Chapter 25: "Expansion"
Karla strides towards the conference room in the research center with Claudia bringing up the rear. Passing several Famori agents, Claudia couldn't feign remembering their names. Since she'd arrived, there were at least fifteen Famori indoctrinated into the program, and her private files told her that many of them were to become regents once the Warehouse was ready. With regular briefings, they were brought up to speed on artifact recovery and operations, and did little else. As they enter the conference room, Claudia is surprised seeing a woman in her early thirties sitting at the table reviewing Myka's case report still listed as Top Secret. As she begins to storm around the table, the screen comes to life and the woman comes to attention. In the display with a grey receding hair line, a command general nervously clears his throat. Claudia recognizes him as Lieutenant General Ernest Epstein, their number two guy over the warehouse. Though Brigadier General Danvers was below him, Claudia generally preferred talking to her before him as she was more open-minded to artifact situations. The majority of the military officers appointed over them, were simply overwhelmed by the situations which artifacts created.
The woman across the table lacked a uniform, but her pressed business suit seemed to double for one. With her shoulder-length chestnut hair had the hint of curls, but the weighty volume minimized their drama. Claudia still continued to the other side of the table, but realized she'd better subdue her temper. General Epstein nods seeing them arrive and begins.
"Excellent, everyone is here now. Karla, Claudia, due to the recent turn of events, we've processed your recent request for personnel and we have one inbound and your requested item will arrive with her."
Claudia makes it to the woman, and swipes the open file folder away from her, and closes it. Taken back, the woman dismisses the insult as the general continues.
"Oh! And…uh…this is Agent Caitlin Todd. I'm transferring her from my investigation unit here at command, and she will be permanently attached to your unit."
Before Claudia can speak, Karla cuts her off.
"Excuse me? I'm the only one who can assign anyone to my team. That was a stipulation to our contract. I had that approved by Command General Morris. You can't just assign anyone you see fit! This program is a strictly civilian operation. At no time can the military assume control over what we do! Period!"
Claudia notices Agent Todd step back in surprise seeing an apparent ten-year-old give a dressing down to a fifty year-old officer. Claudia notices a proud smile momentarily creep onto the agents face, making her rethink who this new girl is. The general stammers, and hits a button. On a secondary display, a written order from General Morris authorizes Agent Todd's transfer, and Karla spends but two seconds looking at it before continuing her rant.
"I don't care if it is signed by the Pope, President of the Planetary Defense Council, or even God…" Karla stops herself and takes a step back and continues in a calmer tone.
"Okay, if it were signed by God, I'd let that slide, but not a single one of you in the military are in HIS chain of command! In the third paragraph of that letter it states I still have approve/disapprove authority over this new agent, and I will not be bullied into accepting anyone who does not fit in with MY team! You got that?"
Nodding his head, General Morris agrees and tries to recover is dignity.
"Um…Agent Todd has served stupendously as a civilian secret service agent, a Naval Criminal Investigation Service agent, and has made a name for herself in our investigation unit here. Due to your loss, I mean temporary loss of Agents Bering and Krylenko, we felt we should get you some of our top people in place to minimize your down time. If she works out, when your agents are back up to full operational status you can return her to her previous duty, or retain her if she wishes. That would be your call of course."
Fuming, Karla simply nods, while beaming rays of death from her eyes towards him. To get away from her evil gaze, he signs off abruptly. Karla inhales and exhales dramatically before approaching Agent Todd. Trying to dispel the emotions overwhelming her, Karla composes herself and extends her hand. Agent Todd accepts it and Claudia's reluctant greetings. After apologizing, Claudia returns the folder and tries to make amends.
"Um…that was awkward. Sorry about that, I was just trying to protect my friend. So what do you know about what we do here?"
Caitlin nods.
"I fully understand. I'd do the same thing in your situation. Um…well I have read all your reports up until this one. I was told it was being held here in the center, now for obvious reasons. I have to admit, these artifacts you talk about are simply unbelievable. If I didn't know these were credible reports, I'd think you all have gone nuts here."
Karla laughs.
"Yes, you get used to that here. So how long have you known, known about us?"
Claudia sees the reluctance to answer. Caitlin takes a short breath before responding.
"I was read in the day after you took your team offline. They didn't want to jump the gun, but wanted someone with an open mind to be able to fill an emergency opening. I'm also fully aware of your team dynamics, and can meld with your team for extended to permanent basis."
Both Claudia and Caitlin notice Karla's expression shift and drop to the floor to control her disdain. Though she regains her composure relatively quickly, it leaves little to the imagination. Rather than dwell on the amount of preplanning the military was doing over her, Karla swings to Caitlin's last words.
"You do realize that all of the people I have are female, excluding the Famori, and the bonding is a very noticeable factor."
Dismissing her comment, Caitlin shifts her head to her side and replies.
"Oh you mean that all of them are Bean Flickers, or that they all have keys to the U-Haul?"
Laughing, Karla drolly replies over her shoulder as she leads them out to the floor.
"In my time, we called it 'The Game of Flats' but yes. My team doesn't have time for dating, and we are a close knit group. Relationships will naturally form, and they have."
Nodding, Caitlin jogs to keep up with Karla's fast stride.
"I have had experience in this area, and I am not dissuaded to join your team because of it. I mean that this isn't a bad thing for me. I'm just getting out of a relationship, and spending time on an all-girl team is refreshing. No machismo or crappy male antics would be a nice change for me."
As Karla motions for her to wait as she gathers the team together at numerous locations across the center, Claudia motions to sit with her.
"So how long have you been here?"
Recollecting, Caitlin nods her head while thinking.
"Since the spring of 2005. I got really disillusioned after working this murder case which we tracked back to a pedophile of all things. Not to go into the gory details, but it turns out both governments involved were willing to look the other way due to the pervert's 'strategic' value. They eventually got rid of him, but it got me really disgusted with my government. Then as I sat in a café near my place after work, an old lady just sat herself down in my booth. It was like she knew exactly what I'd been through, and knew me! We talked for hours. She understood my turmoil and offered me a chance to do a job which the lines of ethics and morality wouldn't be compromised for political agendas or alliances. And as I was trying to back out, stating how I just couldn't quit NCIS, she pulled out her phone and called someone who directly connected her to NCIS Director Morrow. He verified that I was sure this is what I wanted to do, and he said he'd take care of everything on his end. And a month later, after enduring decon isolation procedures, here I am. I heard a rumor that my doppelgänger was killed a month later in my place. Makes you think: that should have been me."
Claudia shakes her head in disbelief.
"Wow, five years. I'm just approaching my first year here still. Are you moving into the villa?"
Shrugging, Caitlin starts to reply, but Karla interjects instead.
"Of course. We still have the top floor of the villa which is empty. I'm going to move people around on rooms now, mostly because of Anna, and our inbound will need a place to stay. I had planned to have the individual teams on each floor, but I think we need to keep us as one big family for now. Once everyone is trained up, then I'll split up the team. I was told you have field experience already."
Caitlin stands as she responds.
"That is correct. I've been out on numerous reconnaissance ops into enemy zones; got my own gear and everything."
Nodding, Karla invites her to the center floor with full introductions. Claudia doesn't miss anything and jabs at Karla.
"So SHE doesn't need to get Candice's training either?"
Shaking her head, Karla whispers to her.
"Nope, and neither do you anymore."
Taken back, Claudia delves further.
"What do you mean? I'm only at 3 fruit."
Karla keeps an ear to the flow of conversations and maintains part of her attention to Caitlin while she continues with Claudia.
"You're grounded, officially. You can't leave the planet and no trips out by yourself without a security detachment. The Warehouse is going to come online in a few months and intel has briefed me that you are a target. The Yamorians have somehow heard that you are extremely valuable asset and are paying close attention to our recovery operations, which disturbs me more. How in the hell are they getting their info!"
Realizing she said that far louder than she intended, she begins to apologize, but Caitlin stops her.
"Don't apologize. Problem is that we have a mole."
As Morgan strides barefoot from her room after her shower, she grabs a tall glass of ice tea and sits beside Claudia, signaling Caitlin to begin.
"For the past eight years, command has suspected a spy network was in operation here on this planet. I was tasked with exposing this network, but it is spread out with both Famori and Human agents. I along with many of us feel there's probably only two dozen, but we think they are all in positions of power. They are careful not to place any suspicion on themselves or anyone around them, and they are acting as true patriots to their cause. There's no rhyme or reason in how they operate and we can't isolate any particular pattern of behavior. Seeing the looks in your eyes, I'm telling you this because my Famori agents have confirmed that the leak is not yet in your people Karla or you. We do feel it will eventually extend into your operation, and we feel one of the future regents will be an agent. This is from what has transpired in the past and present in Warehouses 12 and 13, and we are using those events as a model to what the Yamorians may seek."
Helena is the first to break the silence, unable to hide her concern.
"Could they be making double agents? Like brainwashing or mind control?"
Shrugging dramatically, Caitlin grimaces.
"We have no idea. We've explored that avenue, but can't isolate anything definitive. We did do an in depth physical analysis and we found some very interesting organisms which have taken residence in us while here, but we couldn't find any associations with the intelligence leaks."
Karla clears her throat.
"Yes, remember those inoculations everyone gets every 8 months? That's to keep the little critters under control inside of us."
Claudia and Myka grimace and make a yucky expression almost at the same time, making Morgan bury her face in her arms on the table laughing. To everyone's shock, the morose and sedate Anna chooses this moment to finally speak. With her cracked and hoarse voice, she emphasizes every word so that she's understood.
"If they wanted to, they could execute brainwashing easily. They have demonstrated sufficient understanding of alien anatomy and technological to biological interfaces. All they would need is time; a month, no more than two against a strong will."
Candice seems to light up, and extracts her laptop. As the conversations continue, she tunes them out, developing a data search program. By the time Caitlin ends and everyone is dispersing, Candice hooks Anna's arm as she passes. Asking her to hang behind, she begins asking her specific yes and no questions to help her program. After an hour, Anna meanders to the couch and collapses back into her grey world of depression.
By dinner, Candice intercepts Caitlin as she passes. Putting a thumb drive into her hand, Candice closes it as she speaks.
"Just activate the program, and it will scrounge the records database for likely suspects based on time periods which they could have been converted. You're going to have hundreds of suspects. From what I got from Anna, they may not even know they are agents, like a program running in the background. Make sure you scour the list first, in case someone on the list might be someone you would forward it to…a person you might believe you can trust. A warning though, you may not like what you see."
Since the team went down, part of Myka's recovery involved taking up a skill which is completely foreign to her. From a long list she blindly set her finger down onto piloting. After learning basic Famori, she had been waiting for a pilot to allow her to join them in the cockpit. Speaking in what the locals called Fenish, a mixture of English and Famori common, Myka was slowly getting the rest of the villa up to speed. This greatly improved the comradery between the two races, and the inner workings of the warehouse agents. For the first time since they began their journey, lunch involved the entire warehouse of Humans and Famori sitting together enjoying each other's company, laughing, joking, and bonding at a level even Claudia admired. In her mind's eye, she could easily see Pete, Steve, Artie, and for a moment Leena sitting around the table.
As Karla leads Morgan, Alice, and Myka up the ramp of the shuttle, they place a large gym bag in an empty seat and stow their energy rifles in a bin beside each seat. Comfortable with traveling in full armor and combat rifles, the team settles in as their Famori enters. Pausing, he looks to Myka and motions to take the copilot seat, which Karla usually occupies. With a grin, Karla takes Myka's empty chair as she watches Myka finally getting her wish. Falling back on her training, she goes through the pre-flight checklists as the pilot stoically observes. After ten minutes he signals his approval and takes the ship into orbit. After docking, he signs her letter, allowing her to continue her flight training. In Famori he whispers to her she'll take it back on her own. Wearing a huge grin, she nods and joins her team exiting out the rear toting their rifles. Joining the security detail, the recovery agents listen to their briefings and board. After another half hour flight, they unload on a bleak moon, just outside of the Famori system. It was the closest arc that the Famori had ever authorized, mostly due to the loss of the previous arc. The closer proximity allowed for a greater military presence and response time. Yet any closer to the system, the gravity from the star would affect the transfer process. With a pair of battleships standing guard all the time, no further attacks had occurred.
As they look around with their weapons drawn, the palladium arc comes to life; and moments later the first traveler steps through. In five minutes, twenty personnel are loaded in the transport and are away. As they accelerate back home, nothing is said to their two new agents other than verifying their identities and conditions. Getting them into armor, they patiently wait as the ship makes the short trip to the Famori world. After disembarking, Myka touches down at the landing pad, and they transfer to their shuttle back to the villa. While inside the second shuttle, the two finally peel out of their pressure suits and discard the sweaty nylon and latex gear. As the shuttle lifts off, Candice opens the gym bag and extracts two packages, each with their names labeled on the top. Picking up the first, she asks them.
"Heaven Kogo?"
And Japanese woman smiles and motions to toss it to her. With a flick from Candice, the package lands in her hands and she tears it open to get her clothes. Candice reaches into the bag once more, and pulls out the last package and reads.
"That would leave this one for Wendy Watson."
She tosses it towards the half-naked Hispanic woman, who grins as it lands in her arms. Karla, freed from the cockpit, turns to her two new agents.
"Welcome to Famoria Prime and to Warehouse One."