“I’m always open to general gossip.” No she wasn’t, but this wasn’t gossip.
Nguyen grunted. “Could be, an investigation turned up one or two of the shipping containers supposedly lost at sea.”
“Huh.” Imagine that.
The images she’d seen in the file probably weren’t the only ones. They’d still been enough to join some of the saddest nightmares she had. This had to be an incredibly costly investigation for the US government. It was a big ocean out there.
“What was in those containers was a tragedy.” Nguyen’s tone turned grim. “This joint investigation was established once it was determined a lot of people supposedly coming to the United States on visas never arrived.”
People. Trying to cross an ocean to get to the United States. Horror twisted her gut anew. Those shipping containers were huge and the pictures had been zoomed in to make the victims identifiable. She still had no idea how many had died but those containers could accommodate dozens. There was a goddamned company in the Seattle area turning those things into actual homes.
How many desperate people could be crammed into those for the chance at a new life?
Goaded into fresh shock, Lizzy actually looked at the marshal. “Seriously? What you found can be summed up as a joint investigation, huh?”
“Every one of the missing people had applied for visas and been denied.” Nguyen didn’t meet her gaze. “The Korean authorities started matching the missing person’s reports from concerned families with the trend for visa applications and determined they must have tried to find another way to the US.”
Illegal immigration was a major problem. In the Seattle area, being a major seaport, there were actually a lot of immigrants from Southeast Asia, Africa and other regions around the world. The Canadian and Californian borders had their own issues too. It was a complex, difficult situation to address.
Lizzy wasn’t even going to begin suggesting a solution for it. But the reality of it wasn’t something to pretend didn’t exist.
“So Kyle’s testimony proves more than the civil and federal charges listed publicly.” Lizzy hated stating the obvious, but she had to say it out loud. Otherwise, her brain wasn’t going to be able to process it. And she’d seen some horrible things with her own eyes. “He’s confirming mass murder.”
“Premeditated.” Nguyen confirmed. “Those people paid money, were hoping for a better future. And they died.”
“I don’t even want to know the international repercussions of this trial.” She should, but she didn’t want to.
“Mr. Yeun will only need to testify this one time, in this federal court.” Nguyen sounded like he was trying to be reassuring. The result made her wary. “His recorded testimony will ensure that Phoenix Biotech can’t do this to more people.”
One battle at a time. This one, at least, would save lives that would have otherwise been lost. There was no shortage of people trying to leave one life for a chance at a better one.
“What about his family?” Since Phoenix Biotech had been responsible for bringing them to the United States, there was every possibility Kyle’s family would have to go back to Korea to wait until Kyle could make arrangements for them to get green cards. It could take years.
“They’ve already been awarded their visas.” Smug. The US marshal was definitely proud of himself at the moment. “We ensured those would remain valid. The boy’s scholarship is also independently funded so he won’t lose that either.”
Relief flooded through her. Not that Kyle wouldn’t have been able to work through it, but the man deserved a break.
“It’s been a positive experience, working with the Safeguard Division.” Apparently Nguyen had decided on a change in topic. “I’m impressed.”
Now she definitely didn’t believe him. “Two police officers injured. I went missing, with your witness, and refused to tell you how to find us the one time I did contact you.”
Her own fire team had taken damage. Marc was still in surgery as they spoke, with Victoria at the hospital with him. It was taking a long time to extract all of the fragments from the bullet he’d caught in the back.
Marc was a tough bastard. He was a Centurion. He’d pull through.