Both men settled onto the sofa simultaneously. Mary brought over two glasses of water, then turned and hurried back into the kitchen to continue her work.
After a moment of relative silence, Frank tentatively spoke: "Director Harrison, would it be convenient to ask you a few questions?"
"Of course, though some matters are classified, so I hope you'll understand if I can't discuss everything."
"That's only natural. I'd like to ask when this... what did you call it, NCRIEB... when was it established? And what exactly are its functions?"
"NCRIEB was established thirty years ago. Simply put, we're responsible for predicting, intervening in, handling, and concealing major national uncertainty events. We specialize in 'risks beyond the public eye,' serving as the ultimate safety net for nati
