Aisade's death was actually his own fault.
The SA-9 anti-aircraft missile launch vehicles are usually spaced 150-200 meters apart, to avoid being destroyed all at once.
But for a warlord like Aisade, such tactical deployment was beyond his comprehension.
He actually just wanted to get closer to see a big fireworks display.
As a result, he blew himself up too.
Two days later, at dusk, inside the CIA station office building in Illiguo's Green Zone.
Simon's door was knocked open by his subordinate.
"SIR, Song Heping has returned…"
"What?!"
It had been a long time since Simon had heard from Song Heping.
The last time he'd received any news, Song Heping had been stabbed by a hitman hired by the DGSE in a hotel; but since that day, he had vanished from the world.
Realizing he couldn't stop Song Heping, Simon began damage control and sent an assassination squad to Algiers, hoping to seal JK's lips for good.
Unexpectedly, this squad also disappeared.
Investigations concluded there had definitely been an attack, but by whom was completely unknown; there were no bodies found, nor any survivors returned.
Most mysteriously, according to intelligence, the Salafi Armed in the Sahel Region had acquired three SA-9 missile launch systems. Simon thought this was Song Heping playing him once again, pulling off a surreptitious switch to complete the deal.
Unbelievably, the night before last there was news that the French Air Force had conducted a military operation on the outskirts of Affines, a major town in northeastern Mali, and a Mirage 2000D had bombed Colonel Aisade, the leader of the Salafi Armed, to death.
Successive intelligence sent Simon into confusion.
Just as Simon was trying to make sense of the various reports, his subordinate handed him several photos.
"JK has come back with Song Heping, too."
JK...
This codename was like a bomb tossed into Simon's head, blowing his mind.
"What?!"
Simon grabbed the photos on the desk and began looking through them.
It was indeed Henry, also known as JK.
The photos were clear, taken by a CIA agent in the Green Zone.
The person standing next to Song Heping was the intelligence broker, codenamed JK, Henry.
"How could he have come back with Song Heping?!"
Upon uttering that, Simon suddenly wanted to slap himself.
Such a statement was too revealing of his intelligence.
For a CIA station chief, to say something like that was totally below standard.
Why would he come back with Song Heping?
It was obvious, wasn't it?
It was meant for him to see!
Simon soon thought of another terrifying possibility.
The assassination squad he had sent to Algiers mysteriously disappeared, and there had been no leads.
Now JK was back in Illiguo's Green Zone with Song Heping—didn't that mean there was an unclear relationship between the disappearance of his squad and Song Heping?
Previously he had wondered who was helping JK escape, and now did he even need to ask?
Of course, it was Song Heping!
Building on this base assumption, Simon soon broke out in a cold sweat.
He had relayed through JK to the French that Song Heping was transporting SA-9 missiles to the Sahel for a deal. Now that JK had sided with Song Heping, he must have disclosed everything to Song Heping; otherwise, Song Heping would not have afforded him protection, brought him back to Illiguo, and brazenly brought him into the Green Zone...
It was clearly a show of defiance to him!
"FUCK!"
He lost control in an instant.
He swept everything off the desk onto the floor.
Simon realized that he was facing a crisis.
If Song Heping turned these matters into materials and submitted them to the military...
The consequences would be disastrous.
It wasn't unprecedented for the CIA to clash with the military.
After all, it counted as America's dirty laundry, not to be aired publicly.
But for those involved, the best outcome was to resign if they carried the can, or be demoted.