American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

Lynn considered for a moment, then began to recount the ins and outs of the Taron case, omitting some confidential details. He described how Taron was coerced into committing crimes again, the emergency situation of his sister's kidnapping, and the eventual rescue operation.

“This sounds more thrilling than any movie,” Emily exclaimed after hearing the story. “And you not only rescued the hostage, but also helped that young man start his life anew.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Lynn said. “Taren’s case reminds me of a lot. Sometimes, crime is a product of circumstances and desperation, not a reflection of one’s nature.”

“That’s what I admire about you,” Emily said sincerely. “You always manage to find a balance between law enforcement and humanitarianism. Just like how you handled Jack in Hawaii.”

When Jack was mentioned, both of them recalled that special experience.

“Speaking of Jack, I received an email from him yesterday,” Lynn said. “He’s now officially a member of the Maui Marine Rescue Team and is considering further specialized training.”

“Really? That’s wonderful!” Emily exclaimed excitedly. “It seems our trip to Hawaii has truly changed many people’s lives.”

“Including ours,” Lynn said thoughtfully.

Emily looked at him. "What do you mean?"

“What I mean is, that experience gave me a new perspective on many things,” Lynn explained, “not just how I work, but also my attitude towards life.”

“Tell me more about it?” Emily encouraged him to continue.

“For example, I started to realize how important work-life balance is,” Lynn said. “Before, I was always completely focused on my work and rarely thought about anything else. But in Hawaii, I discovered that relaxing and enjoying life are equally important.”

"Anything else?" Emily continued to ask, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Lynn looked at her. "And also, I realized that sharing experiences and feelings makes them more meaningful. The days I spent with you were much more wonderful than traveling alone."

Emily's cheeks flushed slightly. "I feel the same way. Solving the statue case together, experiencing diving and volcano tours, and the rescue of Jack—all these experiences have given me a deeper understanding of you."

"So what did you learn?" Lynn asked curiously.

“I’ve come to understand that you’re not only an excellent FBI agent, but also a warm-hearted person,” Emily said. “You’re principled but not rigid, strong but not cold, professional but humane.”

“Thank you for saying that,” Lynn responded, touched. “Your companionship has also given me a different perspective. The combination of your scientific thinking and my law enforcement experience has indeed produced excellent results.”

Then their main course arrived. The lobster pasta looked delicious and smelled wonderful, and the steak was also very tempting.

“To our friendship,” Emily raised her glass, “and to more collaborations and adventures to come.”

“To friendship,” Lynn toasted her, “and to those precious moments.”

During the meal, the two talked about many things.

Time slipped away unnoticed, and by the time they realized it, there were very few customers left in the restaurant.

“Time flies,” Emily glanced at her watch. “We’ve been talking for almost three hours.”

“Time always flies when you’re with interesting people,” Lynn said. “Thank you for the invitation tonight; it’s been the most relaxing moment of my week.”

“Me too,” Emily said with a smile. “No matter how important work is, you need moments like this to find balance.”

As they were preparing to leave, Emily suddenly said, "Lynn, I want to ask you a question."

"what is the problem?"

"If you had the chance, would you like to travel with me again?" Emily's voice held a hint of nervousness. "It doesn't have to be work-related, just a simple trip."

Lynn looked at her; in the dim light, Emily's eyes flickered with expectation and a hint of unease. Behind this question seemed to lie a deeper meaning than what appeared on the surface.

“I would love to,” Lynn replied sincerely. “Traveling with you is one of the most enjoyable experiences I can imagine.”

Emily's face lit up with a bright smile. "Great! I'm already thinking of a few destinations, maybe Napa Valley in California, or the fall foliage season in New England."

“That all sounds great,” Lynn said, “but next time I hope to plan more thoroughly and avoid running into any more cases.”

“Who knows?” Emily said playfully. “Maybe we’re destined for adventure on our journey.”

They parted ways at the restaurant entrance, and Lynn watched Emily get into a taxi until its taillights disappeared into the night. That night, he felt an unprecedented sense of ease and satisfaction, as if there were other wonderful possibilities in life besides work.

The next morning, Lynn arrived at the Manhattan precinct at 7:30. The autumn morning was a bit chilly, but the sunlight streaming through the office windows gave a sense of a fresh start. He made himself a cup of coffee and began reviewing the previous night's case reports and today's work schedule.

At 8:15, Detective Sarah Chen knocked and entered his office. Sarah was one of the youngest detectives in the precinct, 28 years old, a graduate of Harvard Law School, highly skilled in her field, but with relatively little practical experience.

“Detective Hall, there’s a case I need your look at,” Sarah handed him a folder. “There was a drug trafficking case involving teenagers near the Brooklyn Bridge last night, and the local police department has handed it over to us.”

Lynn took the folder and quickly glanced at the basic information. The suspect was a sixteen-year-old high school student named Michael Chen, who was arrested by plainclothes police officers near the school, and a small amount of heroin and cash were found on him.

“It looks like a typical teenage drug case,” Lynn said. “Why was it handed over to the FBI?”

“Because the seized drugs were of unusually high purity and packaged very professionally,” Sarah explained, “local police suspected this wasn’t simple personal use, but rather an organized distribution operation. Furthermore, the child refused to reveal the source of the drugs.”

Lynn carefully read the case details. Michael Chen, sixteen years old, attended a public high school in Brooklyn, had average grades, and came from an ordinary family. Both his parents were legal immigrants and owned a small restaurant in Flushing. On the surface, he seemed like a typical immigrant child.

But what interested Lynn were a few details: First, the heroin seized was indeed very pure, reaching over 90%, which is usually only available from large drug cartels; second, the packaging was very professional, using special sealing technology; and most importantly, the amount of cash Michael had on him when he was arrested, totaling eight thousand dollars, was a considerable sum for a sixteen-year-old high school student.

"Does he have a criminal record?" Lynn asked.

“No, this is the first time,” Sarah replied, “and according to his teachers and classmates, Michael usually behaves normally and has not shown any unusual behavior.”

“What about the family situation?” “The parents were shocked and insisted that Michael was a good kid who couldn’t possibly do such a thing,” Sarah continued, “but they also couldn’t explain why their son had so much cash and drugs.”

Lynn put down the file and fell into thought. As an experienced detective, he knew that the sudden involvement of teenagers in high-level drug trafficking was usually not accidental. They were either deliberately recruited or coerced into participating.

“Where is Michael now?” Lynn asked.

“At the juvenile detention center, awaiting a bail hearing,” Sarah replied. “His parents have hired a lawyer.”

"What did his lawyer say?"

“The standard defense is that it was a misunderstanding, that the child was framed,” Sarah said, “but without providing any concrete evidence or explanation.”

Lynn stood up and walked to the window to think. Last night's success in the Talen case had given him a deeper understanding of how organized crime operates. Crime bosses like Victor Rodriguez are cunning; they know how to exploit systemic vulnerabilities and human weaknesses.

“Sarah, do you see anything unusual about this case?” Lynn turned and asked, wanting to test the young detective’s observation skills.

Sarah thought for a moment. “A few things make me uneasy. First, it’s strange in itself that a high school student with no criminal record would suddenly be involved in a high-level drug deal. Second, the amount of cash he had was disproportionate to the value of the drugs—eight thousand dollars in cash but only about two thousand dollars worth of drugs.”

“Anything else?” Lynn encouraged her to continue.

“And then there’s the location where he was arrested,” Sarah continued, “The area near the Brooklyn Bridge is a very busy area with lots of surveillance cameras and police patrols. An experienced drug dealer wouldn’t choose to conduct a transaction there.”

“Excellent observation,” Lynn said approvingly. “What is your conclusion?”

“I don’t think Michael is a real drug dealer,” Sarah said. “He’s more like a tool being used, or a distraction.”

Lynn was satisfied with Sarah's analysis. Although the young agent lacked experience, she was clear-headed and observant.

“I want to speak to Michael myself,” Lynn decided. “Let’s arrange for us to go to the juvenile detention center this morning.”

“Should we notify his lawyer?” Sarah asked.

“Of course, we’ll proceed according to procedure,” Lynn said, “but I want to observe Michael’s reaction first before deciding on a specific questioning strategy.”

At 10 a.m., Lynn and Sarah arrived at the juvenile detention center in Brooklyn. It was a relatively new facility that specifically housed suspects under the age of 18, and the environment was much better than that of adult detention centers, with a greater emphasis on education and rehabilitation.

Michael Chen was led to the meeting room. It was a bright room with large windows and comfortable chairs, designed to minimize any sense of confinement. Michael looked younger than his age, standing about five feet six inches tall, with a thin build and wearing glasses; he looked more like an ordinary high school student than a drug dealer.

His lawyer is a woman in her forties named Jennifer Lee, who has extensive experience in juvenile legal aid.

“Detective Hall, Inspector Chen,” Attorney Jennifer stood up and shook hands, “I hope this conversation will clarify some misunderstandings.”

“We hope so too,” Lynn replied politely, then turned to Michael, “Michael, hello, I’m FBI Detective Lynn Hall, and this is Agent Sarah Chen. We’d like to speak with you about what happened last night.”

Michael looked nervous, his hands clasped under the table. "I...I don't know anything."

“It’s alright, we’re not here to blame you,” Lynn said in a gentle tone. “We just want to understand the situation, maybe we can help you.”

“My client has already stated that he is innocent,” Jennifer interjected.

“I understand,” Lynn said, “but the fact is Michael was found with drugs and a lot of cash. We need to find out where he got all that.”

Michael kept his head down and did not answer.

Lynn observed the young man's body language. Michael's tension wasn't just due to being captured; there were other fears as well. His eyes kept drifting towards the window, as if he were worried about something.

“Michael, what are you worried about?” Lynn asked directly.

“I…I’m not worried about anything,” Michael’s voice trembled.

“You look scared,” Lynn continued, “not just because of the legal consequences, but something else, right?”

Jennifer's lawyer tried to stop them, but Lynn raised her hand, indicating, "We're not interrogating, we're just having a conversation."

Michael looked up at Lynn, a pleading look in his eyes. "If I tell them, they'll hurt my family."

This statement confirmed Lynn's suspicions. Michael was indeed coerced.

"Who would hurt your family?" Lynn asked softly.

“I can’t say,” Michael shook his head. “I really can’t say.”

“Michael, listen to me,” Lynn leaned forward, “I just handled a similar case yesterday. A young man was also threatened and forced into criminal activities. We successfully protected him and his family and apprehended those who threatened them.”

A glimmer of hope flashed in Michael's eyes. "Really?"

“Really,” Lynn said firmly, “but it requires your cooperation. If you don’t tell us who is threatening you, we can’t protect you.”

Attorney Jennifer saw a glimmer of hope: "Michael, if you are truly threatened, the FBI does have the capability to protect you and your family."

Michael remained silent for a long time, clearly engaged in a fierce internal struggle.

“They said if I got caught, they wouldn’t hurt my parents as long as I didn’t say their names,” Michael finally said. “But what if I did…”

“Who are they?” Sarah couldn’t help but ask.

Michael glanced at Sarah, then at Lynn. "I don't know their real names, but one of them is called Tony, and there's an older one; the others all call him 'Boss.'" (End of Chapter)