Starting from South America, speeding through the world

Chapter 165 Left Wing
Early morning, Federal Law Enforcement Office.

Meeting room B-4.

Morgan leaned against the wall, holding a paper cup in her left hand.

The coffee inside had long since gone cold.

He stayed there for nearly thirteen hours.

My eyes feel dry and sore, but I'm not sleepy at all.

at this time--

"Ding!"

The elevator next to us opened.

Soms, his superior, strode out from there.

The man was in his early fifties, his hair was neatly styled, and there was an undisguised anxiety in his expression.

"Is she still inside?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Video recording? Documents?"

"There was no formal procedure, and no record was left."

Upon hearing this, a complex expression crossed Soms's face, it was hard to tell whether he was relieved or even more uneasy.

He raised his hand to straighten his cuffs, looked down and then up again, finally stopping in front of the conference room.

"I'll speak when we go inside."

Morgan had no objection.

The door was pushed open.

Natalie remained seated, her expression calm.

The bottle of water in front of her was still unopened, and the notepad was also blank.

“Ms. Watts,” Soms forced a genuine smile, “we’ve confirmed everything is in order and can arrange for your departure.”

"So, I'm a free person now?" Natalie asked casually.

"of course."

Soms paused for a moment, then quickly added:

"We take the past events very seriously and are very sorry about them."

“I understand that what you’ve been through recently has made you uncomfortable.”

"In compensation, we are willing to provide a formal statement for your personal or professional use."

"Then I'll have to trouble you." Natalie nodded slightly, her attitude neither warm nor cold.

"Furthermore, I personally greatly admire your rationality and cooperation throughout the process, this—"

Soms seemed to want to offer a few more compliments, but Natalie interrupted him.

"Thank you for the compliment."

His tone was calm, yet left no room for argument.

Upon hearing this, Soms wisely shut his mouth, took a half step back, and made a "please" gesture.

Natalie stood up and walked straight outside.

Soms quickly followed.

She paused for a moment as she passed Morgan outside.

Then, he turned his head and blinked.

Upon seeing this, Morgan felt a great sense of relief, and joy followed.

But he didn't show it.

He simply straightened his back and silently followed the two.

At this moment, it was broad daylight.

The area outside the police line was crowded with people.

The media, supporters, and online celebrities who flocked to the scene created a cacophony of voices.
Banners were held high in the morning light.

"#SheIsUs"

"Journalism is not a crime"

“Bring Her Back Alive!”

As soon as he stepped off the elevator, Soms stopped in his tracks.

Through the one-way glass, he cautiously observed the scene outside and quickly abandoned his plan to step forward.

“Mr. Hollen is waiting for you,” Soms said, “and has prepared a brief explanation.”

"Finally, please allow me to express my sincerest apologies once again."

Natalie nodded to him in response, and then walked out.

The moment the door was pushed open, someone shouted out—

"She's out!"

The next second, more than a dozen microphones were quickly pushed to the front.

"Natalie!" "Natalie, you're free!"

"Have you been abused?!"

"Ms. Watts, do you know who was behind the raid?"

"Ms. Natalie—!"

Did your father know about this?

The reporters' persistent questions were met with shouts and applause that rose like waves.

Natalie wasn't intimidated and stood on the steps.

The sunlight streamed down, bringing warmth.

She raised her head slightly, as if adjusting to the temperature of the real world.

At the same time, Hollen walked slowly from behind, his face showing just the right amount of concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a low voice.

“Better than yesterday,” Natalie replied, without giving him another glance.

Hollen did not show any displeasure at her coldness; instead, he naturally stood to the side and behind her.

"Thank you for your patience, friends in the media."

"As Natalie's father, I am very pleased to see her return safely."

“Our family has remained silent during this period out of respect for the judicial process.”

"But I have always believed that Natalie's professional ethics and character have never made us doubt her."

As Hollen spoke, he turned to Natalie and gave her a polite and encouraging smile.

"Next, I think Natalie will be willing to personally address the issues that everyone cares about most."

Natalie's gaze swept across the crowd.

Finally, upon seeing that familiar figure, I finally breathed a sigh of relief:
“I am grateful to everyone who has paid attention to this matter during this time.”

"I am also grateful for the freedom of speech that I have not yet been completely deprived of."

She paused for a moment, as if considering her words.

"I will not describe my situation over the past few days in detail."

"It's not because I can't, but because I don't want it to be used to create more fear."

"These past few days have reminded me that our understanding of freedom of speech cannot be limited to anger when faced with suppression."

"More importantly, when power is ambiguous and procedures are unclear, can we still uphold these most basic values?"

"This is a wake-up call, not just for me, but for all of us."

"Thank you. It is because of your attention that I am able to stand here."

As soon as he finished speaking, the reporters rushed to ask questions:
"Natalie, are you planning to sue federal law enforcement?"

Do you believe there is a political motive behind this detention?

"Was your father, Mr. Hollen, aware of this?"

Will you be returning to CNN?

"Were you mistreated during your detention?"

Some of the questions were very pointed and inflammatory.

Some, however, stem entirely from personal emotions.

Just then, a girl in a hoodie rushed to the front and shouted:
“Natalie! How do you respond to that paper from a few days ago—about the Federal Reserve and Wall Street? Do you consider yourself a left-wing sympathizer?”

Her voice was so loud that it momentarily drowned out the noise in the room.

Natalie lowered her head.

It was a young yet determined face, with a brooch on his chest that read "Tax the Rich Now."

Hollen's smile remained unchanged.

He subtly stepped to the side, blocking the view in front of him.

Facing the camera, his expression was gentle:
“Natalie has just gone through a very difficult period and is still recovering.”

"As for the academic viewpoints you mentioned, they involve broader discussions on economic policies and deserve full debate from all sectors of society."

Thank you for your question and concern.

The girl opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but was interrupted by a new round of questions from reporters.

"Ms. Watts, are you planning to return to journalism?"

What are your views on the current public expectations for federal system reform?

Will your experiences these past few days change your stance?

Problems came flooding in.

The situation at the scene was spiraling out of control.

Natalie didn't say anything more.

She simply followed Hollen, and left the scene surrounded by security.

(End of this chapter)