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M: TSIA Chapter 19: The Severely Ill Agent
🕑 Added 2024-12-12 13:19:10 +0000 UTCVivi's driving skills were impressive, comparable to a professional racer. Lance didn't need to worry about the possibility of the car flipping over. If there were any violations, the CIA would surely handle it, so Lance decided to ignore that and focus on reviewing the information at hand.
However, upon reading the second page, Lance was shocked. "This agent is very ill, only has two months left to live. Do you really want to take this man out to fight terrorists? Shouldn't the CIA have a sense of humanity?"
"As a weapon in the hands of the government, the CIA knows no humanity," Vivi said, rolling her eyes at Lance. "But... bringing Agent Ethan Renner back to his job is my goal."
Vivi continued, "You have to understand, there are many elite agents in the CIA. Ethan Renner's achievements are indeed remarkable, but Ethan is actually no longer needed. Ethan's position is too low, and once it was known that Ethan has a brain tumor, his value in the eyes of the CIA diminished. Ethan can only leave with a small pension. However, I'm helping Ethan to regain his value."
Lance listened carefully and then asked, "So what happens next?"
Vivi tilted her head with a serious expression. "So, Ethan has a chance to get a drug that is still in the experimental stage, which could alleviate or even cure his brain tumor."
"Experimental stage?" Lance pursed his lips, clearly skeptical. From what he had heard, it seemed too unreliable.
Vivi smiled, the kind of smile that was always captivating. "Without this drug, Ethan would only last at most two months. But with this drug, Ethan has a 30% chance of survival. What do you think Ethan would choose?"
Lance fell silent, unsure of what to say.
Flushing is an area in Queens that has become increasingly populated by Chinese residents in recent years. This place is slowly developing into a new "Chinatown," with rows of charming Chinese-style signboards and markets that feel reminiscent of those in China. People with black hair resembling Chinese individuals came and went, while the distinctive sounds of vendors filled the air, adding color to the life around.
Lance felt that the atmosphere here was very friendly. Although there is also an Asian community in Brooklyn, the vibe there is much harsher and less welcoming compared to Flushing. Moreover, the majority of Chinese people in Brooklyn are of southern descent, speaking the Chaoshan dialect, while the Chinese in Flushing are mostly from the north, and their primary language is Mandarin.
After Vivi got out of the car, she immediately walked towards the seafood stall.
In front of the stall, a middle-aged man dressed casually looked awkward as he chose a tuna, asking the stall owner, "Is this fish fresh?"
"Of course, we caught it this morning," the owner confidently replied.
"Can this fish be steamed?" the man asked again.
Before the owner could respond, Vivi approached and casually said, "Don't forget to soak it in milk."
"Milk?" The man, who turned out to be Ethan Renner, clearly did not know Vivi and looked confused by her suggestion.
Vivi shrugged, as if giving a light explanation, "Unless you plan to fry it, you don't need to soak the fish in milk."
Ethan smiled, seeming a bit awkward. "I don't have much experience with that."
"I like a man who doesn't pretend to know how to cook," Vivi said, winking at Lance. Lance just rolled his eyes. Lance's cooking skills weren't particularly great, but they weren't bad either. During his time living in his small shop, Lance had practiced cooking quite often, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. With Lance's body control far exceeding that of an average person, he felt that the food he made should taste good.
"Then you've found the right person," Ethan said, looking at the very charming Vivi. Ethan's eyes radiated calmness, as if his life had reached a point where everything felt easier to accept.
Although Ethan used to be healthy, he was not the type of person full of passion. Especially now, when Ethan knew his life was nearing its end due to illness.
"Thanks to your tip, I will make a delicious fried fish for my daughter," Ethan said, taking out money to buy the tuna and turning to leave.
Vivi casually replied, "Today is Zooey's birthday, right?"
Zooey was Ethan's daughter's name.
Ethan's expression finally changed. He paused for a moment, turned back, and looked at Vivi intently, a hint of nervousness visible in Ethan's aging eyes. "Miss, what is your name?"
"You can call me Vivi," Vivi replied calmly.
"Nice to meet you, Vivi..." Ethan seemed to just realize Vivi's identity. The tension on Ethan's face quickly turned into clear indifference. "But I'm not interested!"
When Ethan woke up from a coma after chasing a criminal, his superior immediately declared that Ethan was no longer fit to serve in the CIA. Throughout his life, Ethan had worked hard for the CIA, even neglecting his wife and daughter. All of Ethan's sacrifices went unreciprocated. In the end, all Ethan received was a very small pension.
Vivi was not at all surprised by Ethan's indifference. Calmly, Vivi took a watch out of her pocket and waved it right in front of the middle-aged man. "Maybe we can talk."
Ethan's body tensed for a moment. As he tried to reach for the watch with slightly trembling hands, a complicated expression appeared on his face. "My wife gave me that watch."
Ethan always carried the watch his wife gave him, but while chasing the Albino, he accidentally lost the watch on the beach near the sea.
For work and to protect his family, Ethan was hardly ever home. His relationship with his family felt increasingly strained, even though Ethan loved them very much.
Vivi waved to Lance. "Come on, darling. Let's go for a walk."
Ethan turned to Lance, then back to Vivi, pondering for a moment. Then, Ethan patted the bike he was holding and said, "We can talk, but I have to take my bike with me."
Vivi shrugged and smiled. "After we're done talking, you'll see your bike."
