily caught the handle, and her expression instantly became strange.
"It's a fake?"
"Of course it's fake! I'm a law-abiding citizen. How could I use a real gun to force a confession? That's a crime, you know!"
Emily angrily threw the pistol on the ground.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"If I told you, how could you act? Performance requires complete immersion, right? Don't you think your performance was superb, especially the moment the gun went off..." Luke closed his eyes, savoring the memory.
"The startled expression mixed with a bit of disbelief, your eyes showing pity, anger, and a slight, almost imperceptible confusion."
"Why the confusion? Was it because of me? If I had truly killed someone, what would you, an FBI agent, have done? Arrest me? Or not?"
Emily gave him an expressionless look and turned to walk away.
"Don't go! I haven't finished talking!"
Luke followed behind her, asking with a smile, "What are you going to do next?"
"Do what next?"
"About Adousan, of course! Don't you want to know if he was the one who uploaded the video? The identity of the murdered woman? And what exactly is hidden behind this incident?"
Emily stopped and frowned. "Are you saying..."
Luke smiled, pointed at her, and then at himself.
"Help me, and let me help you."
The girl's frown deepened. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't need your help."
Luke gently shook his head, seemingly displeased by her evasion. He walked up the stairs to the bridge and looked out at the Statue of Liberty against the sea breeze. The sunset cast a vital glow upon the statue, with the clouds serving as her garment. Distant skyscrapers and the flowing green water nearby, where a few yachts sailed by, their white wakes serving as the most beautiful embellishment.
"It's so beautiful!"
Emily genuinely admired the view.
Luke smiled and spoke in a voice only they could hear.
"As a metahuman, life in the FBI must not be easy, right?"
Emily's expression instantly froze, like the immobile Statue of Liberty.
Luke spoke casually, "No need to be so surprised! It's not a big deal."
Emily stiffly turned around.
"When did you know?"
"I knew the first time we met."
"How is that possible?"
Luke shrugged. "To me, the FBI's internal network is like my own backyard garden. Whenever I get bored, I just wander around in there. I always find new fun."
Emily was silent, then speechless. The young man before her acted completely nonchalant, as if the FBI truly were his backyard. But Emily knew very well that the FBI's internal security system was touted as having the strongest defenses in the world. No one had ever fully retreated after an invasion.
He's lying through his teeth, does he really think I know nothing?
"What's wrong? You don't believe me?
It doesn't matter, you'll find out later. Speaking of which, there's something I've always been curious about. According to FBI personnel files, you belong to the Department of Anomalous Affairs Investigation, while Roger Consius is the head of the Cyber Security Department. How did you end up being his subordinate?"
Emily's eyebrows twitched. The information in that sentence was too revealing, forcing her to be suspicious.
"You... you really didn't hack the FBI, did you?"
The girl was terrified as she asked the question.
"How could I? I was just teasing you; you actually believed it. Am I, Luke Shaw, that kind of person?"
Emily blinked her beautiful large eyes, her head full of questions. The longer she interacted with Luke, the less she understood him. His thoughts were like the clouds in the sky—ever-changing, flying this way and that, sometimes bringing surprises, but mostly leaving people bewildered.
"Luke, as your friend, I have to warn you: hacking the FBI is a serious crime. Under no circumstances should you ever do that."
"Alright, I got it."
Luke dismissed her impatiently. The FBI's broken system? I could walk in, take a dump, and they wouldn't find me.
"Let's get back to the previous question. How did you end up working for Roger? That guy is a notorious jerk."
Emily spoke in a low voice, "The FBI has an unwritten rule: any case involving metahumans requires assistance from personnel in the Anomalous Affairs Investigation Department. The purpose is to avoid certain unnecessary troubles."
"So, Roger Consius isn't your direct superior."
Emily nodded, looking troubled.
"Don't ask any more questions. We have confidentiality agreements and can't disclose internal information."
"Fine. Let's change the topic." Luke turned to face her. "What are you planning for your future?"
Emily looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Luke sighed softly. "The Anomalous Affairs Investigation Department is the most unusual department in the FBI. Most members are humans with superpowers, dedicated to dealing with sudden, non-natural events. The missions have a high-risk factor, and the casualty rate is very high. Yet, strangely, the director and deputy director have been ordinary people since the department was founded decades ago. No metahuman has ever been promoted."
He deliberately paused here, then slowly continued as she remained silent.
"I don't know why they do this, but after thinking about it, it comes down to one word: trust. That word is deadly. It can trigger a chain reaction of things like discrimination, identity issues, isolation, and more. In severe cases, it can affect your very safety."
"Emily, are you absolutely sure you want to live your life in this environment?"
The girl's face darkened. "I will not be a traitor, and I will not betray the FBI. If you say one more word, don't blame me for getting rough."
"Who asked you to be a traitor? Where did your mind go? I'm just asking if you plan to stay in this line of work."
Emily looked directly into Luke's eyes, her expression serious and solemn.
"Although the FBI has many undesirable aspects, its core purpose is good. It protects many people. I won't leave."
"I knew you'd say that. So, I've decided to give you a gift."
"A gift?"
Luke affirmed it, and his expression immediately became serious. "Uncovering the mastermind behind the murder of the woman, exposing the dark side of Gotham City, and destroying Metropolis's drug trafficking network—all three achievements will belong solely to you, Emily. You will become the first female superhero in history, the face of the FBI, and a legend in the justice system. That is the gift I have prepared for you."
Emily's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What exactly are you going to do?"
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