Covert Assignment

By: Obbiejoe

Jack Brogan was just a hair over six feet tall and weighed in at a shade over two hundred and twenty pounds. He had the nondescript looks of a man easily overlooked in a crowd which suited him just fine. As a matter of fact, in his line of work, it was an asset.

He had spent five years with the FBI straight out of college before doing something almost unheard of and switching his allegiance to the CIA, and he hadn't regretted it for even one moment since. His current assignment however was on American soil and his old contacts within the FBI had proven invaluable in getting the clearances necessary for him to operate in their backyard.

He was currently sitting on a park bench in Middleton Colorado once again waiting for his quarry. Looking up nonchalantly he caught sight of a flash of red coming up the jogging path before appearing to turn his attention back to the newspaper in his hands, to the casual observer he appeared to be reading the newspaper but nothing could be farther from the truth.

Jogging toward him was a twenty year old woman dressed in jogging shorts and a loose T-shirt. She was five foot four inches in height and weighed a muscular one hundred and ten pounds. She had a long shock of Auburn hair that was currently tied back into a pony tail that bounced at the back of her head as she ran and a pair of large piercing green eyes.

Even without the familiar black and purple clothing she wore on her missions there was no way she could ever be mistaken for anyone else, this was indeed his quarry, Kim Possible. Well, actually it was only half of his quarry, the other half was the male member of what was referred to worldwide as 'Team Possible' and another quick and seemingly innocuous glance showed that, once again, the male member of the team, Ron Stoppable, was not accompanying her.

The first day he had sat here they had jogged by together just as his information had indicated they would but Jack hadn't seen him since. At first glance it had looked like the slim blonde haired male that was equal to him in height if not weight was lagging behind and it had taken a few seconds for Jack to realize that was not the case. The blonde was exactly three steps behind and one step to the left of the redheaded and maintaining that distance perfectly.

The alert way the blonds' gaze seemed to be wandering was what tipped Jack off, this man wasn't lagging behind, he was keeping watch. Not only that but he was doing it so perfectly that Jack guessed no one who hadn't done the exact same thing themselves would ever notice, apparently not even the red headed dynamo in front of him who kept good-naturedly cajoling him to catch up.

As the redhead jogged by his position he chanced a quick glance at his watch and saw that for the fourth time in as many days she had passed him at exactly the same time, almost to the second. He was about to fold his newspaper and move to his next observation post when a voice interrupted him. "She is precise isn't she."

Startled for the first time in years Jack looked to his left and saw the blonde that had jogged by that first day sitting on the bench beside him, which was impossible. There was no way anyone could ever approach his position without him knowing it, his training and years of experience made that all but impossible, or at least it should have.

Finishing folding the paper gave Jack a few moments to study the figure beside him. At first glance he appeared to be slouching on the bench but Jack caught the subtle clues that told him this man was anything but relaxed. His feet were placed in a position that made him capable of moving in almost any direction instantly and his hands, while seemingly resting in his lap, were already halfway formed into what Jack recognized as the Phoenix eye fist telling Jack this man was a lot more dangerous than he had been led to believe.

Deciding to continue his deception Jack allowed a startled look to appear on his face as he responded. "I'm sorry? Who's precise at what?"

The smile on the blonds face never waivered as he answered. "Look, let's just drop the act okay? For the last four days you've been sitting here watching as KP jogged by and I know for a fact that you've been at the library and the campus spying on her. What I need to know is why, and I need to know now."

Jack saw the subtle tensing of the muscles that told him his answer would determine the blond's next move. What startled him was the look in the blond's eyes, it was a look he had seen before, many times, it was the look of a man who would, and could, kill if he thought it necessary.

He had read this mans dossier and not once did it ever mention anything like what he was seeing. It made him out to be nothing but a bumbling tag-along, a sometimes helpful distraction that caused many of the compilers of the dossier to comment that they were surprised he had lived as long as he had.

Jack knew he would have to forget everything he had read about Ron Stoppable, the man beside him was not the man depicted in his dossier; this man was dangerous, extremely dangerous.

Knowing that deception wasn't going to work Jack decided his best course of action was to tell the truth, or at least part of it. "I'm not here to hurt her if that's what you're worried about. I'm a government agent on assignment but that's all I can tell you."

Jack watched the blonde's eyes narrow slightly. "Credentials."

The single word was more of an order than a request and while Jack bridled at that slightly he really meant no harm to either of the people he was watching and decided to comply. When he reached in for the wallet containing his cover ID he felt something that made him flinch, his weapon was missing.

He knew the flinch did not go unnoticed when the man sitting next to him spoke. "You'll get it back when, and if, I'm satisfied."

As he pulled out the ID wallet Jack looked up at the blonde warily. Not only had this man snuck up on him but he had somehow relieved him of his weapon, something that had never happened before even with force let alone without his knowledge.

Flipping open the ID that identified him as Mike Warren, Agent for the FBI, he was surprised to see the blonds eyes didn't even glance at it and stayed locked on his face. Instead the blonde said four words that didn't really make any sense. "Wade, would you please?"

Only a few moments later Jack saw the blonds' eyes narrow again. "Very nice, Mike, but we both know that's fake so what I need to know now… Jack… is why a CIA agent is following an American citizen around on US soil."

Jack was shocked, not only did this man know the ID he presented was fake but he knew who he was and who he worked for. Studying the face of the young man he finally, and too late, noticed the subtle ear bud in the blonde's left ear and it dawned on him where he had heard the name Wade before.

Dr. Wade Load was the tech guru for 'Team Possible'. There wasn't much in his file other than his age, residence, and the fact that he was a recluse and a certifiable genius with seven PhD's and more Masters Degrees than the entire intelligence division at his home office in DC.

How this person had been able to determine his identity was frightening, if a seventeen year old, no matter how smart, could do it so could a foreign entity. He was caught by surprise at Ron's next comment. "Don't worry, Wade's already contacting the Director of the CIA and is going to help you guys beef up your firewalls so no one else can hack in, well, except for Wade of course."

Jack saw Ron relax slightly, but only slightly. "So what's the scoop, why are you following KP around?"

Jack knew he was caught flat footed but he still had a mission to fulfill, and that mission did not include telling this man anything, not yet anyway, not until he got the go ahead. Remaining silent Jack watched as a small smile that had been on the blonds' face narrowed into a thin line and even though he knew it was impossible he could swear he saw a flash of blue momentarily light up the blonde's eyes.

Then Jack saw the blonde's muscles tense. "Oh no, not a chance in hell Jack. Even if KP was willing to do anything like that I wouldn't let her. Mad scientists with death rays and doomsday devices are one thing, they follow a kind of code, but human traffickers are another thing entirely, especially sex traffickers."

Jack was now beginning to worry. Not only did the blonde know what he as here to approach Team Possible about but he had seemed to already make up his mind that the mission the CIA wanted her for was dead in the water.

Deciding to drop any further attempts at deception, especially since they didn't seem to be working anyway, Jack stared directly back into the blonde's eyes. "Maybe we should let Miss Possible decide that Mr. Stoppable. Once I tell her what's at stake I'm sure she'll…"

Jack didn't get any further. "Maybe you didn't hear me… Jack… I said no. Now maybe if you had come to us straight out and asked for our help I could have done something for you, hell, I still might, but getting KP involved in something like that is never going to happen."

Jack was about to argue with the thin blonde but before he could say a word the Blonde sat upright and, if anything, looked even more dangerous than he had. "What you guys don't seem to realize, and God knows I've left enough clues, is that I'm not only KP's partner but I'm her protector, and one of the ways I protect her is by handling the really dangerous stuff on my own and not getting her involved."

Jack had had enough, there was no way he was going to let this young man dictate terms to him, not when he had a job to do. "Look Mr. Stoppable, whether you like it or not I've been asked to get Miss Possible's help and that is just what I'm going to do."

Instead of anger he saw a smile begin to grow on the young blonde's face. "Honestly… Jack… I don't think I'm going to allow that to happen. As a matter of fact you can consider your assignment complete as of now and head on home, I'll take care of things from here."

Now Jack was getting angry. "Look… Ron… I don't take orders from you."

The smile grew on Ron's face. "Oh, you don't have to. You should be getting a call any second cancelling your little mission and I have it on good authority that your orders are going to come from pretty high on the ladder."

Jack was about to stand and confront the young blonde when his phone suddenly chirped for his attention. As he reached for his phone he stopped in shock and looked down at the seemingly impossible image of his gun resting back in the holster it had been missing from moments ago.

Since he had had Ron in his sight the entire time and had watched his every move closely he was positive that he couldn't have been responsible for his weapon reappearing like that but there wasn't another soul around them for at least a hundred yards.

His startled pause was interrupted when he heard Ron's voice. "Maybe you should answer that Jack, if you don't they might get the wrong idea."

Jack looked up into Ron's face as he eased his phone from his pocket and maintained his gaze as he brought the phone to his ear after pressing the appropriate button. He answered his phone as he always did. "Go ahead."

His eyes didn't give away anything as the caller promptly spoke the passcode that told him this was an official call and he waited the brief moment he knew it would take for his handler to come on the line.

He must have somehow given away his confusion when he heard the voice of, not his handler, but the Director of the CIA himself moments later because he saw Ron's mouth twitch up into a small smile.

Seconds later, after a terse 'Yes sir' Jack flipped his phone closed and simply stared at the young man in front of him. Somehow this man had, in a matter of moments had the entire operation scrapped and, from what the Director had said it had been cancelled because of a call directly from the White house by none other than the President himself.

The blonde actually looked a bit sympathetic as he spoke. "Don't worry Jack, the operation hasn't been cancelled and this is no reflection on you at all. Just go back home, I'll take care of everything else."

If Jack had been confused he was suddenly astounded when Ron held out his hand. "Here, you'll probably want these back." Looking down Jack saw not only the clip from his weapon but the extra bullet he always kept in the chamber.

When Jack had taken the items from Ron he saw that small smile again. "Nice meeting you Jack, maybe next time it can be under better circumstances." Then the blonde turned and he began to jog off in the direction Miss Possible had gone earlier.

The next four hours were the most confusing Jack could ever remember. After placing a call to his local contact he received confirmation that his current assignment was indeed cancelled and that a chartered plane was waiting for him at Middleton International that would return him to Washington.

He made his way directly back to the office after a harrowing trip back to Washington on the oddest plane he had ever seen, there hadn't been anyone else on board, not even a pilot, the plane had simply closed up as soon as he climbed on board and taken off after a robotic sounding voice had told him to fasten his seat belt.

Two hours later he was startled to hear that robotic voice telling him to fasten his belt again for a landing at Dulles International. Somehow this plane had covered the fourteen hundred miles in only two hours.

Fifty five minutes after landing he was standing in the Directors office waiting for him to finish a phone call. When the Director replaced the handset in its cradle he stood and held out his hand. "Well, I don't know what you did Jack, but whatever it was it worked. Marco Polan is behind bars in Barcelona charged with drug and human trafficking and apparently the evidence is so overwhelming he's singing like a bird about several other rings operating around the globe. If this comes out the way the powers that be think it will we'll have closed up ten of the largest trafficking operations in the world by the end of the year."

Jack had been shocked and tried to explain that he hadn't really done anything except fail in his assignment. "But sir, all I did was have a five minute discussion with Miss Possible's partner, that's all I did."

The Director smiled again. "Well, whatever you told him worked Jack. That reminds me, I was asked to give you this." Then the Director picked a small envelope up from his desk and held it out to him. On the face of the envelope was his name neatly printed by hand.

At a gesture from the head of the CIA himself Jack carefully opened the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper. On the paper was a short message that took only moments to read.

Jack,

Sorry I was so abrupt but KP and I had a lunch date so I was in a hurry. If you need anything else like that in the future please call me direct, I can save you a trip to Middleton.

Ron Stoppable

303-555-1894

Jack looked up, somehow a hand written message had gotten here before he did and he knew that was all but impossible. Just as he was about to ask about that the Directors phone rang again. With a gesture to wait for a moment the Director answered the call that was apparently from his secretary. "Yes Nancy… Already… absolutely, please tell him, ah, it, ah… Well tell him to come in…. thank you."

The Director had only just hung up when Nancy opened the door and Jack heard a slightly tinny but good natured "Thank you Nancy" come from a short mechanical device that looked a bit like a vacuum cleaner except that it traveled on two treaded tracks. There was a small screen attached to the top of the device which turned toward them as soon as the door was closed. On the screen was a face, it was a young black man, a teenager, but the Director seemed to recognize him immediately and his greeting confused Jack further. "Dr. Load, Nancy tells me you've finished already, I can even imagine how that's possible."

The face on the screen smiled. "It's not that difficult really Director, I'm just sorry I had to intrude on you like this but in order to do what I needed I had to be here in person, well, kind of anyway." Jack was stunned when the device, in a very human like gesture, shrugged the snakelike arms. Then the voice issued from the speakers again. "I just wanted to let you know I was finished and I can now guarantee that not only are you are nearly unhackable but that any attempt will be instantly tracked back to it's source and automatically hack into the system it finds at the other end, then it will report it's findings directly to you via a secure e-mail."

Then the machine, or whatever it was turned to face him. "Hello Jack, we've never really met but it was me that Ron was talking to back in the park. I'm Wade Load, Ron and Kim's friend and unofficial tech support."

Not knowing the protocol for meeting what was essentially a robot Jack merely nodded and returned the greeting. The face on the screen smiled. "I see you've got the note Ron sent along. I was told to let you know that if you ever needed his help that you were supposed to call him. He liked the way you handled yourself Jack, as a matter of fact he told me he was impressed, and I've got to tell you, to impress Ron is not easy to do."

Then the device turned back to the Director. "If there's nothing else I can do I'm going to be going but I'll keep an eye on things for a while in case the FBI or the NSA figures out that I redirected their taps to a decoy system but I think that's pretty unlikely."

The director walked around from behind his desk. "Thanks again Dr. Load. I wasn't even aware we were so vulnerable and I can't thank you enough for what you've done."

The voice from the speaker came again. "Don't mention it Director, glad I was able to help. And again I'm sorry I couldn't… ah… do that other thing for you."

The director smiled. "I quite understand Dr. Load and I'm sorry I even asked."

The tracked device actually let itself out of the office on its own and even closed the door behind it as Jack turned to face the Director again. With a wry smile the director answered the question that was currently in Jack mind. "I asked him to tap into the FBI and the NSA to see why they were spying on us but he refused, politely, but he still refused. That young man has something in short supply here in Washington, integrity."