Tom turned around and sat back on the bench, looking at Jimmy, "I've told you before that in this identity, your mother is Veronique Durand. Do you remember that? Are you interested in learning about her family?"

Jimmy nodded, "Of course, having taken on this identity, understanding them could help avoid unexpected complications later on."

Tom nodded and relayed what his teacher, Mrs. Walz, had said to Jimmy. "There's something without evidence, only guesses, that I think I should mention to you. Veronique's death might not be the sickness we thought it was. Given her father's family's death, the possibility is quite high."

Jimmy's mind was a bit muddled—what's with this conspiracy theory again? And what on earth is this identity all about? Initially, he was passively cleared for entry, and now there's someone after his entire family?

Jimmy: "How did the former Jimmy die then? Could it have been done by that Gregg you mentioned?"

Tom shook his head, "Now I'm not sure either, because during missions, it's always solitary; I only know the outcomes. In any case, I've told you everything I know. The rest is up to you."

Jimmy nodded, "Thank you, Tom. Without you, maybe I would never have found out about all this."

Tom sighed, "Alright, that's all I have. I'm heading back now. Don't contact me for a while; I'll be traveling around and will let you know when I'm settled."

Jimmy: "Okay, safe travels."

-----------------

Having reviewed the information, Jimmy set it aside for the moment as Tom's investigation was quite detailed. These details were troublesome for the current Jimmy, mainly because they could not be publicized and could not redirect the investigation focus of Mahong and the others.

During office hours, Jimmy arrived at the office early. Today, he needed to find time to talk with Hughes and Mahong, as their current target was incorrect. However, Jimmy did not plan to disclose this—it had too big of an impact, and he did not know what might happen afterward.

He wanted them to agree to let him go to New Mexico to investigate Scott, the shadowy figure behind the initial attack.

However, before Jimmy had a chance to speak with Hughes and Mahong, two DHS agents had already come looking for Mahong.

After recounting the current progress of their investigation, the DHS agents proposed to return to Washington D.C. Current leads were insufficient to continue the pursuit of the explosion case mastermind Nuer, and the investigation of the missing lobbying firm employee was also at a standstill. There was no point in them staying.

Mahong was also taken aback, asked the agents to wait, then went to consult with Hughes. After some thought, Hughes agreed. Once the DHS agents had left, Hughes called Jimmy and the others for a meeting.

Hughes: "The attack case has been going on for a long time, and we can't indefinitely focus all our energy on it. Now that DHS intelligence has confirmed that the subsequent attacks were carried out by Nu'er Mohammod, we can't solve this anytime soon. I think we should put it aside for now and handle the regular cases first."

Mahong nodded; this series of attack cases, with no direct evidence and only pieced-together clues, was exhausting. Some clues even came through Hughes's private connections and all needed verification, which was extremely stressful.

Jimmy: "Hughes, I'd like to go to New Mexico."

Hughes and Mahong looked at Jimmy, who continued: "Scott's family in Albany said he was in Los Angeles, but his mobile phone location shows he is in Albuquerque. Plus, with Azte at the border, I suspect this Scott could be the congressman's fixer and the planner behind the first two attacks."

Hughes turned to Mahong, "What do you think?"

Mahong: "Not enough reason."

Hughes: "Jimmy, are you set on going?"

Jimmy nodded, and after a moment's thought, Hughes said, "You'll need a reason."

Jimmy: "Following the Sisley Prison breakout, one person, Cameron Brown, was never caught. After his escape, there's been no news."

Hughes nodded, "I just need a reason. You'll have to handle it yourself."

Jimmy looked to Mahong, who nodded, "Don't worry about the office, but you need a reason that can stand scrutiny. You haven't forgotten the OPR matter, have you?"

Jimmy: "I understand. I'll deal with it."

The three of them spoke in Hughes's office without much concern as there were no outsiders present.

Jimmy left Hughes's office and started planning his next steps.

In the Southwest, he seemed to have no acquaintances. The most he could choose in the southern states were probably just Little Rock and Dallas; he had never been to New Mexico before.

Jimmy regretted not mentioning it to Tom earlier. Tom used to handle that area, so he might know it a bit better. Even though he was officially dead, his network could still be of use.

After weighing his resources, Jimmy couldn't figure out a suitable approach. Pondering for a while, he decided to just send a message to Tom and wait for a response. If that didn't work, he'd ask for Winston's help; surely, he would have some overt resources that could be utilized.

Having decided on a plan, Jimmy sent a text message to Tom's phone then tossed the unregistered phone into his drawer to wait.

With the case temporarily paused and Mahong and the others worn out from the long investigation, Jimmy thought it would be good to invite everyone to the bar for a drink. Mahong and Philicia naturally had no objections. Jimmy left to find the others and made a call to Woody, asking him to reserve a table.

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