American variety show: Sniper Elite

Chapter 94 Exposed
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"Furthermore, we have formally sent a letter to MI6, withdrawing all previously exchanged intelligence." His gaze pierced Medva: "So, Ms. Medva Lake..."

"Are you ready for internal accountability?" Charlie's voice was gentle. "You only have 10 days."

He held up one finger: "Ten days to reweave this lie, to mold the jackal and the beta into one person."

The clouds outside the window cast shifting shadows, brushing past Medvedeva's tense profile.

“I suppose,” Charlie strolled to her side and lowered his voice, “you’re under unimaginable pressure right now, aren’t you? The case must be closed as soon as possible; the Downing Street incident must be resolved.”

His breath brushed against Medusa's ear: "Of course, it has to be the kind of confession where the jackal pleads guilty for β."

Charlie took two steps back, observing Medea's expressionless face with interest, and suddenly let out a soft laugh: "Medea Lake, this is the price of toying with the entire Francia."

He straightened his tie: "Who knows, one day you might appear in an internal MI6 report, 'died in the line of duty' in some place even birds wouldn't bother to poop. And your people inside will send us that obituary so we know where you are."

His laughter carried a hint of amusement: "But don't expect me to be sad about it. After all..."

Charlie turned around, his voice full of sarcasm: "The 'special friendship' between France and Britain that has lasted for a century has made us French people enjoy watching the British stumble."

Charlie left, leaving Medea standing alone by the window.

The afternoon sun cast a long shadow of hers, casting a lonely silhouette on the polished floor.
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Beta sat in front of the computer, the light from the screen illuminating his focused face.

He meticulously reviewed every piece of intelligence Jaina provided. The target's travel route, the floor plan of the speech venue, the day's weather forecast—every detail determined the choice of weapons and the placement of sniper positions.

Fingertips tap lightly on the keyboard.

Beta could clearly feel Jaina pushing him forward from behind. This wasn't part of his original plan, but strangely, he didn't feel any resistance.

On one hand, she was his mother, and as her only child, Anna would never put him in real danger. On the other hand, a deeper question lingered in his mind: should he continue to be a lone mercenary, or should he take the scepter from his mother and become the heir to this dark empire?

The data on the screen kept scrolling, but Beta's gaze gradually lost focus. The road ahead. Like the pixels jumping on the monitor.

"crunch-"

The slight turning of the door hinges interrupted Beta's thoughts. He turned his head and saw Ashley walking in with a cup of coffee.

She changed out of the gray, fitted women's suit and into a casual outfit. The most noticeable change was the position of her sidearm; the holster that used to be on her waist was gone, replaced by a leg holster on the outside of her right thigh, where a pistol was securely tucked.

Even though only the handle was visible, Beta recognized it as a Sig Sauer at a glance.

Beta took the coffee cup Ashley offered, the warm touch sending a warm sensation through her fingertips: "Why the change in style?"

Ashley sat sideways on the piano bench and pushed open the lid of the Yamaha piano: "Ms. Gianna's permission." Her fingertips traced the keys, producing a series of casual notes: "From now on, I won't have to wear that gray uniform in the castle anymore."

Beta took a sip of coffee, the rich aroma spreading between her lips and teeth.

“Even on missions outside the home,” Ashley’s fingertips danced across the black and white keys, playing an off-key melody, “I can still choose my own clothes.”

Her voice carried a rare hint of ease.

Beta placed the coffee cup back on the table, the bottom of the cup making a slight clinking sound against the wooden surface: "It seems Jaina has accepted you."

His gaze swept over Ashley's casual attire: "In this castle where everyone dresses like a gray rat, at least you're a conspicuous black rat now."

Ashley stopped playing the piano, raised her hand and lightly patted Beta's arm, but couldn't help but smile slightly.

Beta's gaze refocused on the computer screen. Ashley got up and walked behind him, placing her hands naturally on his shoulders, her fingertips gently pressing against the muscles in his shoulders.

"Are you developing an action plan?" Her voice came from above, tinged with concern.

Beta scrolled the mouse wheel, zooming in and out on the coordinates on the map: "Hmm, looking for the best shooting position."

Ashley leaned closer, her hair falling beside Beta's ear: "What factors need to be evaluated?"

"First, we need to make sure there are no obstacles between the firing point and the target." Beta brought up a 3D building model and his fingers quickly typed on the keyboard: "Second, we need to prepare a sniper rifle with stable ballistics."

"It depends on whether God is on my side. I don't want to get struck by lightning while working on a high-rise building and turn into a charred electric rat."

Ashley chuckled softly, giving him a light pat on the shoulder in agreement. Beta leaned back, resting the back of his head against her chest, and looked up to meet her downcast gaze.

"That's it?" Ashley stared at Beta. "A sniper mission this easy?"

“It’s simple for me.” Beta turned his chair to face her. “However, that colleague codenamed ‘Jackal’ is not to be underestimated. Now that I think about it, the man with the black briefcase in the Paris café was very likely him.”

Beta shook his head with a self-deprecating laugh: "There's no evidence whatsoever; it's purely the instincts of a professional assassin at work."

“A Parisian café?” Ashley asked.

"Yes, I met a colleague there, tall and thin, carrying a black suitcase, with blond hair and freckles on his face..."

Beta's narration abruptly ended as Ashley held her phone up to his face. The screen displayed a German Federal Security Service (DSS) wanted poster with a reward for his capture.
[German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) Public Arrest Notice] No.: BKA-EFP-2024/001——
Scope of distribution: Police departments in all German states, law enforcement agencies in EU member states, and Interpol.
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Wanted Level: Armed and Extremely Dangerous
Alleged crimes: transnational murder, terrorist activities, illegal possession of weapons, forgery of documents
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Suspect Information: Code name "Jackal"; Date of birth: 1985 (presumed); Nationality: British (holds multiple forged identities); Male, approximately 40 years old, height 180cm, weight 70-75kg, blue-grey eyes, blond hair (possibly dyed).
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Bounty: €50 (The clue directly led to the arrest)
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Legal basis: Article 131 of the German Code of Criminal Procedure; Article 2 of the EU Arrest Warrant Framework Decision (Extradition exemptions do not apply to terrorism-related offenses).

Beta stared at the gaunt face in the photo, which perfectly matched the person in his memory.

“What the fuck,” Beta muttered incredulously.

(End of this chapter)