Grief, Betrayals, and a Core of Blaze

Chapter 595 The Inside Man

"So Moses is in bad shape right now?" Waylon, being an old fox, heard what Jonas said and quickly asked, "Do you have a way for us to see Moses?" Jonas pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I can let you see Moses. If you can stimulate him into waking up, it would also be beneficial for the country." As soon as they heard this, they all wanted to go see Moses. Natalie had never met this older brother, but hearing that he had ended up in this state because of her, she felt a terrible mix of emotions. "I want to go too. I want to tell him in person that I’m fine, that I’m okay now." "Alright, let’s go together." Ruby had also never met her eldest son. Hearing that he was in a coma, she nearly buckled but managed to hold herself together. Just then, the phone at home rang. Everyone stared at the phone, suddenly unsure if they should answer it. Waylon saw their hesitation, so he went to answer the call himself and put it on speakerphone. Payne’s voice came from the other end. "Rachel confessed. She said the mastermind is Hayes, the head of the Gunn family. This case is huge, and I’ll need to investigate and gather evidence, so I won’t be able to look out for you all. Be careful. The Gunn family isn’t ordinary; I’m worried he’ll resort to desperate measures." Even though Waylon already knew it was Hayes, hearing Payne confirm it made his heart sink."Got it, Brian. You be careful too." But at that moment, Baron grabbed the phone from Waylon’s hand and said directly, "Brian, when I was investigating earlier, I found something that seemed to involve you. Do you have a SIM card with the number XXXX?" Natalie couldn’t help but prick up her ears. She knew about this. At the time, she had even suspected Payne was the mastermind behind James and Rachel. Payne was clearly taken aback by Baron’s question. "I don’t have that card!" "Then did you ever lend your ID to someone else to register a SIM card?" Baron pressed. Payne paused, a vague memory surfacing. "Now that you mention it, I do recall something. Over a decade ago, our department was restructuring and required us to get new cards issued. Back then, real-name registration wasn’t mandatory, and there wasn't a limit of one number per ID. I remember Old Wang had just lost his ID and was in a hurry to get his card, so he used mine. Why? Is there a problem with that number?" Payne’s words made Baron’s expression grim. "Yes. James, the owner of the high-seas freighter, said his boss used this card registered under your ID." "Impossible!" Payne retorted immediately. "Are you mistaken? He is now the deputy director of the classified department." Baron thought back to what Yulia and Jonas had said. For Hayes to learn of Moses' research results so quickly, and to get information about Natalie to Moses' ears—this was definitely not something an ordinary person could do! Payne clearly realized this as well. He knew that for Baron to ask him this question directly, it meant Baron didn't suspect him—or if he had, he now trusted him completely. Payne felt an indescribable emotion. They had been comrades-in-arms for so many years. Even if he didn’t want to believe it, he knew Baron was right. Without an inside man paving the way, a businessman like Hayes could never have infiltrated those departments. Payne felt awful. He said in a low voice, "I will investigate this thoroughly. Don’t worry. If it really is him, we will show no mercy! And... thank you for trusting me." After all, if Baron had reported it, even if Payne was innocent, he would have been subjected to an investigation, forcing him to hand over his current work. Payne didn't know if there were other moles in the ranks, but he could only rest easy if the case remained in his own hands. Waylon hadn't been aware of this matter, but seeing Natalie’s expression, he knew she was. He marveled at Baron and Natalie’s composure and also gained a new level of respect for Payne. "Brian, we’re counting on you. Please, you must investigate this clearly and give the Stone family an explanation. Because of this, our eldest son is in a coma, and our daughter was separated from us for over twenty years. If we don’t get an answer, it will truly break the Stone family’s spirit." Waylon’s words weren’t a threat; they came straight from the heart. Payne, of course, knew what the Stone family had contributed. He quickly replied, "Don’t worry. Even if I have to sacrifice everything, I will get you the truth and the explanation you deserve."

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