novelraw Chapter 1371 742: Acquaintances
Chapter 1371 742: Acquaintances
Ruiz was genuinely concerned, during the time Jimmy was transferred to the Public Affairs Office, he didn't seem very happy.
This time, due to some pressure, Jimmy had to remain silent for a while. Another transfer to the administrative department was clearly too much of a suppression for him, but as long as he's in the field department, he's bound to encounter unexpected incidents. Whether solving cases or taking action, with Jimmy's skills, it's bound to result in something big.
Setting up a position just for him, especially a senior one like the SSA, was no easy feat. Although the New York office is the largest FBI branch in the US, it's still a place where every job has its candidate. The higher the position, the more competitors there are. Forcibly creating a team would inevitably cause disputes with others, and Ruiz couldn't just do it casually; anyone in a high position has backing.
Jimmy's case wasn't too bad; at least Dave had already spoken, ensuring that Jimmy wouldn't be taken away by headquarters. So Ruiz felt somewhat reassured, knowing that even if there wasn't a suitable position under him, he could communicate with others and find a place under another supervisor. Only then did he remember this team that everyone had ignored.
Nobody cared about this team because the New York office was indeed large, with many personnel. It was responsible for the area including the United Nations and international cooperation, and the New York office had many teams. The so-called support team was basically unnecessary, as most teams handled issues themselves, or they'd seek help from other teams if needed. Emergency support tasks were rarely given, except in very particular situations, which is why the Homicide Team took over some duties.
Making this team independent under Jimmy perfectly met everyone's requirements. They needed a senior position, required Jimmy to take fewer missions, attract less attention, and crucially, not cause big issues. Just treat it as spending money to keep an overqualified person with little to do; this cost was something they were willing to accept. They'd wait for Jimmy to age and mature a bit more before pushing him to climb the ranks again.
They weren't worried about Jimmy achieving these tasks. As long as he had the opportunity, he could find a tiny chance to perform outstandingly, astonishing everyone. Nobody doubted Jimmy's ability to advance.
Ruiz thought for a moment, then added: "Don't worry, you just need to settle in for a year or two, it's not long."
Jimmy drank and shook his head with a bitter smile: "How can you call this settling in for a year or two? It's practically treating me like a useless commodity."
Ruiz: "Well, it's not bad, you can earn easily without having to work. Many dream of a job like this, and you can easily have this kind of privilege."
Jimmy clinked glasses with Ruiz: "So this is the final decision, huh?"
Ruiz raised his glass, then downed half of it in one go. Seeing Ruiz's action, Jimmy understood this was indeed the final decision. He took a gulp of his drink too, "Alright, I guess I'll have to accept it. Hope Mark and Julia won't miss me too much."
Ruiz: "If you want to watch over them, you could consider placing your workspace in the Homicide Team's office."
Jimmy: "Come on, how would the new leader work with me there? Just give me a separate office, even a small one, is that too much to ask?"
Ruiz: "That I can't handle, you could ask Dunn about it."
Jimmy: "Alright, I'll ask when I'm back. Anything else?"
Ruiz: "One last thing, the matter with Seventeen is already settled, rest assured."
Jimmy stood up immediately, waved with a smile: "That's your business, not mine, do as you please, I'm heading home."
When he opened the door, the noise from outside came rushing in; the soundproofing of this small room was indeed impressive.
Ruiz watched Jimmy leave and casually shut the door, shaking his head.
The reason he hadn't informed Jimmy earlier was out of concern he might not accept it well. He'd originally planned to have a good talk with Jimmy after Christmas, but who knew Jimmy would call him first.
Just because Jimmy left smiling didn't mean he was wholeheartedly accepting of this arrangement, but there was no other way. In this system, exceptionally talented people inevitably bear some additional pressure, and Rufus was also a bearer of such pressure.
Jimmy was indeed quite frustrated. He had been extremely diligent at the FBI, hardly making any big mistakes. His competence wasn't a problem; it was just that others were slightly less capable, making him shine brighter. And now because of his competence, he had to remain low-key for two years to smooth things out; it was incredibly frustrating.
He understood Ruiz's reasons; they looked at Jimmy's file, showing him as 31, but he was actually 27. If everything went smoothly, New York could see a senior agent supervisor just slightly over 30, and later on, potentially a supervisor under 40 – that would be astonishing.
In fact, most supervisors were in their 40s or 50s, experienced, with vast networks, capable of handling various unexepcted and administrative affairs. For young people to reach this position was incredibly difficult, but if Jimmy continued as he had, soon the New York office would face an awkward situation: an agent achieving so much that they couldn't provide further promotion or reward opportunities.