Ultimate Firepower

Chapter 332 - 316: Capture

Chapter 332: Chapter 316: Capture"Ten million lured Crawford, five thousand minus three thousand, a mere twenty million settled Panetta."

CIA’s top boss, not so high standards after all.

Since Panetta had Crawford out of the picture, Gao Yi knew for sure the deal was sealed, a hundred percent done. If he could meet Panetta one more time and really turn him into one of his own, then earn a bit more money, get Panetta deeper into the trap and then close the lid, that would add another deputy director of the CIA as a partner.

Don’t mention the term mole—it sounds so ugly.

Like pulling a tiger’s skin to make a banner, but in the end, tying the tiger to the flagpole, the deal was firm.

Now, Panetta was even initiating inquiries about whether to replace his partners, all because the informants on the intelligence line were cautious, knowing that contacts maintained through a single line should not be replaced easily. Otherwise, Panetta would have definitely put his own trusted people in place.

Now Gao Yi had to make sure Joelson became Panetta’s confidant.

But at this moment, to have Joelson start working directly under Panetta, and to make Panetta feel that Joelson was reliable, that would require a bit of skill.

Look it up in a history book, no, it’s more convenient now, just

He asked where Joelson went to school, how he entered the CIA, and what jobs he had done, but when Joelson was responding normally to these questions, Panetta suddenly threw a hard-hitting question.

"What do you think of Crawford?"

Joelson fell silent; he didn’t know how to answer, so he looked at Gao Yi.

Gao Yi spread his hands, indicating that Joelson should decide how to answer.

Silence was also a response.

After about five seconds of silence, Joelson finally said, "Mr. Crawford is my superior, and he is a good boss."

A proper response, saying good things, but the few seconds of silence indicated that this wasn’t Joelson’s true feeling.

Panetta didn’t change his tone and suddenly asked, "How much money did you receive?"

Joelson fell silent again; he wasn’t flustered but after about ten seconds, he replied in a low voice, "I didn’t receive any money, sir, not a single dollar!"

Gao Yi had given Crawford ten million, but he hadn’t given Joelson anything, and what’s more, Crawford hadn’t given Joelson a dime either.

It was unimaginable and incomprehensible.

Panetta asked indifferently, "Then how much did Crawford receive?"

Crawford had received ten million, Joelson had seen it all and he knew it clearly; if he revealed that now, Crawford would be finished.

This time Joelson responded without hesitation, "Nothing, he didn’t take any money!"

There was no room for hesitation or doubt; even if Panetta had all the evidence against Crawford, that evidence couldn’t come from Joelson. What he needed to do was to keep his mouth shut and remain absolutely loyal.

Panetta said calmly, "You know I can easily find out."

"Nothing!"

Joelson’s response was too rigid, but that was exactly the stiffness needed.

Loyalty must be absolute; to catch the favor of a high-ranking person, one must never be a traitor. That is an absolute principle.

Joelson didn’t say much, but his attitude was firm.

However, Panetta, seated high in the hierarchy, knew how to quickly extract words from Joelson with his rhetoric; this being the advantage of someone in a high position, as long as Joelson had to answer his questions.

"From what I know, Busan, with whom you cooperated, must have given you money. Saying you didn’t receive any money is incorrect. So tell me, what advantages did Busan promise you, and how?"

You may not have received it, but you must have gotten some benefits. Now tell.

Joelson gasped and hesitated for a long while before finally saying, "I haven’t received anything, no, I... really didn’t receive any money."

"Tell the truth, don’t insult my intelligence."

Listening to Panetta’s words, Joelson took a deep breath and spoke softly, "Mr. Crawford and I will benefit afterward, but we haven’t taken any money yet, none!"

Panetta was silent for a moment, then he spoke softly, "Come back here, I have something to tell you. The Yemen plan is about to proceed, and we don’t have time to waste. Make it quick."

These were merely instructions that could be spoken over the phone; Panetta asked Joelson to come back because he wanted to test him in person, which indicated that Joelson had officially caught Panetta’s eye.

Now, the CIA was infiltrated with Gao Yi’s people from top to bottom.