Senator Vera was facing the greatest crisis of her life. She had realized that the TV host and the network, who just ten minutes ago appeared sympathetic and understanding of her "tragic experience" of discrimination, were not as innocent as they seemed. Clearly, they had uncovered the truth about her actions at Castle's estate and were now determined to see her humiliated.
This couldn't go on any longer!
Senator Vera, who had impulsively played her usual "racism" trump card to deflect the host and audience, quickly realized it wasn't working. This time, she couldn't rely on her usual mix of brazenness and manipulation to get out of trouble.
Her only option was to feign victimhood and try to salvage some sympathy.
Adopting a tearful and pitiful tone, she dropped her previously aggressive stance and pleaded: "This... this is all part of writer Castle's conspiracy. You have to believe me, please! These so-called surveillance videos are fabricated. This writer produced them to discredit me because I exposed him as a racist. Why else would he only release them now? He needed time to make these fake videos!"
Her theatrics, complete with tearful sobs, were so convincing that a few gullible people actually believed her. Even some of the hundred live audience members, who had just witnessed her meltdown and baseless accusations of "racism," began to waver.
But the host wasn't fooled.
The network had thoroughly vetted the surveillance footage the moment they received it. Castle, cunning as ever, had uploaded multiple recordings from different angles and perspectives to the internet via Jarvis. The synchronization of the footage's visuals, audio, and timestamps was flawless, confirming the videos' authenticity. Video editors at the network had further verified the raw footage, finding no evidence of tampering or manipulation.
It was evident that Senator Vera was lying.
Moreover, with instructions from the higher-ups transmitted through her earpiece, the host understood that this hapless state senator had angered someone she couldn't afford to cross. Now was the perfect time to humiliate her.
With a saccharine smile, the host addressed the increasingly flustered senator. "Senator Vera, since you claim the video evidence was fabricated by the writer, would you mind sitting down so we can review it with the audience? You could then point out any discrepancies."
There was no way Senator Vera could agree to this obvious trap. Even if she were clueless, the subtle shift in the host's tone—from previously calling Castle by name to now referring to him as "that writer"—did not escape her notice. As someone skilled in the art of rhetorical nuance, Vera immediately understood that the host had received damaging instructions about her.
If she stayed, she'd face disaster.
More importantly, Vera knew better than anyone that the videos were genuine. This wasn't the time to argue with the host. Her only chance was to leave immediately and find the people who had sent her to Castle in the first place, hoping they could control the narrative.
She needed to leave and deny the videos' authenticity at all costs. If the evidence became irrefutable, her career would be over.
Making a split-second decision, Vera did the unthinkable, leaving the host, the live audience, and millions of TV viewers utterly dumbfounded. She hesitated briefly before announcing, "I'm feeling unwell. Perhaps it's due to hormonal imbalance caused by the stress of this issue... you know my health condition. I need to go to the hospital."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out of the studio, leaving the host and over a hundred audience members slack-jawed like stunned hippos.
Her excuse—hormonal imbalance from emotional stress—was unprecedented in live TV history. Abandoning an unfinished interview and leaving the host, live audience, and countless viewers hanging? Truly a spectacle.
Even the densest observer could now see her guilt.
This hasty retreat screamed that she was a liar.
In a country filled with eccentric characters, the host hadn't anticipated that Senator Vera would resort to such an absurd response. Instead of addressing the issue, she simply bolted.
Watching the host's dumbfounded expression on TV, Castle laughed so hard he could barely breathe. He hadn't expected this response from the senator. Though her abrupt departure might spark further controversy, it was likely the best move in this situation.
If she had stayed, the host, clearly intent on exposing her lies, would have likely dealt her a career-ending blow. By fleeing the studio, she avoided immediate disaster. Though it was a humiliating spectacle, she preserved enough ambiguity to muddy the waters. After all, there were always some gullible fools willing to defend her.
"Bang!" A crystal ashtray shattered against the floor in anger.
In a lavishly decorated conference room, several members of the Luxette organization watched the live broadcast with grim faces. After Vera's humiliating escape, the host openly criticized her, describing her behavior as dishonest and disingenuous. To make matters worse, the surveillance footage from Castle's estate—showing Vera acting arrogant, threatening Castle when he didn't meet her demands, and screaming "racism" like a hysterical cat—had been aired. The audience's reaction turned sharply against her.
Even Luxette's members couldn't help but curse Vera's incompetence.
"Who recruited this fool?" demanded a middle-aged man seated at the head of the table.
A man in the middle of the room stood up nervously. "We thought using this transgender Black senator to harass Castle would distract him, preventing him from investigating us. There's evidence that Castle has identified our operatives within the CIA. Additionally, his political advisor, Mozz, recently visited Peanut Stew. We suspect Mozz met with Benjamin to negotiate some kind of agreement on Castle's behalf."
"Our goal was to use Vera, who's obsessed with advancing Black causes, to tie Castle up in controversy. We didn't expect her to be so... inept."
The leader scowled. "Distracting Castle is fine, but couldn't you have chosen someone smarter? Look at the mess you've made! Thanks to that surveillance footage, this has completely backfired."
The subordinate protested, "We didn't know Castle had such incriminating footage or why he stayed silent until the controversy reached its peak. We thought we'd succeeded and even amplified the story to support Vera."
The leader interrupted impatiently, "Enough! The real problem is Castle's AI system. Combined with that terrifying tracking software—'God's Eye'—we now face a serious threat. Both the NYPD and FBI have confirmed its effectiveness and danger. If Castle uses this to investigate us, he could uncover our organization."
The room fell silent.
Finally, the leader asked, "So, what's our next move?"
(End of Chapter)
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