Two days later:
Jamie was looking over pictures that he had taken while on assignment in Syria. He had spent 8 months going to visit there for a week at a time. There had been lots of demonstrations and agitation against U.S. troops in the region and lots of anti-American sentiment as always. As he sorted the pictures one caught his eye. A man in the crowd of demonstrators looked familiar. He thought the person looked like Mattie's new boyfriend. He took out his phone and found the pictures from the family party. Jason looked like the same person in the group of agitators. He was sure of it! He immediately called Lee on his cell phone.
Lee was sitting back in his chair reading agent reports when his cell phone rang "Stetson here"
"Hey Dad, Jamie"
Lee smiled "What's up Sport?"
"You won't believe this" Jamie was trying to keep his voice calm.
"What?"
"I think Mattie's new boyfriend is part of some anti-American protesters in Syria" Jamie blurted out.
"What! Are you sure?" Lee stood up and immediately started pacing.
"I have some pictures I took in the middle east and compared them to pictures from the party. I'm pretty sure they could be the same person." Jamie was holding two of the pictures in his hand as he spoke.
"Come over to the Agency right away with the pictures. We have sophisticated face id software. We can have it compared."
"Ok coming now!"
—-
Lee, Amanda, and Francine studied the pictures as Jamie, JJ and Scott looked on.
"Well they look closely the same..but let's run them through the computer. I just love all these enhanced tech things. It sure does help us do our jobs better" stated Lee.
"I don't know how he could be the same person," Francine said. "I mean it just seems crazy,.. you were just there huh Jamie?"
"Yes, I've been there a week at a time. I have been going for eight months for a paper assignment. These pictures were taken about six months ago." Jamie stated confidently.
Lee ran the pictures through the facial recognition program and within seconds the computer made a positive match. It also gave the name of Jaza Bukhari as second in command of a member of a splinter terrorist group with loose ties to Al-Qaeda.
"Oh my gosh! We have to call Mattie and warn her!" cried Amanda
"She can come and stay with us until he is captured! I don't want her to be alone. Also, he was at our home! Who knows how much he knows about us" Lee stated.
Amanda was already calling Mattie but the call went directly to voicemail. "Mattie this is Mom. It's very important. You need to call me right away!" Amanda ended the call and said "Lee should I text her also?"
Lee instructed "Text her but just say mind your manners. She will understand. If she's with him we don't want him to be alerted we are onto him."
They always used the old code word with their family for extreme emergencies so that the children would be aware there was a need for caution and to make sure of their safety.
"Right" Amanda texted Mattie but received no answer.
The computer started to spit out more details about Bukhari. Lee tore the page off the printer.
"My God! It says here that he is related to Addi Briol! Bukhari's mother is his sister! Damn! The one time I don't do a background check on a boyfriend!" Lee declared.
Amanda was shocked. It was a name that she never thought she would hear again in her life.
"Lee do you think this is about our connection to Briol or her position at the Pentagon? Also, could the explosion to Philip's restaurant be tied up in this?" Amanda questioned.
"My gut tells me it's both. And I bet this guy is part of the third terrorist cell we have been looking for" He firmly confirmed. "We need to get the bomb squad out to our house to make sure there aren't any bombs"
"How is this personal Mom? Papa? Who is this guy?" JJ inquired.
"JJ remember the story about your mom being kidnapped before your parents were married.? asked Francine. JJ nodded.
"Since last year his case has been declassified so we can talk about it. Addi Briol was her kidnapper who is Jason, or Jaza's Uncle Francine added.
"And who has been rotting in Jail for the last twenty-five years" confirmed Scarecrow. I'd say that if he is part of the terrorist plot against the Joint Chiefs then Mattie's position upped his game. He could be seeking revenge on our family too. We could all be in danger" warned Lee.
JJ interjected "What about all our homes? We don't know if he has found out where all of us live too!"
Francine interrupted. "I'll alert the FBI and CIA that Bukhari is in the country. He must be one of the ones on the no-fly list. And I will ask for all available bomb squads to go check all our houses who were at the party Sunday. Including Scarecrow's Uncle Robert and Billy's house. Francine swiftly left the bullpen and went to her office to make the calls.
"Is there something I can do?" asked Jamie.
"Jamie call Philip and tell him to go to our house and be with my mother. She shouldn't be alone, and I don't want her upset when the bomb squad gets there. Call Beth and let her know what is going on. To be safe have her wait in the car with the kids at the end of your street " Amanda instructed.
Jamie nodded and swiftly pulled out his phone to make the call.
Francine came back and said " All the agencies have been alerted and the bomb squads are on their way. All our agents have been given a code red that Mattie is in danger and to be on the lookout for her and this guy. I sent pictures to everyone. JJ you go over to your apartment complex and alert them."
JJ nodded and left immediately.
"You know Mattie said he worked at the Lebanese embassy. I'm going to call there now and ask about him." Lee made the call and spoke to the director of the embassy.
He asked if Jason Bashir worked there. The director confirmed that he did.
"Hang on, I am going to text a picture of him over to you so you can tell me if that is him." Lee's hand was actually shaking as he pulled up the picture on his phone and sent it to the director.
Within seconds the director answered. "Yes that's him"
Lee asked "Is he there..Can I come and speak to him?"
"I'm sorry he has been off this week for personal business"
"Do you have his address and phone number? We just got confirmation that he is a terrorist!"
"What! Jason a terrorist!? I can't even fathom that Agent Steson..but I will text it to you right away" assured the director as he hung up.
Lee was pacing furiously as he received the text and then called the number. It went directly to voicemail.
"Damn! I should have vetted this guy! But I got lazy when Amanda said he worked for the embassy!" Lee was shaking his head and his jaw was twitching uncontrollably.
"Sweetheart don't blame yourself!" Amanda tried to soothe Lee as well as herself.
Francine turned to Scott and ordered: "I want you to take Chang and go to this guy's address and see if anybody's there!
"Sure thing!"Scott took a picture of the address from Lees's phone and ran out the bullpen, grabbing Chang as he went.
Lee turned to Francine "We're not getting anywhere being here. Amanda and I will go to Mattie's apartment and see if we can find anything out there."
tbc