George didn't kick Mr. Nobody out.
After all, a guest was still a guest.
Furthermore, while Langley's public reputation was somewhat questionable, its organizational alignment remained firmly on the side of justice.
Besides, this was New York, and George was the definitive apex predator on this home turf. Kicking Mr. Nobody out would merely imply that he was intimidated—which would translate to the NYPD fearing Langley.
That wouldn't do.
Most importantly, the man hadn't shown up empty-handed; he had arrived bearing direct intelligence.
So, despite Mr. Nobody's uninvited arrival and George's internal irritation, the detective still maintained an outwardly polite demeanor, inviting the unexpected guest inside to sit for a moment.
The moment Mr. Nobody opened his mouth, his smooth-talking charisma was on full display. He shook hands with Helen, introducing himself with polished charm that instantly put her in a fantastic mood.
Honestly, though.
Virtually anyone coming into the house would be better at humoring Helen than George.
George was a certified, textbook definition of a straight-laced guy—the kind of uncompromising straight-laced man who wouldn't even cut his own father-in-law a break if he caught him committing a traffic violation.
Helen offered a warm smile as she shook hands with Mr. Nobody, murmuring softly,
"To be perfectly honest, you don't strike me as a CIA agent at all."
Mr. Nobody smiled smoothly. "That is because I am not. I am merely an insignificant nobody."
With that said...
"Mr. Broughton!"
Mr. Nobody's gaze locked directly onto Locke, extending a hand of friendship. "Good heavens, I had zero expectation of running into you here, Mr. Broughton. This is a genuinely delightful surprise. We meet again."
'If you drop that exaggerated facial expression and recall those field agents you've had tailing me from a distance over the last few days, maybe I'd actually believe you.'
Locke thought to himself, yet he still maintained absolute politeness as he shook Mr. Nobody's hand with refined grace.
"I have heard that once people meet for a third time, it becomes acceptable to learn the other person's name, Mr. Nobody."
Mr. Nobody smiled. "And what number does this encounter mark for us?"
"The second!"
"Ah."
Mr. Nobody adopted a look of understanding, smiling warmly. "Then how about we save it for the third encounter, Mr. Broughton?"
Locke offered a subtle smile.
"It's a deal."
"It's a deal."
'This guy can't seriously be plotting to recruit me right now, can he?'
Locke thought to himself as he watched Mr. Nobody follow George up the stairs toward the study.
After all, CIA agents weren't mass-produced clones spat out by a machine. In truth, the CIA maintained a specific internal role that functioned very similarly to talent scouts in Hollywood.
These Langley scouts were scattered all across the nation, many of them being retired operatives. If they spotted a young individual possessing immense raw potential, they would place them under observation.
If deemed suitable, they would seize the perfect tactical window to invite them to join Langley, allowing them to shine and contribute to protecting the nation's security.
From a certain analytical perspective, Langley operatives were merely actors performing on an entirely different global stage. Not to mention, Langley itself maintained deep, historical ties to Hollywood.
Word had it that Marilyn Monroe was once heavily rumored to be a clandestine Langley asset.
Furthermore, the reason modern Hollywood stunt doubles and facial prosthetics looked so uncannily realistic was rumored to be a direct offshoot of Langley's proprietary synthetic mask technology.
Locke didn't harbor any inherent aversion to joining Langley.
At the very least, it wasn't repulsive like SHIELD.
In fact...
Locke actually felt a slight sense of anticipation regarding the CIA attempting to headhunt him. After all, joining Langley would provide him with an entirely new, massive avenue for grinding system missions.
Furthermore, the CIA's operational footprint would effectively expand his target territory.
Where exactly did the CIA operate?
The entire globe.
When the time came, he could potentially orchestrate a highly lucrative joint operation with his Peerless Assassin identity, simultaneously expanding the assassin persona's mission radius.
A literal win-win scenario!
It might even boost his theoretical value straight up to a premium five-hundred-thousand-dollar asset bounty!
But...
That was a matter for the future.
Right now?
Locke was only seventeen years old. At this stage, his primary mission grinding was anchored within the academic environment.
Since arriving in New York, he hadn't even executed many contracts under the Peerless Assassin persona, precisely because his current mainstream system missions made him feel that pausing active assassinations was still highly profitable.
Just like a player shouldn't blindly charge toward Level 150 with a basic, unoptimized starter build, Locke never bit off more than he could chew. Keeping his feet firmly on the ground, advancing one step at a time, was a far more stable approach.
...
Inside the study.
"Have a seat."
"Thank you."
Mr. Nobody settled into a chair, his gaze immediately drifting toward the massive whiteboard mounted on the wall.
The whiteboard was completely covered in dense notes.
Every single bit of it was hard intelligence related to the Peerless Assassin. Furthermore, it was meticulously categorized into a strict timeline—ranging from the very first recorded contract to the precise locations where the assassin had been visually sighted, all marked with crystal clarity.
Every photograph and piece of data had its source clearly documented.
Any random individual stepping into this room would instantly realize just how unshakable and fierce George's determination to capture the Peerless Assassin truly was.
Mr. Nobody looked at George, offering a sincere compliment. "I have always heard that Detective Stacy is exceptionally dedicated to his work, recognized across the NYPD as one of the most uncompromising law enforcement figures. Seeing this today, I realize those rumors don't even do you justice."
One shouldn't underestimate that level of uncompromising dedication.
The number of law enforcement personnel within federal agencies who truly maintained that exact trait wasn't quite as high as the raccoon population, but it was easily comparable to the dwindling numbers of giant pandas.
From that analytical angle, George could practically be classified as an endangered, precious species.
George sat behind his desk, flipping through the files Mr. Nobody had brought along.
In truth, these documents had already been formally declassified; even SHIELD had already requested and received a copy.
George scanned the intelligence profiles of operatives who had long been declared dead—documents SHIELD had previously cross-referenced in their own attempt to uncover the Peerless Assassin's true identity. Hearing the compliment, he didn't even look up as he spoke.
"Did you come here specifically for Locke?"
Mr. Nobody adjusted his posture, crossing his legs as he looked at George sitting across the desk. He let out a soft chuckle. "Oh? Is it really that obvious?"
George let out a dry laugh.
That question shouldn't even be framed as a hypothetical.
Anyone with working eyes could clearly see that Mr. Nobody hadn't made this trip solely to deliver files. He was merely using the delivery as a convenient vector to initiate direct contact with Locke.
The reason?
As the thought crossed his mind, George shook his head, closing the file he had briefly skimmed. He looked squarely at Mr. Nobody.
"Mr. Nobody, since when did the CIA start recruiting assets so completely out in the open?"
Shouldn't CIA recruitment be conducted in absolute secrecy? Operatives were typically required to hide their true occupations even from their own significant others, unless they were legally wedded.
Mr. Nobody didn't seem intent on hiding his motives either. He smiled. "If it were anyone else, it would naturally remain completely hidden. But Locke Broughton is an entirely different case."
"Oh?"
"He and Gwen are in a relationship."
"..."
Seeing George's expression instantly turn incredibly sour, Mr. Nobody shook his head. "In truth, my original plan was to wait until Locke graduated, or perhaps wait until he and your daughter eventually went their separate ways before initiating recruitment. Doing so would ensure I wouldn't have to worry about you doing something... unhelpful."
"Such as..."
"You have been actively looking for a vulnerability to exploit on Locke, haven't you?"
"..."
George felt a sudden urge to throw the man out. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Mr. Nobody shrugged, keeping his smile intact. "Nothing major. CIA operatives require absolute identity protection. If your personal friction with Locke caused you to inadvertently unearth the fact that he is a vetted CIA asset, the entire recruitment would lose all operational value to me."
An operative whose cover was blown faced only two realistic paths.
Either relocate permanently to Langley to handle internal desk operations.
Or adopt an entirely fabricated identity and enter immediate, permanent retirement.
In more severe cases involving assets who had executed multiple sensitive field operations, a clean-up protocol would be initiated to prevent catastrophic intelligence leaks.
"The most critical point..."
Mr. Nobody spread his hands. "Furthermore, there is a current federal proposal advocating for total information transparency. Personally, I am quite supportive of this initiative. I genuinely believe the public has a fundamental right to know exactly who the heroes protecting our nation's peace, stability, freedom, and democracy truly are!"
George stared at Mr. Nobody, remaining completely silent.
That statement was pure political rhetoric.
Or rather, it needed to be interpreted in reverse.
If Langley's operative database were ever made entirely public, the agency might as well disband on the spot and wait for countless hostile foreign spies and assassins to flood across the borders to tear the nation apart.
George shook his head, waving a hand dismissively. "I hold zero personal bias against Langley's operational mandates."
'Just don't start running operations on my specific jurisdiction.'
Mr. Nobody smiled warmly. "I am well aware. Furthermore, I also happen to know that you yourself were once targeted for recruitment by Langley years ago, Detective Stacy."
George let out a brief chuckle. "That is ancient history."
Mr. Nobody asked out of genuine curiosity, "While I have reviewed the archival data, it wasn't entirely complete. Would you mind telling me the reason? You possess a deep sense of patriotism, Detective Stacy—I can easily see that."
George shrugged.
"Evidently, I didn't love the concept quite as much as I initially thought. I met a girl."
Back then, he had encountered Helen right around the exact same time a Langley talent scout crossed his path.
George had weighed the options for three days before ultimately choosing love.
*And I made the correct choice.*
Reflecting on the countless shared moments with Helen, George let out a soft smile.
However...
George suddenly snapped back to the present. He had been willing to abandon an exhilarating espionage career for the sake of love.
What about Locke?
Knowing whether Mr. Nobody harbored recruitment intentions was one thing, but verifying whether those intentions would actually bear fruit was an entirely different matter.
Then again, if Locke were ever truly recruited, George felt confident he would be able to perceive the shift.
Could a regular teenager truly be more difficult to read than the Peerless Assassin?
George reasoned to himself.
Mr. Nobody slapped his thigh, rising to his feet. "Very well. The intelligence has been delivered, so I shall leave you to finish your breakfast. My apologies for the early intrusion, Detective Stacy."
George snapped out of his thoughts, standing up as well. "Thank you for the files, Mr. Nobody."
Mr. Nobody smiled without offering a direct reply, shaking hands with George as they walked out of the study together.
"Think nothing of it. The public always harbors far too many misconceptions regarding our work. In reality, we are simply another federal law enforcement entity."
George smiled smoothly. "We are not."
The NYPD belonged strictly to New York City, not the federal apparatus.
If the State of New York ever theoretically declared independence, the NYPD would be considered the absolute core defense force.
As they descended the stairs...
Locke looked at Mr. Nobody and George walking down one after the other, offering a polite smile.
"Leaving so soon, Mr. Nobody?"
Incredible.
He really has his sights set on me, doesn't he?