This ti, silence fell on Lambert's side; the activity carried out by Manhattan's OPR was extraordinarily unusual.
Due to the nature of OPR, their investigations are usually handled privately, trying to avoid widespread gossip that could seriously affect the image of the person being investigated and could also have a significant impact on interpersonal relations within the bureau.
Analyzing the current situation, it was clear that OPR intended to stir things up this ti. Such high-profile actions were definitely not good news for Jimmy. However, considering Jimmy's capabilities and his character, sothing about this situation seed amiss. It appeared as though they were intentionally blowing the matter out of proportion, almost as if they were publicizing Jimmy.
These two possibilities were completely opposite; people on their side couldn't fathom what their actual goal was.
Lambert: "Okay, be careful on your end. That's it, goodbye, co visit when you have ti."
After hanging up the phone, Jimmy stood there continuing to smoke. Considering yesterday's calls from Ruiz and Mahong, it now seed they were definitely related to the OPR issues. They had obtained so leads, but the specifics were unclear, which is why they had only given a warning yesterday.
Jimmy refrained from impulsively calling back to inquire. Now that he knew OPR was stirring up trouble, it was ti to think carefully if he had ssed up anywhere.
Finances were not an issue; OPR had already investigated that last ti.
Real estate wasn't a problem either. His fixed assets, though not required to be declared, were covered by his discretionary funds, so it was unlikely anyone would trouble him about that.
That left work-related matters. Despite having only been with the FBI for two years, he had handled many cases, making it difficult for Jimmy to pinpoint where sothing might have gone wrong. For now, he decided to go shopping and think more about it later.
Jimmy discarded his cigarette butt and returned to shopping with Nia.
-----------------
In the evening, when Hughes finished work and just started his car to leave the parking lot, his phone rang. He then diverged from his route ho, heading towards a club.
The call was from an interdiary he had dealt with before but wasn't familiar with. This sudden invitation to a club wasn't standard procedure. Usually, such people would first make contact to ensure the other party was interested or to arrange a eting place to wait—direct requests to et imdiately were rare.
Hughes had considered these things when he took the call, but ultimately decided to et this interdiary to find out who he was representing.
In the designated club room, Hughes pushed the door open. A middle-aged Caucasian man stood up and ca to greet him. They shook hands and then sat down.
Hughes: "Thomas, tell , whom are you representing today?"
Thomas smiled and said, "I am sorry, Hughes. Because of the urgency of the matter, we had to et in this manner. Don't be so angry, my apologies."
Hughes: "So, what do you have to say?"
Thomas: "Hughes, so people are worried about your recent actions; you guys have been too harsh."
Hughes: "Who?"
Thomas: "There are so nas I can't say. It's not just one."
Hughes: "Be clearer."
Thomas: "You know, there are so people I can't ntion, but they are people I can't afford to provoke."
Hughes: "So, what is it that they sent you to talk to about?"
Thomas: "A couple of days ago, you guys targeted a place again, twelve dead, three injured, and one of the deceased was soone significant's man. Hughes, I need to take the corpse back and erase his records."
Hughes: "Na, your higher-up."
Thomas sighed: "Josh, Senator Blair's man."
Hughes narrowed his eyes, grinding his teeth as he said, "You guys crossed the line!"
Thomas nodded and pressed down with both hands: "I understand, Hughes, for the sake of our past relations, let's not let this escalate further."
Hughes: "So, the recent events were your doing, weren't they?"
Thomas frowned slightly: "What events? I haven't done anything."
Hughes pointed at Thomas and said, "Tell your people behind you not to reach too far, the Manhattan office isn't for just anyone to ddle with."
After speaking, Hughes got up and left, Thomas also got up and shouted a few words behind him, but Hughes didn't stop at all, opened the door, and walked out.
Thomas moved his mouth, adjusted his tie, and sat down on the sofa. After thinking for a while, he picked up the phone and dialed out.
Thomas, "What have you done? Why is the FBI so angry?"
After the person on the other end finished talking, Thomas was so angry he wanted to smash his phone, "You idiot, why didn't you tell earlier? Didn't you consider the consequences? Son of a bitch!"
After cursing a few tis, Thomas hung up the phone and threw it on the sofa.
-----------------
Hughes left the club, got into the car but didn't start it; instead, he thought about the recent events. Suddenly, he slapped the steering wheel and then started the car to head ho.
Jimmy being investigated by OPR was definitely not simple. OPR wasn't under Hughes's jurisdiction, but there were certainly more than one mole inside the FBI. The incident that happened at dawn was known to soone by noon, who contacted OPR and figured out how to directly suppress Jimmy's promotion application. Also, the investigation over the last two days was unusually high-profile. They were really trying to bring Jimmy down hard.
Although Thomas had said it was Senator Blair's people, accomplishing all this clearly wasn't the work of a minor figure, and even more, people were involved behind the scenes.
Hughes was just the field agent leader, not the director of the Manhattan office; he couldn't control all departnts, these moles weren't sothing he could deal with, and for now, he could only do his best to protect Jimmy.
Back ho, Hughes's expression had returned to normal; work issues shouldn't be brought ho to affect the family.
In the evening, the doorbell rang, "Hughes, soone's looking for you, he says he's Thomas."
Hughes frowned as he got up from the sofa and went to the door, "Hughes, can we talk?"
Hughes, "What else is there to say?"
Thomas gestured outside with his hand, and Hughes also ca out, closing the door behind them as they moved to the side.
Thomas, "Hughes, I swear, I didn't know they would go this far. I just wanted to resolve the issue quickly to avoid ferntation, which is bad for everyone."
Hughes, "Do you know what they did?"
Thomas, "Yes, I've found out. They went too far. I have an idea that could solve both of our problems."
Hughes nodded his head, indicating him to continue.
Thomas, "The internal investigation will continue, but the outco will et your requirents, and no one will question the process anymore. I guarantee it, whatever the cost. Trust one more ti."
Hughes took a deep breath and nodded, "Continue."
Thomas, "That corpse, we'll take care of it. You just need to delay the case for two more days before dealing with it."
Hughes, "What are you going to do?"
Thomas, "Don't worry, it won't affect you guys. I'll handle it."
Hughes, "One more thing, transfer the mole, don't make find him."
Thomas touched his face and took a deep breath, thinking carefully, and then nodded heavily, "I'll do my best."
Hughes, "You guarantee it."
Thomas, "Yes, I guarantee it."
Hughes extended his right hand making a two-gesture, "Two days." He said and then turned and went back ho. Thomas pulled out his phone and walked towards his own car, beginning to arrange how to handle the aftermath, as one idiot had caused them so much trouble.
Hughes returned to the house, picked up his phone, and called Mahong, "Mahong, extend Jimmy's vacation by three days."
Mahong didn't ask why but just repeated, "Jimmy's vacation is extended by three more days, understood, I'll notify him now."
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