Chapter 659: Everyone Tries Their Best

Despite desperately pleading, Manager Ma simply broke the man's fingers.

"Aaaah!"

The man screamed, his voice filled with anguish. The pain was evident, his eyes bloodshot.

"I-I told you! Why? Why are you doing this?"

"You're slow to respond. Just answer the questions when asked."

No matter how many curses the man muttered, I was ready to launch into the next question.

That is, until the satellite phone in Manager Ma's hand broke the silence.

I stopped mid-sentence and glanced at Manager Ma as he answered the call.

Moments later, he handed me the large, heavy phone.

"Boss, it's Jessica."

The long-awaited contact had finally come through.

"Jessica, just hold on a second."

I hurriedly stood, asking for her understanding while shifting my position.

The acoustics were terrible for a conversation here, with sounds bouncing around.

I quickly hit the mute button, fearing any noise might escape.

Before leaving, I made sure to give Manager Ma a directive.

"Manager, interrogate these people and extract all necessary information. Just don't kill them."

Perhaps picking up on the situation, Yoon swiftly approached.

"Boss, if you're trying to speak quietly, there's a staff break room right next door."

"Please lead me there."

I followed Yoon out of the room. Deeper inside, there was another door.

Yoon opened it and hit the switch to turn on the lights.

The room contained a small bed and a sofa. It was sparse, but it seemed soundproof.

"I'll be on the phone for a moment."

"Yes, I'll wait outside."

As I entered the room, Yoon closed the door behind me.

I sat down, hit the mute button again, and raised the phone to my ear.

"Jessica."

― "Charlie, are you in Iraq?"

Jessica—or rather, the U.S.—already knew I had entered Iraq.

After all, the Korean government had sent an entry approval letter to the U.S. troops stationed in Iraq, so they couldn't possibly be unaware.

As soon as they received that information, they would've contacted me via satellite phone.

"Yes. I've arrived now. The longer we wait on this, the more precarious the hostages' lives become."

― "That may be, but… you might be wasting your time, right? We need to move carefully."

"Is the U.S. government allowing my movements to go unchecked?"

I could pick up on Jessica's implication that she wouldn't impede my involvement despite her concerns about potential missteps.

― "Yes. But please don't expect our assistance. Anything that happens during the hostage rescue operation will not involve the U.S. government. Any problems arising will fall solely on you, Charlie."

All responsibility rests with me… I couldn't help but smirk at that.

"So, if I rescue the Americans, it sounds like the glory will go to the U.S. government and military."

― "… Charlie."

After relieving a few burdens, I felt like they were taking me for a sap.

If I saved Kim Mu-gil while rescuing Americans, they'd use it for grand media promotion and I'd be left holding the bag.

"Jessica, I think you're forgetting your role as my partner. I'm not a puppet to dance at your whims."

― "This is the limit of what I can do. I've even spoken in a meeting with all the heads of intelligence agencies to allow you to negotiate…"

Jessica began explaining everything she had done to get this operation moving.

I was able to dig out the necessary information from her excuses bit by bit.

'The appointment of the head of the National Intelligence Service has already been decided.'

It was easy to guess that if the election ended in Bush's victory, they would appoint him right afterwards.

― "I've done my best."

I responded firmly, as if to cut through her low whispers.

"Everyone does their best. What I need is not someone who works hard, but someone capable of delivering good results. I chose you as my partner for your capability. But just like last time with the DEA and this time… you keep disappointing me, Jessica."

― "Charlie, what do you want?"

I had been waiting for this question. What I wanted was straightforward.

"I want the U.S. not to hold me responsible if I take military action within Iraq. In other words, if any of the hostages die during military actions, I won't assume the responsibility for that."

― "Charlie! Allowing military actions is…"

Jessica raised her voice. Of course, I was well aware it was an unreasonable request.

Yet, without any safety measures in place, too many people were entangled in this affair.

"The Korean government has already promised not to hold me accountable for my negotiations. The U.S. government should do the same; then I will take responsibility and also save the Americans. But if that promise isn't made, I will only rescue the Koreans and end the operation, even if it costs me a hundred thousand won."

― "Charlie, giving them money would be like providing funding for terrorism. That's unacceptable."

"That's what I'm saying. How can you know if I'll give them money or not? Considering I have no idea where they even are right now. I've already secured two of the original kidnappers. What is the U.S. military doing?"

Regardless of how capable Black Bear was in intelligence, they couldn't match the U.S. military engaged in active warfare.

However, Black Bear quickly identified the suspects and secured them.

The U.S. military certainly could have done this as well, but they chose not to pursue the kidnappers.

Unlike Black Bear, who would do anything under my command, the U.S. military had to be cautious of global scrutiny.

Regardless of their differing positions, they couldn't avoid criticism for inaction when their citizens were kidnapped.

― "Is it true? Really, did you secure a kidnapper?"

"What good would it do to lie? We are currently interrogating them, and once that's done, I was going to hand them over to the military. But it seems that won't be necessary now."

Jessica remained silent for a while.

"Jessica?"

I called her, sensing something strange in the prolonged silence.

― "I'm sorry, wait a moment."

Had Jessica ever paused her conversation while talking to me before?

"Is someone with you?"

― "… Yes."

Someone was with her… she was acting independently without informing me again.

I thought she was someone easy to maneuver due to her ambition, but perhaps it was time to consider replacing her.

"Were you on speakerphone?"

Jessica, realizing my voice had dropped, hurried to explain.

― "No, I wouldn't do such a thing without permission."

I chuckled at her vague response. Who did she think she needed permission from to act?

Irritated by her ambiguous remarks, my voice turned icy.

"Jessica, sharing conversations held with your partner with others is, frankly, rude."

― "I understand. I know, but this situation is unavoidable…"

Before Jessica could finish, I heard someone beside her asking for the phone.

― "Charlie, hello. This is John Negroponte."

The man introduced himself by name rather than title.

His accent was more British than American.

But hearing his name, nobody came to mind.

I quickly recalled the names of key figures in the current Bush administration.

Suddenly, Jessica's mention of briefing with the head of National Intelligence popped into my head.

"Are you perhaps the head of National Intelligence?"

― "Do you know me?"

"No. There's no one named John among those with roles high enough to receive Jessica's phone. It's just an assumption."

― "Ha! Just as I heard, you're quite amusing. That's right. Unofficially, if Bush wins reelection, I'll be appointed head of National Intelligence."

His light-hearted tone had a strangely authoritative edge to it.

Now it made sense why Jessica was acting differently than usual; the former head of National Intelligence was with her.

"Congratulations on your prospective appointment. However, eavesdropping on someone else's conversation doesn't seem like the best behavior."

― "You're quite straightforward, as I hear. Bush told me about you, and frankly, it's hard to believe. The things you say seem entirely preposterous."

I wondered what exactly Bush has said to elicit such a reaction from him.

Could he have read my mind? He continued speaking.

― "In front of the President and Vice President, who could confidently express their views like that, especially in the White House—the heart of America? Even if it was your country's president, the President of South Korea, I doubt they could manage it."

It seemed he was relaying what happened during my meeting with Bush. That must have been quite a shocking encounter for him.

― "Oh, and let me clarify. I didn't eavesdrop on your conversation. I saw Jessica's reaction and thought it was my time to speak up. Please don't misunderstand."

His eloquence felt more akin to that of a seasoned diplomat than someone in intelligence services.

"You're well aware that's not particularly nice, right?"

― "If it upset you, I apologize."

For someone potentially sitting in such a high role, his response was surprisingly dexterous.

Faced with such a demeanor, I could hardly argue any further. I simply sighed softly.

"…It's fine."

― "Can we now proceed with our discussion?"

He probably didn't come down to my level just to talk.

I steadied myself and pretended to comply with his proposal.

"Let's do that. I'm curious about what you wanted to say that warranted such rude behavior."

― "I heard you secured some of the kidnappers' identities. Is that true?"

"Yes. I was in the middle of interrogating them when I received Jessica's call, so I handed them over to someone else temporarily to talk to you."

― "Hmm… Are their identities former Iraqi soldiers?"

My eyes widened unbeknownst to me. Usually, when kidnappings occur in Iraq, they immediately think of terror groups.

"How did you know?"

― "If it had been a terrorist group, they wouldn't be asking for money. Oh, I forgot to mention, I was the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq until just before the war broke out."

It all made sense now that he mentioned he had been the ambassador to Iraq before the war; he was undoubtedly well-informed about the situation in the country.

No wonder he had been appointed as the head of the National Intelligence Service.

"You managed to escape unscathed."

― "Haha. I left before the war started. Thank you for your concern."

"The kidnappers are indeed remnants of the Iraqi army."

― "I suspected as much. I found it strange that they had demanded money from KBR. The extreme Islamists I know wouldn't make such demands."

"Yes, I thought so too. That's why I ordered my staff in Iraq to investigate that angle. Fortunately, we managed to secure them within a day."

John expressed a small admiration.

― "I've heard of Black Bear's competence, but to capture them in just a day is impressive."

"If the U.S. had set its mind to it, they would have caught them quickly too. They just chose not to."

― "Politics is like that. Do you know how many procedures have to be followed for orders to reach the field? No matter how much the President wants, the military can't act as one without an order. If that happened, it would be dictatorship."

If one relaxed, they'd be swept away. The conversation was meandering according to his intention.

I needed to steer it back on track.

"As we interrogated the remnants of the Iraqi army, they initially claimed to have been manipulated by a terrorist organization to kidnap them. However, it seems that they also demanded ransoms from various companies, likely finding the money they were paid insufficient to release the hostages."

I shared some of the information I gathered. Still, he seemed to respond nonchalantly, as if he'd already considered it.

― "Certainly. Living in Iraq, they would learn just how easily promises can be broken."

Wasn't this a bit like spitting in the wind? The U.S. broke promises just as easily to fit their needs.

When I didn't reply, John brought up the main subject.

― "Charlie, please hand them over to us."

"You're demanding quite brazenly."

― "It's not a demand, it's a request. Because it's Black Bear, I'm requesting it. If they had been caught by an ally, it would have been a demand."

This was a glimpse into the brutal nature of U.S. hegemony.

The cunningness of the U.S. which claims to be the police of the world while manipulating allies at will.

"What if I refuse?"

― "Weren't you planning to hand them over after interrogating them?"

"That was the original plan. However, now that I've been told to take all responsibility, that thought has vanished. To be honest, I'd rather withdraw from Iraq right now."

― "The U.S. does not negotiate with terrorists. They're targets for extermination, not for negotiation."

Yoon's voice seemed spiked with thorns between the lines.

"Even when the lives of your citizens are at stake?"

― "Still. The safety of American citizens as a whole trumps individual lives, as well as the principles of the country itself."

"Well, alright. I'll hand them over, but only if the U.S. shares responsibility for this operation with me."

― "…".

They went silent at my words again. I felt like I was starting to see what they were contemplating and couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"John, since you understand the situation in Iraq well, let me tell you—if I could buy back the hostages peacefully without the need for military action, I would. But do you think they'll be open to negotiation? Military action will likely be necessary. However, I have no intention of accepting responsibility for anything that happens during the rescue operation."

The U.S. was desperate to find weaknesses in my armor.

So they would be skeptical of my refusal to take on any responsibilities during the rescue operation.

But I had no intention of allowing them to find a weakness in me.

After all, if I had been willing to take all of the responsibilities, I wouldn't have sought permission from the U.S. in the first place.