Chapter 1677
[ 596 words ]
Claire raised an eyebrow. So this was a case of professional jealousy.
She desperately wanted to tell him: I’m not here to humiliate you, I’m here to join your team!
Could he just be a little friendlier?
However, she knew that until she proved her skills, she had exactly zero leverage.
“It is getting late. Is Agent Grant around?”
“I’d like to wrap this up quickly so I can get back to bed.”
Claire was just stating a fact, but to Raymond, it sounded like sheer arrogance!
“Ulysses is here. Are you really the girl who bypassed the illegal lab’s self-destruct protocol?”
Despite being reprimanded by Adrienne earlier, Raymond refused to back down. He simply couldn’t bring himself to respect an inexperienced teenager.
But he valued the data on that flash drive more than his pride.
He was terrified a clueless kid would trigger the wipe sequence and destroy everything.
If that happened, the entire agency would take the fall, and as the head of the tech department, his head would be the first on the chopping block.
“If you mean The Aila Highlands operation, then yes, that was me.”
Claire answered honestly, but to the heavily biased Raymond, she just sounded insufferably cocky.
“I can’t just hand you the drive. You have to prove you actually know what you’re doing.”
That was a perfectly reasonable demand.
Claire agreed to the test without hesitation.
If the FIB headquarters wasn’t in a rush, neither was she.
Hearing that Claire had arrived, Ulysses rushed out to greet her.
He arrived just in time to hear Raymond demanding a preliminary test.
“Mr. Vance, we are on a massive time crunch. Stop hazing the new consultant.”
Ulysses ran a hand down his face in pure exasperation.
Raymond was a founding member of the agency. Even the top director had to tread lightly around him.
Ulysses had zero authority to pull rank on him.
Raymond wasn’t kicking her out; he was just demanding verification. There was nothing Ulysses could do.
Seeing a seasoned agent like Ulysses practically begging, Claire quickly grasped exactly how much power Raymond held in the building.
She also realized exactly where Ulysses stood in the pecking order. “Hazing?” Raymond scoffed defensively.
“This is basic operational security!”
“We are protecting classified assets. My protocol is flawless!” Technically, Raymond was following the rulebook to the letter.
Ulysses opened his mouth but couldn’t argue the logic.
Just then, Adrienne strolled out, eyeing Claire with deep intrigue.
Sizing the girl up, she offered a warm, predatory smile.
“Don’t mind the old guard, honey.
They just want to test ytsnet
but have a feeling this will be walk in the park for you.”
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“Besides, it’s the perfect chance to put them in their place.” Adrienne wouldn’t have
bothered giving this advice to anyone else.
Claire completely agreed with the sentiment.
“I know. That’s exactly why I accepted the test.” She wasn’t remotely intimidated.
Adrienne’s gaze filled with fierce approval. “Pure gold fears no fire! What the hell are you sweating for, Ulysses?”
Claire blinked.
She caught the distinct regional twang in Adrienne’s voice.
“Are you from Apex?”
Adrienne clapped a hand over her mouth, but it was too late. “Oops. You caught me.”
“I’m not a local, honey. I was just stationed there for a few years.”
“Claire, my name is Adrienne Byron. You can call me Adrienne.”
Claire smiled easily. “Adrienne.”
Adrienne then turned her sharp gaze on Dane. “And you’re as
ever, Dane Standing ze
statue without even a hello. .net>
“Your girl is infinitely more charming!”
“Director Byron,” Dane greeted, his expression impassive, though his tone held a trace of genuine respect.
Adrienne rolled her eyes at the formal title. “You are painfully boring compared to her, Dane!”
With a dramatic flip of her hair, she marched away.
Raymond narrowed his eyes at Dane. “Dane, I hear this kid is your fiancée?”
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