The aged prisoner was sitting and staring at the walls of his prison cell. The inmate Addi Briol was serving a life sentence for kidnapping the federal agents Lee Stetson and Amanda King. He had very few privileges in the Lee, Virginia federal penitentiary where he was incarcerated. He was limited in the number of visitors per month he could have, and this included letters as well as people. He had very few visitors because many were unable to pass background checks so they knew it was fruitless to try-they would only be captured and imprisoned themselves. Briol was only allowed one hour a day outside his cell.
A guard came by and announced that he had a letter that was passed through to him. It had already been opened and read by the prison authorities. Nothing was private. However, he chuckled because the stupid Americans had not even noticed that messages were passed to him in code in the correspondence. Jaza, his nephew, had conspired with him through the coded correspondence for many months seeking guidance on the planned attack.
It was a simple code really but it went undetected. Every fifth word in the body of the letter was part of a message. Addi started to read:
Dear Addi, Aunt Simi had a heart attack. I heard she will soon be better. I think everyone who knows her is responsible to help her. If for some reason it is your wish that your mother has custody of Simi we all will help. I will help pay her expenses. Best Wishes, Jason.
Addi was delighted! Finally, revenge was near! From the other messages, he had received he knew that there would also be an attack on the Pentagon Joint Chiefs. Finally, vengeance was near after twenty-five years!
April 26th
Lee had just returned to his office from interviewing some possible recruits. In the group, he had been impressed with some of the women who could become potential agents. They were trying to recruit more women field agents as well as for some of the other departments in the agency. He wished Amanda had been able to join him to sit in, but she was unable to due to a scheduling conflict to demonstrate to rookie agents some Class C soft interrogation techniques. He valued his wife's judgment and she had a good sense of people's skills. Lee thought back to when they were younger and how they had met by chance. Ironic how people always trusted Amanda. He had at the train station all those many years ago. Hard to believe it had been twenty-nine years. Lee remembered a time when he rejected the idea of having another partner. But when he finally let down his guard, that led to a friendship and soon a love that was an unbreakable bond. As Lee was reading about some of the recruits, there was a knock on his office door. Lee called from inside.
"It's open! Come on in."
His daughter JJ's boyfriend Scott walked through the door. He was slightly shorter than Lee and it seemed that his piercing blue eyes sparkled when he smiled. Lee peered over his reading glasses and when he saw it was Scott he jumped up and they greeted each other with a hearty handshake. As they parted, Scott started the conversation.
"Uncle Lee I have something important to talk to you about."
"What is it, Scotty?" Lee adjusted his glasses to sit on top of his head.
"Ah, Uncle Lee, I just wanted to umm say..." Scott felt silly. He didn't know why he was nervous. He had known the man his whole life. Lee was like a father to him. But he knew he needed to do this for JJ and Lee.
"Scott, speak up, what's wrong?" Lee's deep voice seemed to echo inside the office.
"Uncle Lee, I wanted to get your blessing. I would like to ask JJ to marry me!"
"What! That's wonderful! Of course, you have my blessing, and her mother's!" Lee grabbed Scott and gave him a bear hug. "There is no one else we would want her to marry. Do you know when you are going to pop the question?"
"I was thinking this Sunday at your joint birthday celebration for you and JJ."
"That's great! I think most of the family will be there. I can't wait to tell Amanda! now does JJ have any idea?"
"We've talked about it recently and we have looked at rings but she has no idea that I already have one. It was my grandmother's. When we first discussed it I told her I wouldn't ask her without your blessing, and you know what she said"
"Yes, I can only guess knowing my daughter" Lee chuckled.
"She said if you gave a negative reaction she would threaten to dislocate your bad knee so you couldn't stop us because then we would elope as You and Aunt Amanda did."
"That's my Bomber Princess!" Lee used the endearing nickname that only he used." she takes no prisoners!" Lee smiled broadly as his dimples lit up his face.
"Uncle Lee, I do love her dearly, and I promise.."
"Scotty you don't have to say anything more. You have been a part of our family since your mother brought you home. You are like a son to me!" Lee's hazel eyes glistened as he fought back tears of happiness. He was not in the habit of crying but the thought of walking his firstborn down the aisle was the exception.