James didn't know why he did it. Perhaps it was because he felt even more indignant about what his coworkers said. Or maybe it was too hot, so he was feeling very irritated and broke his own pattern by talking back to Sean, nearly quitting on a whim. But reason told him he couldn't impulsively resign, so he only took half a day off. He wanted to go to the beach and relax, then go back to the job that gave him increasingly less satisfaction.
Last year, the Hua Xia Imperial Deputy Minister of Secret Services, Bai Yusheng, had been subverted into betraying his own nation and was killed as a result. The CIA punished James by taking away his credit, since he was originally supposed to be promoted to director. His promotion was halted, and Sean, who emerged from nowhere, took his prize. James wasn't satisfied, and although he didn't voice it, he knew it in his heart.
