Legendary FBI Detective
Chapter 400: The Deal in the Restaurant, Newcomer Check-in, Sudden Situation

John Rodriguez had reserved a table at a French restaurant named "Noah," located at the foot of Beverly Hills, one of the most upscale French restaurants in Los Angeles.

The restaurant didn't have an obvious sign, just a dark wooden door; you could only find it with the help of the Valet parking service sign opposite the entrance.

The interior of the restaurant was quite spacious, with a romantic and artistic decor, offering a comfortable and leisurely environment. The entrance resembled a conservatory, with seats arranged under a glass ceiling, combined with soft lighting and elegant music, creating a mysterious and graceful atmosphere.

However, Luo An did not have a single artistic bone in his body. As he walked into the restaurant alongside Mona, dressed in a red gown, he had only one impression: expensive.

Indeed, as guided by the waiter, upon walking deeper into the restaurant, Luo An caught a glimpse of menu items that easily ran into the thousands of US Dollars, confirming his suspicion.

In the depths of the restaurant, the Mueller family, including the formally dressed John Rodriguez, Madeline Allen, and Kara Mueller, were waiting. As Luo An and Mona arrived, John immediately stood up and walked over, reaching out with a smile:

"Good evening, Group Leader Luo An, Miss Mona."

"Good evening, President John, we're not late, are we?"

Luo An reached out to shake hands with him, and Mona greeted Madeline Allen with a cheek-to-cheek, then took a seat next to the little girl, Kara Mueller.

"Not at all, we have just arrived as well."

John replied with a smile and sat down with Luo An, making some small talk, then gestured to the waiter that they were ready for the meal to be served.

The dishes served were abundant, and the people around the table chatted and laughed as they ate.

One of the problems with French dining is the drawn-out duration of the meal; by the time the last dish was served, Luo An, who digested quickly, was almost feeling hungry again.

When it was time for dessert, Mona, Madeline Allen, and the little girl Kara Mueller started to chat idly together. Luo An picked up his wine glass and nodded towards the balcony not far away, looking at John with a smile:

"Shall we talk over there?"

"No problem."

John smiled in agreement, and the two took their wine glasses to the balcony. Luo An, looking over the beautiful view of Beverly Hills, said:

"President John's trip to Washington was quite fruitful this time."

"I must thank Group Leader Luo An for the introduction."

John smiled back, indicating he would definitely provide help if needed.

"Indeed, I do require President John's assistance with a small matter."

Luo An did not beat around the bush with John, briefly outlining the situations surrounding the female assassin Jianaya (Chapter 335) and the assassin Spencer (Chapter 333), along with a brief description of the Los Angeles underworld.

John was a smart man. After listening to Luo An's story, he took a sip from his wine glass and asked:

"Group Leader Luo An wishes to know the specifics of the Los Angeles underworld?"

"Correct."

Luo An nodded. Having learned from the two assassins that his name was now known in the Los Angeles underworld, he felt insecure and had always wanted to figure out the structure and details of the underworld. It was not a good situation to be in the light while foes lurked in the shadows.

He had no intention of fully dismantling the underworld; where there is demand, there will be a market, and such things could never truly be eradicated in the federation. Luo An simply intended to understand the composition of the Los Angeles underworld, create some informants to aid in solving cases, gather intelligence, and watch for anyone who might try to harm him.

Currently serving as the FBI Special Investigation Team leader, Luo An couldn't afford to disappear or lose contact for long periods. Reesi, Mona, and Michelle also couldn't undertake undercover work, and they all lacked the time to probe the underworld.

Therefore, Luo An intended to enlist the help of John, a wealthy individual, to get a handle on the components of the Los Angeles underworld and then find time to talk to certain people within it himself.

"No problem!"

John Rodriguez readily agreed without any hesitation. For him, this was no difficult task, especially since he wanted to foster a good relationship with Luo An. Mutual assistance would make their relationship even stronger.

Just as the borrowing theory goes: the people most likely to lend you money successfully are not relatives or friends, but those who have lent you money before.

After finalizing the matter, Luo An and John clinked their glasses together, shared a knowing smile, and downed their drinks in one gulp.

More than half an hour later, the dinner ended. Luo An and Mona left first; having drunk some wine, they called for a designated driver from the French restaurant to help drive.

Returning to the rental house, Luo An flopped down on the couch to rest, while Mona went back to her room to change into some home clothes, then sat down next to Luo An. She slowly snuggled into Luo An's arms, watching TV while asking:

"What did you and John leave the table for earlier?"

"Just discussing a small matter."

Seeing that Luo An was not elaborating, Mona did not pursue further, instead shifting the topic to Madeline Allen and her daughter Kara Mueller.

"Madeline is very anxious now."

Mona, looking at the TV show, said:

"Because John needs to solidify Kara Mueller's position within the Mueller Group, he frequently takes her to inspect the Group's vast range of properties and companies, resulting in Madeline and Kara having less and less time together..."

Biologically speaking, Kara Mueller is John Rodriguez's own daughter, and Madeline Allen is just the adoptive mother. Although Madeline loves Kara dearly, as Kara grows older, and with the wealthy Mueller Group, no one knows what the future holds.

John's goal is to secure his daughter's share of the Mueller Group. Previously, Madeline cared more about having her daughter with her, not minding the affairs of the Mueller Group.

Listening to Mona's narration, Luo An remained expressionless, not giving his own opinion. Family matters are difficult for an outsider to judge, and the affairs of the Rodriguez family could only be handled by themselves; Luo An didn't need to and shouldn't get involved.

"Let's not talk about these things."

Luo An smiled and pinched Mona's cheek. His right hand snaked into her clothes, and with a low chuckle, he said:

"This afternoon, while cleaning the room, I think I saw something in your bedroom..."

"Stop!"

The moment Mona heard this, her face flushed red, and she promptly flipped over to pounce on Luo An. Seeing her reaction, he let out a chuckling sigh, deliberately ignoring the screams in his ear, and carried Mona into her bedroom.

————

Monday, 9 AM, at the office area of the Special Investigation Team.

Before, there were four desks in the office area - one each for Mona, Michelle, and Reesi, with the extra one occasionally used by Group Leader Luo An, though it was more often used to pile up miscellaneous files or objects temporarily.

Today, two more desks appeared in the office area. Two newcomers stood in front of the whiteboard as Luo An pointed to them and said with a smile:

"Chenier, Winslow, since we all know each other well, I won't go into a detailed introduction. Those two new desks are for you guys."

Winslow smiled and waved to everyone, while Chenier nodded without saying anything. Mona, Reesi, and Michelle all clapped together, welcoming the two.

After a brief chat, Luo An turned and left the Special Investigation Team's area to say hello to his supervisor, Potante Byrne.

Michelle helped Winslow organize his personal items, while Reesi ran over to assist Chenier. It wasn't that Reesi had any particular interest in Chenier; it was just her habitual inclination to gravitate towards other women.

Half an hour later, Winslow and Chenier had almost finished organizing their personal items and were about to start their computers. Following Mona's instructions, they were preparing to log into the network of the Special Investigation Team when the office door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

Mona, Reesi, and Michelle all looked up simultaneously. They thought it was Luo An returning to the Special Investigation Team with folders for a new case, as usual.

But the person who entered was not Luo An; it was Morton York, the leader of the fourth investigation group. He appeared very serious as he asked:

"Is Group Leader Luo An in the office? I have an urgent matter to discuss with him!"