Chapter 3 Targets of Opportunity
Geiger made quick time to Efraim's place. The three agents walked into Efraim's apartment, Geiger plopped on the couch, Francine and Efraim went directly into the study. Francine studied Efraim's photographs hanging on the wall while Efraim looked for the paper from Quigley's class.
He found the essay in question and pulled the file, handing it with a flourish to Francine. She smiled and shook her head at him, "Sometimes, Efraim, you're just a big kid!"
Grinning at her, he sat in his chair and kicked it back, resting his feet on the desk while he watched Francine read through his paper.
She read the paper and the comments that Dr. Quigley had made. After getting three quarters of the way through his paper, she looked up at him. "Tell me again why you had to take this class?"
"I needed it to finish the graduate program. Why?"
Francine laughed. "You could have taught the class!"
"I thought so too."
Francine laughed again. "You know I love you, Beaman, don't you?" She smiled, her heart there for him to see.
"Yeah, I know you do, Desmond. I love you too. What do you think?"
"There's a lot of anger underneath his words."
"Yeah, he was angry."
"What happened after this? Anything?"
"I complained to the dean. There was an inquiry, Quigley lost his post."
"So he has a reason to dislike you."
"Don't most people you annoy dislike you?"
"No. This is beyond dislike, Efraim. He hates you. I would say he is unbalanced. Read his comments again. They are out of proportion to the statements you make in your paper. Your paper was not a personal slam against him, just theories which you proved were inaccurate."
"So you're thinking his motive for naming me in his research paper is revenge?"
"Yes. Yes I do. Is it pretty common knowledge you left the Navy?"
"Yeah, it was never a secret."
"Most people who work with the government at his level have connections, and this man has connections to spare. Is it possible he knows you work for the Agency?"
"I wouldn't take it out of realm of possibilities."
Geiger poked his head in the study. "Billy wants us back at the Agency, fast."
Efraim dug through his files one last time, pulling out a folder which he handed to Francine . At Francine's questioning look, he shrugged. "Class notes. They might come in handy."
"Good idea."
They spent the ride back to the Agency reviewing the paper and Efraim's class notes. Efraim made several notations to check when they got into the office.
Billy met them at the elevator as they arrived at the Agency. "I was able to get in touch with Lee, he will call us in a few minutes; you made it back here just in time. What did you find?" They walked into Billy's office and sat down.
"Francine wanted to read my final class paper and Quigley's comments. I brought my class notes as well to go over."
Billy looked from one agent to the other. "Any conclusions?"
Francine showed Billy Quigley's written comments. "Billy, I think this is two separate things we're dealing with. We have Quigley walking off with his research and I think at the same time, he is looking for revenge against Efraim for his dismissal at Georgetown. Our best guess is it's opportune for Quigley because he isn't planning on coming back. I think his disappearance was staged to bring Efraim out so Quigley could have a shot at him."
"He couldn't know that Beaman would be in any position to come looking for him."
Efraim disagreed. "He probably knows I left Naval Intelligence. He has high level contacts, and he probably knows I'm working for one of the governmental intelligence agencies, if not exactly which one. Francine is right, it makes sense. He has no intention of coming back, and this is his swan song; getting the laser and me."
Billy lifted his telephone, "I'm calling Smyth and telling him I want you off of this. I'm not sending one of my agents into the field for target practice."
"Look Billy, you said yourself I have one master in this game, and that's the President of the United States. He wants that material if it exists. I'm the one with the best chance of getting it. My job is to get it and to stay alive."
"I'm sending other agents with you. Don't shake your head no at me, Beaman. I'm still the boss here!"
"You can't send a parade after me. Quigley will just wait for another time. We don't have that luxury, Billy. This is our one chance before he does anything we'll all regret."
"I want Amanda at the Embassy in Bucharest. She can link from there. Francine, have Porter get Amanda down here now."
Francine called out the door to Porter as Billy answered his secure phone on the first buzz.
"Lee. Good, Francine and Beaman are here, Amanda is on her way down. You know about Beaman being activated, but. . .Amanda, come on in." Amanda Stetson entered Billy's office and took a seat. Efraim handed her his activation papers, raising an eyebrow at the information she found within the letter.
"Does this mean what I think it means?" Amanda asked.
"Depends on what you're asking. Does the activation change anything? No. But the fact that Defense knows the research Quigley left is bogus certainly gives this case a new color."
Francine added her own slant. "Try adding this to the spin; we think the reason Quigley put Efraim's name in his papers was to get him sent into the field for revenge."
There was silence in the room. Lee broke in with questions of his own. "Beaman, what have you figured out so far?"
"Not much, Lee. Sorry buddy, I left my computer working on some calculations when we ran to get my class notes and final paper. This is what Francine and I think; he's gone. His last act is going to be a shot at me for what he thinks I did to him. But, I don't think that's the whole thing, he's got something else planned, I'm not important enough for him to go to all this trouble."
"His research doesn't pan out? What could he have planned?" Lee's voice echoed as it came through the speaker phone.
"The research he left doesn't pan out, I'm still running checks on it as we speak. But I do think the actual research yielded results. We haven't heard back from the agents checking out the team that worked with him. I don't think they're going to find anything though."
"Okay people, we have to decide what we're going to do. Any suggestions?" It was getting down to the wire, and it was more than obvious that Billy wanted some kind of strategy in place.
"Well, sir, why do we have to change anything? At least on the surface, why not let the agenda stand as it is, let Quigley think he has the upper hand?"
"Good thinking, Amanda. And then what?"
"Why don't I disappear? Let them take a shot at me, put it out that I was hit, and let them think they have one objective completed. We can follow an easier target then." Beaman interjected; warming up to his idea the further he went on.
Francine's jaw dropped. "You want to let them what? I don't like this idea at all!"
"Francine, it will be okay. Think about it. The story on him is he was kidnapped after his lecture. Security will be tight, right Amanda?" Amanda nodded. "We just have to get the shooter before he gets a shot off at me. We then fake my getting hit, and we disappear. We should be able to get something out of the shooter."
"I still don't like it." Francine sat, still unconvinced as the plan unfolded.
"Lee?" Billy was looking for options.
"Looks like it's all we've got. Tracking Quigley if he thinks Beaman is gone will make it easier on us. Showing up at the conference is a risk though."
"Lee. I'm sending Amanda to the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest. Who are our assets in Romania?
"Williams is head here. Ballard, Miller and Kent have the most experience in the area. Kent has extensive experience in the country, if we need it. The embassy is secure."
Billy nodded to Amanda. "Get on it. I want you on the same flight as Francine and Beaman. Get someone in fabrication to make you diplomatic papers. You have less than two hours to flight time."
"Yes sir! Lee? See you in Bucharest."
"Be careful, Amanda."
"Alright Lee, I'll contact you for your end of the plan. Get it set up, fast." Billy barked out, wanting operational details nailed down pronto.
"Got it, Billy. See you in Romania Francine, Beaman."
Billy pulled out the active agent listing. "I'm sending Dave with you. You've worked with him before, and I want an extra pair of eyes. Geiger is a good man, although he's not fluent. Do not get shot, either of you. I have no desire to explain to your father why his son or his soon to be daughter-in-law have been hit. Am I making myself clear here, people?"
"Yes sir. Billy, I want to check my computer and get that program I have working downloaded." Efraim said from the doorway, his mind already working the new plan.
"Get out of here."
Francine walked behind Efraim to his office. She sat in the chair beside his desk, quiet, seemingly lost in thought.
"What's wrong, hon?"
"We're coming back, aren't we?"
"Nothing is going to happen to us. I promise you. We'll be home without a problem. Nothing is going to stop me from marrying you. Nothing."
"I've never been afraid in this job, Efraim, not ever. But I am now. I've never had anything to lose; now I could lose you."
Efraim stood up, pulling Francine to her feet and into his arms. "Do you think I would let anything happen now that I've got you?"
"Jeez, Beaman, can't you keep your hands off of her for five minutes?" Porter was standing in Efraim's doorway, arms folded across his chest, smirk on his face. Efraim kissed Francine's forehead, took one step towards the door, caught the handle and slammed the door shut in Porter's face.
He pulled Francine back into his arms. "I'll do everything I can to keep us both safe. I promise not to take risks. I won't go off half-cocked with Lee. I won't antagonize Quigley when we find him."
"You think we'll find him?"
"Yeah, I do. We have the upper hand right now. I want to keep it that way. Quigley is smart, a genius really, but his arrogance is showing. That's where I excel, exploiting weaknesses. With you pointing out the pitfalls, Lee's experience, Amanda in Bucharest coordinating information and Geiger at our six, we are going to get him."
"I love you, you know that, right?"
Efraim grinned and winked at Francine. "I love you too. Don't worry; we're going to be fine. Let's see what the computer has found for us and then we have to get going. Do we have satellite views of Romania? Any of those new, digitized 3-D views?"
"Let me check, all right?" Efraim watched as Francine headed to her office. He checked his computer and was surprised to find star charts. He recognized the night sky over Eastern Europe.
Efraim kicked his chair back, watching the computer screen change, coming to one point in the sky over the Romanian countryside. As the screen recycled again, Efraim leaned forward and watched the ascent stars in the night sky. He watched again, grinning as recognition dawned.
It wasn't a star chart, it was a satellite path.
He jumped out of his chair and ran out into the bullpen. He found an empty computer terminal and accessed all information on satellites that matched the path cycling on his computer screen.
Only one matched the path found in Quigley's equations; a specialized tasking satellite that provided secure communications for the President of the United States.
"Damn!" He picked up the phone at the terminal and called Francine, telling her to get to Billy's office. Efraim checked his watch, time was short, he and Francine had to leave for the airport. Billy stuck his head out of his office to see what was going on.
"What is it, Beaman?"
"I'm transferring this to your computer, Billy. " He cleared the screen and headed into Billy's office. He went right to the desk and pulled up what he had been looking out on the bullpen computer. Francine walked in and joined Billy looking over Efraim's shoulder.
"Look at this." Billy, Francine and Efraim watched the chart cycle.
"What is it?"
"A satellite path over Romania, it matches up with this satellite." Efraim pulled up the path of the secure COMSAT for the President. There was silence in the room.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive, Billy. This is what came out of the gibberish of Quigley's research after I put my name into the equation."
"Kiddies; I hear there's been words flying in the bullpen. Beaman, find anything interesting in that gibberish?" Dr. Smyth stepped into the office, coming to look over Billy's shoulder. "Star charts? I walked down here for stars?" Smyth gave the evil eye to the three agents before him. Billy pulled himself up and tapped Efraim on the shoulder.
"Dr. Smyth, this is the information that I decoded from Quigley's research equations. This is what we get when the calculations are complete. This star chart is over the central Romanian countryside. Only, watch the ascent. Not star movement, it's a satellite path. When I pulled up satellites in this orbit, this is what we get."
"What is this satellite doing in Quigley's laser research?"
Efraim looked up from the computer screen. "I'd say Quigley is going to make his mark in the world. He has the laser, I'm sure of it."
"How do you reach that conclusion based on this?"
"He told us the target. He's going after the President of the United States."
"Efraim?"
"Francine, look at it. He can't take out the satellite, the technology for a laser that would be able to hit that target is years off. As brilliant as Quigley is, he hasn't made that leap in technology yet. But, he could hit a plane, or a car." She nodded agreement and looked at Billy and Dr. Smyth.
"You sure about this, Beaman?"
"No, but based on what we've got from these calculations, I have no other conclusions to make."
"Very good Dr. Beaman, Ms. Desmond. Billy, get on the horn to Defense and I'll take a walk up Pennsylvania Avenue. I take it you're working on trajectory?"
"On it now, sir."
"Very good. Billy, keep up the good work. I'll be in touch," Dr. Smyth left the office, his signature cigarette smoke all that remained of him. Francine looked from Efraim to Billy and back again, shaking her head at this turn of events.
"We're going to have to work out final plans on the plane. We are out of time here. One last thing, Billy, Quigley is plugged in to Washington somehow. When I go down, it's going to have stay that way to everyone. If you would, get a secure message to my father, I don't want my mother to worry?" Efraim asked as he headed to the door, Francine beside him.
"Done."
"Promise you won't give my office to Porter."
Billy laughed. "Not a problem Beaman, not a problem. Get this job done and get home. Now get out of here before you miss your plane."
Francine and Efraim left Billy's office. Francine headed to hers to finish closing down her computer, Efraim to his office.
Efraim transferred the data to his laptop, kicking his chair back against the wall and putting his feet up on his desk. He let his eyes wander about his office, resting on his clocks and finally coming to the picture of Francine and him that he kept on his desk. The picture had been taken at his parents' house the day they had told them of their engagement. His arms were loosely wrapped around Francine, her left hand resting on his chest, her engagement ring flashing. Their eyes locked on each other, their smiles full of promise and only for each other. He loved that picture of them. He hoped it wasn't the last time he saw it.
He shook himself from his maudlin thoughts, telling himself he had no reason to think that way. Movement at his door caught his eye and he looked up. Francine was standing there, smiling softly at him. He waved her in.
"Thinking?" She came and sat on the corner of his desk, watching him.
"Just looking at my favorite girl."
Francine laughed easily. She picked up the frame and looked at the picture of them. "Great photo; I see you looking at this an awful lot!" she said, handing the frame back to him.
"Great subject."
"Us?"
"Yeah, my favorite topic lately."
"I had thought your favorite topic lately had been something a bit more intimate?" Francine asked with a smile in her voice.
"That too. But I need you for that, so it's all tied together."
"You're worried."
Efraim sighed. He was worried, he hated these last minute, up in the air, changing with the wind assignments. He remembered Lee telling him that he hated the uncertain nature of the business anymore, but, you got good at calling shots on the run. "Yeah, probably. But, I would be worried if I wasn't. The difference is now I know how to use the worry to my advantage, to keep me sharp."
Francine leaned over and kissed him, holding his face in her hands. "I think we share our favorite topic, Efraim, because I can't seem to keep my hands off of you either."
"Thank God for that!" He let the chair drop back on all four legs. "You ready, hon?"
"Yeah, B, I'm ready."
He laughed; she was starting to sound like him. He liked that.
