N-A-A Chapter 678 The Only Home!
Chapter 678 The Only Home!
Lynn watched as the medical team pushed the stretcher slowly out of the experimental area and headed towards the ambulance, his eyes filled with relief. Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing him in warmth and strength. In the second-floor experimental area, the lingering smell of medicine gradually dissipated, replaced by an atmosphere of hope.
Jason strode over and said to Lynn, "Captain, all the test subjects have been put on ambulances. The medical staff said that most of them are just weak, and some have slight signs of mutation, but as long as they receive active treatment, they can all recover and are not in danger of death."
Lynn nodded, looking in the direction the ambulance had gone, and said in a gentler tone, "Okay, thank you for your hard work. Arrange for a few people to go with the ambulance to the hospital and be responsible for their safety. Also, contact the families of all the test subjects as soon as possible so they know their loved ones are still alive and can rest assured."
"Understood, Captain!" Jason replied immediately, turning to make arrangements.
The wind in LaCeva harbor carried the moisture of the tropical jungle, brushing against Lynn's face and dispelling some of his fatigue. He watched his team methodically clean up the scene and escort the prisoners, then instructed Jason to handle the follow-up work, including destroying all experimental equipment and reagents and organizing the case files, before boarding the special plane to New York. The cabin was quiet, with only the low roar of the engines in his ears. Outside the window, layers of clouds stretched out, and sunlight streamed through the porthole onto the table, illuminating the case report he had placed there clearly. Lynn leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and scenes from the LaCeva harbor laboratory flashed through his mind: Lena's small hand clutching the badge, the middle-aged man's tears of excitement, the hoarse gratitude of the white-haired old man, and the renewed hope in the eyes of the rescued test subjects. These images intertwined, finally allowing his long-tense nerves to relax slightly.
"Detective Lynn, have some water." A crew member handed him a glass of warm water and said softly.
Lynn opened his eyes, took the water glass, and nodded. "Thank you." He took a sip of warm water, his fingertips tracing the inside of the glass, then his gaze returned to the window. "How much longer until we get to New York?"
"About three more hours, Inspector," the crew member replied with a smile. "You can get some rest, I'll call you when we arrive."
“Okay,” Lynn replied, placing his water glass on the table and closing his eyes again, but he wasn’t sleepy at all. He thought of his sister Gwen, who was far away in New York. He hadn’t contacted her for over a month since the mission to LaCeva Port began. He wondered how she was doing, whether she was eating on time, or if she was staying up late to finish her homework. Gwen was sixteen years old and in high school. Their parents had passed away, and the two siblings depended on each other for survival. The reason Lynn gave his all in every mission wasn’t just for the sake of duty, but also to provide Gwen with a safe and stable life.
Three hours later, the private jet landed smoothly at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Lynn packed his luggage, quickly stepped off the plane, and was greeted by the bustling noise of the airport. The air was filled with the aromas of coffee, perfume, and jet fuel, a stark contrast to the jungle atmosphere of LaCeva Harbor. He took out his phone, turned it on, and immediately received several messages, including updates from Jason on the on-site cleanup, as well as several missed calls from unknown numbers. He didn't reply to them all, but quickly dialed Gwen's number.
The phone rang twice before being answered. Gwen's clear, slightly languid voice came through the receiver: "Hello? Who is it?"
"It's me, Gwen." Lynn's voice softened unconsciously, losing its battlefield sharpness and becoming more gentle.
“Brother?!” Gwen’s voice instantly brightened with excitement, all traces of her usual languidness vanishing. “You’re finally back? When did you arrive in New York? I thought you were going to be gone for a few more days!”
"Just arrived at the airport," Lynn said with a smile. Hearing her sister's cheerful voice, most of her fatigue disappeared. "I'll go report to the FBI first, and after I finish my work, I'll come home to see you, okay?"
“Okay!” Gwen replied immediately, her voice full of anticipation. “Then hurry up, I’m waiting for you at home. I even made your favorite sandwiches, although they may not taste as good as yours, but I’ve tried my best!”
“I’m sure what you made was delicious,” Lynn said with a gentle smile. “I’ll eat it all when I get back. Be a good girl at home, don’t run around, and make sure the doors and windows are closed, okay?”
"Okay, okay, I'm not a child anymore!" Gwen said coquettishly. "Go and report back. I'll wait for you at home. Be careful on the road."
"Okay, I'm hanging up." Lynn hung up the phone, put away her phone, and walked quickly toward the airport exit. The FBI car that was already waiting there was parked on the side of the road. When the driver saw Lynn, he immediately got out of the car and opened the door.
"Detective, you're finally back! The chief has been waiting for you." The driver said as he helped Lynn put his luggage away.
"The director is in a hurry to see me?" Lynn frowned and got into the car. "Is there some emergency?"
“I don’t know,” the driver shook his head and started the car. “This morning, the secretary from the director’s office called me and asked me to pick you up from the office as soon as possible, saying that she had something important to discuss with you.”
Lynn nodded, not pressing further, and leaned back in his seat, gazing out the window. New York's streets bustled with traffic, skyscrapers stood shoulder to shoulder, and the leaves of the plane trees lining the streets swayed in the breeze, sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows on the pavement. Shop windows were filled with a dazzling array of goods, and pedestrians hurried by, everyone busy with their lives. This prosperous yet peaceful scene was precisely what he and countless federal agents were desperately protecting.
A dozen minutes later, the vehicle arrived at the FBI headquarters building in New York. Lynn opened the car door and strode into the building. The lobby was bustling with people, uniformed agents moving about, some talking in hushed tones, others quickly flipping through documents; the air was thick with a tense yet orderly atmosphere. He went straight to the elevator and pressed the button for the director's office on the top floor.
The elevator slowly ascended, and Lynn straightened his suit—a suit he had specially prepared before setting off, intended for reporting back after completing his mission. The elevator doors opened, revealing a quiet top-floor corridor, with only the secretary's office light on. Lynn walked to the director's office door and gently knocked.
"Come in." A steady voice came from the office.
Lynn pushed open the door and went in. Director Robert was sitting behind his desk, flipping through documents. He was wearing a dark suit, his hair was gray, and his face was full of wrinkles, but he was still very energetic. When he saw Lynn come in, Robert put down the documents in his hand, looked up, and a smile appeared on his face.
“Lynn, you’re back. Thank you for your hard work.” Robert gestured to the chair opposite his desk. “Have a seat.” Lynn nodded, sat down, and leaned forward slightly. “Chief, the mission at LaCeva Port has been successfully completed. Karen has been captured, and his core stronghold and mutant laboratory have been completely destroyed. More than thirty experimental subjects were rescued, and more than twenty guards and experimental personnel were captured. A large amount of experimental equipment and drugs were seized. I have prepared a detailed report.” As he spoke, he took a thick report from his briefcase and handed it over.
Robert took the report and placed it on his desk. He didn't read it immediately, but looked at Lynn with a satisfied tone: "I've received Jason's initial report. You did a great job, Lynn. This mission was very difficult. The Karen organization is covert and powerful. You led your team to complete the mission successfully without any major casualties and rescued so many innocent people. That's outstanding."
“This is all thanks to the hard work of the team members,” Lynn said modestly. “We also received support from the Honduran police and the embassy. Without them, we would not have been able to complete the mission so smoothly.”
“You don’t need to be so modest,” Robert waved his hand, his tone becoming more serious. “I know you were the core of this mission. From gathering intelligence and formulating plans to on-site command and rescuing the test subjects, every step required your decision. The Karen organization had been entrenched in La Ceva Port for many years, harming countless innocent people. This time, it was completely destroyed, and you made a great contribution.”
Lynn didn't speak, but simply lowered his head slightly. He knew that this honor belonged to everyone who participated in the mission.
Robert looked at him, his tone softening slightly: "I will read the report carefully. I will arrange for other team members to be in charge of the subsequent interrogations and case processing. You've worked hard these past few days, so I'm giving you a week off to rest and spend time with your sister."
"Thank you, Director." Lynn raised his head and smiled. He really needed to rest and spend more time with Gwen.
“Alright, you can go back now,” Robert waved his hand. “Spend some time with Gwen. I’ll contact you again if anything comes up.”
"Yes, Director." Lynn stood up, saluted, and turned to leave the director's office.
Stepping out of the FBI headquarters building, the sun shone brightly, and a gentle breeze blew. Lynn took out his phone and sent Gwen a message: "Honey, I've finished work and I'm coming home now. Wait for me." Gwen quickly replied with a happy emoji: "Yay! I'm waiting for you, brother!"
Lynn's smile deepened as he read the message. He hailed a taxi and gave them his address. The taxi slowly drove away from FBI headquarters, weaving through the streets of New York. Lynn leaned against the window, gazing at the familiar scenery outside, a sense of belonging filling his heart. His home was in a quiet neighborhood in Queens, New York, filled with flowers, trees, and lush greenery. The environment was serene, and although the house wasn't large, it was warm and welcoming—his and Gwen's only home.
Twenty minutes later, the taxi arrived at the entrance of the residential complex. Lynn paid the fare, opened the car door, and quickly walked into the complex. The complex was quiet; occasionally, a few elderly people could be seen taking a stroll, and a few children were playing on the lawn, their laughter echoing throughout the complex. He walked to his building, pressed the elevator button, the elevator doors opened, he stepped inside, and pressed the button for the eighth floor.
The elevator doors opened, and Lynn walked to his front door and gently knocked. The door opened quickly, and Gwen, dressed in loose loungewear, with her hair in a ponytail and a bright smile on her face, rushed over to Lynn and hugged his arm.
“Brother! You’re finally back!” Gwen’s voice was full of joy as she looked up at Lynn. “You look thinner and darker. Was it hard for you over there?”
Lynn gently patted her head and said tenderly, "It's not tiring. Being able to come back safely to be with you is enough." He went into the house, took off his coat, and hung it on the hanger. "How's everything at home? Have you been taking good care of yourself while you live alone?"
“Of course I’ve been taking good care of myself!” Gwen pulled Lynn into the living room and pointed to the sandwiches on the table. “Look, I made these sandwiches. They have your favorite ham and cheese. I even looked up a recipe. You should try them.”
Lynn walked to the table, picked up a sandwich, took a bite, and although the texture was a bit rough, it was full of warmth. "It's delicious," he said with a smile, "Our Gwen is getting more and more capable."
"Really?" Gwen's eyes lit up, and a smug smile appeared on her face. "I knew it! I'm really good! By the way, brother, did you encounter any danger on your trip to La Ceva Port? I saw on the news that there are a lot of bad people there, and I was very worried about you."
Lynn put down his sandwich, patted Gwen's head, and said in a relaxed tone, "There's no danger. I'm a federal agent, very capable. I've defeated all those bad guys." He didn't tell Gwen about the dangers and cruelty inside the laboratory; he didn't want his sister to worry or be troubled by these dark things.
“I knew my brother was the best!” Gwen looked at Lynn with admiration. “By the way, brother, look at my clothes. They’re all old and a little too small. Can you take me to buy some new clothes?” she said, tugging at her clothes with hopeful eyes.
Lynn looked at Gwen's clothes; they were indeed quite old, the cuffs were worn and faded, and Gwen was still growing, so the clothes were a bit too small. He felt a pang of guilt; he had been so busy with work that he rarely had time to spend with Gwen, and hadn't even noticed that her clothes were too small.
“I’m sorry, Gwen,” Lynn said gently, with a hint of guilt. “It’s my fault for not noticing that your clothes are too small. How about this, I’ll take you to buy new clothes this afternoon. Whatever you want, we’ll buy it, okay?”
"That's great! Thank you, brother!" Gwen jumped up excitedly, hugged Lynn's neck, and kissed him on the cheek. "You're the best, brother!"
Lynn smiled and patted her back: "Alright, stop fooling around. I'm going to take a shower and change my clothes. We'll go shopping this afternoon, okay?" (End of Chapter)