The Fox of France - Chapter 262 (Patreon)

Chapter 262: The Investigation

The mere thought of having the Admiralty investigate itself left both the king and the cabinet uneasy. After all, the Admiralty was not equipped for such matters, and given the level of infiltration within, it was about as reliable as relying on Napoleon suddenly coming down with stomach cancer.

The British believed that the Admiralty had been heavily compromised because stealing the technical data associated with these naval technologies was no small feat.

Firstly, while Joseph regarded torpedo technology as a trivial matter, something that could be drafted in a day and have a prototype within a month with no trouble, in the eyes of others during that era, it was cutting-edge. There was a substantial amount of documentation and drawings associated with this technology, and the spy needed to steal all of it. That was no easy task.

In this age, there were no spy-specific cameras or microfilm, so swiping these documents was not a matter of simply opening a file and taking them out; there were no photocopiers either. Spies either had to painstakingly transcribe the information by hand, or rely on an extraordinary memory to remember it all and recite it when they returned. Even with a photographic memory, understanding the contents would still take considerable time.

This kind of operation couldn't be done by a single person; it was undoubtedly the result of a group effort. So...

"Minister William is far too optimistic. He claims 'there's a French spy in the Admiralty,' but given the situation of this case, how could there possibly be only one spy in the Admiralty? Prime Minister, if the information you've given me is accurate, then I can assure you there's a nest of spies in there!" Assistant Commissioner Ainsley Stanton of Scotland Yard stood up and addressed Prime Minister Addington, who was sitting across from him.

Prime Minister Addington nodded, saying, "Mr. Stanton, please have a seat. You understand the gravity of this case. His Majesty the King is aware of it, and he is quite furious. The consequences will be severe. We must unearth that one or that nest of spies. In addition, we, I, and many Cabinet ministers believe that the police department is not adequately suited to handle matters involving spies and military secrets. Our nation needs a specialized agency to manage such affairs."

Stanton's eyes lit up instantly.

"This agency will be housed under the Army's banner and named the Sixth Investigation Division to maintain discretion. However, it will report directly to the House of Commons and the Prime Minister, with significant powers. It can conduct discreet investigations of Members of Parliament from both Houses and high-ranking government officials, with elevated administrative ranks, salaries, and pensions. You understand that such an organization requires someone who truly knows the trade, not those who only talk the talk but lack the expertise to walk the walk. This role should be assumed by someone with genuine experience, and not just for show. Do you understand what I mean?"

Stanton certainly understood. He knew that, for a self-made, civilian-born old detective like himself, the position of Deputy Chief of such an organization was already an extraordinary opportunity. Furthermore, it was a position of substantial power. Above him, there was only the titular chief, who did nothing but collect a paycheck. This was truly...

Of course, Stanton understood that this wasn't the most crucial part of what the Prime Minister had said. The most significant part was, "I, and many of my associates, are inclined to have you assume this position," rather than language like "our nation" or similar expressions that require "your service."

Though the scandal about the Admiralty's security breach had not made it into any newspapers—the French, naturally, wouldn't voluntarily divulge such information (in truth, they had no inkling that this was an espionage case and security breach)—and as for the British newspapers, the tabloids had no way of obtaining this news, and the more reputable ones realized that the time was not ripe for exposure. They were all just biding their time, eyes wide open.

However, maintaining complete secrecy was nearly impossible in this case, especially in an age when the security system had not yet fully taken form. This was even more true for the influential figures of both the Tory and Whig parties. They were well aware of the situation.

Everyone recognized the gravity of the situation, but they also understood that this was a rare opportunity to strike at their political adversaries. By using certain technical means during the investigation, they could implicate certain loathsome individuals and ruin them politically.

Everyone hoped to seize this opportunity to ensnare those they disliked or were at odds with. Simultaneously, they had to remain vigilant against malicious slander and plots hatched by their cunning foes.

Prime Minister Addington seized the chance, leveraging his position as Prime Minister to create this organization. Its primary purpose was to sever the French spy network from reaching into England's national secrets. Still, it also provided a convenient way to clear out the dregs that harmed England. It was a brilliant move, luring in the rabbits while lying in wait in the tall grass.

Therefore, Assistant Commissioner Stanton understood that when the Prime Minister spoke of "outstanding performance," it meant more than just quickly catching the "spy"—that was the basic requirement, and "outstanding" was a far cry from it. To achieve an "outstanding" accomplishment, he had to implicate the people the Prime Minister needed to be connected with.

Doing such things naturally came with high risks. Those individuals were not harmless bunnies; they had their own power, and they wouldn't just sit idly by. If the Prime Minister had a stroke of bad luck in the struggle, Stanton would be in trouble as well.

But as the saying goes, "Fortune favors the bold." Taking such risks was worthwhile.

"Mr. Prime Minister, I understand. I am willing to serve you. If there is any progress, I will report to you immediately." Stanton, who had just sat down, stood up again.

"What do you need?"

"Your Excellency, I need your authorization to immediately take all the personnel of the 'Torpedo Research Group,' as well as the relevant staff, for investigation. I also need a somewhat remote location for a thorough inquiry into the individuals involved..."

Stanton's various requests were mostly granted, and he indicated to the Prime Minister that he needed to act immediately to prevent someone else from taking the lead.

"Very well. Since that's the case, I won't keep you any longer. If you have any needs, you can communicate them to my secretary, Mr. Gilbert. If there is something important and he cannot make a decision, and you deem it crucial, you can find me at any time, 24/7. Now, get to work."

"Yes, Prime Minister!" Stanton saluted Prime Minister Addington and then left the office.

In Stanton's view, this case was not all that difficult to crack. Firstly, the number of people who could access the relevant data was quite limited, which greatly narrowed down the scope of the investigation. Then, they would investigate each of them individually, examining their actions during this period and whether they had any independent opportunities to commit the act. With meticulous work, there was no worry about failing to uncover the problem.

As for achieving the "outstanding" performance, it depended on the skill of the interrogations. Even though the targets he was going after were respectable individuals, some techniques might not be effective. Stanton believed that by using skillful language during questioning, he could coax the culprits into saying what he needed to hear. Of course, if he happened upon someone who was uncooperative and unwilling to maintain their "respectability," Stanton had methods to make them maintain it without leaving any traces of pain.

Commissioner Stanton left the Prime Minister's office, and Prime Minister's Secretary Gilbert came forward.

"Mr. Gilbert, we need to take immediate action. Can you accompany me?" Stanton said.

"Of course," Gilbert replied. "Where are we going now?"

"We need to quickly take control of all the personnel from the 'Torpedo Research Group.' We must not let others beat us to it."

As it turned out, Stanton's decision was quite timely. Just as they had taken control of all the personnel from the 'Torpedo Research Group,' secured the relevant documents, loaded them onto a carriage, and transported them to a country estate on the outskirts of London, set up by the Prime Minister for the new organization, an hour later, another group arrived at the 'Torpedo Research Group' but found it empty.

This group was the one Stanton had been concerned about, the potential competitors who might beat them to it. They were the Royal Anti-Espionage Investigative Team, directly under the King and the House of Lords.

"Unfortunately, we're a step late," the leading officer said.

"Sir, what should we do now?" one detective asked.

"You search around and see if you can find them, find out where they took the people," the commanding officer said. "The others, go immediately and control their families. We need to act fast; we cannot afford to fall behind this time!"

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