AN: To reviewer Belle: Thank you very much for the comment on tech. detail. I'm glad it's improving but seen as contributing to the story. I include the tech detail because I think it adds verisimilitude to the story. I don't want a story to ever require 'magic' to make the plot work. No boxes that say, "Put magic here," are allowed in the plot flow chart. (Yes, I do plot flow charts. I blame it on my engineering gene.) What I do put in is still just the tip of the iceberg. I don't like to write 'mush', so I go for the plot and aspire to make the characters 3D instead of cardboard cutouts. I'm doing some experiments with that in how this story is told.
Thank you very much to AleciaB, Gwynne, and Patricia Louise for their help and suggestions.
Chapter 4
Return to Langley - Part 1
6:30 AM Day 2, About to deplane at Andrews Air Force Base:
Annie went back into the plane and took a quick look around to make sure she hadn't left anything behind. She settled her gun to make sure it was out of sight and then returned to the door of the plane. By then Calder was half way up the ramp. He stopped when he saw her and said, "Welcome back, Walker."
"Thanks, Calder. You, Joan, Auggie, and I need to talk. Like when can we set that up? Sooner is better."
"Whoa girl, you aren't even back alive, at least not officially. We need to do some housekeeping before you jump into the fray."
"If we don't meet, there is a good chance you won't need to do the housekeeping. I'm still a target."
"I know that, but we can keep you at Langley-"
"Calder, unless you chain me to an eyebolt in the basement floor, I won't stay there if we aren't working to eliminate the threat, and you know it, so can we meet?"
He sighed and said, "Yeah, I'll set it up. Anything else?"
"A request." Calder looked askance at her and raised his eyebrows a fraction of a millimeter, so she continued, "I'd like to have Danielle flown here on some pretext or other so I can meet with her in the civilian conference room at Langley. She'll have fewer options to avoid me until I can get the story out. Is that possible?"
"Definitely. That had occurred to me as well. She's due in town tomorrow to finish cleaning out her house and your apartment there. It's been sold. I can arrange to bring her into Langley. I'll use the excuse that it's to clean up some final detail paperwork related to you. That work?"
"Yes. Now I better get down there, Auggie looks like he's about to explode."
She followed Calder down the ramp to meet with a very concerned looking Auggie. She wasn't sure she was ready for this, but she returned his hug with an extra squeeze that was returned with a vigor that made her grunt with distress, so she took his hand rather than offer her traditional sighted guide role as they walked toward the line of waiting SUVs. She turned to Calder who was close behind them and said, "I want the third vehicle in line."
"We had you planned for number two."
"New plan. And I want to be in the front seat. You and Auggie can ride in back. Who's the driver?"
"Agency security staff."
"Calder, would you drive, please. Just you, I, and Auggie in that car? I'll ride shotgun. I don't trust anybody else that's here right now."
Annie turned to watch his reaction and saw Calder frown, but he said, "Wait here." Annie stopped still about twenty yards from the waiting line of cars. Calder continued, "I'll go make that happen."
Annie stood next to Auggie who had automatically shifted his grip to her arm so she could better serve as a sighted guide. She asked, "You agree?"
He turned to her and said in a very low voice, "Yes. Are you going to ask him to break out of the convoy and take a separate route to Langley?"
"Yes, I am. Actually I was going to ask that all the vehicles take separate routes."
"Good. You've figured it out?"
She smiled to herself. He isn't talking about the route - he's talking about Henry's co-conspirator. Auggie and I are so in synch it's almost scary. She gave his hand an affectionate squeeze and replied, "Yeah. It seemed obvious to me. I just don't know who. But I'd be astonished if Joan and/or Arthur haven't met the person or persons we are after. They just don't suspect them of anything."
"Profile."
"I have one, but not now. Right now I have to survive to get inside Langley, and I need Calder's help to do it."
"Is Peters still around?"
"I don't see him. Why?"
"We could use someone like him with us if we get attacked."
"I agree, but frankly, if they succeed in attacking us they will win regardless. All they have to do is destroy the vehicle with me in it. Our only defense is escape and evade. Hopefully they haven't had time to set anything up, but I wouldn't bet on it. They've had longer since the first attempt than they had before it. The problem is that we are going to Langley, which limits our options. We are between two big hangars which means that we are invisible from outside the base, but once we are on the road, we're in the open."
Auggie thought for a second, and then said, "How well does Calder know the roads around here?"
"I don't know. He's lived in Columbia for quite a few years. I'll ask him."
They stood for another minute before Annie saw the driver leave one of the cars and get in the one in front of it. Calder turned and waved for them to join him. Annie said, "Calder's waving us over," and started walking. When they got to the car, she had Auggie get in the rear seat on the passenger's side, turned to Calder, and said, "Don't get upset, but how well do you know the roads around here?"
"I grew up about two miles away from here. This is my backyard."
"Then keep us on back roads where you can clear our tail and take random paths at the legal speed limit. I don't want to attract attention, and I want the other three cars to break off and proceed independently."
"I just gave the same instructions to the other drivers. The number two car will take the expressway; the others will be on surface streets. It's less than five miles as the crow flies. I'm planning to cross the base and leave through a side gate. All four cars are leaving through different little used gates."
"Thanks. Exactly what I would have asked for."
"Get in. We need to be gone."
# # #
7:00 AM Day 2, Just Past Security in the Parking Lot at Langley:
The trip to Langley through the early morning surface street traffic went uneventfully. None of the cars were attacked - though Annie learned later that the one on the expressway was followed for a short distance by a DC patrol car before pursuit was abandoned. Annie expected more trouble at the gate, but, apparently, they were expecting Calder because when he showed his ID, the guards looked in the vehicle, nodded, lowered the barrier, and waved them in.
Annie was surprised and said, "How did they just let a dead woman in the gate?"
"Security was given your picture; you were cleared by the DCI, and," he smiled, "the acting DCS was driving."
"What's next?"
"We are going to bring you in a seldom used entrance. Once you are in the building, your ID will be resurrected in the system. Auggie thinks that may be frustrated by a number of glitches because the programmers didn't design resurrection of deceased agents into the system, but I had a compartmentalized special team at work on it for the last two days while you made your way here. They don't know it is you, but they have been dry running the process, and they are pretty sure they can have you resurrected in about half an hour once they get your name. They will use a retinal scan and fingerprints to validate it's you. After that, we need ten minutes to get you a replacement badge and reactivate your passwords, though that part may not work as well. They are ninety percent certain you will have to put in new ones."
"You've been busy."
"You have no idea. You also have a lot to catch up on. We have a meeting scheduled you can't miss. It's in forty-six minutes, so we need to get in there. The ID stuff doesn't need to be completed before the meeting."
"With who?"
"People we, especially you, do not want to keep waiting."
"You won't tell me?"
"No, because I'm afraid you will bolt, and that would be an incredibly bad move. You need to keep these people, who are genuine fans of yours, on your side. Standing them up wouldn't be good at all."
"Calder ..." Annie growled.
"The DCI, DNI, FBI Director, Joan, and Arthur."
"And the DCS?"
"Yes, the acting DCS will be there."
"Head of the DPD, whoever that is?"
"There isn't one at the moment. I'm doing both jobs."
"This should be interesting. Do they know about the attack in Kadena?"
"I don't think so, but I'm not sure how much longer that will be true. That's why I pushed so hard to get this meeting right after you arrived."
"Thanks. You going to take my gun away?"
"No. I know better than to try that. You are going to clear it and give it to me. I need it for evidence anyway. The military police have asked for a specimen bullet from it to match with the ones they removed from the hijacker you shot."
"The Hong Kong Police?"
"They don't get shit from us."
"Good."
The conversation had lasted long enough to get them to their parking place. Annie got out; Calder got out and so did Auggie. Annie walked around the car, brushed Auggie's hand, and they followed Calder to the door. He punched in a security code and asked them to move to stand on a painted line. They did, waited a few seconds, and the door was opened by a security guard. They were admitted to an alcove; the door closed behind them. Then Calder said, "Annie, now is when you would give me the gun."
She looked at the security guard and said, "How do you want me to do this so you don't get nervous. I don't want to get shot."
He said, "I won't shoot you, Miss Walker. But I'd appreciate it if you would find a neutral direction to point it while you clear it."
Annie was surprised he knew who she was, but she pulled the Glock 26 out of the small of her back, ejected the clip, cleared the live round from the chamber, locked the slide open, then turned and offered the gun and magazine to Calder. He took it and handed it to the security guard. Then she said, "I have a spare magazine. I'm going to pull that out my pocket and hand it to Calder." When Calder and the security guard nodded, she gave him the spare magazine and the loose round from the chamber.
She didn't like the feeling that went with being disarmed, but for the moment, there wasn't anything she could do about it, and in her head, she knew she was probably as safe as she had ever been in her life. That was in her head. Her viscera were giving her a different message. Nobody had ever been assassinated inside Langley. At least, that was a fact as far as she knew - it was the CIA after all. She re-established her connection to Auggie and said, "Now what."
"Now we go through that door and go get you processed to reclaim your credentials; then we head for that meeting. We are running out of time."
# # #
7:45 AM Day 2, Executive Conference Room, Langley:
Retinal scan, blood sample and electronic fingerprint check completed, new credentials in hand, Annie, Auggie, and Calder walked through a part of the building she'd never been in. From the decorations, it was clearly the home of the powers-that-be. They came around a corner, and she and Auggie followed Calder into a room that had the DCI, DNI, FBI Director, Joan, and Arthur sitting along the sides of the conference table. Annie sensed they wanted her in the empty chair at the far end of the table. She was able to force Calder to pass behind Joan and Arthur so she'd be able to study the three directors from the front as she passed on her way there.
Joan stood as Auggie approached and said quietly, "Auggie, sit with me," and brushed his hand.
Annie heard Joan. She felt Auggie give her hand a squeeze; then he regretfully let his fingers slip away as he stayed behind to sit next to Joan.
She ignored her rising apprehension as her journey to the chair continued. She took advantage of the time to study the people she hadn't met before as she passed across the table from them. Her first observation: the actual spies in the room, including Auggie, face the door. The bureaucrats and professional managers have their back to the door. I wonder where Calder will sit? Right now, its three spies facing three bureaucrats.
Why did the DCI, my Director, sit the farthest from the head of the table? Does he want to distance himself from me, hide behind the others, or did the others arrive first? He is the highest ranking CIA official present, nominally our collective boss. The DNI is his boss. Usually the senior official is at the head of the table or closest to the head of the table. It's just how it's done. Ramsey is the closest - is he the nominal head of this group in terms of group dynamics? I hope so. Then she turned her attention to the man himself: DCI, Director Central Intelligence, Parker James, civilian, political appointee, professional government executive, she remembered. Gray crew cut, heavy, oval, photogenic face that looks years younger in pictures than in person. He wears makeup for photo sessions, a lot of it. She looked closer at his face: He has deep worry wrinkles in his forehead, smile/humor wrinkles around his eyes and mouth, but hard, deep set eyes half hidden behind fatty eyelids. The eyes give him away as a shrewd customer. So does the fact that he is clearly aware he is under my microscope. She saw the DCI try to suck in his ample gut and nearly burst out laughing. The man is so superficial, was her last thought before she turned her attention to the DNI who was next.
Oh my gosh, the DNI has no clue he's being sized up, and, even more surprising, he's not assessing me back like the other two. The other two know and expect it, this guy is so impressed with himself it never occurs to him others might see him differently. Or he doesn't care? He's the senior guy present with nobody to impress?
DNI - Director of National Intelligence, Eugene York, political appointee, retired Admiral, time in theater but no actual combat experience on a fighting ship. Career in support organizations, Annie remembered. I can't remember reading an accurate position statement by him in the four years I've been at the CIA. This guy's the Teflon Don. Always wrong but still here and highly thought of by the administration and the press. He's always very aware of how things make him look - chameleon politics of the purely suck up sort. Make the boss look good today; the half-life of the countries memory isn't six months. Anything that happens after can be walked right over. Like Benghazi. Does it really matter? She snorted to herself with disgust. He's a big man. Going on huge, and soft. But not that soft. I remember reading he was a hero of the football team during his Naval Academy years. Lot of muscle gone to fat. He's the fleshy caricature of a retired admiral, but he is still far trimmer than the DCI. Both are a far cry from the trim, fit, quick, and compact Colonel Abbott or Chief Peters. Uncomfortable with the fact that she thought about it out of habit her assessment continued, I could take him, either him or the DCI, bare handed if they didn't get a chance to grab hold of me, but not both at once unless I was lucky.
Her glance moved on to the next man and she thought, So, look at you in person FBI Director Alexander Ramsey; you look pretty good. Better than your pictures. I know you're fifty-eight, but you look ten years younger. I bet you move well too. The dark red hair with almost no gray helps. So does the fact that you have a lot of it. Clear complexion, well groomed, you tan too; that's unusual for a dark red head with bright green eyes. You're no stranger to the gym either. It shows in the planes of your face and your posture. I know you like to be called 'Ramsey,' but if we were personal friends, I'd call you Alex. You are definitely the pick of this litter. I already know you aren't afraid to follow your convictions and smart enough to have some. I would like you even better as the DNI, but it's a huge advantage for me to have you here in any capacity. You didn't have to be here. But I'm glad you are. I owe you big time.
Okay, we have a potential DCI snake in the grass. Got to get the DNI to make him an ally. The DNI is a potential ally if he thinks it will make him and his boss, the President, look good. Ramsey is on the team. Hopefully he and I have them surrounded.
A second later Calder had escorted her to the head of the table and clearly suggested she sit there. I don't like this seat at all. I need to steer this meeting in my favor, and this chair won't let me do that. So, stay standing, Walker.
She put her hands solidly on the back of the chair and apparently conveyed by her action she was about to refuse to sit down, for the FBI director stood, moved in her direction with his hand out and said, "Miss Walker, sometimes known as anti-terrorist expert FBI Special Agent Betty Lou Tarantino; welcome. I am honored to meet one of my personal heroes."
Annie took the offered hand, but her head was a swirling cacophony of emotions at the greeting. She remembered the advice from Peters and Cameron and managed to say, "I ... uh ... thank you, sir. We had them surrounded."
He clearly recognized the reference because he chuckled at the memory of that phone call. Annie saw him look pointedly in the direction of the DCI and DNI before he said, "Yes, we did. But, actually, it is we who are thanking you." As he said that the DCI and, after a noticeable delay, the DNI took the cue, stood and moved to join them. Because of DNI's hesitation, the DCI gained a step, moved as if he wanted to make a good impression, and made it to her first.
Annie felt immense relief when the DCI shook hands with her and said, "Thank you very much for killing Henry. I realize that's blunt, but this is no time for political correctness or euphemisms. The man was a traitor. Director Ramsey and I agree without reservation that you did exactly what you had to do under the circumstances."
Annie noticed the DNI wasn't included but couldn't see any political guile on his face, in his eyes, or in the statement. At the same time, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Auggie wince when the DCI said it. She said, "Thank you." Auggie's wince focused her early warning system on the DCI.
The DNI, offered his hand, and when she took it briefly, she was repulsed by the limp grip. He said, "I ... agree."
The slight delay combined with the DCI's omission cued Annie that he, the DNI, might not be completely onboard, but his statement indicated he could probably be persuaded to join her. She needed total commitment from him. She decided not to challenge him as long as his opinions supported her, so she confidently replied, "Thank you, sir."
Annie saw Joan and Arthur beaming through tears. Then the DCI spoke again and asked, "We'd like you to tell us, briefly, in your own words, how you did this, and what the key elements were in your successful process. We aren't after a critique; we are after some education. In our conversation before you arrived, we decided we hadn't a clue how you did what you did. Can you tell us in a few words?"
"I would like to, but, unless you order me to do it, now isn't the time. There is something else I'd like to tell you if you are willing to listen."
She heard Calder, standing behind her, gasp, and saw Joan fighting to hide a smile. She was not surprised to learn she was comfortable with Calder standing behind her.
Annie received the her director's full attention when she said, "Permission to speak freely, sir?"
The DNI, nominally the senior official present said, somewhat condescendingly, "Of course. Please do."
Annie looked at the three of them. She didn't see any open hostility, but the DNI's face showed some reservation, and there was calculation in the eyes of the DCI. "Henry's dead," she said, "but it isn't over."
The DNI turned to face her squarely. His face registered surprise. While he framed a response, her eyes flicked over all three of their faces. Then, in an instant confirmation of her earlier assessment, the DNI made yet another erroneous position statement, "That's preposterous. What do you mean it's not over? How could it not be over if he's dead?"
Annie decided the man didn't understand that the difference between a decision and a guess was data, not logic. Nor did he understand that spies had an insatiable thirst for and acted on data whenever they could because substituting logic for data was a good way to get killed. She didn't rise to the bait and responded matter-of-factly, "There was an attempt on my life at Kadena. Someone had to have orchestrated that, and it could not have been Henry." She was relieved to see from their expressions that what she said was a total surprise. So she continued, "But it wasn't any of you."
The DNI, not smart enough to restrict himself to questions he knew the answer to said, "So. How do you know there was an attempt on your life?"
Annie processed his reply in an instant. The emphasis on the word 'know' telegraphed his intent to back her down. After all, she thought, how does one 'know' anything? Hard to prove 'know'. Bad tactic to use against a spy who lives or dies on facts. The man has a true gift for being the straight man. She replied in the same level voice with zero hesitation, "The assassin knocked the pilots unconscious, tied and gagged one of them, and came after me with a twenty gage pump shotgun loaded with target birdshot. After he fired at me, and missed, I killed him. Seems like a no brainer to me ... sir."
The DNI looked past Annie at Calder who had quietly moved up to stand beside her and said, "That's exactly what happened, sir. I have it directly from Colonel Abbott and Command Master Chief Jed Peters of Seal Team Three who were on scene at the time. I also have pictures if you need them for proof."
Annie could see the DNI foolishly decide to call what he thought was Calder's bluff because the two people referenced weren't in the room when he snapped, "Show me." If she didn't consider him one of the good guys already Calder would have been anointed with that status right then because a few seconds later a composite of four pictures appeared on screen. One of Annie's pictures and two from the military police at Kadena clearly depicting a dead body. There was another one she hadn't known about, apparently from Colonel Abbott, which showed her, with the pistol still in her hand, and Chief Peters kneeling by the body in the plane. The four bullet holes in the assassin's chest and the puddle of blood on the floor showed clearly in that gruesome full color picture.
The DNI instantly backed down and said, "I ... uh ... we ... we didn't know ..." After an almost painful pause apparently while his brain processed the fact that he was now in full retreat, he said, "How did you know it wasn't any of us?"
Annie, again wanting to encourage desired responses replied, "You guys aren't that good at acting. You all showed elements of surprise that can't be faked including major iris movement."
The DNI said, "You saw that?"
Annie could see Joan and Arthur struggling to contain smiles and replied, "I'm a spy. It's what I do. I'm sure Calder saw it too." She added the latter to show solidarity with Calder and thank him for literally standing by her and anticipating the bureaucrats need for irrefutable proof of the obvious.
The DNI, nodded. When his glance shifted toward Calder, and he took a breath as if he was about to blast Calder. Annie, quicker than any of them, and unwilling to have any of her allies take any crap from anybody at the moment, interjected, "Sir! Do. Not. Attack. Calder. I could not have gotten to Henry without him. We worked together. He, Auggie, and I were a team. I know you don't like surprises, but this threat is real; it won't respond to spin, compromise, political posturing, bureaucratic bullshit, or bullying. And all of us in this room know the truth of that. I think it best if we put our heads together and reason, not react. Or not. Up to you. ... Sir."
After a total silence of what seemed like forever but was only about five seconds, Annie waited to let the DNI realize the ball was in his court. He partly recovered and said, "Who do you suspect?" His tone apparently anticipated some waffling on her part. He failed to appreciate she'd had nothing to do except think about it for the last thirty hours. And she had definitely thought about it.
"We are looking for someone of high government rank who has access to key information about the CIA but not necessarily day-to-day field operational data. This person has, or at least through Henry had, people on the inside of the CIA and maybe the DHS. I know of CIA examples for sure and maybe another-"
"Like who?" the DNI snapped, the demand for instant data an apparent effort to take control of the discussion.
Annie refused to allow him to rattle her and instantly replied with confidence, "Seth Newman, Deric Hughes, and Eric Braithwaite. But there are definitely others."
The DNI apparently decided that she'd make him look a fool if he continued to attack her because he relaxed his posture slightly and said, "Point made."
Then DNI turned to Joan and asked with a trace of awe, "Is she always like this?"
Joan said dryly, "No. She's usually more direct."
That reply apparently defused the situation because the DNI's shoulders dropped a little more, and Annie knew he'd surrendered, at least for the moment, when he said, "You're right, we don't need the history class at this point,; we need an action plan. What do you recommend?"
"I think you all know the name of the person or persons responsible. Probably almost on a first name basis with them. You trust them. They have classified access. Whoever it is runs in your circles, not mine. None of you knows this person is doing what they are doing, but you are acquainted with and interact with them frequently. They may even have leverage on you. I don't expect an answer or a name in real time, but I respectfully suggest you give permission for Calder, Auggie, me, and a couple of others, preferably from the FBI, to set up a compartmented team to pursue this." She stopped and waited while they resumed their seats. Annie chose to remain standing. So did Calder, who stood just to her right.
The DCI, more pragmatic than the DNI, said, "I only have a couple of minutes, then I need to leave for The Hill. What are we looking at?"
"The critical data for tactical purposes is who knew what immediately after I killed Henry and secondly, the flow of money out of the CIA."
The DCI asked, "Why do you think it's the money?" His focus on money, not information flow was significant to Annie. He didn't do it, but he was hiding something.
"Because we traced stolen CIA money directly to the attack in Copenhagen. Auggie, Calder, feel free to jump in if you have data to add." She could see the three senior officers had never considered the possibility of stolen CIA money funding the attack, so she said, "Whoever it is also had a mole, maybe an unwitting mole, that knew exactly when I was traveling and where I'd be. They had to know the escape plan in detail, in real time, to set up that hit on me. I did a tentative time line in my head, and they had eighteen to twenty hours from the time I walked out of that alley until I shot their assassin in the plane. So I'd look on that level as well - if you have time Director Ramsey, I'd suggest you root out every person that knew my itinerary and put them under a magnifying glass."
When they didn't respond she added, "The people I trust are, with a few exceptions, in this room. That said, in all candor it's fair to say the two of you," she pointed at the DCI, and DNI, "Worry me, a lot. Because by any objective measure, Henry was able to blind side you for at least months, if not years. He had to have your approval to be in the building. You gave your blessing to Braithwaite to bring him in and encouraged Braithwaite to work with him, to use his company, Lexington Global. Braithwaite was a total wuss, a pawn, and would never have done that on his own. That bothers me because I think you've probably already let the person we are after in as well. Newman, Braithwaite, and Hughes were a surprise to everybody but Henry."
The DCI apparently decided to challenge Annie and said, "Why do you think that?"
Auggie interjected with some heat, "Because we know you were personally instrumental in letting Henry in at the suggestion of Senator Pearson."
The DCI snapped his head in Auggie's direction and said, "Who told you that?"
"Braithwaite, just before I assaulted Henry for calling Annie a traitor. I had asked Braithwaite what Henry was doing in Langley. He told us Senator Pearson had gone to the DCI and suggested that since Henry was so familiar with Arthur and the crimes he'd committed, he could be of assistance. So he was given a green badge. With all due respect, Henry's power to orchestrate Annie's assassination from within the CIA was due to your approval, and your appointment of his puppet Braithwaite to DCS ... sir."
Calder said, "Braithwaite instructed me to work closely with Henry. Auggie suggested that I take advantage of that to drive a wedge between Braithwaite and Henry. I used Auggie's suggestion and told Henry that Braithwaite had opened a Blue File on him over martinis at a 'bonding' lunch."
The DCI looked stunned and said, "So when I honored the request from a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I was being played by Henry."
Annie fought to resist reacting to that new data from Auggie. But she and he hadn't had a chance to talk about it either, so she just said, "Yes, sir. The spy game is manipulating people for information. You were manipulated by a master through his senatorial puppet. Did you let any other people in at her request?"
The DCI looked embarrassed and finally said, "No. No, I didn't. But I was desperate. We'd had the leaks, the Lena Smith problem. I was getting pressure. She actually tried to frame you, Officer Walker, and I was about to de-commission you when Joan told Arthur she suspected Lena. Then we had the problem with the rogue agent that was Arthur's son-"
Before Arthur could jump in Annie interjected, "No! Teo was no traitor. I was there when Teo was shot. I was trying to prevent Deric Hughes from shooting down the helicopter in Copenhagen. I got Teo out of there, but Hughes shot him as we drove away. He died of the wound in the OR. He absolutely wasn't a rogue agent. He was a heroic deep cover agent working against rebels financed by the traitor Henry to perform terrorist acts against the United States. Henry's purpose for those acts was to make Arthur look bad. You were played continuously by Henry for the last three years, or more."
"But the pressure with Lena-"
Annie said, somewhat impatiently, "Forget. Lena. She's irrelevant. I have two bullet wounds in my chest from her in case you forgot. I was lying in a coma in a hospital while you were getting ready to throw me under a bus without letting me testify in my own behalf. You have no idea about pressure. You want pressure - try going in the field, in the dark; you put your life on the line with the full knowledge that your boss' boss, the head of your government agency and the man over him, will sell you out while you lie in a coma just to look better in the press. If anything goes wrong, you get the blame; meanwhile, these same men have been actively courting the enemy for the same reason. That was my exact situation for the last five months. It truly sucks. So I ask again, who else did you let in? "
The reply was a chastened, "Nobody."
"Did Senator Pearson ask for more people to be let in that were refused?"
"No."
"Good." She turned toward the others and said, "That's more than what I needed to get on the table, but I don't regret or retract any of it." When she realized her talk had left them speechless,she said, "I needed to get this out where it would receive immediate action. I have one caveat: whoever it is has moles and will see us coming if we aren't careful. The team needs to be completely compartmented; one-way firewalled off from the CIA and the FBI."
Arthur said, "Annie, about Lena-"
Annie snapped, "Later, Arthur. Now isn't the time." He swallowed and nodded. She was glad to see Joan take his hand and squeeze it as a show of support.
The DCI had recovered enough to ask in a tone of genuine curiosity, "Wow. I ... I ... apologize for all of that. I did it. Please believe me when I say it wasn't with malicious intent. Clearly we need to support you.-"
"Sir, all of you, if I may, we need your support right when it looks like we least deserve it. You have to be able to understand when it's legitimate and when someone has gone off the rails. But you really need to understand that you need real data. Vet the data. Use critical thinking skills. Basing our futures, our lives, on guesses is just wrong."
"I, we, at least the DNI and I, have a lot to learn. Along that line, moving forward, I have a question: I understand compartmented; what's a one-way firewall?"
"We can get to their servers, but neither they nor the CIA IT guys can get to the team's mission specific data servers."
The DNI, snapped out of his trance, turned to the DCI and, in his first show of decisiveness said, "Parker, give Walker, Michaels and Anderson whatever they ask for and stay the hell out of their way. They do it, we swear to it. I am not expecting periodic progress reports with fake progress; I don't want spin. I want results. This is the DPD's highest immediate priority. Michaels, Walker, here is my card. You may call this number," he wrote a number on the back of them, "at any time. It's my encrypted cell. I'll make sure you have access to it as soon as I get back to the office."
Annie decided to take advantage of the moment that had turned in her favor and this very rare meeting with all the power players present, and she said, "Thank you. If I might make a request of Director Ramsey, sir?"
The FBI Director replied, "Go."
"I'd like to borrow Agents Megan Burk, Jo Bell, and Vincent Rossabi. I know I can trust them, and they are, obviously, FBI. The CIA isn't an investigative agency. The FBI is. It's important to have admissible evidence at the end of this. With them on the team, the lead can transition to them for warrants to avoid jurisdiction and admissibility issues should there be a trial when it comes time for the take down."
"Yes, of course," Ramsey said, "but Burk and Bell are in Philadelphia."
Annie turned to the DCI and said, "Those three agents know I'm a CIA Covert Officer. I know Jo Bell is cleared all the way to the top. I'm pretty sure Burk, her boss, has the same clearance. You can get them in here, right? It will be very difficult to do this from anyplace else and keep me alive."
The DCI looked at the FBI Director who said, "Walker, you need 'em, you got 'em. They can work from here, but if anybody asks, the FBI has the lead. That should cover you for admissibility."
Annie looked right at him and said, "Thank you, sir."
The DCI turned to the Calder and said, "Please get them badges with clearance to anything in the DPD." He turned to Annie and asked, "You need Rossabi in here too?"
Annie replied, "No sir, I need him on the outside to be a pure conduit to the FISA and other Federal Judges to get us warrants. I don't want anybody but him in the DC office to know he's working with us. I may need one more team member, but I won't bring him up unless it's crucial."
Auggie spoke up and said, "If I might make a suggestion, I need Eric Barber on the team, and if we can get Sarah Tam from the Hong Kong office, she's another one I trust. But she's probably thirty hours out if she leaves in the next couple of hours."
Annie asked, "Who is she?"
"She was my second-in-command when I worked with Hong Kong Station to support your take down of Henry after Calder left to bring in Oliver Lee. She cloaked the Lexington Global Headquarters in Kowloon and blocked Henry for me so you could catch up with him."
Annie said, "You're right. We need her."
She looked at the DCI who, apparently glad for the chance to be on the winning side, said, "You got her." He looked at the Calder and said, "Have her on a plane in the next four hours. Shortest travel time should have her here by midnight tomorrow at the latest. Cost doesn't matter. If she doesn't have time to pack between now and the first available seat, give her a credit card and an escort to shop when she gets here. If you get an argument out of the station head, I'll take care of it." He looked back at Annie and asked, "Anything else."
"Yes sir." When he didn't say anything she said, "I'd like to have Command Master Chief Peters and his team on standby as a security team. If I have to go out, and that will probably happen, I'd trust them with my life. We'll need a hardened van or SUV, too."
"They are Seals?"
She nodded and said, "Team Three."
"I'll call the Secretary of the Navy from the car." He turned to the Calder and said, "You requisition the car, one of the hardened SUVs, in your name then give her and Peters the keys."
Calder said, "Yes, sir."
The DCI nodded at Calder then asked Annie, "Anything else?" Annie was relieved that, when he looked at her, his tone of voice expressed curiosity, not frustration.
She said, "No sir. But thank you for the support."
The DCI continued to look at her for a few seconds, and just when it was starting to make her uncomfortable, he said, "I want to meet with you again when this is really over - then we can have the meeting that was planned for today."
"Sorry, sir."
"Don't be, this was a whole lot more useful to the country."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."
The DNI apparently, from the smug look on his face, thought he might have the last word and added, "Gentlemen, please leave her your cards with your personal cell on the back." He waited while they did as he requested, then turned to go.
The FBI Director stopped half way to the door, turned around and said, "I'll make sure you are wired back into my firewalls - you call, they'll find me for you, wherever I am, either as Annie or Betty."
"Thank you. The Agent Tarantino NOC is available?"
"I'll personally make sure it is. I'll also get you all your FBI credentials and your personal gun permits back."
The DNI turned around, walked back and said, with a trace of snark, "Gun permits? What gun permits?"
"Her personal federal concealed carry permit. It was authorized by a Federal Judge. It allows her to carry anywhere but the Whitehouse. CIA officers don't have badges."
The DNI said with a trace of sarcasm, "Really? I know you shot Henry, and Lena, but just how many actual gunfights have you been in, Walker?"
She felt her stone dead mission face come on, turned her head slightly to place him squarely in her gaze and replied in a flat voice, scary for its lack of emotion appropriate to the data, "Counting the hijacker I killed yesterday, I've been in something like twenty-five fights to the death. I think twenty were gunfights. I do remember killing two by breaking their necks, one died of injuries sustained when I fought him off with my hands, and there were two others that fell to their death during a fight - they were trying to throw me to my death at the time. I lost one fight. I was shot by Lena because I was unarmed. I don't like being unarmed."
"Any survivors?"
"Two, I think. One of those is badly crippled and stuck in a wheel chair for life with two broken knees and a ruined shoulder." Tired of this bully's passive aggressive behavior, as she spoke she focused directly on him, envisioned a target on his forehead, and walked toward him taking care to purposely trespass into his personal space. The DNI backed up a quick two steps, and Annie could see fear in his eyes. She followed him one more step and stopped right on the edge of his space.
The DCI stopped dead in his tracks, so did Director Ramsey. She could see Calder's eyes open wide, but she only said, while looking directly at the DCI, "Director Ramsey, I'd sure appreciate having that permit back."
The DNI finally said quietly, "I had no idea." He backed up another step.
Annie let him go to reward his acceptance, relaxed her face, and said, "I could tell." The DNI showed obvious relief.
The DCI walked around the DNI to face her, looked at her thoughtfully for a few seconds, and then he said, "Miss Walker, we really need to have a private talk, but I'm out of time."
She replied, "Yes sir," while she thought, I'm supposed to have had a private talk with several people, but it never happens.
When the executives left, Annie turned to Calder. She expected to find him seething after she went over his head as she had just done, and she wouldn't have blamed him. He didn't even get a chance to say much more than, 'yes sir' in this meeting after having gone to some trouble to arrange it.
Instead, she saw he was calm and studying her. She began to feel uncomfortable under his gaze, but then it was okay because he said, "I see what Joan meant when she said you two are her rogue couple. I wouldn't have done what you just did or what you did in Hong Kong, but then Henry would still be free, and Oliver Lee wouldn't be singing for his supper if it had been left to me. Appearances to the contrary notwithstanding, I told the DCI and the DNI exactly that by the way. All I did was try to keep people out of your way. "
Annie said, "Thank you, Calder. And thank you for literally standing by me during that confrontation. What's next?"
"You're welcome. Do you have a preference? Strike that. What's your preference?"
"I need to be re-introduced to Eric Barber and then the rest of the DPD staff. I need a place to live and a place to work. I think, for the time being, if we are actively working to find them it's best if I'm inside Langley full time. Henry's accomplice can afford to hire the best, and they will win if I'm outside of here. I also need some time with a shrink."
"Do you have a regular one?"
"I did. Dr. Eleanor Milbanks. Not sure if she still has my records."
"If she doesn't, I'll get them back to her. Want me to call her?"
"Please. It will be less traumatic than if I cold-call or just walk in."
"Done."
"How do we get me back into the DPD?"
"You wait here. I'll go get Eric Barber. You should know he defied me after you were killed. He refused to take off his black mourning ribbon even when I said you went rogue. He just said, 'She was my friend; I'm not taking it off.'"
"I'll wait here. Auggie, you will wait with me?"
"Of course."
"Joan, Arthur, can we talk about Senator Pearson while Calder is getting Eric?"
Joan looked surprised but said, "Of course."
EN: There is a lot for a beginning fiction writer to learn. Reviews help me to determine whether changes tried out make the story better or not.
