Title: The 355
By: greygoose70
Chapter 11
Rick and Kate re-entered the conference room both carrying a tray of drinks and a bag containing pastries. "Break time," he spouted loudly setting the food and drink down. All work stopped as everyone moved over to partake of the refreshments.
Somewhere on the Hwy. 295
Once the passenger known to the driver only as Trenton were safely on the 295, his passenger started removing the special makeup that had been applied to the passengers' face. As they traveled the driver kept sneaking side glances at his passenger curious to see what he really looked like, however when the passenger removed the wig the, he sputtered out, "you…you…you're a woman."
"Glad you noticed," she responded snidely then crawled into rear seat to change but not before flipping the rearview down telling him to keep his eyes forward. Ninety minutes later the driver directed the car toward the front doors of the Holiday Inn located on "C" Street in Washington DC. "Not here the parking area," she told him. "I'm not quite finished yet."
He located a spot among a group of cars and parked leaving the motor running then leaned forward to adjust the rearview mirror back to its original position. The moment he sat back he felt it, a razor thin wire drawn tight against his neck then the two quick jerks one from his left then one from his right, after that nothing.
She leaned over the seat back unbuckled the his seatbelt then pushed him over so he was in a prone position and not easily seen by passers-by. She turned off the motor retrieved her garrote, made one final adjustment to her strawberry blond wig, exited the car, retrieved her baggage and special case and closed the door making sure all of them were locked. It would be days maybe even weeks before the body was found, by then she would be gone.
CIA Langley
"We got a hit! Emily shouted. Everybody immediately rushed over to see what she discovered. "Carisa Marie Petrovich, former KBG operative, rumored to be a specialist in covert ops, basically an assassin. She was also an expert in disguises.
The Baltimore Docks
"Is that everybody," The Department of Homeland Security Agent in Charge Curt Bentley asked the ship's captain.
"Yes sir," Captain Teach replied knowing full well his secret passenger was either still on board or had somehow escaped undetected.
"Well let's do a search just to be sure," AIC Bentley responded then directed his squad to different parts of the ship, himself taking level "C" where the crew quarters and other cabins were located. Coming to cabin 4C Bentley pushed down on the doors handle finding it locked. Activating his mike he ordered one of his agents to bring Captain Teach down to unlock it.
Ten minutes later Agent Charles Croft arrived with Captain Teach who at once stepped forward and unlocked the door. Bentley unholstered his weapon signaling Croft to do the same. Bentley slowly pressed down on the handle then flung the door open entered moving to his right shouting "federal agent, show yourself". Croft came in right behind him moved to the left both men scanning the room with their weapons poised out in front of them. Not seeing any threat of danger Bentley signaled Croft to check the bathroom.
Agent Croft slid open the pocket style door and scanned the small six foot square room seeing it empty. Stepping inside he pushed aside the shower curtain then yelled "clear" before saying "Curt, you need to see this."
Agent Bentley moved into the small space, Agent Croft stepping aside so he could get an unobstructed view. There stuffed in the shower was a body, a half-naked male body to be exact. "Captain Teach, come in here," Bentley said quite forcibly.
"Do you know this person," Bentley asked when Captain arrived. Switching positions with Bentley to get a closer look he answered, "yes, that's seaman Jones, Trenton Jones, he works in the galley."
"Wasn't he checked off as having disembarked from the ship," Bentley stated.
"Let me look," Teach replied flipping through the pages on his clipboard then giving the agent a nod of confirming that "yes" he was.
"Well if this is seaman Jones who did we check off as being him? Another thing Captain Teach, who occupied this cabin since I'm pretty sure Jones here didn't."
"She said her name was Carol Mason; said she didn't have enough money to get home via other means but if I could take her she would give me fifteen hundred dollars."
"What did she look like; describe her," Bentley ordered.
"Five foot five maybe, black hair, had a scar above her left eyebrow."
"Nothing else," Bentley asked slightly discussed at the captain.
"She stayed pretty much in her cabin even took her meals there. I would see her at night sometimes, out on the deck but never close up."
"Okay, thanks captain, you can go. Charlie, get me a CSU team down here tell them to comb this place with a fine tooth comb. I need to call the boss.."
CIA Langley
Sitting in one of the conference room more comfortable chairs eating a jelly filled bismark donut and listening to the conversations carried on by the six women in his presence he felt honored to know them and their capabilities. Suddenly a voice came over the intercom, "Rick, Gloria is on line two and you want to put it on speaker."
Rick leaped from his chair while stuffing the rest of his donut in his mouth and rushed over to the conference table, punched the button for line two on the Vtech conference phone station. He was instantly joined by the six women.
"Hey Gloria, what's up," he asked (there were very few people below the rank of Director that could call Homeland Security Director Gloria Grainger by her given name. fortunately Rick Rodgers is one of them).
"I'm sorry to say that your device as landed and made it past our security check points. She then went on to tell him about the Blue Bonney incident.
"Not surprised," he replied. "We believe we have identified the courier as Carisa Marie Petrovich, former KBG and a master of disguise."
"She used the name Carol Mason on the ship, I have agents checking every hotel, motel, B&B, flop house in the area. If she's going by the same name we'll find her."
"Good luck Gloria, keep us apprised."
"Will do," she answered then hung up from the call.
"Well everybody it looks like we have our work cut out for us."
"I'll say; like where is she going to plant this device," Jordan spouted.
"And how is she going to activate it," Kate rejoined!
TBC