Chapter 147: I Can Make You the Director

[Chapter 147: I Can Make You the Director]

Christmas was approaching.

Snowflakes drifted down from the sky.

The snow blanketed the roads, covering Los Angeles in a silvery layer.

Ian sat in the car as they drove along an empty street. He turned to Brydon and said, "You can head back first; I'm going to take a walk."

"Sure, boss," Brydon replied as he drove away.

...

Ian strolled with his hands in his pockets, enjoying the falling snow. He spotted a cafe with its lights still on and walked inside. "One hot latte, please," he ordered.

He chose a seat by the window and sat quietly in thought.

The coffee soon arrived, and the barista smiled, saying, "Here you go, Mr. Carr. A gift for a hero."

Ian chuckled and pulled out a bill, handing it to the barista. "You didn't need to give it to me for free; I can pay."

"Then thank you very much!" the barista said happily, accepting the hundred-dollar bill.

...

While sipping his coffee, the cafe door swung open.

A female police officer walked in, straight toward him.

Katherine.

The blonde officer with long legs approached, and upon seeing Ian, she sat down beside him and said, "You look good, American hero."

"Long time no see," Ian smiled back.

Katherine's expression was cold. "Because I've been busy. Do you know what I've been busy with?"

Ian looked at her silently.

Katherine continued, "I've been investigating you."

"Wow," Ian said with a grin. "Care to tell me why?"

"Mohammed Atta!" she said seriously. "You knew he was going to do this beforehand, and you let Leyso get on his plane while you took another one. You watched the disaster unfold and used it to make yourself a hero!"

Her face was serious, her tone filled with anger.

Ian calmly drank his coffee.

He looked at Katherine with a cool gaze, tinged with sympathy. "Why are you only suspicious about this now? Oh, I know; it's because of the recent interview Leyso gave about Atta, right?"

Katherine took a deep breath. "You knew everything!"

Ian gently nodded. "Yes."

Katherine was taken aback. "You admit it?"

Ian sneered. "Of course. Remember when I first told you why I wanted to find Atta? I said that guy could be a terrorist. I never lied to you."

Katherine exclaimed, "But you didn't report it."

"You didn't report it!" Ian pointed at her, raising his voice. "I told a police officer my suspicions; what more did you want?"

Katherine was left open-mouthed, stunned by his accusation.

Like... maybe that's how it was?

It took her a moment to respond. "But you couldn't be sure back then."

Ian smirked. "When did I ever say I was sure? Fighting against terrorism doesn't require certainty. Doubt demands preparation. As a newspaper owner and a journalist, I doubted, I informed, I acted. Now you tell me, what wrong did I do? Instead, what have you done?"

Katherine was speechless at his questioning. She touched her forehead, saying, "I didn't really think anything major would happen then."

"That's an error on you and your father's part; it's none of my business!" Ian scoffed.

"Don't involve my father; he has nothing to do with this!"

Ian replied, "He helped you find Atta's whereabouts, but he did nothing!"

Saying this, Ian took out a voice recorder and began playing back their previous conversation for Katherine to hear.

Her expression changed drastically. "You bastard, you recorded our conversation?"

Ian coldly replied, "I'm a journalist; I specialize in recording information."

He looked at Katherine with disdain. "Does your father suspect me of colluding with terrorists? Ha, why? Does he want to take down a hero to boost his own glory? Luckily, I never had faith in humanity! Leyso sought out Atta because he suspected him, and that was the reality. Which journalist can arrest someone based on a suspicion? No matter how you twist it, you can't pin this on me. But this recording could send your father to hell! He missed an opportunity to prevent a disaster! He was negligent!"

Katherine snatched the recorder and slammed it to the ground, stomping on it wildly.

Ian didn't stop her, only looking at her with sympathy. "I've been waiting for you to find me because I know you well, Miss Katherine. You think you're a righteous police officer, but in reality, you're nothing, not even competent. It's already December, and you're just now looking for me! I waited three months! And this is your reaction? Trying to frame me?"

Katherine slumped helplessly in her seat.

Ian smirked. "I didn't know Flight 77 would face trouble; no one would risk their life that way. So don't try to pin it on me. But for your rudeness toward me, I'll consider releasing this news, and your father will be disgraced... And don't think this is the only recording!"

"No!" Katherine cried out.

Ian leisurely lit a cigar and calmly said, "I enjoy it when trouble finds me because it means more good news will come my way. But sadly, you don't seem to hold any significant value. You can't give me what I want, so your father will be the sacrifice."

Katherine inhaled sharply. "You want to sleep with me?"

Ian laughed. "You're a beautiful girl, but do you know how many beautiful girls want to sleep with me? Let's put that aside; how much do you think you're worth? A thousand dollars? Your father's news is worth far more to me! So don't use your body as bargaining; it's not worth much."

Katherine gritted her teeth, "You dirty money-grubbing bastard!"

Ian shook his head lightly. "I don't have much money, just a lot of debt. But fortunately, my influence outweighs my cash... I mean, I'm good at turning worthless people into valuable ones."

Saying this, he looked at Katherine and laughed, "Go back and talk to your father. If he's willing to befriend me, I could make him the head of the FBI."

Katherine sneered, "So he's supposed to be your dog?"

Ian replied, "Everyone's willing to be a dog; they're just afraid of not getting a good price."

With that, he stood up to leave.

What had he forgotten?

Oh, Gaskill wanted him to Fuck her?

Crap, what's the rush? It's bound to happen; he wasn't short on girls now.

---

The next day.

Ian met John Brown, Katherine's father.

Same cafe, same seat as before.

The mid-level FBI manager sat in the spot where his daughter had been, smiling at Ian. "Mr. Carr, my daughter can be a bit thoughtless. I apologize on her behalf."

Ian's attitude was friendly. "No worries; I won't hold that against her."

He fixed his gaze on John, saying, "Mr. Brown, I believe your daughter has conveyed my message to you. I want to reiterate: I'm serious."

John Brown chuckled, "The question is, how do you plan to do that?"

Ian shrugged. "The election -- you know?"

John nodded. "There's still three years left."

Ian replied, drinking his coffee casually, "If it was the election next year, I wouldn't be saying this, as I didn't have the confidence back then. But with three years remaining, I'm confident."

He looked at John and smiled, "I own 25% of CBS shares; I'm the owner of Carr Media Group; I'm an American hero, and that glow will never fade. Even after fifty years, a hundred years, as long as people remember 9/17, they will remember me!"

John nodded slightly. "You're right... You're the fastest-growing individual I've ever met. In just one year, you've become a business tycoon with assets over a billion and control over tens of billions."

Ian laughed, "So you see, I might not be able to decide who the head of the FBI is right now, but I... well, with a few other friends, can decide who the president is, and the president can decide who the director is."

"That'll still take three years."

"Are you that eager?" Ian chuckled. "Or do you not trust me?"

John Brown thought seriously for a while and said, "I don't mean to distrust you; you're a sharp journalist and a Pulitzer Prize contender next year... No one would doubt that, and you're also an outstanding businessman. So, I'm willing to accept your goodwill, what about you? What do you need me to do?"

No one doubted Ian Carr would become the Pulitzer winner next year; it was news that couldn't be avoided.

Well, maybe he should make a wager using that?

Forget it, not necessary.

Ian smiled, thinking for a moment and then said, "People say paparazzi have sharp noses, but compared to the FBI, we're miles behind. It's just that the FBI always concealed its news... such a waste. By the way, I remember you monitor everything, even Hollywood?"

John Brown went silent.

Right, they didn't just monitor Hollywood?

They monitored everything, including all major news outlets. CBS was a regular under FBI scrutiny; when CBS released information about Atta, the FBI specifically instructed not to portray his humanity -- this was detrimental to their narrative against the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

For that reason, CBS had to cut some of the content.

Who doesn't have a bit of political scrutiny?

At this moment, Ian said, "I want some information."

John shook his head. "I can't give you too easily; it's too much and has too great an impact."

"What about Sony Pictures? That should be okay, right?" Ian coaxed.

He wasn't in a hurry. After they released a bit today, they would continue to provide more information the next day.

With John and the FBI's help, together with his own capabilities, Ian would soon dig up all of Sony's dark secrets.

He didn't worry that they'd be clean.

No one could make big in business without doing something shady.

Out of the question!

There were only law-abiding companies; there were no morally upright companies!

John Brown took a deep breath. "If they find out it was me, I'd be finished."

Ian confidently waved a hand. "The worst that could happen is you lose your job and become a special advisor for Carr Media Group, earning a million-dollar salary while being miserable over your lost purpose."

When he said that, he didn't even need to hypnotize.

Money was the best hypnosis!

What use did he have for this power?

John Brown laughed. "I'll get it to you tomorrow."

*****

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