The Extraordinary Life of a Certain American Comic...

"Debbie."

"Boss."

"Do I have such a big grudge against John?"

"what!"

Debbie was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

Locke, who was in the elevator, was completely baffled as he left Group Six with a few others.

He definitely doesn't get along well with the other groups.

But what just happened...

Well, how should I put it?

This can't be described as just a bad relationship; John is practically slapping him in the face.

Locke thought about it seriously, then, fearing he might have left something behind, he asked Jack and Debbie for confirmation.

"John isn't married, is he?"

No, I don't think so.

"It's settled."

Jack glanced at Debbie, then said to Locke, "But they got divorced again, it seems like it was just last month."

Debbie looked at Jack, somewhat incredulous, upon hearing this: "Divorced again? Don't I remember he just got divorced two weeks ago?"

Jack shrugged.

"I heard that her last boyfriend was the one who cheated on her six months ago."

"Then why did he...?"

"It's said that last month, his partner caught him cheating again."

"...Pah, what a scumbag."

Debbie was silent for a moment, then spat fiercely at the damn scumbag.

Locke turned a deaf ear.

Anyway, the accusation wasn't against him, and he's not a scumbag.

The Empress herself has given her implicit permission.

As long as he is fed at home and doesn't bring food home, he can sneak food outside.

Look!

What does it mean to marry a virtuous wife?

This is.

Locke thought for a moment, then shook his head, steer the conversation back on track: "What about the six partner special operations teams?"

Brown wanted to join Group Six, and he had no objection. Everyone has their own ambitions. At most, from this point on, Brown was no longer his friend.

Just because he has no objection doesn't mean that others have no objection either.

For example, the six special operations teams that were originally paired up to work together.

Brown came and took his place. Did the original Secret Service team have no objections?

"Which special operations team is paired with Team Six?"

"Let me think about it."

Just like Locke, who doesn't get along with other groups and never gets involved in their affairs, Jack and Debbie are the kind of people who prefer to stay home and do their own thing.

Therefore, the two of them were not very familiar with the other groups.

Debbie thought for a moment.

"It should be Paul's group, group six, yes, that's right."

"Paul?"

"Yes, I remember now, his name is Paul. I think he was just transferred from the military about two months ago."

Jack's eyes lit up, and he explained, "The original captain of Group Six died during a mission, so the military replaced him. However, Paul was only transferred here a month ago."

Well known.

While the Sentinel Special Service was established because of mutants, mutants were merely the reason for its establishment. Ultimately, it was used as a political achievement for politicians and to provide positions for the military.

The captains and members of the nine special police teams were all recruited directly from the military.

Locke lowered his eyes.

"How much do you know about this Paul?"

"Uh... not much."

Debbie thought for a moment: "I chatted with some female colleagues in the operations room the day before yesterday when I was in the operations command center. He's quite handsome. Apparently, he chose to retire because the attack was delayed while waiting for the civilians to evacuate."

Locke raised an eyebrow.

"Protect civilians?"

"That's what they said. I'll go back to my office to confirm."

"it is good."

The head of the special police team protecting civilians.

The leader of Group Six who enjoys torture and killing.

If it's true, then that's why John poached his girlfriend.

only……

He still couldn't understand why Brown had agreed.

Just because of what was just said over there?

Forget it.

If you're leaving, then leave.

These days, nine-headed birds are hard to find, but working oxen and horses are plentiful.

Locke shook his head and stepped out of the elevator.

"Try to confirm the relationship between Paul and John. If the information is correct, find an opportunity to have him come over and talk to us."

"it is good."

"Boss."

Jack, who followed behind, frowned upon hearing this.

"Brown..."

"Loyalty that is not absolute is absolute disloyalty."

Locke stopped at the office door and looked at Jack, who seemed about to speak up for Brown.

Betrayal is betrayal.

There aren't that many reasons.

"Debbie."

"exist."

"When Brown comes down, send out the gifts that need to be sent, and then revoke their privileges."

"……yes."

Locke stopped talking and looked at Esme beside him.

"let's go."

"it is good."

Esme nodded, said goodbye to Jack and Debbie, and then followed Locke back into the elevator.

On the way back to his rented apartment, Locke drove in silence.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Esme glanced at Locke's face several times, and after thinking for a moment, adjusted her posture.

"Shall we chat?"

"What are you going to talk about?"

"Why did Brown end up hanging out with Group Six all of a sudden?"

"None of my business."

Locke scoffed, "He's in such a hurry to go to hell and reunite with his wife, so let him go. Does he really think the Mutant Freedom Alliance is a pushover?"

Esme raised her eyebrows slightly, almost imperceptibly.

"How so?"

"Do you know the biggest difference between me and the other groups?"

Locke parked the car on the side of the road in front of the apartment building, then looked at Esme: "John wasn't wrong just now. I'm unworthy of the title 'Mutant Mutant Hand.' He's more deserving of it than I am."

Esme blinked.

"Everyone in the department knows that in any mutant case I handle, not a single mutant has ever left alive."

"That's true."

"But another fact is that in all the cases I've handled, not a single mutant has been innocent."

"They all deserved to die."

"In every single case I've handled, these mutants have a history of murder."

He killed someone.

But he was never bloodthirsty.

This is also a way to avoid going to extremes.

For example, what if the tide turns in the future, and the public shifts from hating mutants to sympathizing with them?

What if one day, the Sentinel Special Operations Bureau shifts its focus from killing mutants to protecting them?

A story needs logic.

Reality doesn't require it at all.

In the Federation, anything is possible.

and so……

Not going to extremes is like leaving yourself a way out.

Even if there is a reckoning later, Locke can say without any guilt that he has never killed a single innocent mutant.

As for what he said, the other party didn't believe him and was even prepared to take action?

That's a different story.

If someone tries to kill him and he fights back, that's considered self-defense.

He has a sense of morality.

Locke said this, then unbuckled his seatbelt and said, "Let's not talk about this anymore. From now on, whether Brown lives or dies is none of my business."

He, Brown, is no longer my friend, Locke Underwood!

Esme watched Locke get out of the car and blinked.

Thoughtful.

……