Legendary FBI Detective

Sunday, 4:30 PM, Special Investigation Team office.

In the most open area on the side, Winslow was lifting dumbbells to exercise, while Chenier counted his push-ups not far away.

Michelle and Mona were sitting together fiddling with a computer, Reesi sat at her own workstation and yawned hugely—she partied a little too hard last night and still hadn't rested well.

"I hate working overtime."

Slumping into her chair, Reesi looked listlessly at Mona:

"Mona, do you know what this situation is about?"

"I don't."

Mona spread her hands, Luo An had been called to the office by Vireness, and it was her who had helped call everyone else back.

"Maybe it's another serial murder case that's occurred somewhere."

Winslow finished a set of exercises, put down the dumbbells, walked over to take a sip of water, and said:

"This kind of thing happens every month in the Federation; it might well be another case that has been dusty for a decade or even decades."

"Could it be a bank robbery?"

Chenier suggested her own idea:

"When I rushed to this building just now, I saw in the news that another bank robbery occurred in Southern New York, and the amount stolen was huge."

"That's New York; bank robberies are normal there, it would be abnormal if there wasn't any."

Reesi's face showed her speechlessness as she commented, while Michelle analyzed earnestly:

"From the Special Investigation Team, to Investigation Team No. 13, and then to the recent period, we've already dealt with many types of cases.

This time Vireness was so eager to call Luo An over, she must appreciate our experience.

So this case should be of the same type as the cases we've handled before."

"But what specific kind is it?"

Reesi spread her hands:

"Murder cases, homicide cases, serial killings, bombing cases, bank robberies... We've dealt with too many cases."

"We'll know when Luo An gets back."

Mona said with a smile as she patted Reesi's shoulder:

"I suggest you take a good rest now while there's nothing going on.

Once Luo An is back, it's uncertain whether you can rest tonight."

"You make sense."

Reesi nodded and quickly shifted her chair back to her workstation, picked up her clothes to pad on the desk, ready to sleep.

But before she could lie down, the door to the Special Investigation Team's office area was suddenly pushed open, and Luo An walked in expressionless with a strange woman.

Reesi: "..."

"Everyone, let me introduce."

Walking to the front of the office area, Luo An gave a brief introduction:

"This is Lady Modlin from the Federation Army, she will be acting with us on this case."

"Hello, I'm Ophelia Modlin."

The Caucasian woman looked to be about forty years old, with brown hair in a practical ponytail, and had a very military demeanor when she walked and stood. After Luo An's introduction, she nodded to everyone and said:

"Just call me Ophelia."

"Hello."

Agents greeted Ophelia briefly, then Mona looked at the folder in Luo An's hand and asked:

"What is this case about?"

Luo An's eyelid twitched but didn't immediately answer, instead, he turned his gaze to Ophelia beside him.

Ophelia took a deep breath and said gravely:

"A nuclear warhead is missing, our mission is to recover it."

"..."

"???"

"!!!"

As Ophelia's voice faded, the entire office area became eerily silent, with the breathing of several individuals coming to a halt.

Winslow and Chenier both widened their eyes in disbelief, while Mona and Michelle's faces were stricken with shock, their mouths gaping involuntarily. Even Reesi, who had been somewhat drowsy, was jolted awake, her face full of astonishment as she stuttered:

"Nuclear… a nuclear bomb?! Are you sure?"

Reesi was truly startled by the news, her speech faltering.

"Not a whole nuclear bomb, just a warhead."

Ophelia shook her head, distributing the information from the folder to everyone, and introduced:

"31 hours ago, the NSA (National Security Bureau) accidentally learned during routine monitoring of an organization that its members had unearthed a Cold War-era air-to-air missile in a region in New Mexico.

Military database records show that the missile was mounted with a nuclear warhead at the forefront.

But when the NSA and other relevant departments arrived there, they only found most of the remnants of the unearthed air-to-air missile; the nuclear warhead part had gone missing."

"..."

The office went even quieter.

During the Cold War, the Federation Army conducted many different types of drills, sometimes having planes carry nuclear bombs for simulations.

But accidents are always bound to happen, and planes flying in the sky are no exception. To prevent a nuclear bomb from detonating in case of a plane crash, the military would always require pilots to jettison the nuclear bomb from the plane beforehand.

Since there's no detonation device, a bomb wouldn't explode on ground impact, and the military regarded this method as "less dangerous."

Back then, planes didn't have precise positioning devices; it was difficult to pinpoint exactly where a bomb released from a plane would land. The military could only send people to conduct widespread searches in the area.

There are instances where they were successfully found and recovered, and naturally, there are also ones that were never found and went missing.

There have been 6 such acknowledged incidents of lost nuclear bombs by the Federation, and God knows how many unacknowledged.

At least this time, with the air-to-air missile warhead incident, the Federation had never admitted to it. If the missile wreckage hadn't been dug up, this matter might have been kept hidden indefinitely.

Luo An rubbed his temples resignedly; when he first heard about this at Vireness's, he was equally stunned.

He knew the Federation Government could be unreliable at times, but to this extent was somewhat beyond imagination.

"So, the situation now is that a nuclear warhead is missing, and we don't know who stole it."

After a long silence, Chenier swallowed and asked:

"We have to retrieve the nuclear warhead, right?"

"No, we just need to find its trail, just to discover whose hands it is in.

As for what comes next, there are specialized departments responsible for handling nuclear bombs."

Luo An shook his head. Although he had a system, nuclear bombs were not something it could deal with.

If it weren't for Vireness and the military liaison being explicit that the FBI was only responsible for finding the thief and that other departments would handle the nuclear bomb, Luo An wouldn't have taken on this case at all.

One Geiger click, and a lifetime's upbringing goes to waste.

This saying might often be an exaggeration, but when facing a real nuclear bomb, most people's first instinct would definitely be to run.

"Phew—"

After hearing Luo An's words, Winslow, Michelle, and Reesi all let out a long sigh of relief, while Chenier noticed something and followed up with a question:

"What about the radiation? We all know that once exposed to radiation, it sticks to you and you can't escape it."

Ophelia passed another document to everyone and explained:

"The people who dug up the air-to-air missile have already been professionally tested by relevant departments, and there are no signs of radiation on them, which indicates that the nuclear warhead is well-preserved and there have been no signs of radiation leakage.

Additionally, military database records also show that the design of the nuclear warhead's protection is very thorough, preventing any radiation leakage."

After briefly inquiring on some questions, the agents of the Special Investigation Team relaxed slightly. Mona went back to her workstation, turned on her computer, and asked:

"Are there any suspects?"

"Of course."

Ophelia handed a piece of paper to Mona, replying:

"We suspect the person who stole the nuclear warhead is from the 'Nuclear Bomb Club'."

"..."