Chapter 5: Meanwhile, Back at the Agency

The Agency

          Amanda sat at the head of the table in the Agency conference room, listening intently as one of the agents made his report. She broke in with a question, "So, you're telling me that radioactive material was smuggled into the country over a week ago and we have no idea at all where it's headed?"

          He looked at her shamefacedly before replying, "Yes ma'am. We've been working on it for days. I've got all my contacts with their ears to the ground, but there's no sign of the stuff at all. It's like it went under the radar."

          "We are the radar," she answered him sharply. "Our job is to make sure things like this don't happen, especially on my watch. Get out there and find it."

          The door opened, interrupting her and her assistant rushed in. "Amanda, this just came in over the wire. Something's going down at the Capitol. Aren't Lee and your daughter there today?"

          Amanda's face blanched and she grabbed the paper from her assistant's hands. Scanning it quickly, she looked up at him and said, "I need details and I need them now." Then, turning to the other agents at the table she told them, "We've got a situation, and I think we've found our hot material. Someone claims to have a dirty bomb and they're threatening to detonate it. You all know what to do. Go."

          Leaving the room, she went to her office and grabbed the phone, quickly dialing Lee's cell. She began to worry when he didn't answer after the third ring. She sat drumming her nails on the desk as the phone continued to ring. She glanced up when her assistant walked in. "Lee's not answering. What have you found out?"

          "According to the Capitol Police, some terrorists have holed up in the Old Supreme Court Chamber. They're believed to have three hostages, a man and two teen girls."

          Amanda looked at the phone in her hand and listened as it continued to ring. "I've got to go there. Who's been alerted?"

          "The bomb squad and the Agency haz mat team are already on their way. They've begun evacuations of the Capitol and surrounding areas. The roads are going to be a mess."

          "Get the Agency chopper ready. I'm not even going to try to get there by car," she said as she flew out of her office. She yelled over her shoulder, "Keep trying Lee's cell."