After the former Deputy Mayor's speech spread through the news media, many details about the cleanup were revealed.
The names Jim Gordon and Emily Song quietly entered the public eye.
The former was the overall commander of the purge, previously fired by Commissioner Loeb for "letting Batman go." The latter was a beautiful FBI agent, rumored to possess superpowers.
Their joint effort was credited with dismantling Gotham City's drug network.
Thanks to Luke's relentless promotion of their story, their fame grew rapidly. Some people began calling them the new heroes of Gotham City.
As the news spread, the pressure on the two increased dramatically. Jim Gordon was relatively safe; his superiors were either arrested or on the run, so no one questioned him. Emily, however, was in a different situation.
The Internal Investigation
In an office building in Gotham City's East End.
Emily stood sternly before a desk. Opposite her sat two men. One was Roger Consius (I am using the requested spelling), her supervisor and the head of network technology. The other, named Mike Gray, was around fifty years old and had come from headquarters as a special investigator assigned to the Gotham riot incident.
Their purpose was singular: to get to the bottom of the situation.
Mike Gray began, "Agent Emily, please answer my question. Why did you unilaterally participate in the Gotham cleanup operation without notifying your superiors?"
"I believed it was an opportunity."
"An opportunity?"
Mike Gray adjusted his glasses and sneered. "What kind of opportunity? An opportunity to show off and disregard regulations?"
"No."
Emily shook her head firmly. Recalling Luke's advice, her nervousness immediately subsided.
"The FBI has a poor reputation in the East, especially in major cities like Metropolis and Gotham. Citizens fundamentally disregard the FBI; they see us as parasites who waste taxpayer money and don't do our jobs. While there are misunderstandings, we must admit that we haven't performed well. This situation couldn't be allowed to continue; it had to change. The riot was an excellent chance to do so."
"The government's reputation was ruined, officials were fleeing, and the police were in disarray. Only the FBI was in a position to step forward and reverse the situation."
"The person who steps forward at a critical moment always wins the trust of the people and reclaims past glory. That is the opportunity I speak of."
A brief silence fell after her speech. Roger Consius's face remained grim, but a hint of approval flickered in Mike Gray's eyes.
"Since you considered it an opportunity, why didn't you consult with your superior before making a decision?"
"There are three reasons. First, time was pressing. The riots happened too suddenly. The citizens, filled with rage, were acting irrationally and causing destruction. The entire city was volatile and on the brink of violent conflict. I couldn't wait, and I didn't dare to wait."
"Second, objective factors. Supervisor Consius has been busy investigating the source of the murder video. I was concerned that bringing this up would disrupt his existing work schedule. After all, the murder video involves a terrorist organization and is, in principle, more important than a criminal investigation."
Though the girl spoke humbly, her words carried an undeniable hint of sarcasm.
Mike Gray glanced at the grim-faced Roger Consius and continued,
"What is the third reason?"
"An inside mole. I suspect there is a Falcone informant within the FBI."
"You are very bold to say that. Do you have evidence?"
"There is a name on the flyer: Belanco Lind, who was formerly the head of the FBI's local office in Gotham City."
Mike Gray followed up, "You believe the information on the flyer."
"I didn't before. I do now."
"Who do you think distributed the flyers?"
"The prime suspect is Batman, but there is no evidence."
"Have you met Batman?"
"No."
Having asked all his questions, Mike Gray was satisfied with the girl's performance. He could see she was a young, ambitious, and capable individual who seized opportunities—exactly the kind of person the FBI needed. If not for her metahuman status, she would have already received a commendation and promotion.
The DEO's Display of Force
Seeing Mike Gray preparing to end the interrogation, Roger Consius couldn't hold back and hissed,
"One last question! The FBI has thousands of field agents. Why did you specifically choose to work with people from the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO)? I seriously suspect you are attempting to create internal division!"
The moment the question left his mouth, Mike Gray's expression changed. He cursed Roger Consius internally for his foolishness, knowing he had just brought up the one topic Gray was trying to avoid.
As his words fell,
BOOM!
A wall shattered. A giant, shaggy figure over two meters tall, as strong as a grizzly bear, rushed in. It opened its mouth, full of serrated fangs, and let out a bestial roar directed at Roger Consius.
The roar was immense and powerful, making their ears ring.
Roger Consius's eyes widened. The fear of death overwhelmed him, stopping his very thoughts.
"Borei, stop!"
Seeing the giant show signs of losing control, Emily quickly shouted a warning. At the same time, several other young people with diverse appearances rushed in. One girl, with solid white eyes, grabbed the giant's arm.
The giant, who was on the verge of frenzy, immediately calmed down, becoming docile like a house cat.
Emily breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone else, including Mike Gray, raised an arm to wipe away a nervous sweat.
Emily shot a grateful look at the white-eyed girl, then turned back to Roger Consius, her gaze as cold as ice.
"Mr. Consius, you ask me why I only chose to work with people from the DEO. The reason is simple: because they respect me and trust me, unlike you, who would only order me to lure someone into a trap to steal your so-called intelligence."
Silence.
The air was instantly quiet.
Borei, who had just calmed down, showed signs of becoming enraged again. The white-eyed girl had to cling to his arm to soothe his violent nature.
Roger Consius roared, "You are slandering me!"
"You know what you've done in your heart."
Emily turned and left, the other six following behind her. Before exiting, each of them gave Roger Consius a cold look—like razor blades, intending to cut him into a thousand pieces.
Roger Consius felt a huge wave of panic. He quickly grabbed Mike Gray's wrist and pleaded,
"Mr. Gray, you have to believe me! I absolutely did not give that order! It's her! She's changing the subject! There are many suspicious aspects to this incident! Emily is definitely hiding something from us. We must investigate this thoroughly!"
"Don't worry. I know what to do, and I will investigate this thoroughly."
Mike Gray patted Roger Consius's hand to reassure him, then left.
Everyone was gone, leaving only the wrecked room.
Roger Consius sat in the chair blankly, his eyes vacant.
It's over. Everything is over.
It shouldn't have gone this way. There has to be a problem.
That little brat!
How did she get so smart after only a few days? Who is teaching her?
A hateful, handsome face popped into his mind.
Luke Shaw!
Roger Consius gritted his teeth. That bastard! He must be the one behind all this mischief.
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