Chapter 561: The FBI
Hayley’s POV:
“Uh-huh,” Henry nodded, sounding quite proud. “You know the FBI, right? SI is pretty much the same thing.”
“But SI has a broader scope. As long as you can name it, they can get it done. They used to operate exclusively on the dark web, but starting this year, they’re openly recruiting for the first time. Several local families have their eyes on them.”
“Is that so?” I replied casually.
Henry looked at me, clearly stunned and disappointed. “I thought that since you’re a hacker, you’d be familiar with SI and be excited to hear about them. I didn’t expect you to have no clue about such a famous organization!”
Hearing that, I was just about to come up with an excuse to smooth things over when his phone rang at the perfect moment.
Henry pulled out his phone and gestured that he needed to take the call. “I’ll explain it to you later. They’re rushing me. See you.”
“Go ahead,” Benjamin said calmly.
On the way back to my dorm, we ran into Mira and Loretta, who were rushing over.
“Hayley, they didn’t give you a hard time, did they?” Loretta asked, slightly out of breath, holding her waist as she gasped for air.
“As soon as you were taken away, I went to find Mira. I know how capable she is, so I figured with her by my side, we could back you up. That way, even against that crazy woman, you wouldn’t be at a disadvantage,” she explained with a smile.
I was genuinely touched and reassured her with a smile. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
Mira, however, didn’t react much when she looked at me. But when she saw Benjamin, she respectfully explained, “There wasn’t much I could do. The humanities and math departments are too far apart. Maybe I should just start attending math classes with Hayley instead?”
She was obviously saying this for Benjamin’s sake, and since I knew she worked for him, I didn’t pay much attention to their conversation.
Seeing Benjamin’s slightly reproachful look toward Mira, I spoke up to ease the tension.
“It’s fine. I didn’t suffer any losses anyway.”
“I think that’s a good idea,” Benjamin said, approving Mira’s suggestion.
Mira glanced at me, then at Benjamin, and shrugged. “That’s settled then. I’ll just start attending math classes. Not like I’m here to actually study.”
Loretta looked at us all, completely confused.
Mira only followed Benjamin’s orders, so her decision wasn’t something I had any say in. I simply let it be.
Then, I suddenly remembered that besides my grandparents, Virginia was also staying at my place.
With the Shadow Pack’s Beta warriors absent, I felt uneasy leaving them alone. So instead of staying on campus, I asked Benjamin to take me home.
On the way back, Henry’s words came to mind, and I asked Benjamin sincerely, “Does the Midnight Pack also need SI’s influence?”
“Not exactly,” Benjamin replied seriously, his focus on driving. “That organization operates on the edge of the law, so it’s hard to control. The issue is, other packs are fighting for it, and if the Southwells don’t keep up, they’ll probably end up at a disadvantage.”
“Oh, so when everyone else is fighting for it, that makes it a hot commodity?” I tilted my head and looked at him. “What about you? Are you interested in forming an alliance with SI?”
Benjamin gave a slight smile. “Not really.”
He paused for a moment before adding, “But I’m not totally opposed to it either. Honestly, as long as SI doesn’t ally with any pack, there won’t be any trouble. It’s fair for everyone.”
“From what you’re saying, SI sounds like a real troublemaker,” I joked.
“Hehe…” Benjamin chuckled quietly. “If one of SI’s members hears us, we could be in serious trouble.”
“They wouldn’t dare,” I replied without thinking.
Benjamin’s sharp gaze turned toward me, studying me carefully.