North American Detective: I am Proficient in All Kinds of Gun Quick Draws-Chapter 574 - 326: Suitable for Bloodshed Today - Part 2
He turned his head and cheekily said, "We've got guests at home, so today might not be convenient. But since we've both skipped class, how about we find another place to have fun? I have a secret base with snacks, drinks, and some movie character costumes. How about we play a role-playing game today?"
"Which movie's characters are we talking about?" 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
Thompson smiled shyly. "Cleopatra. It's an independent historical romance film where a charismatic woman subdues one powerful man after another with her charm."
"Sounds good."
The two sisters, considering they had come all this way, had no choice but to agree to Thompson's suggestion. An independent woman using her charm to win over men, huh! That sounds amazing! The two blonde ditzes were already scheming about how to snatch the role of Cleopatra from each other.
...
「In a corner.」
Dean watched Thompson's motorcycle disappear into the distance and silently gave a thumbs-up.
Worthy of being my little brother, he thought. What a player! So that's what being educated gets you. He opens his mouth, and it's pure silver-tongued distraction, then he smoothly suggests role-playing. Unlike his unambitious older brother, who can only rely on his looks to get by.
At this thought, Dean sighed slightly.
The twilight of a hero, he mused. In the end, the new generation always surpasses the old. When it comes to shamelessness, my little brother has truly outdone his master.
My little brother is so considerate.
Dean, for his part, certainly wouldn't be so thoughtless as to disturb Dad and Mom as they rekindled their romance after nearly ten years. He quietly returned to his car, planning to go to the suburban shooting range to hone his firearms skills.
But before he could leave the city, Amon called to arrange a meeting. Dean had no choice but to turn the car around and, following the address Amon had given, arrived at a café on a street corner.
Since their last conversation at the military base, Amon hadn't appeared before Dean. Even when Dean had repeatedly asked about Cheston En's situation, Amon had merely given perfunctory responses. Dean hadn't expected Amon to suddenly request another meeting.
Could it be that Amon has news about Anthony?
With this question in mind, Dean entered the sparsely populated café.
...
He walked straight to a corner table and sat down opposite a man who was flipping through a newspaper. "Finished with your business?"
Amon put down the newspaper, sized Dean up for a moment, then nodded. "The issues at sea are mostly dealt with. After resting for a couple of days, I'm going to resume the investigation into the 'Holy Heavenly Kingdom' incident."
Upon hearing this name, Dean immediately recalled the plane hijacking he had experienced on his trip to New York. Come to think of it, I gave Amon the credit for that operation. That's how he got promoted to his current, albeit still unofficial, position as a national security director, with a significant boost in power and influence.
Thinking further, Amon's appearance at the island base... he probably showed up with a warship because he'd found a powerful backer after his promotion. A warship! Even back then, I realized the person backing Amon had to be a big shot. That's why I had Little Mike's group pose as an independent organization to hand the intel over to Amon. A living Amon was more valuable to me.
Seeing Dean remain silent, Amon picked up his coffee, took a sip, and then smiled. "You seem to have recovered well?"
Dean yawned, slumping lazily against the back of his seat. "So what? The police department and the FBI both suspended me. I thought about changing careers, becoming a private investigator. But last time I helped someone rescue their son, the bastard turned around and filed a complaint against me with the agency. Now I'm just an unemployed bum, spending my days at home cleaning my guns and packing on pounds. I'm practically useless."
"Haha," Amon chuckled, amused by Dean's theatrics.
He stood up, took a file from the briefcase beside him, and placed it in front of Dean. "You've always been the one feeding me credit. Today, I'm giving some back to you."
Dean took the document, feigning confusion. "Is this the closure report for that miniature model murder case I worked on?"
Amon nodded. "The killer has been neutralized, and the official procedures are complete. I've already spoken to the relevant people; this commendation will allow you to return to the police department. However, smoothing over some of the personal relationships involved will be up to you."
Dean weighed the document in his hands, then looked up, his voice serious. "What do you need me to do?"
Amon stared into Dean's eyes and said, word by word, "Keep an eye on Saul Aston's family for me!"
Saul Aston, Dean thought. My former benefactor. The man had casually sacrificed me to create a counterbalance between the Japanese families in Los Angeles and the wealthy Chinese-American businessmen who had previously supported him.
Even if Amon hadn't brought it up, I had no intention of letting Saul Aston off the hook. But I never expected Amon to target the Ashton Family behind Saul. After all, ever since the Carmen Family was wiped out, the Ashton Family had absorbed most of their remaining power, becoming the new de facto rulers of Los Angeles. They weren't to be trifled with. If Amon were discovered, even with his new powerful connections, his life would be in danger.
Suppressing his doubts, Dean asked seriously, "The mayor's family? Are you sure?"
"Yes!" Amon confirmed with a firm nod, "Don't ask about the specifics. Dean, you're a capable and intelligent man. Saul discarded you for those despicable Japanese without a second thought. As long as they remain influential in Los Angeles, you'll never be able to advance your career here—unless you're willing to move to a different city."
