Chapter 8
Marshall Gordon had served his country all of his life. His father had been a Chief Intelligence Advisor for almost five Presidents and he had been working for the Government since he had gotten out of High School. He had spent a long time in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East and still had maintained a life in the states during his times in the field. It was very impressive to those who knew him, but due to what he had done in his life, he hadn't allowed many people to know him. His children and his wife were the only ones who even had a remote idea of who he really was and even then he hadn't given them the whole story, merely a well-designed cover.
That was before he had been choose to be the Director of the United States Central Intelligence, after that, his story was made ever clearer and he and his family were put out of danger. When he was an Agent in the field, his designations and names changed frequently and his times away from his wife and family differed, but he always had balanced it professionally.
His last assignment as an undercover agent was as a liaison of the US Ambassador to Russian Head of State, or as the position was known at the time, the Premier of the Soviet Union. He knew things that would bring down that Government and if they were aware of him, he didn't know, but he was untouchable at this point. CIA Director Gordon had always kept a special eye on the Russians, and that's why he was brought to this highly classified meeting. After that he'd on the very first plane to New York City.
He had his newest Agent to welcome, in the form of DJ Long. The son of his superior, the Secretary of Defense, and at one time, arguably the best Agent that ever walked through the doors of the United States Central Intelligence Agency, Rose Long. The deal that he had put in place with her to get DJ into the CIA would mean that she would have to effectively take a temporary leave of absence as DOD Secretary, which meant that she would be back.
He couldn't wait for that to happen.
When she was in the CIA, its ability to take down threats to the Country tripled, and though it would be temporary, her child would be the next best thing. Director Gordon anticipated that he was highly trained and the child wasn't even out of High School yet and he hadn't been involved with any Law Enforcement operation. He had extremely high expectations for David Jacob Long as well as the polished brass of the US Intelligence Services.
This meeting hadn't been scheduled for him, in fact he was going to go directly to New York, but he was told that this was very important. Vladimir Krycokv, the Head of the Russian Intelligence Service, known as FIS, requested a video conference with him at the earliest time possible. He said that it was a matter both of their countries security. He had no choice but to postpone his flight to New York for this, "Vlad, what was so important?"
"Director Gordon," Vladimir began, "This morning, one of my informants in a rouge group of former Intelligence Agents for my Government brought information to my attention that could pose an unimaginable risk to your President, I was just told about this now and I knew I needed to tell you."
Gordon narrowed his eyes, "Elaborate."
"There is a group of rouge and now former FIS Operatives in Washington D.C at this very moment," The Russian Intelligence Head complied, "We've been watching them for months now and according to the operative that I put in the group, they were contacted by someone in your Government and given classified Government Information on the Security Plans of President Eggert's inauguration. He sent me pictures of the schematics that we're given to the group, and the mission is equally alarming. Now before I tell you what it is, you have to understand, that if we had prior knowledge of these events, the Russian Government would have put them to an end."
Director Gordon's jaw tightened, "Vladimir, you and I both know that our security plans for the Presidential Inauguration are tighter then the access codes for our Nuclear Weapons. We value the security of the President above all else. Now if what you are telling me is true, I have to proceed with the fact that there is an active threat to the President's life and that it was rooted with actions that you took personally. And that means that-…"
"Marshall," Vladimir reasoned with him, "We did not authorize them to go into the United States and violate your sovereignty. Two months ago, this same group was responsible for a break in at a secure Government Records depository that led to sensitive information being given to the Chinese. These men are dangerous and are wanted by our Government, do not mistake that these actions would be tolerated by the Russian Federation."
Marshall rubbed his forehead, "Look, I know, I'm just not used to a security breach of this magnitude, do they know who this Government Official is?"
"Only the leader of the group knew this man's name, it wasn't told to the others, but I assume that the only way that they could have gotten this information was to have a high rank within the Government?" He asked.
The CIA Director nodded, "Level eight, that's equivalent to a Senator or a Congressman. Level Nine is all but one Cabinet Secretary and Branch Directors such as myself, the highest level is Ten and that's the President, Vice President, The Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff."
"That is a lot of high level officials," The other man commented.
Director Marshall nodded, "It is, I trust that you'll give us everything that you know of these men and assist us in any way that we need to counter their attack on the Inauguration, because I can assure you Vlad, if you-…"
"The Russian Federation is at your service in this matter Marshall," Vladimir nodded with a smile, he had been friends with the Director of the CIA for decades, and in secret, he had been a onetime informant for the US during the seventies, and at the time, he had reported to Marshal, "I'm sending you everything that we have, all you have to do is ask if you need anything."
"Believe me, we'll be seeing each other again," Marshall nodded, "Now, I have to inform the President of this right now, I'll speak with you soon."
The Russian man nodded, "I look forward to hearing from you and one more thing, there was another target that this rouge team was paid to neutralize."
His eyebrows rose into his hairline, "Who is it, high level target?"
"The Secretary of Defense, but the curious thing is, this man only wants this team to wound her," Vladimir crossed his arms over his chest, "I found that peculiar, and then I found out that this team was only paid to wound the Secretary of Defense, I believe that President Eggert has been targeted because she will only be a few feet away from the paid and intended mark."
"The DOD Secretary and the President?" Marshall stunned, he was the head of the most powerful Intelligence Organization and this has side swiped him suddenly, "Look, Vlad, I really need to speak with the President right now."
Vladimir nodded with an understand smile, "I'll speak with you soon."
When the videoconference line was ended, Marshall looked at the screen that once held the FIS Head's face and sighed. With Presidential Inaugurations, they had never had to deal with these sort of threats, sure, they had the typical threatening letters and such, but nothing from a group of a bunch of rouge foreign intelligence agents. The CIA Director sighed and leaned forward to press the intercom on the phone, "Connie, FIS is sending us some documents, can you have them ready in a car when I get out there and alert the White House that I have to brief the President in person?"
"Yes Director Gordon," His secretary nodded, "It'll be done at once."
"You're lucky I like you Rose," President Eggert warned her in a terse, scathing tone, "I expect you and your family to be in town for the Inauguration and I want you in Washington ready for work tomorrow, or I will fire you, do you understand me Madam Secretary, you will be let go."
From the other side of the line, Rose Long breathed a sigh of relief, "You have no idea how grateful I am, and even though I don't trust Curtis, he can get things done and right now he is the only thing that I can give you."
"I know, just enjoy your kids Graduation," The President of the United States, Jennie Eggert said as her Chief of Staff knocked on her door and made a motion that was a silent signal between them that meant visitors, "I have to go Rose, I'll call you if anything develops from this Nuke Situation."
"Bye Ma'am," Rose said and hung up her phone.
Jennie set the phone back down on the receiver and looked up to Carmen with an expectant look, "I have a meeting in ten minutes with Cabinet and the Chinese Prime Minister, this had better be very important Carmen."
"Director Gordon over at CIA is here with some information from the Russian FIS Head that concerns a matter of National Security," Carmen said, "He says that it is a very serious threat against your life and the DOD Secretary."
The President blinked, "What a coincidence, just got off the phone with her."
"What about your life ma'am? I have to prepare for the eventuality that there may be a group of a Foreign Intelligence Agents on US Soil, who will try to take your life and seriously endanger Rose's life," Director Gordon had grown steadily furious on his way to the White House and he was this close to questioning every single official with a Class-8 Authorization and that was hundreds of people, all of which were extremely powerful people in the United States Government, "I have to insist on taking control of security of the Inauguration and perhaps moving it inside the Rotunda for enclosure."
President Eggert rubbed her forehead, "Is this intelligence credible?"
"It came directly from the Head of Russian FIS," He nodded.
The President scowled, "You know that I put Rose in control of security and she had been coordinating with FBI, NSA, National Guard and Military. She hasn't told me if she reached out to you. I did, though I gave her permission to circumvent you if she felt she needed the CIA to help protect the Capital."
Marshall's eyes widened, "You gave her the authority to go over my head if she wanted to use some of my agents to protect you?"
"I did," Jennie nodded, "I knew that you wouldn't like it, so that's why I didn't let you know. Now, with this recent development, I'm going to move you and Rose into a partnership to coordinate the defense of the Capital."
That reminded him of something. He scratched the top of his head. "I assume that you remember when I asked you to authorize DJ Long, Rose's Son, into getting into the CIA Academy without the general prerequisites."
She narrowed her eyes, "Of course, shouldn't he be joining the Academy soon?"
"Are you aware of what I asked Rose to do in return?" Marshall raised an eyebrow.
The President looked up at him with a confused expression. There was not a lot that she didn't know about. She was involved in most of the intricate details of the members of her Administration and there wasn't a lot that they did without her permission or at least prior knowledge. Jennie had indeed known about Rose's bargain to get DJ into the CIA Academy, but she didn't know that the CIA Director had asked something of her in return. Rose was a valued member of her administration and of her team and the prospect this strange 'deal' sent a chill down her spine. That woman was one of the most, if not the most effective Secretary of Defense since the days of World War II. She had made America respected again in terms of its Military and its efficiency. Jennie had dealt with Rose's fears of being in that position for the first month of her tenure, but as Rose worked more and more, she grew to like it.
World Leaders and other Military Heads had even sent them their praise of her Defense Secretary and that was what prompted Jennie to begin the process of re-nominating her for another run as DOD Secretary.
But what exactly was the CIA Director wanting from her, "No, what was it?"
"She agreed to come back temporarily and train DJ," Director Gordon said nervously, he recognized the looks of confusion and anger that had come over the President's face, "Until she felt he was ready to be a full Agent."
There was silence from the President as she absorbed those words, she didn't want to stop Rose from helping her son, but she didn't want to lose her DOD Secretary. She would have to throw her weight around if she was going to have her cake and eat it too, "Marshall, I will not allow you to comprise the Department of Defense because you want perfection in your Agents, Rose Long is the greatest DOD Secretary since Robert McNamara and I will not lose her because of you. I want you to tell her that she can train DJ, however, she is to maintain her duties as DOD Secretary in the process. I don't give a damn what you think, I will not go a single day without her if she still works for us."
She would not, the Secretary of Defense was the Deputy Commander and Chief of the United States Armed Forces, the most powerful Military on Earth and Rose had made one hell of a deputy.
"Are you sure?" Marshall asked her, he looked resigned.
The President nodded, "That is a direct order Director Gordon. I suggest you follow it. And do whatever you have to do to secure the Inauguration, but I want you to work in conjecture with Rose on it, understood?"
Director Gordon nodded, "Yes Ma'am."
"So you're not fired?" Jake asked her, he was concerned only moments before when his wife had turned as white as a sheet.
Rose shook her head and placed her cellphone back into her purse, "No, but I need to tread on thin ice with her."
The Graduation Ceremony had begun moments ago and during the moments when students when come up and receive their diploma, she had been finishing her tense conversation with the President. She loved her job, she really did, it was really one of the many great things that had happened to her, but she loved her children more and not even the President of the United States, who was more than entitled to order her around, couldn't stop her from seeing this moment. She looked up and saw her son in his blue gradation cap and gown approach the stage as his name was called. She smiled in adoration and he took the diploma from the Principle of the School's hand and grinned for the customary photograph and walked off the stage on the other side and Rose felt her stomach drop. So that was it, DJ was no longer a child, he was man, he was officially done with School and on his own.
It was a surreal moment for her, she could remember everything about his life, from the day she gave birth to him, to this moment and she wouldn't have traded it for everything in the world. She cursed inwardly as her eyes began to water, why did she have to have so many kids? She was going to experience this five more times and it was in that moment that she thought that she was a true sadist, "I can't believe that he's grown up on his Jake."
"We knew that it was bound to happen," Jake shrugged, he was fighting off a crying jag as well, "But he raised him right, you taught him everything you knew and you're sending him on a path that he wants."
"A CIA Agent," Rose scoffed and sagged in exhaustion, "And I have to spend the next month training him, and odds are, I'll have to be doing my other job at the same time, it's going to be a long month Jake."
Jake grinned and threw an arm around his wife, "Think of it this way, your setting your son up to be greater then you are, he'll have everything you've got, plus more."
"I may have gotten passive in the past few years," Rose turned and glared knives at her husband, she put an arm around his mid-section and grasped his side tightly in a death grip. It caused a bolt of pain to course through him, "But do not act like one of those Husbands who is not afraid of his wife, I am still better then all of my children in that arena and they are never going to beat me, I am the best killer in the world sweetie, so don't tease me about that."
He grinned her sheepishly as she released his side and rubbed it in pain, "Sorry."
