Note: PatriciaLouise says that this chapter is ready to go now, thanks to her for suggestions and fixes.


"What's all this?" Annie asked Auggie as she walked into his office, sliding the door closed behind her. "You never struck me as someone who's into knickknacks."

Auggie smiled at her and waved his hand across the top of the display in front of him, "I'm not, have you seen my apartment? These wonderful little works of art are all cameras and long distance microphones."

"Really?" Annie picked up a small blue glass bird. "It looks like something my grandmother had in her living room on the windowsill."

"Exactly. They will look perfectly in place on a little old lady's windowsill."

"Genius." Annie set down the blue bird and picked up a porcelain shoe, "But kinda hideous."

"We're not looking for style points here." Auggie handed her a box with some pieces of bubble wrap inside. "Let's wrap up these babies and get them to Helen's."


Even though they were friends and trained at the Farm together, Ken Jacobs was well aware that Arthur Campbell was now his boss. He always was an imposing figure; the fire in his eyes today told Ken that he meant business.

"Do you believe in trust?" Arthur asked Ken as he settled into the leather chair behind his desk. A conversation like this needed to be held where he was in a place of authority, no conference tables or comfy side chairs today.

"Yes, of course," Ken stammered, wondering where this conversation was going to go.

"As my Director of Asian Operations, I trust you. I trust your judgment and I trust the confidentiality of you and your people."

"That goes without saying."

"I also trust that you are not sharing information that is discussed in our management staff meetings with anyone else in your division. Am I wrong to place that trust in you?"

"Arthur, what are you implying?"

"I believe we have another leak within the agency. I don't know where it's coming from and I'm damned disgusted that I have to have this conversation with my directors again. This time the son-of-a-bitch is jeopardizing our operations and compromising sources, all for their own satisfaction."

"And you think it's me?" Ken asked.

"I don't know who it is, but no one – not a damned person – is above suspicion right now. If anything that is leaked jeopardizes one of my officers or the safety of the people we are entrusted to protect, I will destroy that person. Do you understand?" Arthur stated firmly.

Ken sat in silence for a few minutes taking in all that Arthur had just insinuated.

"Do you understand?" Arthur asked again.

"I understand, but Arthur we go way back, how could you think? …"

"I don't know what to think right now, other than the fact that when I find the SOB I'm going to hang them out to dry."


The house seemed rather innocuous. Older suburban tree lined street, nice houses, garages, and kids riding their bikes. There was no way something could be happening here. Was there? Jai sat in the gray rental car watching the FedEx Ground driver deliver three packages on the front porch. The driver rang the bell and went back to his truck. On cue, the woman opened the door, looked around and collected the packages.

Jai grabbed a notebook from the passenger seat and recorded the number of boxes, delivery company, and the time of delivery. He picked up his phone and dialed, "Hey Auggie, any chance you can hack into FedEx Ground?"

"Is that rhetorical?" Auggie said with a laugh on the other end of the line.

"It wasn't supposed to be," Jai said dryly.

"Whatsha got?" Auggie asked pulling his headphones up to his ears.


"Business trip again?" Danielle asked her sister as she watched Annie throw various clothing items into her worn carryon bag.

"Just for a few days, a week at most," Annie explained as she walked toward the bathroom.

Danielle sat on the bed next to the carryon, exasperated. "Where are they sending you this time?"

"Memphis."

"Memphis as in Elvis Memphis?"

"Exactly, I'm meeting with the curator of Graceland, we might be doing an Elvis exhibit on the fortieth anniversary of his death," Annie explained.

"That's in, like, six years," Danielle observed doing the math in her head.

"How do you know that?" Annie poked her head out of the bathroom. "Are you a closet fan of the King?"

"No … well, maybe."

"Don't worry, I'll send you a postcard."


"Did Jai check in?" Joan asked Auggie as she sat in the empty chair at the computer station across from his desk.

"About an hour ago. FedEx Ground delivered three more packages. I'm working on getting into their system," Auggie answered as he punched keys on his keyboard. "They're a little more challenging that UPS."

"A little old shipping company has the great August Anderson stumped?"

"I wouldn't go that far ... I should be in pretty soon. I'll call you when I have something."

Joan stood up and watched Auggie work, moments later, a wide smile spread across his face.

"Joan ..." he said turning to face her, "I'm in."


David Westcott didn't particularly like working for Arthur Campbell, but Arthur left him alone for the most part and let him run operations in the European theater how he saw fit. Outside of their director's meeting, his contact with Arthur was minimal at best, so being called into Arthur's office today was a bit unusual.

"Come on in David … close the door," Arthur said from behind his desk as he walked into the room.

"What's up?" David asked as he sat in one of the chairs across from Arthur, "Julie said it was important, but wouldn't say why."

"That's because I asked her not to."

"So?" David leaned back in his chair, "What can I do for you?"

"I went to see Steve Baylor this morning."

"How's the grouchy old fart?"

"Irritated. And frankly so am I." Arthur wasn't in the mood to play games. Not today.

"So read me in."

"Do you believe in trust?" Arthur asked David the same question that he asked Ken an hour ago.

"Do you?"

Arthur leaned back in his chair; David was baiting him and betting on his anger. "I'm the damned DCS and I'm asking the questions. Do you believe in trust?"

"I suppose, why?"

"Well I do. I trust you as my Director of European Operations and as one of my directors."

"Where are you going with this?"

"You've undoubtedly heard about the busted missions in Joan's division."

"Yeah, string of bad luck."

"I don't buy it and as one of my trusted directors, neither should you," Arthur told him, "This morning I discussed the possibility of another leak with Steve. We agree that there is someone betraying our trust within this building again. He's not happy. And I'm downright furious."

"Got that."

"Can I trust that you are not discussing any operational details from our management meetings with anyone in your division?"

"Of course. Are you implying that someone in my supervision is jeopardizing Joan's operations?"

"I'm implying that no one is above suspicion. Including you. Batten down your ship, because the hurricane is coming. His name is Arthur. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal. Are we done here?"

"We're more than done here." Arthur watched David get up from his chair and stride confidently out of his office.


"What did you tell Danielle this time?" Auggie asked.

"That I'm going to Memphis to start the research on an Elvis display for the fortieth anniversary of his death."

"Seriously? What made you think of Elvis?"

"Heard one of his songs on the radio as I was pulling in the driveway, any chance you could have someone send her a postcard from Graceland?"

"I usually save that trick for important operations."

"Please Auggie? it's so much easier to lie to her when I have visual proof ... Okay, I'm pulling off the highway now." Annie updated him as she eased the rental car off the interstate, "Do you think you could have gotten me something other than a Taurus?"

"You're looking for a job, it's not like you should be driving a Lexus or Jaguar," Auggie joked, "Jai should be parked across the street in a gray sedan."

"Inconspicuous. Did you at least get him a Toyota?"

"Having car envy are you?"

"Maybe, just once I'd like to have a glamorous assignment."

"You were in Paris earlier this year."

"Yeah, yeah ..." Annie replied as she pulled onto the suburban street, "I see Jai."

"Good, Helen's should be the white cape cod across from our subject's house."

"Got it," Annie said as she pulled into the driveway. "Looks like Helen is waiting for me," Annie observed the sheer curtains rustling in the front window.

"Alright, call me when you're starting to set up the surveillance devices."


"Joan, it's six o'clock …" Jai half whined into the phone.

"I have a watch Jai. Your point?" Joan answered while she absentmindedly looked at some files on her desk.

"How much longer do I have to sit outside this place? I'm pretty sure the delivery companies have closed for the night."

"Probably, just stay put until Annie gets her stuff in place. Maybe another hour."

"An hour?"

"You can always go to Miami," Joan threatened playfully.

"Fine." Jai huffed, "Call me when they're done."


Bill Davis stood outside the office of the Director Clandestine Services. He spent many afternoons shooting the crap in this office with Henry Wilcox over a glass of whiskey or single malt scotch, discussing black ops and the idiots on Capitol Hill. Now, he was rarely invited into Arthur's office except to get his ass chewed, today was going to be no different.

"Six o'clock on a Thursday. Really Arthur?" Bill Davis commented as he walked into Arthur's office.

"Julie called your office at eleven this morning. So it's not like you didn't know that I wanted to meet with you," Arthur said from his place of authority behind his expansive desk. "Close the door and have a seat."

"Sounds serious." The Director of South American Operations took a seat across from Arthur. "Am I getting fired?"

"Should you be getting fired?"

"I don't think so, but we both know I'm not your favorite director."

"I don't play favorites, unlike my predecessor." Arthur leaned forward and put his elbows on this desk. "Do you understand the definition of trust?"

"Is this a trick question?"

"Maybe. I'm having some difficulty with trust right now. I met with Steve this morning and we agree that there is something going on within the agency. We have another leak and my trust is being betrayed."

"Sure that's not sitting well with Baylor."

"It doesn't and it certainly doesn't with me. We've had some busted operations recently; ones that could have had serious repercussions for our national security. I trust that you're not sharing any sensitive information about operations that are discussed in director level meetings."

"That would be a direct violation of clearance levels," Bill stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes, it would. And it would be a treasonous offence," Arthur stated firmly. "Is it safe to assume that you understand where I am coming from?"

"That would be safe to assume," Bill answered.

"There is no gray area here. I will get the bastard that is leaking information if it's the last thing I do."

"Understandable." Bill leaned back in his chair, looking longingly at the bottle of whiskey on the sideboard.


"Okay, they should all be in place," Annie told Auggie as she put the last china bird on the windowsill facing the suspect's home while balancing her cell phone on her shoulder.

"Let me make sure they're all on line," Auggie answered, punching keys rhythmically on his keyboard. "Got the audio … Barber, how's the video?"

"You pulled Eric into the loop?" Annie asked.

"Had to. I can't tell what the video is like. Don't worry, I got Joan's permission."

"We've got visual," Eric Barber reported from behind Auggie.

"We're set. So how's Helen?"

Annie looked toward the living room and observed Helen Rentmeester sitting on the edge of her recliner, binoculars in hand, waiting for the next move across the street. "She's like my grandmother, in a sweet stalker sort of way."

"That bad, huh?" Auggie said and laughed.

"Not really. She's been very accommodating." Annie pulled the sheer away from the window and spotted Jai sitting sleepily in the gray Toyota Camry. "We really should let Jai go home, he looks bored out of his mind."

"We should, but ..." Auggie teased.

"You're mean Auggie. Did I ever tell you that?" Annie said as she let the sheer curtain slide back into place.

"All the time." Auggie leaned back in his chair. "Have a nice night, we'll keep an eye on things here …"


"News from Oakton?" Arthur asked his wife as he set a cup of coffee on her desk.

"Annie's in place and we have eyes and ears on them." Joan scooped up the coffee and took a drink. "Now we just watch and gather information."

"The boring part ..."

"But necessary. Did you meet with Brutus one, two and three?"

"I did," Arthur sank into a chair across from his wife, "And I still don't know what to think."

"Follow your gut and we'll set the guilty party up to fall, just like we did with Henry."

"You sure this will work?"

"It has to. For all of us," Joan said and sighed.

"Anything we can use yet?" Arthur asked hopefully. He wanted this to end. And soon.

"Not yet, but the pieces will fall into place. Have faith."


Thanks for reading.

-M