Nowhere To Run
Chapter Fourteen
/////////////////////////////////////
Back from another little break. Things have been crazy at work, leaving me precious little time to do the fun things.
Please, please, please hang in there with me!!!!!!! And special thanks again to those that read and review. It really means a lot to me!!!
/////////////////////////////////////
Thursday morning -- 11:05AM -- A suburban park outside of Chicago
Frank parked his car near a deserted ball field and began to walk further into the neighborhood park. He had been methodical about making sure that he had not been followed, going many miles out of his way in order to lose anyone who might have been fortunate enough to pick up on his whereabouts. His eyes swept the area constantly, looking for anything out of the ordinary. He knew that this particular park was almost always empty at this time of day. Kids were in school and mothers with their young ones were out and about doing errands. A perfect place for a covert meeting.
He approached a large fountain situated in the middle of the park. Park benches which framed the area were all abandoned save one. A man wearing sunglasses and reading a newspaper sat on one of the benches and was facing away from Frank. He approached the man stealthily and only spoke when he was within 2 feet of his position.
"You're going to get yourself killed one of these days doing that," Frank stated drolly.
The man finally turned and smiled up at him and replied, "Hardly. First of all………you couldn't sneak up on my 92 year old grandmother who's hard of hearing making as much noise as you just did. And secondly……….I smelled that God awful shit you choose to call cologne about a half mile away."
Frank glared at the man for as long as he could but finally couldn't hold back the grin that he had so desperately been trying to hide.
"How the hell have you been Tom?" Frank offered as he held out his hand to the blond haired man.
"I can't complain much. Wouldn't help me even if I could." The two shook hands and gave each other a slap on the arm. The male equivalent of a hug. Frank eased himself down on the seat next to the other agent and after a few pleasantries were traded back and forth, he decided that it was time to get down to business.
"So," Frank began, "I guess we've avoided the real reason for this meeting long enough. What do you have for me?"
Tom winced at the question and Frank immediately realized that whatever he had to tell him, it wasn't likely to be good. Not that he figured it would be. He already felt like he was up to his eyeballs in it, might as well make it six feet under. Tom looked off into the distance for a few seconds before turning back to Frank.
"Frankie………." Tom started and then sighed heavily. "What I have for you is totally off the record. And I mean that! I'm not shittin' you here! You mention one word of this conversation to anyone and I'll be the one hunting you down. Got it??"
"Tom……..if you think I don't realize how far out on a limb you're going here for me, you're dead wrong. If half of what I expect is true, I know that the chances of me coming out of this in one piece are pretty slim. It may have been awhile since I've crossed paths with any of these men, but I know enough not to fuck with them."
"So why are you?" Tom asked directly. He took his sunglasses off so that he could see Frank clearly in the harsh bright light of day. He desperately needed to know the answer to this question, and he also knew that Frank had never been able to lie to him.
It was Frank's turn to sigh, but this time from fatigue and uncertainty. He leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. Looking out across the fountain he watched a squirrel chasing a bird for a few seconds before answering him.
"I believe her."
The answer was simple and direct, and it spoke volumes about what was going through Frank's mind. Believing her meant that he trusted her. And Frank Donovan trusted damn few people.
Tom stared at him for a few moments, scrutinizing his old friend, looking for the tell tale signs that Frank was trying to slip one past him. He detected no such insincerity. After mulling over the situation and all its implications one more time, Tom finally nodded his head and relented.
"Alright," he began, "besides being totally off the record, what I have to tell you is based on a whole lotta conjecture and speculation." Frank simply nodded in response.
"I've been hearing bits and pieces of a certain story over the past year or two. And I do mean bits and pieces. At first what I heard didn't even make sense. It wasn't until almost a month or two ago, that things started to puzzle piece together." Suddenly feeling fidgety, Tom stood and started to pace slowly back and forth.
Frank watched the other man for a few seconds before it dawned on him that he'd never seen his friend this nervous before. The thought that whatever he had to tell him had put him in this state was chilling to say the least. As implausible as it would have seemed to him, Frank felt his own nervousness ramp up almost exponentially.
"Tom?"
"I'm getting there, Frank. I'm getting there." After walking back and forth a few more times, Tom finally returned to his spot on the park bench.
"Like I said, what I heard at first were little things that I'm sure 99.9% of the people around ignored. When the periodic inconsistencies started to pile up, that's when I started to take notice." He stopped at that point so that he could turn in his seat to look directly at Frank.
"You wanna know my first thoughts on the subject?"
"Do I have a choice?" Frank answered bitterly.
Tom gave a dry chuckle in reply and added, "We all have choices Frank. Right now, the way I see it, you have 4 options. The first, you turn her in." Before Frank could interject, he continued. "Second, you disappear. With or without her. Third choice, you back away and let someone else do the dirty work. Or fourth………you listen to what I have to say and react accordingly." He let those words sink in for a few seconds and then asked, "So………do I continue my story?"
Frank looked him dead in the eyes and asked once again, "Do I have a choice?"
Tom shook his head before continuing, knowing that this would be Frank's answer. He wouldn't run. He wouldn't turn his back on what he believed to be his duty and he would never betray someone he trusted.
"Iran Contra," was all Tom said at first, and then added after several seconds had passed, "…………that's what this stinking mess reminds me of."
Frank's eyes widened slightly. The implications were overwhelming and stunningly clear. High ranking government officials operating with little or no supervision or approval and doing so outside the restraints of the law.
"Who's involved?" he finally asked.
"That's the tricky part. These guys are very good at covering their tracks and whatever I've been able to dig up is hardly concrete."
"Ok, disclaimers aside, who are we talking about here?"
"Nathaniel Bowden. Probably his assistant, Jack Crawford. Hell…….Nate doesn't even wipe his own ass after taking a shit without Crawford there to hand him the toilet paper. So I can't imagine him doing this without him. As for the rest………..pure speculation on my part. Probably…………Steven Collins. Maybe Mike Becker."
Frank listened to the names, and as he added to the list, his anxiety over what they were up against ratcheted to the next level. It was now Frank's turn to pace.
"Ok………..what you're telling me is that the #2 man in the CIA is running some……….what?……..illegal operation of some sort? Possibly aided by a member of the National Security Council and a director of the FBI?"
Tom looked at the pacing man and answered, "Yep……….that pretty much sums it up."
"OK, next question. What are they up to?"
Tom glanced around the area once more, seemingly hesitating before replying or checking to make sure that they were in fact still alone. When Frank had asked to meet him at this particular park, he had questioned the intent. Now he realized that it was the perfect place. The line of trees surrounding the fountain began some 100 yards away making it nearly impossible for someone to sneak up on the two undetected. And the sound from the fountain itself would render any listening devices almost useless.
He sighed once more and finally replied to Frank's question. "From what I can surmise, this whole operation started some 10 to 12 years ago, maybe even further back than that. They say that it all started when a certain member of the White House staff set up a meeting with a certain member of the Company and asked what it would take to eliminate a certain South American dictator. Off the record and totally hush-hush, you understand. The political situation anywhere south of the US border was anything but stable at the time. You never knew who was in power or how long they were liable to hold that position. Our government was constantly analyzing who to back and who to condemn. Just because a certain leader was popular this week, didn't mean that they would still be in favor the next."
"Anyway……….seems the government put all their support behind this particular leader and lo and behold, his popularity grew exponentially and he no longer felt the need to rely on American backing or influence. We had helped create him and the son-of-a-bitch had the nerve to turn his back on the US, point blank," Tom chuckled dryly before continuing, "Big mistake. Of course the debates raged on in Congress about how best to deal with the situation. Accusations flew left and right about who had had a hand in establishing the circumstances which led to the man's rise to power, etc, etc. Basically the government was spinning wheels and getting nowhere. The White House, of course, had it's hands tied. Nothing could be done without congressional approval. So quietly and secretively, alternative methods were discussed and considered. The situation was embarrassing to the then current administration and they needed the state of affairs to be dealt with quickly and succinctly."
Tom shifted in his seat briefly and then continued the story, "After a plan was formulated on how to best deal with the circumstances, the next problem was funding. You can't just send a team of Marines into a South American jungle without supplying them, transporting them, etc. Even small tactical incursions like this one could end up being very costly. Now, what surprised even the most cynical, was how easily funds intended for other allocations could be siphoned off and redirected. Ten thousand from here, ten thousand from there, and soon they had themselves a fully functional and fully funded strategical strike force."
"The hit went off without a hitch. Coverage of the leader's untimely death was carried in major metropolitan newspapers around the globe and no one had a clue as to who was behind it. Slicker than snot. Of course all who had been involved swore to never speak of the mission ever again. Even amongst themselves. But their appetite had been whet. They had seen how easily and how effectively things could get done when they circumvented the regular order of things."
"A few years later, of course, another situation arose that needed attention. The type of attention that you couldn't go through regular channels to mend. Those still around remembered how easily things had gone the first time and went about making it happen again. And so it went. What was supposed to be a one time deal, soon became almost commonplace."
Frank shook his head in disgust. The thought that a very small group of men had decided to play God made him feel ill. He wasn't naïve. He knew the ways of the world and knew also that some of those ways needed to be dealt with quickly and sometimes cruelly. And he wondered, not for the first time, at what point had the US government decided that they had the right or the authority to police the rest of the world.
He shook his head to help clear his mind and finally asked Tom, "So how did this group go from toppling dictatorships to putting out hits on US Senators?"
"Frankie…….Frankie……..Frankie!" Tom began, laughing mildly, "you can't really be that green, can you? I mean, come on! There's just a few heartbeats difference between the two, wouldn't ya say?" Tom waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "I know, I'm exaggerating. Don't get your drawers in a bunch! But seriously, it's a power rush. Plain and simple. They hold the fate of the world, or at least their little part of it, in the palms of their hands. It's gotta be intoxicating……….and addicting.
They see a problem, and they deal with it swiftly. Period."
"You sound like you almost admire them," Frank stated apprehensively.
"Maybe in some ways I do. OK, let me continue before you give me that quirky eyebrow look you get when you don't like what I'm saying. All I mean is………you have to admit that there have been times when we've both run into situations where we were fed up with the government red tape. Let's get in and get the job done without having to wait until the situation is debated in fifteen government sub-committees ad nauseum. Am I right? Of course I am. What differentiates us from this group is that we follow orders. We may not like the orders, but at least we follow them." Tom stopped his dissertation, to glance at Frank intently, before continuing. "At least until recently, you always followed orders."
Frank stared back at his friend knowing that he could never adequately explain his actions of the past week. And honestly, he didn't feel he really owed anyone an accounting of his reasons, but this man was putting himself on the line for him, and he knew it. He just wasn't sure about where to begin.
"Tom…….."
"I'm really trying to understand here, Frank. I know that you want to believe this woman, but are you really willing to put everything on the line for her? And I do mean everything!"
"Tom…….she's not a contract killer, at least not for anyone but our own government. I'm positive about that. She knows too much about Company operations and contacts for me to believe otherwise."
"You may be right, Frank. But let me just set up a little scenario for you. Let's just say that she either works or has worked for the Company. They trained her to be a ghost and she turned out to be very good at it. Again, hypothetically, let's say, it becomes easy for her. Maybe too easy. Soon she takes it upon herself to go after targets without direct authority. She sees a problem. She eliminates the problem. But one day, she runs up against a target that she has trouble getting at. She ruffles a few feathers at headquarters and they realize that they've got a rogue agent on their hands, a very dangerous rogue agent at that. Sure they could just issue an APB for her arrest, but then they realize that simply having her arrested will pose too many questions. What if she's hauled in and starts yapping about past cases or current targets. So they make up a story so that if anyone catches up to her, her captors won't believe a word that she says. But of course, there's a fly in the ointment. Along comes a former CIA agent who not only falls for her charms but also falls for her story. Now she sees a way out. She'll lead this agent to believe that she's the one that's been wronged and she'll get him to help her get out of the mess that she's created and then she can finally accomplish the task that she set out for."
Frank frowned deeply at the man sitting next to him. He had basically called him a gullible fool. "What the hell is this all about, Tom? First you fill me in on what could basically be called a major governmental cover-up and now you're throwing accusations around about how Kate's been acting alone without orders. Which is it?"
"OK, let's cool down here a bit…………..what I told you about originally is all true to the best of my knowledge. The problem we have here is that I can't corroborate her story about any orders being given to take out a US Senator. And the bottom line is Frank, I can't confirm any part of her story. Katherine Dawson has been completely wiped from any sort of government data base files. The only thing that remains is what you have in the file that they handed you at the beginning of this case."
"I can't tell you what to do here Frank. I wish I had more concrete evidence. Do I believe that Nate Bowden and the rest are operating above the law? Yes. Do I think that they've gone over the deep end and started targeting US officials? I just don't know. Again, my question to you is………..are you really willing to risk everything for this woman? Your job? Your reputation? Your future? And maybe even your life?"
Frank stared at the man intently and let the import of his words wash over him before finally answering. "Tom, all through my professional career, I've always depended on instinct to pull me through. And right now…………..all my instincts are telling me that Kate's telling the truth. I can't offer you any sort of proof. Just my feelings."
"And that's my point, my friend, maybe this time, you're letting your feelings cloud the facts, keeping you from seeing the girl for what she really is."
Frank didn't answer. He simply stared off into the distance knowing that they could debate the point until both were blue in the face. He knew that he was right, and nothing that Tom could say would make him see things any differently.
Tom in return gazed at his friend and saw the steely determination in Frank's face. A look that he knew all too well. A look that said, 'I know I'm right, so just shut up about it'. He smiled sadly and finally relented.
"You're probably right about her, Frankie. I mean I haven't even met her, so I can't judge. All I'm saying is, be careful."
"I always am." At that, both men smiled briefly.
"So……..is that all the info you have for me?"
Tom chuckled. "Isn't that enough?"
"I suppose it'll have to do," Frank smiled in reply. With that both men rose from the park bench and slowly proceeded to walk from the area.
"So………….where are you off to now?" Frank inquired.
"That's what I'm about to find out. When I'm done here, I have to call in to see where they're sending me next. Hopefully wherever it is, it'll be near a beach, some palm trees and a pitcher of marguerites. I sincerely doubt it……….but a man can hope, right?"
"Well, wherever it is, good luck and be safe."
"I always am, Frankie. I always am." But then Tom stopped walking and the humorous look on his face quickly faded. "There is one more thing I think you should know."
"What's that?" Frank asked, suddenly concerned.
"There've been numerous discussions and meetings about this case recently. One notable one took place just 24 hours ago. It seems that some of the higher ups had received information concerning your handling of this case."
"And……..?"
"And……..Jake Shaw was at that meeting."
Frank scowled at the other man. "You could have mentioned that earlier."
"Yeah……..I could have, but why drop all of the bombs at once, right?"
"Yeah, right." Frank looked at Tom for a few seconds longer and then resumed his walk in the opposite direction from where the other man was headed.
"Take it easy Tom," Frank threw over his shoulder as he continued toward his car.
After entering his car a few minutes later, Frank paused to briefly consider everything that Tom had told him. He was still convinced that Kate was telling him the truth and the story that his friend told him had just deepened his resolve, the only thing that truly bothered him was Jake's involvement in all of this. Knowing that he now had precious little time to set a plan in motion, he quickly started his car and headed away from the park and turned in the direction of the Nest.
/////////////////////////////////
Tom reached his own car a few moments later, and just as he did, his cell phone went off.
"Hello."
"So how did it go?" a voice on the other end of the line asked.
"How do you think it went? I gave him the information just like you asked me to." As he spoke he reached his hand under his shirt and pulled out the microphone and wires that had been taped to his chest.
"And besides……..you heard every god damned word anyway! So why are you asking me how it went?"
"Easy now……." the other man said soothingly, "no need to get all uptight. You're doing the right thing and you know it. Frank Donovan has crossed the line and we both know that this needs to be done and quickly." As the other man talked, Tom looked away with a grimace of disgust on his face.
"So when can I get out of here? Where am I headed now?" Tom asked quickly.
"Patience, my friend. What's the rush? I here Chicago's lovely in the fall. Why don't you stay there to enjoy it and who knows……we might have need of your services in the not too distant future right in that immediate area."
Tom paused for a few seconds in order to let the last statement sink in fully, then he closed his eyes and sighed inwardly. There were times when he really hated his job.
"I think that it would be better if I came back to Washington."
"Well you see, that's the problem now, isn't it? You're not paid to think, you're paid to follow orders. Check into a nice hotel downtown and await you're next command. Got it?" And with that the phone was disconnected.
He threw the phone into his rental car and was about to get in when he spotted Frank's Saab rounding the corner.
Frank pulled up next to Tom's car and rolled down the window.
"So did you find out your next assignment?"
Tom stared at his old friend for a few seconds and finally answered. "I sure did. Honduras. I'm heading for Honduras." He smiled briefly, waved and quickly jumped in the car and pulled away.
///////////////////////////////////////////////
Chapter Fourteen
/////////////////////////////////////
Back from another little break. Things have been crazy at work, leaving me precious little time to do the fun things.
Please, please, please hang in there with me!!!!!!! And special thanks again to those that read and review. It really means a lot to me!!!
/////////////////////////////////////
Thursday morning -- 11:05AM -- A suburban park outside of Chicago
Frank parked his car near a deserted ball field and began to walk further into the neighborhood park. He had been methodical about making sure that he had not been followed, going many miles out of his way in order to lose anyone who might have been fortunate enough to pick up on his whereabouts. His eyes swept the area constantly, looking for anything out of the ordinary. He knew that this particular park was almost always empty at this time of day. Kids were in school and mothers with their young ones were out and about doing errands. A perfect place for a covert meeting.
He approached a large fountain situated in the middle of the park. Park benches which framed the area were all abandoned save one. A man wearing sunglasses and reading a newspaper sat on one of the benches and was facing away from Frank. He approached the man stealthily and only spoke when he was within 2 feet of his position.
"You're going to get yourself killed one of these days doing that," Frank stated drolly.
The man finally turned and smiled up at him and replied, "Hardly. First of all………you couldn't sneak up on my 92 year old grandmother who's hard of hearing making as much noise as you just did. And secondly……….I smelled that God awful shit you choose to call cologne about a half mile away."
Frank glared at the man for as long as he could but finally couldn't hold back the grin that he had so desperately been trying to hide.
"How the hell have you been Tom?" Frank offered as he held out his hand to the blond haired man.
"I can't complain much. Wouldn't help me even if I could." The two shook hands and gave each other a slap on the arm. The male equivalent of a hug. Frank eased himself down on the seat next to the other agent and after a few pleasantries were traded back and forth, he decided that it was time to get down to business.
"So," Frank began, "I guess we've avoided the real reason for this meeting long enough. What do you have for me?"
Tom winced at the question and Frank immediately realized that whatever he had to tell him, it wasn't likely to be good. Not that he figured it would be. He already felt like he was up to his eyeballs in it, might as well make it six feet under. Tom looked off into the distance for a few seconds before turning back to Frank.
"Frankie………." Tom started and then sighed heavily. "What I have for you is totally off the record. And I mean that! I'm not shittin' you here! You mention one word of this conversation to anyone and I'll be the one hunting you down. Got it??"
"Tom……..if you think I don't realize how far out on a limb you're going here for me, you're dead wrong. If half of what I expect is true, I know that the chances of me coming out of this in one piece are pretty slim. It may have been awhile since I've crossed paths with any of these men, but I know enough not to fuck with them."
"So why are you?" Tom asked directly. He took his sunglasses off so that he could see Frank clearly in the harsh bright light of day. He desperately needed to know the answer to this question, and he also knew that Frank had never been able to lie to him.
It was Frank's turn to sigh, but this time from fatigue and uncertainty. He leaned forward and rested his arms on his knees. Looking out across the fountain he watched a squirrel chasing a bird for a few seconds before answering him.
"I believe her."
The answer was simple and direct, and it spoke volumes about what was going through Frank's mind. Believing her meant that he trusted her. And Frank Donovan trusted damn few people.
Tom stared at him for a few moments, scrutinizing his old friend, looking for the tell tale signs that Frank was trying to slip one past him. He detected no such insincerity. After mulling over the situation and all its implications one more time, Tom finally nodded his head and relented.
"Alright," he began, "besides being totally off the record, what I have to tell you is based on a whole lotta conjecture and speculation." Frank simply nodded in response.
"I've been hearing bits and pieces of a certain story over the past year or two. And I do mean bits and pieces. At first what I heard didn't even make sense. It wasn't until almost a month or two ago, that things started to puzzle piece together." Suddenly feeling fidgety, Tom stood and started to pace slowly back and forth.
Frank watched the other man for a few seconds before it dawned on him that he'd never seen his friend this nervous before. The thought that whatever he had to tell him had put him in this state was chilling to say the least. As implausible as it would have seemed to him, Frank felt his own nervousness ramp up almost exponentially.
"Tom?"
"I'm getting there, Frank. I'm getting there." After walking back and forth a few more times, Tom finally returned to his spot on the park bench.
"Like I said, what I heard at first were little things that I'm sure 99.9% of the people around ignored. When the periodic inconsistencies started to pile up, that's when I started to take notice." He stopped at that point so that he could turn in his seat to look directly at Frank.
"You wanna know my first thoughts on the subject?"
"Do I have a choice?" Frank answered bitterly.
Tom gave a dry chuckle in reply and added, "We all have choices Frank. Right now, the way I see it, you have 4 options. The first, you turn her in." Before Frank could interject, he continued. "Second, you disappear. With or without her. Third choice, you back away and let someone else do the dirty work. Or fourth………you listen to what I have to say and react accordingly." He let those words sink in for a few seconds and then asked, "So………do I continue my story?"
Frank looked him dead in the eyes and asked once again, "Do I have a choice?"
Tom shook his head before continuing, knowing that this would be Frank's answer. He wouldn't run. He wouldn't turn his back on what he believed to be his duty and he would never betray someone he trusted.
"Iran Contra," was all Tom said at first, and then added after several seconds had passed, "…………that's what this stinking mess reminds me of."
Frank's eyes widened slightly. The implications were overwhelming and stunningly clear. High ranking government officials operating with little or no supervision or approval and doing so outside the restraints of the law.
"Who's involved?" he finally asked.
"That's the tricky part. These guys are very good at covering their tracks and whatever I've been able to dig up is hardly concrete."
"Ok, disclaimers aside, who are we talking about here?"
"Nathaniel Bowden. Probably his assistant, Jack Crawford. Hell…….Nate doesn't even wipe his own ass after taking a shit without Crawford there to hand him the toilet paper. So I can't imagine him doing this without him. As for the rest………..pure speculation on my part. Probably…………Steven Collins. Maybe Mike Becker."
Frank listened to the names, and as he added to the list, his anxiety over what they were up against ratcheted to the next level. It was now Frank's turn to pace.
"Ok………..what you're telling me is that the #2 man in the CIA is running some……….what?……..illegal operation of some sort? Possibly aided by a member of the National Security Council and a director of the FBI?"
Tom looked at the pacing man and answered, "Yep……….that pretty much sums it up."
"OK, next question. What are they up to?"
Tom glanced around the area once more, seemingly hesitating before replying or checking to make sure that they were in fact still alone. When Frank had asked to meet him at this particular park, he had questioned the intent. Now he realized that it was the perfect place. The line of trees surrounding the fountain began some 100 yards away making it nearly impossible for someone to sneak up on the two undetected. And the sound from the fountain itself would render any listening devices almost useless.
He sighed once more and finally replied to Frank's question. "From what I can surmise, this whole operation started some 10 to 12 years ago, maybe even further back than that. They say that it all started when a certain member of the White House staff set up a meeting with a certain member of the Company and asked what it would take to eliminate a certain South American dictator. Off the record and totally hush-hush, you understand. The political situation anywhere south of the US border was anything but stable at the time. You never knew who was in power or how long they were liable to hold that position. Our government was constantly analyzing who to back and who to condemn. Just because a certain leader was popular this week, didn't mean that they would still be in favor the next."
"Anyway……….seems the government put all their support behind this particular leader and lo and behold, his popularity grew exponentially and he no longer felt the need to rely on American backing or influence. We had helped create him and the son-of-a-bitch had the nerve to turn his back on the US, point blank," Tom chuckled dryly before continuing, "Big mistake. Of course the debates raged on in Congress about how best to deal with the situation. Accusations flew left and right about who had had a hand in establishing the circumstances which led to the man's rise to power, etc, etc. Basically the government was spinning wheels and getting nowhere. The White House, of course, had it's hands tied. Nothing could be done without congressional approval. So quietly and secretively, alternative methods were discussed and considered. The situation was embarrassing to the then current administration and they needed the state of affairs to be dealt with quickly and succinctly."
Tom shifted in his seat briefly and then continued the story, "After a plan was formulated on how to best deal with the circumstances, the next problem was funding. You can't just send a team of Marines into a South American jungle without supplying them, transporting them, etc. Even small tactical incursions like this one could end up being very costly. Now, what surprised even the most cynical, was how easily funds intended for other allocations could be siphoned off and redirected. Ten thousand from here, ten thousand from there, and soon they had themselves a fully functional and fully funded strategical strike force."
"The hit went off without a hitch. Coverage of the leader's untimely death was carried in major metropolitan newspapers around the globe and no one had a clue as to who was behind it. Slicker than snot. Of course all who had been involved swore to never speak of the mission ever again. Even amongst themselves. But their appetite had been whet. They had seen how easily and how effectively things could get done when they circumvented the regular order of things."
"A few years later, of course, another situation arose that needed attention. The type of attention that you couldn't go through regular channels to mend. Those still around remembered how easily things had gone the first time and went about making it happen again. And so it went. What was supposed to be a one time deal, soon became almost commonplace."
Frank shook his head in disgust. The thought that a very small group of men had decided to play God made him feel ill. He wasn't naïve. He knew the ways of the world and knew also that some of those ways needed to be dealt with quickly and sometimes cruelly. And he wondered, not for the first time, at what point had the US government decided that they had the right or the authority to police the rest of the world.
He shook his head to help clear his mind and finally asked Tom, "So how did this group go from toppling dictatorships to putting out hits on US Senators?"
"Frankie…….Frankie……..Frankie!" Tom began, laughing mildly, "you can't really be that green, can you? I mean, come on! There's just a few heartbeats difference between the two, wouldn't ya say?" Tom waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "I know, I'm exaggerating. Don't get your drawers in a bunch! But seriously, it's a power rush. Plain and simple. They hold the fate of the world, or at least their little part of it, in the palms of their hands. It's gotta be intoxicating……….and addicting.
They see a problem, and they deal with it swiftly. Period."
"You sound like you almost admire them," Frank stated apprehensively.
"Maybe in some ways I do. OK, let me continue before you give me that quirky eyebrow look you get when you don't like what I'm saying. All I mean is………you have to admit that there have been times when we've both run into situations where we were fed up with the government red tape. Let's get in and get the job done without having to wait until the situation is debated in fifteen government sub-committees ad nauseum. Am I right? Of course I am. What differentiates us from this group is that we follow orders. We may not like the orders, but at least we follow them." Tom stopped his dissertation, to glance at Frank intently, before continuing. "At least until recently, you always followed orders."
Frank stared back at his friend knowing that he could never adequately explain his actions of the past week. And honestly, he didn't feel he really owed anyone an accounting of his reasons, but this man was putting himself on the line for him, and he knew it. He just wasn't sure about where to begin.
"Tom…….."
"I'm really trying to understand here, Frank. I know that you want to believe this woman, but are you really willing to put everything on the line for her? And I do mean everything!"
"Tom…….she's not a contract killer, at least not for anyone but our own government. I'm positive about that. She knows too much about Company operations and contacts for me to believe otherwise."
"You may be right, Frank. But let me just set up a little scenario for you. Let's just say that she either works or has worked for the Company. They trained her to be a ghost and she turned out to be very good at it. Again, hypothetically, let's say, it becomes easy for her. Maybe too easy. Soon she takes it upon herself to go after targets without direct authority. She sees a problem. She eliminates the problem. But one day, she runs up against a target that she has trouble getting at. She ruffles a few feathers at headquarters and they realize that they've got a rogue agent on their hands, a very dangerous rogue agent at that. Sure they could just issue an APB for her arrest, but then they realize that simply having her arrested will pose too many questions. What if she's hauled in and starts yapping about past cases or current targets. So they make up a story so that if anyone catches up to her, her captors won't believe a word that she says. But of course, there's a fly in the ointment. Along comes a former CIA agent who not only falls for her charms but also falls for her story. Now she sees a way out. She'll lead this agent to believe that she's the one that's been wronged and she'll get him to help her get out of the mess that she's created and then she can finally accomplish the task that she set out for."
Frank frowned deeply at the man sitting next to him. He had basically called him a gullible fool. "What the hell is this all about, Tom? First you fill me in on what could basically be called a major governmental cover-up and now you're throwing accusations around about how Kate's been acting alone without orders. Which is it?"
"OK, let's cool down here a bit…………..what I told you about originally is all true to the best of my knowledge. The problem we have here is that I can't corroborate her story about any orders being given to take out a US Senator. And the bottom line is Frank, I can't confirm any part of her story. Katherine Dawson has been completely wiped from any sort of government data base files. The only thing that remains is what you have in the file that they handed you at the beginning of this case."
"I can't tell you what to do here Frank. I wish I had more concrete evidence. Do I believe that Nate Bowden and the rest are operating above the law? Yes. Do I think that they've gone over the deep end and started targeting US officials? I just don't know. Again, my question to you is………..are you really willing to risk everything for this woman? Your job? Your reputation? Your future? And maybe even your life?"
Frank stared at the man intently and let the import of his words wash over him before finally answering. "Tom, all through my professional career, I've always depended on instinct to pull me through. And right now…………..all my instincts are telling me that Kate's telling the truth. I can't offer you any sort of proof. Just my feelings."
"And that's my point, my friend, maybe this time, you're letting your feelings cloud the facts, keeping you from seeing the girl for what she really is."
Frank didn't answer. He simply stared off into the distance knowing that they could debate the point until both were blue in the face. He knew that he was right, and nothing that Tom could say would make him see things any differently.
Tom in return gazed at his friend and saw the steely determination in Frank's face. A look that he knew all too well. A look that said, 'I know I'm right, so just shut up about it'. He smiled sadly and finally relented.
"You're probably right about her, Frankie. I mean I haven't even met her, so I can't judge. All I'm saying is, be careful."
"I always am." At that, both men smiled briefly.
"So……..is that all the info you have for me?"
Tom chuckled. "Isn't that enough?"
"I suppose it'll have to do," Frank smiled in reply. With that both men rose from the park bench and slowly proceeded to walk from the area.
"So………….where are you off to now?" Frank inquired.
"That's what I'm about to find out. When I'm done here, I have to call in to see where they're sending me next. Hopefully wherever it is, it'll be near a beach, some palm trees and a pitcher of marguerites. I sincerely doubt it……….but a man can hope, right?"
"Well, wherever it is, good luck and be safe."
"I always am, Frankie. I always am." But then Tom stopped walking and the humorous look on his face quickly faded. "There is one more thing I think you should know."
"What's that?" Frank asked, suddenly concerned.
"There've been numerous discussions and meetings about this case recently. One notable one took place just 24 hours ago. It seems that some of the higher ups had received information concerning your handling of this case."
"And……..?"
"And……..Jake Shaw was at that meeting."
Frank scowled at the other man. "You could have mentioned that earlier."
"Yeah……..I could have, but why drop all of the bombs at once, right?"
"Yeah, right." Frank looked at Tom for a few seconds longer and then resumed his walk in the opposite direction from where the other man was headed.
"Take it easy Tom," Frank threw over his shoulder as he continued toward his car.
After entering his car a few minutes later, Frank paused to briefly consider everything that Tom had told him. He was still convinced that Kate was telling him the truth and the story that his friend told him had just deepened his resolve, the only thing that truly bothered him was Jake's involvement in all of this. Knowing that he now had precious little time to set a plan in motion, he quickly started his car and headed away from the park and turned in the direction of the Nest.
/////////////////////////////////
Tom reached his own car a few moments later, and just as he did, his cell phone went off.
"Hello."
"So how did it go?" a voice on the other end of the line asked.
"How do you think it went? I gave him the information just like you asked me to." As he spoke he reached his hand under his shirt and pulled out the microphone and wires that had been taped to his chest.
"And besides……..you heard every god damned word anyway! So why are you asking me how it went?"
"Easy now……." the other man said soothingly, "no need to get all uptight. You're doing the right thing and you know it. Frank Donovan has crossed the line and we both know that this needs to be done and quickly." As the other man talked, Tom looked away with a grimace of disgust on his face.
"So when can I get out of here? Where am I headed now?" Tom asked quickly.
"Patience, my friend. What's the rush? I here Chicago's lovely in the fall. Why don't you stay there to enjoy it and who knows……we might have need of your services in the not too distant future right in that immediate area."
Tom paused for a few seconds in order to let the last statement sink in fully, then he closed his eyes and sighed inwardly. There were times when he really hated his job.
"I think that it would be better if I came back to Washington."
"Well you see, that's the problem now, isn't it? You're not paid to think, you're paid to follow orders. Check into a nice hotel downtown and await you're next command. Got it?" And with that the phone was disconnected.
He threw the phone into his rental car and was about to get in when he spotted Frank's Saab rounding the corner.
Frank pulled up next to Tom's car and rolled down the window.
"So did you find out your next assignment?"
Tom stared at his old friend for a few seconds and finally answered. "I sure did. Honduras. I'm heading for Honduras." He smiled briefly, waved and quickly jumped in the car and pulled away.
///////////////////////////////////////////////