The Spider and the Fly - Part XI
Harm sat in a black leather and chrome chair in front of desk of the Deputy Director of the CIA. He tried not to compare the sleek modern look of Harrison Kershaw's office to the wood paneled, traditional style of Admiral Chegwidden. But he couldn't help it. Even the art that hung on the wall was in contrast. JAG's gilded framed pictures of nautical scenes didn't compare with the frameless abstract art on the wall behind the deputy director's head.
Harm was dressed in a three button black suit with a white shirt and grey patterned tie. He already missed the security of his uniform. In the military, your place in the pecking order was immediately apparent. Here, what he wore told a much subtler story.
Harm thought wryly. I guess 'Reporting as order, sir' wouldn't be appropriate here. He was going have to train himself to talk like a civilian.
"Mr. Kershaw? You wanted to see me, sir?" said Harm.
Harrison Kershaw looked up from the screen of his laptop. He rose, bent over the desk and shook Harm's hand.
"It is good to finally meet you, Harm. I hear my assistant showed you around yesterday and briefed you on protocols and security? Do you have any questions?"
"No sir."
"You are not in the military anymore Harm. Call me Harrison."
Harm smiled, "Yes sir."
"I read your report on Paraguay. Interesting reading. Novel approach, the way you destroyed those stinger missiles. Good work," Kershaw continued.
"Thank you."
"Something else that I found interesting was your service record. Your position as a JAG with the Navy understates the variety of your experience. You have been involved with everything from murder to espionage to MIA's to terrorism. Your classified experiences inside Russia are especially interesting. The bit about the Russian MIG was particularly interesting. You actually stole a MIG?" said Kershaw.
"Yes."
"I often wondered why Clayton Webb kept close tabs on the some of the staff at JAG at Falls Church. Colonel Mackenzie also has a remarkable resume, don't you think?"
Harm's ears tingled. Getting Mac involved in more of the CIA's type of so-called work was something he wanted to head off. For his own sanity if nothing else. "I think she has had enough excitement for a while."
"Don't worry. I'm not interested in getting my fingers rapped by the Secretary of Defense. And I don't want to make an enemy out of the Navy's JAG. But she is an interesting person."
Harm let out a breath. The deputy director had no idea.
"What is your assessment of Saddiq Faud, Harm?"
Harm shook his head once with a resigned air. "A dangerous man who has far reaching connections. He will stop at nothing. It was too bad he wasn't killed when the semi blew up."
"Yes it was. Would you be surprised to know how far reaching his influence is? He has connections here."
"In the US?" said Harm.
"In the Washington, Maryland, Virginia area. In fact, we believe some of those stingers were to be smuggled into the US to be used against military aircraft."
"I am glad they were destroyed sir."
"A man like Saddiq can get more. We won't be rid of that threat until we get rid of him. And others like him," Kershaw said. "You may have guessed already, this case involves Saddiq. Not in Paraguay, but here in DC."
"Sir?"
"Saddiq belongs to a larger terrorist cell that used to include a man called Amad Bid Atwa. Do you recognize the name?" The director handed Harm a file with the CIA emblem on the cover.
"Yes, he was involved in the bombing on the USS Cole. Recently, a NCIS team took him out Northern Africa, I believe." Harm tried to think of the name of the city.
"Yes."
"Bid Atwa had been targeting Naval vessels in foreign ports as possible targets of terrorist attacks. He had been working with Saddiq to set up the same threat in the domestic US. Specifically, we believe they are operating in the Chesapeake Bay area."
"Here sir?"
"Yes. Your familiarity with the Naval institutions around this area will be an asset."
Harm remained silent. He waited for the deputy director to continue.
"In this op, you will be working with personnel from Naval Criminal Investigative Services. Will that be a problem?"
"NCIS? No sir." Harm was surprised at this turn of events. Couldn't get away from the Navy even when he tried.
"No problem here either but in this case, I want you to remember that you are working for the CIA, not the Navy. Will that be a problem?"
"No sir. I not a current fan of NCIS," said Harm thinking about his recent murder trial.
"Something I should know about, Harm?"
"No sir."
Kershaw glanced at his watch. "He should be waiting for us. Come, I want you to meet your NCIS contact." And he led Harm to a small meeting room down the hall.
#
Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat idly at a small ebony-topped meeting table in a windowless room drumming his fingers. He was a man of medium height with iron-grey hair, startling blue eyes and a young face. Gibbs was dressed as he always did, casual khakis and a sport shirt. He didn't take any special consideration with his appearance just because it was Langley.
Security had confirmed his identity, issued guest tags and an undistinguished clerk led him to this small room.
Sitting in a CIA ante room waiting for further direction from some upper echelon type guy was not his first choice of duty. Soon as a case gets interesting, everyone wants in. Everyone wants a piece of the glory. Where were they when the grunt work was being done? Most of the work responsible for the progress to date on this little operation was due to NCIS.
Yesterday, NCIS Director Morris had thrown him a wrench. It was regarding the CIA. A series of events in Paraguay involving yet another facet in this shadowy network of terrorists and extremists heightened their interest in the work he had done with Bid Atwa. They now wanted a piece of the action. Jurisdictions between NCIS and the CIA were blurred. In this case, Morris had not choice but to comply.
So here he was. Waiting to see what shape their interest might take. Maybe he will be assigned a weenie tech operative with not much field experience. One could always hope. The type that runs for cover when the action becomes too real. And then Gibbs could run the show the way he wanted to.
(Author's Note - Okay, okay - so I introduced Mark Harmon from NCIS into my little story. Ever since Ice Queen and Meltdown, I couldn't help thinking what a good-looking man he is. Almost as good as DJE. The two of them in the same room? Whoaaaa. Thought I might fool around with this character too. Don't worry, he is the only one from the NCIS pilot that I will have much to do with (at least in this story).
One last warning. If you get really upset by this, I am prepared to retaliate. I'm thinking Harm going to England and meeting up with the director of MI5 who just happens to be played by Sean Connery (with a pony tail of course)..... Okay? 'Nuff said. - Nan)
Harm sat in a black leather and chrome chair in front of desk of the Deputy Director of the CIA. He tried not to compare the sleek modern look of Harrison Kershaw's office to the wood paneled, traditional style of Admiral Chegwidden. But he couldn't help it. Even the art that hung on the wall was in contrast. JAG's gilded framed pictures of nautical scenes didn't compare with the frameless abstract art on the wall behind the deputy director's head.
Harm was dressed in a three button black suit with a white shirt and grey patterned tie. He already missed the security of his uniform. In the military, your place in the pecking order was immediately apparent. Here, what he wore told a much subtler story.
Harm thought wryly. I guess 'Reporting as order, sir' wouldn't be appropriate here. He was going have to train himself to talk like a civilian.
"Mr. Kershaw? You wanted to see me, sir?" said Harm.
Harrison Kershaw looked up from the screen of his laptop. He rose, bent over the desk and shook Harm's hand.
"It is good to finally meet you, Harm. I hear my assistant showed you around yesterday and briefed you on protocols and security? Do you have any questions?"
"No sir."
"You are not in the military anymore Harm. Call me Harrison."
Harm smiled, "Yes sir."
"I read your report on Paraguay. Interesting reading. Novel approach, the way you destroyed those stinger missiles. Good work," Kershaw continued.
"Thank you."
"Something else that I found interesting was your service record. Your position as a JAG with the Navy understates the variety of your experience. You have been involved with everything from murder to espionage to MIA's to terrorism. Your classified experiences inside Russia are especially interesting. The bit about the Russian MIG was particularly interesting. You actually stole a MIG?" said Kershaw.
"Yes."
"I often wondered why Clayton Webb kept close tabs on the some of the staff at JAG at Falls Church. Colonel Mackenzie also has a remarkable resume, don't you think?"
Harm's ears tingled. Getting Mac involved in more of the CIA's type of so-called work was something he wanted to head off. For his own sanity if nothing else. "I think she has had enough excitement for a while."
"Don't worry. I'm not interested in getting my fingers rapped by the Secretary of Defense. And I don't want to make an enemy out of the Navy's JAG. But she is an interesting person."
Harm let out a breath. The deputy director had no idea.
"What is your assessment of Saddiq Faud, Harm?"
Harm shook his head once with a resigned air. "A dangerous man who has far reaching connections. He will stop at nothing. It was too bad he wasn't killed when the semi blew up."
"Yes it was. Would you be surprised to know how far reaching his influence is? He has connections here."
"In the US?" said Harm.
"In the Washington, Maryland, Virginia area. In fact, we believe some of those stingers were to be smuggled into the US to be used against military aircraft."
"I am glad they were destroyed sir."
"A man like Saddiq can get more. We won't be rid of that threat until we get rid of him. And others like him," Kershaw said. "You may have guessed already, this case involves Saddiq. Not in Paraguay, but here in DC."
"Sir?"
"Saddiq belongs to a larger terrorist cell that used to include a man called Amad Bid Atwa. Do you recognize the name?" The director handed Harm a file with the CIA emblem on the cover.
"Yes, he was involved in the bombing on the USS Cole. Recently, a NCIS team took him out Northern Africa, I believe." Harm tried to think of the name of the city.
"Yes."
"Bid Atwa had been targeting Naval vessels in foreign ports as possible targets of terrorist attacks. He had been working with Saddiq to set up the same threat in the domestic US. Specifically, we believe they are operating in the Chesapeake Bay area."
"Here sir?"
"Yes. Your familiarity with the Naval institutions around this area will be an asset."
Harm remained silent. He waited for the deputy director to continue.
"In this op, you will be working with personnel from Naval Criminal Investigative Services. Will that be a problem?"
"NCIS? No sir." Harm was surprised at this turn of events. Couldn't get away from the Navy even when he tried.
"No problem here either but in this case, I want you to remember that you are working for the CIA, not the Navy. Will that be a problem?"
"No sir. I not a current fan of NCIS," said Harm thinking about his recent murder trial.
"Something I should know about, Harm?"
"No sir."
Kershaw glanced at his watch. "He should be waiting for us. Come, I want you to meet your NCIS contact." And he led Harm to a small meeting room down the hall.
#
Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat idly at a small ebony-topped meeting table in a windowless room drumming his fingers. He was a man of medium height with iron-grey hair, startling blue eyes and a young face. Gibbs was dressed as he always did, casual khakis and a sport shirt. He didn't take any special consideration with his appearance just because it was Langley.
Security had confirmed his identity, issued guest tags and an undistinguished clerk led him to this small room.
Sitting in a CIA ante room waiting for further direction from some upper echelon type guy was not his first choice of duty. Soon as a case gets interesting, everyone wants in. Everyone wants a piece of the glory. Where were they when the grunt work was being done? Most of the work responsible for the progress to date on this little operation was due to NCIS.
Yesterday, NCIS Director Morris had thrown him a wrench. It was regarding the CIA. A series of events in Paraguay involving yet another facet in this shadowy network of terrorists and extremists heightened their interest in the work he had done with Bid Atwa. They now wanted a piece of the action. Jurisdictions between NCIS and the CIA were blurred. In this case, Morris had not choice but to comply.
So here he was. Waiting to see what shape their interest might take. Maybe he will be assigned a weenie tech operative with not much field experience. One could always hope. The type that runs for cover when the action becomes too real. And then Gibbs could run the show the way he wanted to.
(Author's Note - Okay, okay - so I introduced Mark Harmon from NCIS into my little story. Ever since Ice Queen and Meltdown, I couldn't help thinking what a good-looking man he is. Almost as good as DJE. The two of them in the same room? Whoaaaa. Thought I might fool around with this character too. Don't worry, he is the only one from the NCIS pilot that I will have much to do with (at least in this story).
One last warning. If you get really upset by this, I am prepared to retaliate. I'm thinking Harm going to England and meeting up with the director of MI5 who just happens to be played by Sean Connery (with a pony tail of course)..... Okay? 'Nuff said. - Nan)
