Chapter 14
Dressed in jeans and a sweater, Francine pulled a brush through her hair as she listened to her husband whistling in the bedroom. She smiled at her reflection as she finished a French braid, wanting to keep her hair out of her face in the field.
Efraim came in the bathroom, grabbing his brush and pulling it half-heartedly through his hair. Tossing it back into his kit, he put his hands around Francine's waist, pulling her close as he rubbed his cheek against her face, laughing at the face she made.
"B, what is with the unshaven face?"
"I'm trying to blend! What do ya think?" He winked at her and kissed her.
"I think it's not going to work, B, but then you know that. You just like the dusty look because you know it will drive Dr. Smyth crazy."
"That and I'm taking a break from the Navy." He told her, grinning from ear to ear.
"Ah huh. You better hope that I don't take a dislike to it, or you'll be finding yourself sleeping with Geiger."
"I'll make you like it." He whispered in her ear, nibbling on the delicate lobe and smiling darkly when he felt her shiver.
She tried to frown at him and ended up smiling and shaking her head at him. He pinched her backside as he left the room. She heard him on the telephone calling Geiger and Smyth's room, then room service for coffee and breakfast to be delivered to the suite.
"You're certainly in a good mood today B, considering what we're up against." Francine said as she checked and holstered her gun.
"No reason that we can't enjoy our time together hon, regardless of what waits for us outside that door." He holstered his SIG and adjusted Francine's shoulder holster. "Do you want a waist holster instead? I brought one."
"No, this is okay, B."
Opening the door, Efraim stepped out into the hall and waited for Francine to follow him. They knocked on Geiger and Smyth's door and both raised eyebrows when Dr. Smyth opened the door.
"Don't look so surprised, I do know how to open my own door. Going local, Commander?"
"Yeah, new time zone, new look." Efraim shot back. Francine took a seat on the couch, leaned back and watched the sparring between her husband and Dr. Smyth begin.
"I see. You do realize that you are out of uniform."
"Yeah, way out of uniform Dr. Smyth. I'm also carrying a concealed weapon, which under certain articles can get me court-martialed But I don't think you're going to push my uniform or the concealed weapon. Save it for a goodie, kay?"
"Someone got some sleep last night. You're running on all thrusters, Boy Scout." Smyth sat down in a chair, crossing his legs and chewing on his empty cigarette holder. There was a knock on the door and Efraim went to get it. He rolled in a large trolley with breakfast and reaching underneath, he pulled up a pack of Turkish cigarillos which he tossed to Dr. Smyth.
"Maybe those will sweeten your disposition, Dr. Smyth. That and a cup of coffee. Regular or Turkish?"
Francine grinned widely, her husband was full of surprises.
Dr. Smyth opened the package of cigarillos, pulled one out, smelled it and stuck it in the holder. Nodding his appreciation, Smyth pointed to the ibrik. "Turkish of course."
Geiger came out of his room, unshaven and dressed much like Efraim. Francine stifled the urge to laugh. Dr. Smyth felt no such need. "And why was I not informed of the dress code for this operation?" He pointed to his pressed tan slacks and light blue oxford shirt. He looked ready for the yacht club, not chasing and capturing his rival before he had the chance to escape or make a hit on him.
"Go for it, Dr. Smyth!" Francine was enjoying the play between the agents.
"You don't think I would, do you?" He asked Francine, stabbing his cigarillo for emphasis.
Still grinning, Francine shook her head.
"Well dear, we'll have to see what tomorrow brings."
"Yes, Dr. Smyth." She bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing at him. She got up and took a plate from the trolley and started dishing up breakfast for her husband and herself. Geiger and Smyth did the same. Efraim sat on the couch and Francine handed him his plate and he squeezed her fingers in thanks as he took it from her. Sitting next to him, they ate their breakfast in silence, the only sound that of silver on china.
"On the agenda today; we meet with Wilson at the office. I'm not sure I want you to come Dr. Smyth, word will get out that the Director is here and I'd rather keep you as my ace in the hole to be honest with you. Wilson is watching Carlson, hopefully he won't slip past him."
"He shouldn't Beaman, Wilson is an excellent agent." Geiger said, reassuring Efraim.
"Good. We need to find out why Carlson is here and who he's contacting. For that we need intelligence. If he was working both sides of the street in the 60's and 70's, can we assume it was only the Soviet Union he was dealing with since the Soviet Union is no longer. What about China? Syria? Afghanistan? Dr. Smyth, where do we start?"
"Ah! An interesting bit to chew on, Commander . . . " Dr. Smyth began.
"We don't have time for polite discussion and debate. I need a starting point based on your experience with Carlson and I need it now." Efraim said, his voice hard as he geared up for the day.
Francine laid her hand on Efraim's knee. He looked at her, his eyebrow raised. She patted his knee and he took her hand and squeezed it.
"I apologize Dr. Smyth. It is my feeling that we are quickly running out of time. We know that Carlson came here for a specific reason and for us to be successful, we need to know what that reason is."
"His wife is here." Smyth said into the silence.
"His what? His wife is here? In Istanbul? Tell me." Efraim sat back, catching the shocked look on Geiger's face. He rubbed his hands over his face, trying to erase the shock and surprise he knew was there.
"She was KGB in the late 60's. She continues to live here, on the Marmara Sea, below the blue mosque with their two daughters."
"This is interesting news. Why hasn't he gone to her?" Geiger said, watching Smyth.
"They have been estranged." Smyth said.
"What aren't you telling us?" Efraim asked, leaning forward, his eyes piercing Smyth's.
"The eldest daughter is mine."
No one said a word, letting Smyth's announcement sink in.
"Is she safe?" Francine finally asked.
"Yes." Smyth answered.
"How do you know? It seems like a good way to get you over a barrel." Francine told him, pushing for more information.
"She was born in November of '66 and she is quite capable of taking care of herself. She's 28 this year and she works in the office here in Istanbul. She took my mother's maiden name when she began her professional career. I believe you know her, Geiger."
"Maria Steele."
"Yes." Smyth confirmed with a small smile, his eyes on Geiger.
"Shit." Geiger said, getting up and leaving the room.
Efraim was trying to collect his thoughts as he watched Smyth sitting across from him. Francine was leaning back against the couch, a surprised look on her face.
Francine leaned forward and looked at Dr. Smyth. "That was a low blow Dr. Smyth, even for you! Did you know about Dave's relationship with your daughter? And how she used him? Why am I wasting my breath?" Francine stood up and with a look of disgust at Dr. Smyth, left the room.
Efraim sighed and looked at Dr. Smyth, a small grin playing on his lips.
"What is it that you find so amusing, Boy Scout?"
Efraim laughed, not able to contain it any longer. "You, Dr. Smyth. You are the only person I know who can clear a room."
"You're still here." Smyth pointed out.
"Yeah, I'm still here. Because I have an operation to run. That means I want you to tell me how best we can use her to get to Carlson." And I'm glad my wife isn't in the room to hear me say that.
Smyth nodded. "I've been pondering that strategy since we left DC."
"It's about time you decided to let me in on it." Efraim told him as he got up and found matches on the trolley. Tossing them to Smyth, he sat in the chair next to him and put his feet up on the coffee table. "I want to remind you Dr. Smyth, you gave me this operation to run. Don't withhold information from me again."
"That sounds remarkably like a threat, Boy Scout. I don't do threats."
"Neither do I. Get in my way, and I'll shoot you myself." He walked to the door, Francine and Geiger meeting him there, Geiger throwing the door open and walking out. They were silent until they reached the elevator, the doors closing on them as they began their descent.
"That old bastard. I guess that explains Maria though; she's her father's daughter, that's for damn sure." Dave said shaking his head, anger evident in the way he held himself.
"What do you plan to do B?" Francine asked.
Efraim looked at his feet knowing that what he had to say would undoubtedly upset his wife. "I'm going to use her anyway I can to get the information I need." He looked at his wife, her eyes had grown large in surprise. They narrowed as her mouth became a hard, straight line.
"Tell me how? I'll get what you need."
"No, I'll do it." Dave said. "We don't let on we know her connection to Smyth, he sure as hell isn't going to say anything. She'll run with it, giving us what we need so she can prove herself to Daddy."
Efraim nodded as he looked at Dave. Glancing at Francine, she nodded back.
"We're in agreement. Let's do it."
The rising sun made it's way through the mist over the Bosphorus River, turning Istanbul golden in the early morning light. Walking through the streets of the business district, the three agents disappeared into the markets as they made their way to the Istanbul office of the Agency.
Following Dave and Francine, Efraim kept an eye out for anyone who might be interested in their progress. He gave mental high marks to Dave for traversing a number of streets making it hard for anyone to pinpoint their final destination.
A hand reached out and grabbed Francine's braid as they passed a stall filled with fruit and vegetables. She grabbed her hair with one hand and the arm of the man who had grabbed her, tossing him into several empty boxes at the back of his stall. Efraim put his booted foot on the man's throat. "Hayir!" No! His eyes promising pain if the man as much as blinked. The man apologized profusely, smiling and nodding.
Francine dusted her hands and taking Efraim's, stepped out of the booth where Dave was waiting. "Let's get off of this street before anyone takes an interest in us." She pushed Dave back into the throng of early morning shoppers, Efraim following behind.
They arrived in an alley that led to a rear entrance of the Agency. Pushing through the gates, they were stopped by two armed guards. Dave recognized one, pulled his identification out as did Francine and Efraim and they were allowed to enter the offices.
Dan Wilson met them in the hallway. "I see you've remembered the best way in Geiger. Good morning Mrs. Beaman, Beaman. If you'll come this way, we'll make introductions and get to work."
Following Wilson into a conference room, Efraim noted that the inner sanctum of the Agency looked much the same all over the world. This could easily have been the bullpen in DC back in the late 80's. Taking seats around a table, Wilson shut the door and turned to his agents and began his briefing.
"This is Efraim Beaman, Francine Desmond Beaman, and most of you know Dave Geiger from his tour with us two years ago. Agent Beaman is in charge of the operation to find and return Marcus Carlson, Deputy Director of Operations for the CIA, to the United States." He paused as he watched the information sink into the minds of his agents. "Agent Beaman will outline the charges against Carlson. Beaman." Wilson sat down and Efraim nodded to Geiger.
"Marcus Carlson contracted and ordered a hit on Agency personnel. If you'll watch the screen, we have the following: Lee Stetson, a.k.a. The Scarecrow. Agent Amanda King Stetson, John Efraim Beaman, Jr. a.k.a. The Boy Scout. Agent Francine Desmond Beaman, the DC Section Chief William Melrose, CIA contract employee Jonathan Stone, myself and the Director of the Agency, Dr. Austin Smyth." Dave stopped and watched the various looks of shock on the agents around the table. He watched as Efraim paid attention to Maria Steele. He began again at Efraim's slight nod.
"The CIA lost one agent in this attack, and another was wounded. The remaining agents involved are being picked up as we speak, if they are not already in custody. Carlson came to Turkey two days ago, sighted by the Agency babysitter at the airport. His estranged wife and children are in Istanbul. His wife is a former KGB agent, named Marina Rassner. The names of his children are not known. As you know, Austin Smyth was at one time the station chief here in Istanbul, and he has extensive history with Carlson. Dr. Smyth has made this a Priority One manhunt for Carlson. We want him before he can make another attempt on Agency personnel or flee to a country with less than friendly ties with the United States. Any questions?" He looked around the room, noting the interest on everyone's face, but no questions were forthcoming. "Mrs. Beaman?"
Francine stood up and looked over the group. "I would like to interview the agent who identified Carlson at the airport and followed him to the Crowne Plaza, as well as anyone who has had operational contact, or any other kind of contact for that matter, with Carlson or the CIA in this region." She nodded to Efraim and sat down.
Efraim leaned on the table and looked at the agents around the table. "I can't stress the importance of taking Carlson alive. What precipitated the attack on Agency employees was a sting operation that resulted in the suicide of a senator's wife. Carlson has been linked to blackmail schemes with members of Congress, the Senate and the Department of Defense. Those branches of the United States Government are not going to want to swing in the breeze; that will be Carlson's job when he is returned stateside. I was placed in charge of this operation by Dr. Smyth himself and he does not expect us to fail. Don't approach Carlson on your own, get a message to me. Is that understood?"
He didn't wait for agreement from the assembly. "Questions?" No one had questions for him. "Please see Mrs. Beaman if you have the information she is looking for." Francine left with several agents, finding an empty office to use for her interviews.
Efraim leaned back in the chair, fingers templed in front of his face as he watched the agents leave. Dan Wilson sat with him and was about to talk over the presentation when Maria Steele stopped at the door and turned back to Efraim.
"Commander. I'm very sorry to hear about the attacks on our personnel as well as the death of the senator's wife. Please know that you can count on me to help in anyway I can." She gave him a dazzling smile and laid her hand on his shoulder to emphasis her sincerity. Efraim nodded. After a moment, she turned and left the room.
"Good thing your wife didn't see that or that woman would be doing duty at McMurdo Station. And they can still get a final few flights to Antarctica at this time of year." Geiger said, his tone wistful.
Wilson raised an eyebrow. "You planning on telling her, Dave? You sound like a bitter man."
"I have my moments. We'll see how things progress. She does it again, she's heading south for the winter."
Efraim stood up and walked to the door, watching as Maria Steele stopped by the open office door that Francine was using to interview agents in.
"What's the matter, Beaman?" Dave stopped next to Efraim, following his line of sight. His eyes narrowed as he watched Maria Steele. "Something about her bother you?"
Crossing his arms over his chest, he nodded . "Yeah. Dan? Did you mention my naval rank?"
"No, I kept it short and simple. Besides, I didn't think it was important as far as need to know."
"It isn't. Why then did she address me as 'Commander'?" Efraim turned and leaned up against the wall, his mind working on the puzzle of Maria Steele.
"Close the door, let's listen to the tape." Wilson was already pulling up the remote that worked the electronics in the conference room.
Dave closed the door and sat down. He was used to hearing Efraim referred to as Commander so it hadn't made an impression on him. But Beaman had heard it and Dave knew it would be important to know how Steele had learned that bit of information.
Finding the correct spot in the tape, the three men listened to the conversation that had just taken place. Efraim nodded his head, he knew what he had heard.
"How to you do it Beaman? Pick those things up? No. Don't tell me, I know. It's what you get paid to do." Geiger laughed, having heard Efraim brush off his talents before.
"I'd say that puts an interesting slant on things, don't you think?"
"What about the old man?" Dave asked, watching as Efraim shook his head.
"I don't understand. Why would the Director of the Agency have anything to say to Agent Steele?" Wilson could feel the hair on the back of his neck standing on end at the mention of Austin Smyth.
Efraim shrugged and answered with his own question. "What does this conversation have to do with Smyth?"
Dan Wilson watched the two men sitting across from him. They're damn good, not a hair out of place!" His own instincts were kicking in and he had been in the business long enough to know he wasn't going to get anything more out of these two. "When you think I need to know whatever it is, I'll be damned interested to hear it."
Efraim acted confused and Geiger shrugged. "Dan, do you have a secure phone I can use? I need to call DC and get some information," the slip was bothering Efraim, and it was a feeling he didn't like at all.
"Yeah, you can use my office. Follow me." Wilson got up to lead them to his personal office.
Efraim got up to follow and stopped. "Keep an eye on Francine for me, will ya? Don't tell her I asked you to either, or I'll be sleeping in with you and Smyth."
Dave laughed and walked out of the office with Efraim. "Not a word from me."
Sitting at Wilson's desk, Efraim checked the time on his watch. He smiled and touched the dial of the watch, his wedding gift from his wife. He checked the chronograph for the adjusted times between DC and Turkey and shrugged. It was 2 am in DC, someone would answer. With Smyth out of the country, he wouldn't be surprised if Lee and Billy were living in the bullpen. Picking up the phone, he placed the call to DC.
After several minutes, he heard the line connect and the dull ring of a phone. Pulling a sensor of his own out of his jacket pocket, he was glad to see that the room and telephone line were clean. He heard the phone pick up on the DC end.
"Stetson."
"Lee, it's Beaman. What are you doing, living there?"
"Yeah, something like that. Listen, we had a problem with Quigley; it looks like Carlson tried to have him removed from the detention center."
"Is he alive?"
"Yeah. He's been asking for you. His attorney was there when the CIA tried to pull him."
Efraim laughed, he can imagine what had happened with Will Meier in the room when the CIA tried pulling their games. "Why is he asking for me? Damn! Lee! I think I've got it figured out. Let me get back to you." He could hear Lee shouting at him as he hung up the phone. Efraim sat back in the chair, kicking back he put his legs up on Wilson's desk. Staring at the light fixture, he tried to pluck the pieces of the puzzle out of the holes in the acoustic ceiling.
He had been right, Quigley was the key to this mess. But how? And why? Eyeing Wilson's computer, Efraim gave a mental shrug and turned the unit on, cracking through the security web in a matter of minutes. He pulled a map of Turkey up and studied it. Carlson was here for reason's beyond a daughter and estranged wife.
"Dammit!" His eyes fell on the coastline of Romania and the city of Bucharest, a mere 90 miles from the resting place of the Dark Horse Laser system. "Damn, he's going for the Dark Horse!"
Jumping up from the chair, he swung open the door to Wilson's office, catching Geiger's eye. "I've got it." He closed the door and went back to the computer, accessing files in DC that he had sent to his computer there the morning they had been hit. He opened files of information he had gathered and had not had the chance to go through.
Dave and Francine came in the office. Dave leaned on the door to stop anyone from barging in, and Francine came around the desk to see what Efraim was looking at. "What's wrong, B?" She put her hand on his shoulder, leaning in to see what he had found.
"Nothing's wrong. Listen, help me think this through, will ya?"
"Sure B, what do you have?"
"Who's interested in the Dark Horse?"
Both Francine and Geiger looked surprised by the question, but they both knew Efraim well enough to follow his train of thought to the end. "It's easier to list who might not be interested, B. Why?"
"Who has the hots for us now? I mean, who'd love to stick it to the US?"
Geiger sat down, his head was starting to ache as he tried to keep up with Efraim's thought process. "Well, you want the top 10?"
"Give me the top 3." Efraim pushed the chair back and patted his knee for Francine to sit down. She frowned at him and sat on the corner of the desk, giving him a playful frown.
"This month it's Iran, Iraq, maybe Syria. You can add any little independent factions to that list as well, but since they're all interconnected anyway, I don't see that it's important to list them all."
"They'd love to get their hands on the Dark Horse, wouldn't they?" He watched as his words sunk in.
"B, you think he's going for the Dark Horse?" Francine asked.
"Yeah, he tried to take Quigley from the detention center. He's tried to take out anyone connected with the Dark Horse operation. Look where we're at. . . ." He pulled the map back up on Wilson's computer, pointing out Romania and Bucharest.
"That's why your computer was destroyed and your files taken. He thinks you may have the research!" Francine said, starting to figure things out.
Efraim smiled at his wife and nodded. "Yeah."
"Does it matter who he's looking to sell it to?" Geiger didn't see why it mattered at this time who the buyer might be.
Efraim thought about it. "You're probably right, Dave, it doesn't matter. Only if he raises it or gets the research."
"You think he's going to raise it? That's going to be hard to do without someone noticing what he's up to."
"No, he needs only a day, if that. Think about it. You've heard Leatherneck's crew talking about it, right? He's going for the Dark Horse, and I'll bet he has a buyer."
"B, you're really making a leap here. Can you back it up and go . . . no! His wife! She's the broker!" Francine smiled at her husband as she finally found the track he was on.
"Yeah, and Smyth's little girl out there has been listening in on conversations. She's knows my rank as Commander. That was given to me the day we left for Bucharest. We need to get her out of the office and I need to get to her computer . . . let me lock this one down." He reset Wilson's computer and smiled as his wife patted him on the shoulder.
"Do you think she's helping her mother? That's treason." Regardless of their past, Geiger's shock was evident at the thought of Steele being a traitor.
"I don't know, maybe she's thinking she could run her own show. I'm sorry, Dave. We have to work from the premise that she's involved."
Dave gave a curt nod to show he had heard Efraim. He sighed and shook his head, his face and thoughts now shuttered. "I'll get her out of the office, get what you need out of her computer."
"Thanks. I'll work fast."
"You are at heart, B, a two story man!" Francine said, knowing her husband loved to crack into peoples computers.
"Yeah, I know. Still love me?"
"More and more every day B, more and more everyday!" She told him on a laugh as she left the room.
Geiger shook his head as she passed him. "Do you have to say stuff like that to him? It just blows his ego all out of proportion!" Francine smiled at Dave and winked over her shoulder to her husband. "Okay Boy Scout, any suggestions how I get Steele out of the office?"
"Bring in Mommy Dearest."
"You know we can't just pick up a citizen and haul them in!" Geiger said, his look incredulous.
"Question her then, I don't care, but trust me, she'll come to the office with you. Daddy's little girl will be ever so persuasive. You ever met Rassner?"
"No."
"I'm sorry Dave. Can you handle this?"
"Yeah, don't worry about it. I've been thinking; this is a little more than I ever wanted to know about Dr. Smyth."
"That thought has passed my mind, Dave. They have any bugs here?"
"I thought you would have checked the office." Geiger responded, surprised at what he thought to be a lapse in Efraim's security.
"Not in here, of course I checked the office. Jeez! No, I want you to carry a bug. Call it a gut feeling, you don't speak Russian, do you?"
"No."
"I'll bet that Steele will convince 'Mommy' to come in. I just want to hear the conversation."
"Will do. I'll give the receiver to your wife, I don't think she likes Ms. Steele."
Efraim laughed.
"A word of caution Beaman. You're playing fast and loose with Austin Smyth, the spy master himself. Make sure you don't get caught in one of his webs."
"Yeah, I can't say I haven't thought about that myself. The old man is sitting back in that hotel room thinking about all of this and I get to run rings and jump through hoops where he has them waiting for me. I want to just lay a few for him too."
"We're on the same damn side." Geiger said, disgusted with Smyth.
"Supposed to be on the same side, Dave. Only Smyth is on Smyth's side. Not that he'll let us hang out to dry, it'll look bad for him if he does that. But we have to out think and out maneuver him. No one said working for the Agency was a glamour job."
"Now I know why Lee says he should have been a doctor, lawyer or engineer."
"Yeah, and I should have stayed in the Navy. But it's been worth it."
"Thought you'd say that, you have it bad, Beaman."
"I'm thinking that's not such a bad thing. Okay, go get Rassner, I want to do some checking on that computer. I'll see you when you get back."
Geiger nodded and left the room, Efraim followed behind him. He watched Dave mention that he was going to interview Rassner and asked for any Russian speaking agents to give him a hand. Efraim put his head down to hide his smile when Steele jumped at the bait. When he looked back up it was to see his wife giving him a slight smile and a raised eyebrow. He grinned back at her and waited until Steele had grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair at her desk. Dave came back a few minutes later and said something to Francine, who smiled and nodded then walked over to stand next to her husband.
"You are going to end up being court-martialed, Commander. Hacking, unlawful detentions, bugging."
"You going to turn me in Francine?"
"Not me sailor, I'm going to watch your backside."
"I love it when you talk like that." He grabbed her hand before she could pinch him. "Okay hon, watch my back now, I'm going into Steele's computer. Anything interesting from your interviews?"
"Nothing we hadn't suspected. Carlson is still being watched. I get the feeling he's waiting for us to act."
"I don't know, he's waiting, but for something else. Let's see if we can't figure it out." He sat down at Steele's computer after asking anyone if they minded that he used the computer. Raising an eyebrow at Francine when no one voiced any concerns, he pulled up the program directory and started some tracing. He hit wall after wall, but slowly managed to gain entrance after fifteen minutes of cipher writing.
Francine had been monitoring the progress Dave and Steele were making, giving Efraim a heads up when they were almost back to the office. Efraim sent a remote line to his computer in DC that would enable him to get back into Steele's computer from the hotel via the Agency main frame in DC. He hid his tracks, shaking his head and thinking that he hadn't seen this good of security on a computer since he wrote a program for the Office of Naval Investigative Services. His instincts were in overdrive as he got up from computer terminal and went back into the conference room to wait with Francine.
"Anything?"
"Yeah. Interesting. No time to talk about it here. Want me to interview Rassner?" Francine pulled the earpiece from her ear and wrapped up the device, putting it away before Dave and Steele walked into the office.
"You're the best there is, Francine." He smiled at her, meaning every word he said.
Francine smiled back, understanding exactly what he was saying to her. "I'll find you something you can work with, B."
He nodded and waited, letting his face go blank as Dave, Steele and Marina Rassner came in the conference room. He held out a chair for Marina Rassner to sit. She sat down, looking remote and imperial.
"Thank you Ms. Steele, for accompanying Agent Geiger." Efraim held the door open for her to leave and waited.
"Madam Rassner speaks a Russian dialect from Volgograd; it is very easily misunderstood." Her desperation to stay in the room was obvious.
"Ah!" Francine broke in, speaking the dialect that Maria Steele indicated. "I will be able to translate without any problem. Thank you."
"As you see, we are able to bridge the communications gulf. Thank you for offering your assistance." Efraim pointedly held the door, and with a tightening of her mouth, Maria Steele left the room. Efraim pulled the shades on the door and windows, pulled out a jamming device, set it in the middle of the table and sat down.
"What is it that is so important that you have me taken from my home and brought to this place?' Rassner looked at Francine expecting her to translate. She swung her head around in surprise as Efraim answered her.
"Your connection to Marcus Carlson."
"What is it you wish to know, young man?" She asked him in English, inclining her head at his acknowledgment of her command of English.
"What would you like to tell us?" He countered, knowing the Russian culture's love of word games.
Marina Rassner laughed, her hands flew to her cheeks in delight. She looked at Francine, her eyes filled with amusement. "This one, he is not so stupid as he looks!"
Efraim burst into laughter and Francine was indignant. "He is neither, Mrs. Carlson."
"He is your husband, no?"
"Yes, he is." Francine answered, wondering where this was leading.
"Do you trust him?"
"Yes."
"Ah, you love him and he loves you, so there is trust between you. I however do not trust my husband and so there is no love lost between us two. He would as easily kill me as not."
"Why then would he run here to you?" Efraim asked. "Is it to see his daughters?" Efraim watched the slight tensing of Rassner's mouth, the wariness that appeared in her eyes.
"He cares little for them. They are of no use to him."
"And you," Francine interjected. "With your KGB contacts, are you still of use to him?"
"Why don't you ask me what it is you wish to know?" Rassner sighed and her shoulders slumped, giving the impression of tiring of this game.
Francine wasn't so sure. "Did you know that Carlson tried to have Austin Smyth killed?" Francine saw the surprise that Marina quickly tried to hide. Efraim saw it as well and knew that they had something to work on.
"No, I did not."
"You do know who Austin Smyth is, don't you?" Francine pushed the woman before her for an answer, instinctively knowing she had something to work with.
Rassner shot Francine a look of anger. "Yes. I believe that you know the answer to that question."
"Does your daughter know?"
"No. I have never told her. But Austin has always been good and loving to my daughters. Far more than Marcus has been to them, or to me. Maria idolizes Austin and would do anything to please him."
"What is the name of your youngest daughter?"
"She is Margo Rassner. She is in the United States at this time, studying to be a doctor. She is in her internship at John Hopkins."
Efraim picked up the telephone and called the DC office. Getting the night duty officer, he ordered a trace, location and protective surveillance on Margo Rassner.
"You don't think that Carlson would try to hurt his own daughter, do you?" Francine asked.
The silence in the room stretched on, becoming heavy as it wore on. Rassner sighed, "They are both Austin's children," she gave a little soundless laugh, scorn and amusement warring with one another in the sound. "Austin knows, of course."
Efraim nodded, he had expected this. Francine sat back in her chair, her mind whirling with questions. Mostly she couldn't get over the fact that Dr. Smyth had two children. And that their mother was a former Russian KGB agent.
"Does Carlson know?" Francine was trying to sort out what was important and what wasn't, and who the new players were.
Marina stood up, wrapping her arms around herself in a protective gesture. "He suspects. Maria, she is much like her Papa, is she not? Margo, she is as well in temperament as Austin was before . . ."
"Before what, Ms. Rassner?" Efraim asked her, watching and weighing each of her words for the truth in them.
"Before he found out who I was and that I was using him for information for Carlson and for my government."
"Damn!" Efraim let loose with a silent whistle. "Madam, please sit. This is hard for you to recall," he offered seeing the paleness of her face, pulling a chair out for her.
"Thank you, but I am surprised by your consideration. I was a Russian agent who used Austin to spy on his country." Her words were harsh and damning, but there was no self pity in them.
"I think it was not by your choice, am I right?" Francine mused. "You fell in love with Austin Smyth." Will miracles never cease?
"Yes, I did."
Efraim had kicked back in the chair, tottering on the two back legs, fingers templed as he tapped his chin. "Carlson found out, didn't he? He threatened to ruin Smyth's career. And somehow the two of you continued to see each other."
Marina Rassner studied Efraim for several moments. "I have decided, you are not so stupid, and you are rather cute, that is the word they use, yes? Very smart. And cute."
Efraim laughed while Francine didn't look like she knew how to take Rassner's statement. "Who has Carlson asked you to contact regarding the Dark Horse?"
Marina laughed. "Everyone, dear boy, he has ordered me to contact everyone."
"Who has he agreed to meet with. That's why he's waiting at the Crowne Plaza, isn't it? He's waiting for the buyer."
"Yes. Syria and the Pakistan's are interested. Syria has the money. Pakistan has desire. Carlson will go with the money."
"Carlson has threatened you?" Efraim asked.
"Yes. Is Austin unharmed?"
Efraim watched Rassner for a few moments, his eyes narrowed as he thought. "Yes, he's fine."
"You would not lie to me?"
"He would not lie to you. Dr. Smyth is unharmed." Francine told her as she watched her husband, starting to shake her head as she clued into what her husband was thinking of doing. "Efraim? You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?"
Efraim smiled and winked at his wife. "Madam, would you take a short ride with us? I personally guarantee your safe return to your home afterwards if you so desire it."
"B? Are you out of your mind?" She knew what he was going to do and she had visions of being placed in research in DC and never seeing daylight again.
Rassner watched the two before her and made a decision that she thought might change her life. "Yes, yes I will go with you. But you must insure that Maria is safe."
"She will be. Francine, stay here, I'll tell Dave."
"I'm glad you are, I don't want to give him that duty." Francine crossed her arms over her chest, her eyebrows raised in disbelief at the turn of events.
Efraim stuck his head out the door and Francine heard Dave's curse in response. "Alright, no problem there. Let's take a ride." He held the door for Rassner and Francine.
Francine stopped at the door. "I hope you know what you're doing because you are playing with fire, B."
Efraim kissed his wife's nose and gave her a push out the door. He followed them out, feeling Dave's eyes boring into his back as he closed the Agency door between them.
I hope I know what I'm doing too.
