Chapter 82: God Bless America

[Chapter 82: God Bless America]

In a high-end restaurant not far from the police station, Ian and Katherine sat facing each other.

The restaurant had a romantic ambiance, with sky-blue tablecloths, red carpets, exquisite tableware, and soothing music playing softly in the background.

Dressed in a sharp black suit, Ian sipped his red wine while cutting into a piece of veal. "Care for some?" he casually asked, raising his glass.

Katherine looked at him coldly.

She wore a bright yellow low-cut top that highlighted her figure, accessorized with dangling earrings that gave her an air of sophistication.

But this wasn't her choice; it was at the request of the police chief.

"If you don't want to lose this job by acting violently and embarrass your father, it's best to play nice," the chief had told her.

She came reluctantly and had no intention of playing along.

With an icy tone, Katherine replied, "I'm not hungry."

Ian shrugged, unbothered. "I understand how you feel. If that's the case, let's skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point."

Katherine raised an eyebrow. "What point? You want me to sleep with you?"

Ian sneered, "If I wanted, there's no shortage of women willing to join me, and there are plenty far prettier than you."

Katherine raised her chin in pride. "There's not a woman in the world more beautiful than me. Not even close."

Ian smiled. "You think too highly of yourself. Anyway, I'm looking for someone. Your father can help me find him."

"Who?"

"His name is Mohammed Atta."

Katherine looked at him in shock. "A Middle Eastern man?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Ian thought for a moment and replied, "I have a friend in Germany who mentioned signs that this guy might be connected to a terrorist organization. But he left Germany two years ago and came to America. My friend warned me to be cautious because he might cause some trouble."

Ian wasn't worried about mentioning the name.

As one of the key perpetrators of 9/11, Atta had not carried out any particularly notorious actions up to that point. He was being monitored only due to some questionable connections that lacked solid proof -- a target of suspicion among thousands for the FBI and CIA.

As a journalist, Ian felt he had the right to pursue any potential threat he deemed necessary.

He thought, 'I can rightfully suspect anything, and if my suspicions get validated, that's my win! I, Ian Carr, have always come out on top! My instincts never fail me!'

And concerning the CIA and FBI's suspicions of Atta, Ian no longer felt concerned -- by then, he would be standing at the pinnacle of his success, not something anyone could challenge without concrete evidence.

In fact, even evidence wouldn't matter.

This was the world of capital; money ruled. What he had to worry about was merely avoiding falling out of the economic race!

He smiled at Katherine. "So you see, your father isn't just helping me; I'm also helping him. If he can track this guy down, it might prevent a disaster."

Katherine scoffed, "What kind of joke is that? You think I'll believe you?"

That was exactly what he wanted -- she didn't believe him.

In a slow, deliberate tone, he said, "I'm a journalist; we investigate everything. You might not believe me, but I want to know his whereabouts. So, could you do me a favor?"

Ian didn't use hypnosis, realizing this stubborn woman wouldn't stick with an agreement even if she momentarily agreed.

Katherine took a deep breath. "I won't agree. You can publish whatever you wish about me!"

With that, she got up and walked away.

"You haven't eaten yet!" Ian called out.

"Not interested," Katherine replied, striding away.

As he watched her leave, Ian chuckled softly.

He took out his voice recorder and spoke to himself, "No, you will agree... it depends on whether God blesses the America."

...

"You pulled it off beautifully, Ian!"

In the villa, Lena broke her usual demeanor as she dashed into Ian's arms, kissing him passionately in front of Gaskill.

Her blue eyes sparkled like gemstones, radiating fervent love.

This made Ian feel a bit awkward, turning to Gaskill. "I'm sorry, I..."

Gaskill waved his hand, smiling. "No worries. If I were a girl, I'd want to do the same. Although it's a bit risky, it's really wonderful. WND is going to skyrocket because of this news!"

Gaskill was right; the live-action car chase interview had been phenomenal.

Not just in America, there hadn't been a spectacle like that anywhere in the world!

Journalists chasing criminals amidst gunfire in real time was unprecedented!

It sounded like a wild fantasy.

Although Ian had been in gunfights before, those situations were quite standard, and many exciting moments in battles against the Crips Gang couldn't be aired.

This time was different; it all aired live and was much more exhilarating!

High-speed chases and gunfights were America's eternal favorites, and a live report on that level was explosive!

This news was certain to bring massive traffic to WND -- ad revenues, user growth, and countless tangible and intangible benefits.

In fact, thanks to Ian's earlier news support, WND's value had increased from an initial 40 million to about 45 million. With this exclusive news piece, its value soared to 55 million.

It was a ten-million-dollar news story!

Exactly! It was that impressive, and that's just for now; with proper management, WND's value would continue to rise.

As for the bank robbers, they managed to escape, thanks to the notorious driving skills of their getaway driver, leaving behind a living legend.

...

As he was invited to sit on the couch, Ian gently set Lena down.

She remained curled up beside him, casting an admiring look at Gaskill. "I love you, Gaskill, but today, I love him more!"

Gaskill laughed, "I know, sweetie. Feel free to stay in his arms for now."

Then he turned to Ian, saying, "But I really have to advise you against such reckless moves in the future. You succeeded today, but it's still a gamble. Do you know why?"

Ian gently kissed Lena and swirled his wine glass, saying, "I get it. I only proved my talent as a journalist, but what I need to prove is my talent as a businessman."

Being a journalist so passionately could, in some sense, overshadow his business acumen.

Which business owner would be so reckless? Dying would cause a ton of trouble for the company!

Gaskill quipped, "So how do you plan to resolve that issue?"

Ian smiled back. "It's simple; fulfill the bet and throw in some clever tricks."

While this news had exploded, as previously noted, it was the live action that made it spectacular -- and it was video!

Thus, it elevated the value of WND News Network, not the LA Herald.

True, the exclusive news from the Herald could boost circulation, but it wasn't enough to outperform the LA Times.

Ian had merely completed his previous bet with the clients but hadn't fulfilled the one with the LA Times.

"Tell me more specifics," Gaskill urged.

"Here's the deal -- I still plan to leverage this Palo Alto Bank incident. Remember? I owe those four robbers each ten thousand dollars..."

*****

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