Shadow Empire

Chapter 1083 A sudden call
Fran put down the phone, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the phone for a long time.

The senator on the other end of the phone quickly dialed a number and spread the news within their own small circle.

The FBI director received the news in less than 30 minutes.

The moment he hung up the phone, his face was full of smiles!
The plan was successful.

This plan is actually very... simple, even rudimentary, but if it succeeds, it's a good solution.

He immediately picked up the phone and said, "Notify the supervisor to come to my office for a meeting..." He gave his secretary a list and then began preparing some materials.

A few minutes later, a dozen or so senior FBI agents gathered in his office.

“Our plan has succeeded. Fran has begun preparations for a showdown with the Lance family, and what follows is of utmost importance to us.” He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the tranquil city through the blinds.

"The world doesn't need gangs, it doesn't need people who disrupt social stability and order."

"No extortion, no blackmail, no crime, although I know it's unlikely to be possible."

"However, I will try my best to move in that direction."

He turned back to the senior agents in the office. “You split into two groups and select the people you trust most. Have them keep an eye on the core members of the Perez family and the core members of the Lance family, respectively.”

"I need to know where they've been during this time, who they've met, and when they plan to make their move."

"It would be best to find a way to infiltrate these gangs, either as undercover agents or by developing informants."

“We need to provide them with the right opportunities and venues for their fighting, and prevent more innocent people from being dragged into it.”

Someone raised their hand, and he looked at the supervisor with the hand raised and asked, "What's your question?"

The supervisor stood up, drawing everyone's attention. "The core members of the Lance family are currently in Likale and Indenor. Should we keep an eye on them?"

“Of course!” the FBI director nodded. “I’ll have Derek (Derrick Hansen, director of the Goldenport branch) handle this. He’s already getting familiar with his job over there, and he can do it.”

"But once they arrive here, your people will come to keep an eye on them, understand?"

"Do you have any other questions?"

The senior detective supervisor with the question shook his head, but another person raised his hand and stood up. "Roland, should we let them fight it out, or arrest them after the fight?"

The FBI director shook his head. "You didn't understand what I meant. I meant let them keep fighting, and then we'll clean up the mess. Only in this way will their conflicts escalate and they won't accept mediation."

"Think about it, both sides have suffered heavy casualties in the fighting. Even if someone stands up and tells them they should stop, do you think they can stop?"

"Therefore, not only can we not control the intensity of their fighting in the early stages, but we can also provide them with some clues they want when necessary, such as where the core members of the other side are and where they often appear."

His gaze held a ruthless edge that sent a chill down one's spine. "Gentlemen," he said, "these people pose a terrible danger and threat to our country, our society, and our people, but the law cannot punish them."

"They can easily come up with thousands or tens of thousands of dollars or even more to hire a super-luxurious legal team, bribe jury members, and then get acquitted in court."

“Even if we have the ability to resolve these issues, the court will ultimately not impose too severe a punishment on them.”

“There is no death penalty, only two or three years of imprisonment. Moreover, for these people, especially core members, there is no difference between being in prison and outside of prison. They can still remotely control the criminal operations of their entire family or their subordinates.”

“Prison is just a temporary resort for them, not a form of punishment.”

Do you accept this outcome?

He looked at his subordinates who shared roughly the same ideals and interests as him. They all shook their heads. They had gathered together under the call of justice and light to judge evil, not to condone or tolerate it.

Therefore, they could not accept this outcome: a group of vicious criminals receiving the lightest sentences. It was like a huge, but real, joke!

During their work, under the influence of the FBI director, they also saw many related cases, one of which was quite special.

A criminal gang organized many criminal businesses, including smuggling, extortion, forced prostitution, and human trafficking.

Ultimately, the gang leader was sentenced to fifty years, while other members received sentences ranging from five to twenty years.

This is the highest sentence the judiciary can impose, and it is said that the judge faced considerable pressure to achieve this.

But what about the results?

The gangs still exist, and are even more rampant than before. Their leaders remotely control the gangs from prison to continue their criminal activities, while the core members are soon released from prison for various reasons and reintegrated into society.

They have become more dangerous and their activities are more covert, making subsequent work more difficult.

Although they were all eventually put on trial, the trial was one that people could accept.

"So, the law can't judge them, can't put them in the electric chair. Whether it's Lance White or Fran Perez, do you think anyone can put these two leaders in the electric chair?"

No one in the room answered, because they all knew it was impossible; both Lance and Fran had their own advocates in Congress.

These people only need to raise a few questions and express a very objective subjective opinion, and the Department of Justice will adjust their decision.

Even if these two people are found guilty by the jury, they may only serve a few years in prison before returning to society.

They can't even detain them for a longer period of time, let alone put them in the electric chair.

"So my idea is to let them fight each other as much as possible. We can't use the law, fairness, or justice to try and execute them, but we can let them fight each other."

"When they've fought each other to the death, we can step in to clean up the mess. There will be less resistance then, and some people might even be more willing to use us to find a way to shut them up."

"Sometimes justice may have colors, and may be distorted, but if what it does is what justice should do, then I don't mind being that knife."

"But before that, we must maintain my current stance and let them fight each other."

"This next 'case' will be one of our most important cases in the next two years. Everyone must be on high alert, and I will be following it up every day." "We will try to take down these two gangs by the end of this year or next year, before the new president takes office."

"There are still six months left, we should be able to make it. This will be a sign that we are of great importance in the eyes of the new president, do you understand?"

All the senior detectives stood up. "Understood, sir!"

"Very good, get to work!"

He waved his hand, dismissing everyone from the office. He was already getting excited, but he didn't show it.

The more excited he became, the calmer he remained, because he knew very well that it was easy to make mistakes at this time, and once a mistake was made, it could be fatal.

Whether it's the Lance family or the Perez family, the fact that they've expanded to their current size means they're definitely not a group of idiots leading another group of idiots. It's possible that they accidentally joined forces.

Therefore, the most important thing to do now is to remain restrained and calm, and not to get carried away before Lance and Fran are punished by law.

He sat for a while, dialed Derek's number, gave him the message, and told him to continue increasing manpower, and then keep an eye on some core members of the Lance family.

Once they leave Jin Gang City and head to Jin Zhou, he should report back to them promptly.

Upon hearing this news, Derek finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally, they're going to make their move. Do you know how tough it's been for me here?"

Director Roland (FBI Director) couldn't help but laugh and said, "I heard that on your first day there, Lance had someone pay for the dinner you treated those young people to."

Upon hearing this, Derek couldn't help but complain, "He used this method to tell me that he was watching me, that the whole city was his eyes, and that the pressure made me completely helpless."

“In the past few years, apart from developing a few agents who are on the same page as me, I haven’t done any other work. I’m afraid Lance will think that he is our target.”

"I feel like I've wasted the most precious years of my life!"

Director Roland comforted him, saying, "Now everything is going according to our script, and you can do what you want to do!"

He paused for a moment, then asked, "Are those agents you recruited reliable?"

“This is not a children’s game. If something goes wrong, I won’t even have time to save you.”

Likale State is the stronghold of the Lance family. From the governor to the mayor of Golden Harbor City, almost everyone there is a member of the Lance family. They have also formed a monopolistic interest group that has begun to deeply infiltrate every aspect of the state.

If Lance intends to make a move against Derek and his men over there, they really have no chance at all.

Derek laughed and said, "Don't worry, they all came from other states. They have no direct interests here, and they all have passion and ambition to achieve justice."

"Very good!" Director Roland praised him. "Once this matter is settled, I will transfer you back."

However, Derek seemed to have a different idea: "You and the others are enough in Golden State. I think I should stay out there so I can do more meaningful things."

Director Roland did not press the matter further, but repeatedly instructed, "Be careful. We can discuss these matters after we achieve our goal."

"Call me if you need anything, including if necessary, get a special presidential order from the president."

A presidential decree isn't something you can just get whenever you want. This made Derek realize that the director might have already made contact with the president or someone on the president's side, which gave him even more confidence. "Don't worry!"

"If necessary, I certainly won't give up these privileged opportunities!"

After chatting for a few more minutes, the two hung up the phone. Derek then called over the young man whose family had been killed by Lance, an opportunity that the young man had been waiting for for several years.

Meanwhile, the FBI Director moved on to the follow-up work.

The entire FBI started operating, and many people suddenly became busy for no apparent reason, let alone what they were busy with.

Although they are all FBI agents, not all agents are exactly the same.

After a long day, a senior detective returned home, had a simple dinner with his family, and then went to his study to continue working. He still had a lot of things to prepare before he could get things started.

Just as he was engrossed in his work, the phone on his desk suddenly rang. He frowned as he looked at the ringing phone, but answered it on the second ring.

This is a separate phone number, not a home number; it's his personal work number, used to separate his work and personal life.

"This is Ford."

“Hello Mr. Ford, I am Lance White. You should have heard of me.”

Upon hearing the name, the Ford executive paused for a moment, then a nervous expression appeared on his face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

“How could you not know?” Lance chuckled softly on the phone. “Someone gave me this number and told me that you would become my friend.”

"You know, I love making friends, and I've always believed in a certain truth."

"In this world, there are only friends and enemies."

"As for my enemies, I have always been ruthless. Of course, this is not my own opinion, but what others think."

"I'd like to be friends with you now, but I don't know if there's any chance for that?"

Ford's manager held the phone in his hand, his palms already sweating. He roughly knew who had given his number to Lance, so this refusal was a bit of a dilemma for him.

Because if you refuse Lance, you will not only offend Lance, but also the person who called Lance.

But he was a little worried if he didn't refuse.

And another idea kept growing and spreading deep within his heart.

Why is Lance calling at this time? Does he know something?
Has anyone in their small group already started tipping them off?
(End of this chapter)