Toru was treated to a White House-style dinner at Mar-a-Lago.
The meal consisted of Coca-Cola, Big Macs, and fries.
However, Toru preferred chicken to Big Macs. At his insistence, the chef responsible for preparing state dinners made a substitution for him.
Well, in reality, that simply meant ordering an extra serving of chicken with the takeout.
Naturally, this was not the presidential candidate's actual daily diet. He had arranged this unusual dinner to maintain his public image.
After finishing their meal, the group returned to the reception room to continue their discussion.
As an experienced businessman, the presidential candidate was shrewd and calculating. He believed that Toru, who had introduced himself as Adam, naturally wanted something from him.
Everyone was motivated by self-interest. As a businessman, he understood that better than anyone.
The same was true of his campaign team. Every person standing behind him had something they wanted.
Some sought political revenge, some pursued their ideals, some wanted revenge against the Democratic Party that had abandoned them, and some wanted to expand their business empires.
Whatever their goals were, those goals were the reason they stood behind the former president.
The former president was happy to accept this because shared interests bound them together and made their group more united.
Toru also wanted something.
As long as Toru could prove his value, the former president would reward him.
Saving his life was already an enormous contribution, but that alone was not enough. If Toru wanted more, he would also have to offer something in return.
"Mr. Donald, I have another recording that I believe you will find interesting."
As Toru spoke, he took out another USB drive.
The contents made the nearly eighty-year-old man sitting before him instinctively clench his fingers.
The recording contained a conversation between Spencer and Burns.
In the recording, Spencer ordered Burns in an uncompromising tone to find a trustworthy gunman who would not implicate the Central Intelligence Agency, then have that person shoot the presidential candidate in the head and turn him into another Kennedy.
The recording was brief, but that short exchange alone revealed the intensity of the political struggle within the United States and how strongly certain people opposed the former president.
The former president remained expressionless, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
His exaggerated gestures and emotional displays were meant for his supporters. A true leader, however, also needed to appear stern and authoritative.
"Mr. Donald, this recording came from Burns, the current deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency."
"Burns and Spencer are longtime comrades. They served in the military together, underwent specialized CIA training together, and carried out operations across the world together."
"Because of that, Burns understands Spencer very well. He knows Spencer is an extremely ambitious man. Over time, their views began to diverge, and Burns gradually lost trust in him. That is why he secretly kept this evidence."
Toru watched the former president, trying to read his thoughts from his expression.
However, the former president was highly skilled at controlling his face. When he did not want to be read, even the smallest changes in his expression revealed nothing.
Toru was not discouraged and continued.
"When Spencer proposed this plan, Burns refused. However, he could not openly oppose Spencer, nor could he resist the people supporting Spencer from behind the scenes."
"With no other choice, he came to me. He hoped that I, a former CIA operative already being hunted by the agency, could step in and resolve the crisis."
"Just as I have resolved crises in various parts of the world before, this time I succeeded again."
Toru continued trying to downplay his own position, making it seem as though everything he had done was for Burns and that he was merely Burns's subordinate.
Toru did not want to stand in the spotlight.
He wanted Burns to serve as his public face, standing in front of him and absorbing trouble and conspiracies on his behalf.
Since Burns had agreed to cooperate with Toru, Toru naturally had to ensure that Burns successfully rose to power and clear the road ahead of him.
Anyone capable of reaching the position of CIA deputy director undoubtedly possessed exceptional skill and methods.
All Toru needed to do was remove the obstacles in Burns's path. Burns could handle everything else himself.
His greatest obstacle was Spencer.
More importantly, Burns needed the former president's trust.
"Mr. Donald, although Burns is a member of the Democratic Party, he does not agree with many of the party's policies."
"He strongly opposes the illegal immigrants the Democratic Party allows into the country for votes, as well as the way it promotes LGBT issues for political support. Yes, Burns is completely straight."
Toru was not lying about that.
When Burns learned that he had kissed a man, he looked as miserable as though he had swallowed something disgusting.
"I believe Mr. Musk understands that better than anyone."
Toru looked toward the world's richest man.
Musk was far less skilled at hiding his emotions, and his expression immediately became unpleasant.
His eldest child, the firstborn he had carefully raised, had been influenced by the LGBT movement and transitioned from male to female.
Although this was not the main reason Musk had chosen to support the former president, it was still an important factor.
Many of Musk's actions showed his fondness for the letter X. Only the name of his eldest child contained an X, showing how much importance Musk had placed on that child.
But in his eyes, the LGBT movement had ruined everything.
"Burns intends to support me?"
The former president interlocked his fingers.
He was already tall, and when he leaned forward slightly, he appeared especially authoritative and imposing.
"Of course. Burns is now a genuine MAGA supporter. He has already demonstrated his loyalty through his actions. I think the timing of Mr. Burns's intervention was crucial, don't you agree, Mr. Donald?"
"He sent me here precisely because he hopes to gain your support."
Toru lowered his head slightly, showing respect to the man who was about to reclaim the presidency.
The former president suddenly burst into laughter.
It was as though his earlier seriousness and imposing demeanor had never existed. He returned to being the eccentric elderly man who seemed slightly unpredictable yet strangely entertaining.
"Of course, Adam. You're a great young man, a true American patriot. You prevented a terrible incident and saved my life."
"What could unite us more strongly than saving someone's life?"
"Burns is also a great young man. At a critical moment, he chose America. Yes, he is a true MAGA supporter. He saved America's future!"
Toru's mouth twitched slightly as he listened to the former president's exaggerated tone.
As expected, the former president was remarkably self-important. He had directly equated himself with America's future.
Whether that future would be good or bad remained unknown.
Although the former president had become a politician, he had spent most of his life as a businessman.
To him, loyalty was not the most important thing. Shared interests were.
As long as your interests aligned with his, he would consider you absolutely loyal.
After all, wasn't everyone around him pursuing personal benefit?
Vance had political ambitions and wanted to become vice president.
Musk had been pushed to his limit by the Democratic Party. Many of his projects had been obstructed, which was why he had taken the gamble of supporting the former president and helping clear the obstacles in his path.
The same applied to everyone else, so adding Burns to the group was not a problem.
In fact, if the CIA also supported him, and if Burns, an important figure cultivated by the Democratic Party, defected to MAGA, the former president's influence would grow even stronger.
That would give him even greater confidence if he decided to confront the Federal Reserve.
Moreover, Toru and Burns had saved his life.
That was a genuine favor more valuable than anything else, and the former president had never been the kind of person who disappointed those who followed him.
In the former president's eyes, Toru and Burns had already joined his faction.
They now shared common interests.
And that was exactly the impression Toru wanted to create.
He wanted the former president to believe they belonged to the same side so that he would never notice Toru's much greater ambitions.
The CIA may belong to you, Mr. Former President, but you will belong to me.
(To be continued.)