Chapter 185 Cohen Arrives First

There was no reply from Patrick yet, but Cohen arrived in Oxford Town first.

Bringing only one security guard with him, Cohen drove a black Ford Explorer rented from the airport straight to the Morris Building.

Standing by the window, Jessica saw the black Ford park in a parking space downstairs. She turned back to look at Mu Xin and said, "He's here."

"He is anxious," Mu Xin said, leaning back in his chair. "It seems that the achievements from the Connolly Family case are very important to him."

Mu Xin did not stand up after Cohen entered the room. He pointed to the sofa and said, "Mr. Cohen, welcome to Oxford Town. Would you like some coffee?"

"No need," Cohen said as he sat down, skipping any pleasantries. "Mr. Mu, the Connolly Family's case is now in the hands of the Federal Task Force."

"After the Secretary of Homeland Security was publicly questioned at a congressional hearing last week, the White House has listed Ohio's water safety as an annual priority."

"The task force's investigation currently covers Cincinnati, Hamilton, and seven surrounding counties. They are expected to complete all prosecution preparations for the core of the Connolly Family in the coming weeks."

Mu Xin did not reply, but simply leaned back in his chair, watching him and waiting for him to continue.

"However, the task force's current scope of action only covers southwestern Ohio."

"The Mexican Cartel's supply chain is not within their investigative jurisdiction; that falls under the purview of the DEA and the Department of Homeland Security."

"The Connolly Family has operated in Cincinnati for thirty years. Their upstream supply chain stretches from Texas to Mexico, and there are still at least two to three regional distribution networks of similar scale on this route that have not been touched."

"If you are satisfied with merely sending the Connolly Family to prison, once the task force closes the case, these upstream networks will look for new agents and distributors in southwestern Ohio again."

"In the hands of these new agents, Oxford Town's contraband problem will reappear under a new guise within a few months."

"So what is your suggestion?" Mu Xin asked directly.

"Not a suggestion, but a proposal." Cohen took out a thin file and placed it on the coffee table.

"The Department of Defense's Office of Industrial Security and Infrastructure Protection can launch a special security assessment targeting the threat of contraband infiltration by foreign powers faced by Ohio's critical infrastructure."

"The scope of this assessment can extend from Oxford Town to all critical nodes of the defense supply chain throughout southwestern Ohio, including but not limited to the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, the tank factory in Lima, and the Defense Logistics Center in Columbus."

"Once the assessment is initiated, the Department of Defense has the authority to coordinate joint law enforcement actions by the DEA, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security within the scope of the assessment."

"This means that the Connolly Family's case does not have to be just a local special case in southwestern Ohio. It can be upgraded to a Department of Defense-led, interagency national security operation targeting the Mexican Cartel's infiltration of critical US infrastructure through contraband distribution networks."

"And the primary author of this assessment report..." Mu Xin glanced at the cover of the folder on the coffee table, which was printed with the Department of Defense's emblem and a bold title: *Preliminary Assessment of Foreign Contraband Infiltration Threats to Ohio's Critical Infrastructure*.

"...is me." There was a slight tremor in Cohen's voice.

"Once this assessment report is formally adopted by the Department of Defense, my office will gain continuous monitoring and interagency coordination authority over all contraband-related infrastructure security threats within Ohio."

"In other words, after the Connolly Family's case is closed, if anyone wants to re-establish a fentanyl distribution network in Ohio, my office can directly mobilize federal resources for targeted elimination without going through the local law enforcement system."

"What this means for you is that you will no longer have to rely solely on your security company to fight Oxford Town's contraband problem. In the future, you will have an office in Washington, within the Department of Defense, with an independent budget and law enforcement coordination authority, guarding every water supply pipe in southwestern Ohio for you."

Mu Xin looked at Cohen, then picked up the folder and flipped through it.

Actually, Jack had already told him about this. He was carefully pondering the underlying logic of Cohen's visit.

The Connolly Family's case was currently still in the hands of the task force, which was under the Department of Justice, whereas the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense were two completely independent federal departments.

If Cohen simply waited in Washington for the task force to close the case before launching his security assessment, his assessment would have to wait in line for at least several months in the Department of Defense's internal approval process.

By then, the Connolly Family's case would have long been closed and archived by the Department of Justice. The credit would go to the Department of Justice, and Cohen would get nothing.

Therefore, he had to set up the framework of the assessment report before the task force closed the case, under the guise of early intervention by the Department of Defense, turning the threat assessment of Ohio's water safety into an initiation document for an interagency joint operation led by himself.

And the key data for this initiation document all came from Mu Xin's side.

"Mr. Cohen," Mu Xin said, putting the folder back on the coffee table. "Your name is listed as the primary author of this assessment report."

"Once the interagency operation is launched, whatever resources you can get in Washington are your business. I don't care who signs the first page of the final case report."

"I only care about one thing: regardless of which department leads the follow-up of the Connolly Family's case, there must be no fentanyl or other contraband on the ground in Oxford Town. Not now, and not in the future."

Cohen leaned back against the sofa. "I need all the raw data you can provide, including the Connolly Family's organizational chart that you haven't handed over to the FBI yet, the monthly payment details of the distributors, and all the supply chain nodes you have found so far that are connected to areas outside of southwestern Ohio."

"You intentionally left some gaps in the previous information. I don't know what the FBI people think, but I need you to fill in this part completely."

"And after it is filled in completely?" Mu Xin asked in return.

"Once it's filled in completely, my assessment report will have enough supporting evidence to launch the Department of Defense's interagency joint operation."

"The scope of the operation will extend beyond Ohio, which means the Mexican Cartel's nodes on the supply chain from Texas to Ohio will be included in the coordinated strike list of the DEA and FBI."

"The security of your Oxford Town will no longer be just a small town protecting itself. It will be integrated into a permanent marker on the Department of Defense's threat map of critical infrastructure in the Midwest."

"As long as that marker is there, my office will have the budget and authorization."

"As long as you give me the raw data, I will write Oxford Town into the Department of Defense's security assessment framework. In the future, anyone who wants to establish a fentanyl distribution network in Oxford Town will have to ask The Pentagon first."

Mu Xin was completely clear on what Cohen wanted: simple political achievements. He needed to use these achievements to try to take a step up.

If the water poisoning incident and all subsequent details were packed by Cohen into a Department of Defense security assessment report, sent to relevant congressional committees, and then cited in the media, it would mean adding a narrative to his career that others could never obtain. This was more valuable than any internal performance review.

And Cohen was also completely clear on what Mu Xin wanted: Oxford Town's contraband problem to be resolved once and for all.

Not by relying on his own security company, but resolved at the federal level.

Now, both of them knew each other's bottom line.

"The raw data, including the part I didn't hand over to the FBI, I will give all of it to you."

"But you need to verify it yourself. What I provide is the data I collected, not evidence for court. Your analysts need to complete the chain of data themselves," Mu Xin said after a moment's thought.

"That is my business," Cohen nodded.

"There's one more thing. As far as I know, the core of the Connolly Family is currently negotiating a plea deal with federal prosecutors. They are willing to hand over all operational data of their peripheral distribution networks in exchange for criminal immunity for their core members."

"Once this data enters the task force's evidence system, it's as good as being in the Department of Justice's database. You won't be able to get it."

"I can't help you with this. You'll have to find a way yourself," Mu Xin reminded him.

"I'm already on it," Cohen nodded. "Before I came to Oxford Town, I had my assistant send the draft framework of the assessment report to the Department of Defense's Policy Review Committee."

"If today's communication with you can confirm the completeness of the raw data, I can submit the final version for the signature of the Deputy Secretary in charge of infrastructure security within forty-eight hours of returning to Washington."

"Then it's a deal," Mu Xin said readily. "From beginning to end, this case of the Connolly Family has nothing to do with me directly."

"I am just a businessman investing in Ohio, whose own security team happened to discover two opportunists creeping around my Water Plant in the middle of the night with a pickup truck full of fentanyl, and reported them to the federal authorities in accordance with the law."

"Once you write this report, your name will be the sole signature on the Department of Defense's formal assessment, and all public perception of subsequent interagency actions will only be linked to your office in the Department of Defense."

"As for whether the raw data will be traced back here, the residents of Oxford Town and I are merely cooperating legally with a national security assessment."

Cohen looked at him, making an expression that looked like a smile. "Mr. Mu, the last time I asked you in Cincinnati what you were buying arms for, you answered 'a theme park'."

"I didn't believe you that time, but this time I do."

"Mr. Cohen, I saved you all that procedural nonsense, so don't beat around the bush with me either."

"You need achievements, and I need security."

"Let's not talk about the past. As long as you write Oxford Town into the Department of Defense's security assessment framework, the things I gave you are nothing," Mu Xin chuckled, knowing that Cohen was trying to ease the tension.

Cohen shrugged and stood up. When he reached the door, he stopped and looked back at Mu Xin.

"Mr. Mu, there are not many people in all of Washington who dare to speak to a Department of Defense official like that."

"By the way, remember to notify me when your theme park opens."

"I will go with my family."

"I'll save tickets for you, don't worry," Mu Xin smiled.

...

Jessica walked over to Mu Xin from the window, looking down at the folder Cohen had left on the coffee table.

"He knows you've changed your original plan. After all, you were the one who needed to beg him to solve the contraband problem before, but he still came."

"Because his need for this report is more urgent than my need for him," Mu Xin said, leaning back in his chair and looking out the window.

"I've been investing in Oxford Town for over half a year. First, I fought the Williams Family. When Williams died, I fought Derek. When Derek died, I ran into the Connolly Family."

"If not for my good luck, the Connolly Family's matter wouldn't have been resolved so easily this time."

"Who do you think will be next?"

"I don't know, but there will definitely be a next one," Jessica sighed.

"But whoever it is, before that, I have to raise a real watchdog here first."

"This watchdog won't be squatting at the door; it will live in Washington."

"Cohen is only just beginning to be willing to build his nest under our roof. He is still a long way from being able to guard the door," Mu Xin sneered.