A Smashing Success
"Hey, Director, how was your vacation?" Jack asked Chris as he lay on a beach chair next to him.
"What vacation?" Chris replied, raising an eyebrow. "You know very well that I had to go to Hawaii to protect Ethan's parents."
Jack chuckled. "Oh, come on, we all know you just wanted to hit the beach and show off those abs."
Chris rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for your jokes, Jack. I was on a mission."
"Sure you were," Jack teased, gesturing towards Ethan and his parents. "Look at poor Ethan over there. He can't even go near his parents because his dad got caught peeking at the bikini girls."
Chris shook his head. "The things we do for family."
Meanwhile, Jack was enjoying the attention of the ladies around him. "Hey, Director, you should have brought me along as a distraction. These girls are eating me up!" he joked.
Chris scowled. "Yeah, like I want to deal with your antics on top of everything else."
Jack smirked. "Don't pretend like you don't love it, Director. You know I'm your favorite agent."
Chris just rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Ethan and his parents. "I hope they're okay. We can't let anything happen to them."
"Don't worry, Director," Jack said, standing up and stretching. "We've got everything under control. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go take a dip in the ocean and give these ladies a show."
Jack got up with a smile, walked a few steps, and stretched his muscle lines to become more and more prominent, but it was not exaggerated at all. Only one word could come to mind.
"Perfection."
Jack strode confidently towards the target he had been eyeing while also checking his newly upgraded IRS staff panel with great concentration.
[IRS Staff Senior (1200/10000)
Title Bonus:
1. [Strength] 1110
2. [Intelligence] 1110
3. [Advanced Level Tax Laws - Mastered]
4. [Senior Agent Skills - Mastered]
5. [Advanced Weapons - Mastered]
6. [Storage space] 10m]
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Jack's personal data panel had also changed:
[ Name: JACK ASHBORN
Number of professional titles held: 2
Opportunities to open a new world: 1
[Strength: 2301]
[Intelligence: 2303]
[Mana: 100]
------
Jack was pleasantly surprised when he saw his new mana attribute.
"How will I use mana? ," Jack thought to himself. "Hopeful the next world might show me some ways."
▪▪▪▪
The next day.
The "friendly exchange" between the IRS and the CIA didn't require Jack to personally oversee it, and the IRS executive director was more than capable of handling it.
As the executive secretary of the IRS, Jack knew he had to fight for the agency's interests. The report on the joint operation between Jack and Ethan was sent to CIA Director Brown. After reading the action report, Brown was filled with question marks.
"When did this operation start?" he wondered. "Why didn't I know about it?"
He couldn't blame Jack, but he wondered why he wasn't informed when he scolded Eugene the last time. Could it be that for the sake of keeping the action secret, Eugene didn't dare to inform him?
"Does he actually suspect that I would leak the secret?" Brown fumed as he called Eugene, who was hoping for a reward from Brown, to his office and reprimanded him again.
Eugene didn't feel wronged or uncomfortable, even though he didn't receive a reward. He was just relieved that his position was still secure.
Jack didn't intervene in the follow-up matters. He wouldn't get anything out of it, and he had other plans to prepare for.
So, of course -
"What? Vacation?" Chris exclaimed incredulously when Jack told him about his plans.
"Yes, vacation," Jack confirmed with a smile. "I need a break from all this spy stuff. I want to go somewhere and just relax for a bit."
"Where are you planning on going?"
"I haven't decided yet, but I'm thinking somewhere warm and tropical."
"Well, you've certainly earned it," Chris said with a chuckle. "Just make sure you come back in one piece."
"Will do," Jack replied as he headed out of the office, excited to plan his well-deserved vacation.
Chris looked at Jack, jumped up in surprise, backing away nervously.
"Whoa, hold on there," Chris said nervously.
He then walked over to his suitcase, pulled out a box of medicine, expertly popped a pill into his mouth, and washed it with hot water. "Okay, I'm listening. What do you want?"
"I'm just going on vacation, man," Jack said, annoyed.
"What are you planning to do on this vacation? Visit the Pentagon or the White House?" Chris asked half-jokingly.
Jack shook his head. "No, man, just a regular vacation. You know, travel the world, see some sights."
"But last time you said you were going on vacation, and then you got involved in CIA affairs," Chris pointed out.
"That was an accident," Jack protested. "I can't help it if trouble finds me wherever I go."
"Well, I'm more worried about you getting into something even worse, like a nuclear bomb crisis," Chris said, frowning.
Jack sighed. "Look, I really just need to get away for a while. All this intrigue has been getting to me, and I need to clear my head."
"I understand that, but you can't just disappear without telling anyone," Chris said, concern etched on his face.
"I know, I know. But I might be out of touch for a while. I need to go off the grid, you know?" Jack said.
"Where are you planning to go?" Chris asked, his tone serious.
"Just some out-of-the-way places where I can appreciate the natural beauty and get in touch with my soul," Jack said.
"Ah, so you're going to let your soul be purified in nature?" Chris said, a hint of a smirk on his face.
Jack looked surprised. "How did you know?"
"Because you said the exact same thing last time, and then you dragged me into the CIA mess," Chris said, shaking his head.
"Hey, that was not my fault!" Jack protested.
"Whatever, just be careful out there, okay? And don't get yourself into any more trouble," Chris said, looking sternly at Jack.
"I'll do my best," Jack said, grinning. "And I'll be sure to bring you back a souvenir."
"That's unnecessary," Chris said, but he couldn't help smiling. "Just make sure you come back in one piece."