106: 1st Bell

To take it or not?

In truth, Sean didn't have much hesitation in his heart.

He had to take it!

Why?

Because Sean needed an organization.

This actually wasn't the first time Sean had thought about this problem.

From the moment he awakened magic power at Hill Manor, from the moment he fought that Low-level Demon in the church, from the moment he carried the power of the Supreme Witch, he knew he was no longer an ordinary person.

Ordinary people have the path of ordinary people: call the police, go to work, get off work, eat, sleep. He could no longer walk that path.

The things he encountered, ordinary people wouldn't encounter.

The things he dealt with, ordinary people couldn't deal with.

The power he possessed, ordinary people didn't have.

He needed an organization—one that could understand him, help him, and provide support when he needed it.

The FBI, the top law enforcement agency in the United States.

They had resources, personnel, technology, and authority.

They also knew that this world wasn't what ordinary people thought it was.

They knew supernatural things existed, and they were looking for people who could handle them.

If he joined them, it wouldn't be as an ordinary agent, but as their "weapon."

They needed him, and he needed them.

Mutual utilization, mutual dependence.

Moreover, he couldn't refuse.

Murray hadn't come alone; he represented the Department of Justice, the FBI, and those higher-ups whom Sean had never met but who had been keeping an eye on him.

The FBI already knew he wasn't an ordinary person, knew he had handled "that kind" of case, and had already set their sights on him.

If he refused, what would they think?

They would think he was uncooperative, that he was problematic, or that he might be an uncontrollable individual.

When they came looking for him again after that, they wouldn't be so polite.

They might even... treat Sean as an object that needed to be "contained."

After considering all this, Sean gave a decisive answer: "I'll take it!"

Murray nodded with satisfaction.

"Tomorrow at three in the afternoon, at this address."

He pulled a business card from his pocket and placed it on the table by the door.

An address in downtown New Orleans was written on the back of the card.

"We'll meet to discuss the details, and... about joining the FBI, how have you considered it?"

Sean looked at him. "Is there a pay raise?"

Murray paused for a moment. "Yes."

"How much?"

"Five times your current salary."

Five times?

Holy crap!

That was a hell of a raise!

So this time, Sean nodded quite seriously. "Alright then."

Murray was genuinely amused by Sean's attitude.

The smile was brief, but sincere.

He said, "Officer Blake, you're unlike anyone I've ever met."

Sean looked at him and thought for a moment. "Perhaps... it's because I'm actually just an ordinary person."

Hearing this, Murray showed a rare hint of surprise.

"An ordinary person?"

He repeated it, savoring the words, then nodded. "Officer Blake, you are very interesting."

Having said that Sean was interesting once more, Murray tucked away his smile, his expression turning serious. "I believe our future cooperation will be very smooth."

After finishing, Murray didn't linger. He stood up and walked toward the door.

After a few steps, he stopped and said without looking back, "Tomorrow at three in the afternoon. Don't be late."

Sean nodded but didn't say anything more.

For him, since he had already agreed, there wasn't much left to think about...

...

The next afternoon, Sean arrived at the agreed-upon address on time.

It was a gray-white low-rise building on the edge of downtown New Orleans. There was no sign, no house number, only a heavy iron door and two cameras at the entrance.

Just as he reached the door, the iron gate opened.

A young woman in a black suit stood behind the door. She looked to be in her early thirties, with brown hair tied in a ponytail. Her features were delicate, her gaze sharp as she sized Sean up from head to toe.

"Officer Blake?"

"Yes."

"Come in."

She spoke as she turned to walk inside, her pace very fast.

Sean followed her in.

The corridor was long, and the white lights were uncomfortably bright.

On either side were closed doors with no windows, only numbers.

Reaching the end of the corridor, she pushed open a door and stepped aside to let him through.

The room wasn't large, containing a long table and a few chairs. An American flag and an FBI flag hung on the wall. On the long table lay a file folder, a Glock pistol, and a badge.

Murray was sitting across the long table. Seeing Sean enter, he stood up and nodded.

"Officer Blake, have a seat."

Sean sat down, and the woman sat across from him as Murray spoke. "This is Special Agent Maggie Bell from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's New York Field Office. She is the person in charge of this mission."

As he spoke, he looked at Sean. "Agent Bell, this is Officer Sean Black, who will be joining our operation."

Maggie Bell looked at Sean, her sharp eyes devoid of expression.

She nodded without saying a word.

Murray then introduced the man beside her.

He was a male, about thirty-five or thirty-six, with a burly build, wearing a dark blue windbreaker, sitting next to Maggie.

He looked at Sean with a gaze slightly gentler than Maggie's, but it was still scrutinizing.

"Special Agent Omar Adom Zidan, Agent Bell's partner."

Omar nodded to Sean in greeting.

Once finished with the introductions, Murray stood up. "You two talk. I have another meeting."

As he reached the door, he stopped and looked back at Sean. "Officer Blake, the contract is in the file folder. Take a look. If there's no problem, sign it. Once you sign, you're FBI."

He pushed the door open and walked out.

The room was quiet for a moment.

Maggie Bell pushed the file folder toward Sean and said, "The contract, non-disclosure agreement, and mission briefing. Read them first."

Her voice was neither high nor low, carrying a professional steadiness.

Sean opened the folder and took out the stack of documents.

The contract was thick with dense text. He flipped through it quickly.

Salary: five times his current pay. Insurance: according to federal government standards. Term: two years, renewable.

Of course, it also included a non-disclosure agreement stating he could not reveal mission details to anyone, or else he would face legal consequences.

Sean gave it a cursory look, then picked up a pen and signed directly.

Maggie took the contract, put it back in the folder, and then pushed the Glock and the badge across the table.

"Glock 19, nine millimeter, fifteen-round magazine. Your carry permit is inside, and the badge is your identification."

Sean picked up the badge. It was gold, with the letters "FBI" engraved on it.

Hmm...

It looked pretty much like the ones he'd seen in TV shows before.

Maggie watched him, her gaze remaining sharp throughout.

She didn't understand why this young man could skip all the procedures and join the FBI directly.

Maggie had mentored many newcomers; every one of them had gone through layers of screening, background checks, physical tests, psychological evaluations, and rigorous training at the National Academy.

But this guy in front of her had done nothing and yet received a badge and a sidearm.

This made her expression sour; her lips were pursed and her brow slightly furrowed, as if she were enduring something...