Chapter 204: The Box?
The President and the Cult
The first condition was expected, but the second was a surprise.
"Director Harvey, I don't understand what you mean."
"Fools who worship a demon? A cult, essentially. If the President is involved with a cult, why don't you arrest him?"
"Evidence, understand? Without evidence, how can I arrest him? He's the President!"
Jack slammed his fist on the table. "The damned scumbags, they're like primitive people hiding in a sewer. They don't use phones or computers. They actually use magic to communicate. How can magic be used as evidence? Who can prove it?"
Luke asked skeptically, "It shouldn't be difficult for the FBI to find a few witches or wizards skilled in magic, should it?"
"If wizards were useful, I wouldn't be coming to you! Do you know what a necromantic ritual is?"
Luke, of course, knew, but wouldn't admit it. "Sorry, I'm completely clueless about magic."
"Those vermin use a necromantic ritual, a type of dark magic. I don't understand the specifics myself, but it's incredibly troublesome and difficult to track, even for highly skilled sorcerers."
The old man sighed deeply. "Over the years, numerous official agencies have been tracking them—the FBI, CIA, A.R.G.U.S., and local police have all been involved. But no matter what method we use, we can't find a single clue."
Luke gently swirled his wine glass, contemplating.
"After three years of investigation, you can't be telling me you have no leads at all."
Jack nodded. "You're right. We do have a rough idea. We've tentatively locked down the cult headquarters to a primeval forest in the northwest of the Mississippi River. The natural environment in that area is extremely harsh. I've sent four teams in, and not one came out completely unharmed."
He sighed again, his face marked by the sadness of a man worried about his country.
Luke was unmoved. He took a sip of red wine and continued,
"If it's that dangerous, why not send in the military?"
Jack snapped, "Kid, stop stalling. Just answer me this: Can you do it or not?"
"Of course not! Risking offending the President and venturing into a primeval forest to catch a cult for an empty promise? Do you take me for a fool?" Luke sneered.
"And that forest—don't think I'm ignorant. It's not just full of wild beasts; there are also phantoms, vengeful spirits, and other bizarre entities. An ordinary person going in is asking to die. Soldiers are no exception."
"Others might die, but you won't." Jack leaned forward, a strong smell of alcohol hitting Luke. "Linda Danvers is still living at your place. That damned alien—she killed seven of my agents, and I haven't settled that score with you yet."
Luke spread his hands. "Then go ahead! Why don't you? Send your people—the metahumans, mutants, special ops soldiers, assassins, whatever—to find her and arrest her. Cross-examine her thoroughly. Don't worry, I won't interfere."
The sarcastic words deeply stung the old man. His hard, wrinkled face twisted and contorted like an enraged lion.
Luke's lips curled upwards, his mockery growing more intense.
"Why don't you go? Because you don't dare. You lot are useless. You couldn't even deal with Hector, so how could you dare provoke her? If she wanted to, she could level the entire FBI in five minutes, including the White House."
"In a way, you should thank me. Because of my presence, she hasn't retaliated for your previous actions."
"Director Harvey, to cooperate, you must first recognize your position. In front of me, you have no room for negotiation. Understand?"
With that, he tossed his napkin down and turned to leave.
His leather boots tapped against the floor. Just as he reached the door, a call came from behind.
"Wait!"
Luke turned back, smiling faintly. "Something else?"
Jack Harvey pointed to the chair, saying wearily, "State your conditions!"
Luke's mouth curved up. He sat back down.
"That's better. If you need something from someone, don't try to pull frivolous stunts or treat me like a three-year-old who can be scared into submission with a few shouts."
"I can give you the alien's information, and even deal with this so-called cult and find criminal evidence against the President. But you must agree to two conditions: First, guarantee Emily is promoted to Department Supervisor—a real, fully empowered supervisor, not just a nominal position—before the end of the year. Second, I want access to the Red Room Laboratory to take a couple of items."
The old man was shocked. "How do you know about the Red Room Laboratory?"
"I'm not going to answer juvenile questions. The first condition can wait, but the second one must be carried out immediately. Also, don't try to move the items before I get there. If I find out..."
His expression turned cold, and a terrifying aura instantly descended, causing the old man, who had weathered countless storms, to visibly tremble.
The cunning brat. He's definitely not ordinary! Jack Harvey muttered to himself, lowering his head, seemingly weighing the costs and benefits. After a long while, he finally spoke.
"The items in the lab concern state secrets. With my clearance, I can only give you a small portion."
Luke smiled. "I don't need much. Only two things: Promethium metal and a Box."
"A Box? What Box?"
"Don't play dumb. You know perfectly well."
Jack Harvey stared intently at Luke. "You know the origin of that Box?"
"I can only tell you it comes from an alien civilization. As for the rest, frankly, I don't know either."
"Why do you want the Box?"
"To study it."
The old man stated solemnly, "The Red Room Laboratory has the world's top scientists. You could simply join them and study it together."
Luke laughed helplessly, as if encountering something incredibly amusing.
"Those scientists of yours? Give them a thousand years, and they still won't unlock the Box's secret. On this planet, the only one who can open the Box is me." Then he changed his tone, adding,
"Even for me, it will take a considerable amount of time to decipher its secrets."
Jack Harvey didn't believe his outrageous claim but couldn't refute it either. The Box was incredibly sturdy; even the highest frequency ion cutter couldn't scratch it.
It was an enigma, the technological pinnacle of a higher civilization, far beyond the reach of Earth's current technology.
Perhaps I should let this kid try. Jack Harvey's mind shifted. He spoke slowly.
"I can give it to you, but you must guarantee that you will provide me with the first-hand data you obtain after cracking it."
Luke shrugged. "No problem. When do we leave?"
"The sooner, the better. Ideally, right now."
"Fine. Right now."
An hour later, at a military airport in Coast City, a fighter jet took off, speeding toward the southeast. After two hours of flight, it landed near the desert of Arizona.
After disembarking, they rode in a Hummer for about twenty miles of night driving, arriving at a military base constructed in the middle of a Gobi desert.
"Let's go. The Box is inside."
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