Ted Garrett didn't look happy. "Now let me see if I get this straight, Leland. Eighty-five percent of our own people will never see the inside of this room, and you're suggesting we bring a civilian in here?"
Myles folded his hands in front of him on the table, his expression grave. "Ted, I'm telling you, we'll never get close enough to David Dillingham, in the time we have, to talk to him, let alone trying to protect him. Between my brief encounter with him last weekend and everything Elizabeth has told me, I am sure of that. I don't make the suggestion lightly. She is our best way in — on short notice, she's probably our only way in."
Jack didn't look much happier. "You've met him. He wouldn't listen to you?"
Myles shook his head. "You have to understand. I wasn't there as an FBI agent – I was there as his granddaughter's 'beau,' I believe the term was. In an official capacity, I won't have any more pull than the rest of you. I'm not even positive that Elizabeth can get through to him. I'm just saying she's got more of a chance than we do of getting in the door."
"What do we know about this woman?" Garrett asked. "Besides your social life."
Tara responded. "She's already on file here, sir. She's just finishing up a post-doctoral research project involving work-related stress among law-enforcement officers. Because the proposal for the project involved federal officers as well, she had to have a full background check. I can have somebody bring the file up."
"Do that. I want to see this for myself before I even consider anything."
Tara got on the inter-office phone — the only communication between C-5 and the outside world. The request was made, and five minutes later the folder was in Garrett's hands.
"In the meantime," Jack said, as Garrett settled in to read, "we need to go over what little Intel has for us and see if we can come up with some semblance of a game plan. Tara, pull up a map of the area surrounding the WHO regional office here, and a layout of the building, if it's available. The rest of you—" He dumped several colored folders on the table. "Start going over this and let's see what we can come up with."
An hour later, they hadn't made a lot of progress. There simply wasn't anything concrete enough to pinpoint who might be gunning for the scientist, or how they might go about it. There was plenty of information as to where they could do it, but little else.
Finally, Garrett closed the file folder in front of him and looked up. "All right," he said. "Leland, you said Dr. Elizabeth Dillingham is our best way in. You're that sure?"
He met Garret's glare directly and nodded. "Yes."
"Will she do it?"
"I can't speak for her directly, sir," Myles replied, "but I believe she will."
"Then go tell her to clear her schedule for the next couple of days, and get her in here. No phones—go in person. I'll get the Director to issue one more C-5 key-card. She's not to have the passcode, and she's not to be in here without one of you. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir," echoed around the room.
"Bring her down to my office and we'll get a retinal scan on file." He looked at his watch. "It's 10:30. Everybody take a break until we can get Dr. Dillingham, Jr., set up, and we'll reconvene here at 12:30. Someone will probably want to bring in lunch."
"I'll take care of that, sir," Lucy volunteered.
"Good. See you all in two hours."
s
s
"Dr. Dillingham is in with a patient right now, Agent Leland, but she'll be done in about five minutes. Is there something I can help you with?" Elizabeth's secretary looked rather surprised to have two FBI agents standing in the outer office.
"Thank you, we'll wait."
Five minutes later, a young woman stepped out of the inner office, made a follow-up appointment for the next week, and left. Myles and Jack didn't move until she was well down the hallway. They stood just as Elizabeth emerged.
"Shannon, be sure that Mrs. Clark's file is…" she trailed off as she saw the two men. "Myles, Jack—what are you doing here?" She ignored Shannon's mouthed "Myles?"
Jack spoke first. "Dr. Dillingham, may we have a word in private?"
"Of course." She motioned them into her office.
On his way past her, Myles made a motion toward Shannon with his eyes. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at him, then turned to her secretary. "Shannon, why don't you take a long lunch? We're not expecting anyone until 1 p.m., anyway. Oh, and please lock the outer office on your way out."
At Shannon's expression, she added, "It's all right, Shannon. I'll buzz you on your cell phone if I need you."
Elizabeth waited until Shannon had closed the outer office door before she turned and motioned the two men into chairs. Then she sat down at her desk. "Well, gentlemen, this is a surprise. Although, from your expressions, I somehow doubt it's a social call. What can I do for you?"
Myles glanced at Jack, caught his nod, then leaned forward in his chair. "Elizabeth, we need your help, and we can't discuss it here. In fact, we need you to clear out your schedule for the rest of today and the next…two?" He looked at Jack, who nodded. "…the next two days, and come with us right now."
Elizabeth just looked at him steadily for a moment. "Does this have anything to do with a package my grandfather handed me this morning? He told me to give it to you if I couldn't think of a more secure place for it."
The two agents exchanged another glance. This time it was Jack who spoke. "Most likely."
She nodded, then picked up the phone and dialed, her eyes never leaving Myles'. "Shannon, get back here within fifteen minutes. See if Drs. Allen and Sutherland can take the rest of my patients for today, and clear out the rest of the week, please. I won't be here when you get back, and I'll be out of touch indefinitely. I'll call to check in when I can." She watched the smile come into Myles' eyes, though the rest of his expression remained businesslike.
There was a pause as Shannon apparently said something. Elizabeth smiled broadly and looked up at the ceiling. "No, Shannon, you don't need to call my lawyer. I'm not in trouble. Just take care of it, okay? Thanks." She hung up, shaking her head and noticing the two men grinning.
"Shannon reads too many suspense novels," she explained as she grabbed her purse and her coat. "I'm all yours, gentlemen. Grandfather's package is in my safe-deposit box, on the way to your office. Lead on."
s
s
At 12:30, a rather subdued Elizabeth Dillingham joined the team in C-5. The last ninety minutes had been a dizzying barrage of retinal scan, searches, ID badges and complete non-answers. If she hadn't trusted Myles, and Jack Hudson, as she did, she might have reconsidered calling her lawyer. Tara or Myles had been at her side the whole time, but it was still rather frightening. What on earth has Grandfather gotten himself and all of these people into?
It only took fifteen minutes to bring her up to date on what they knew, and why she was there. The package, it turned out, contained a binder full of research notes, and a biohazard-packed container labeled "Ebola Serum Prototype A-1." Finally, Ted Garrett made it very clear to her what was expected of her in terms of confidentiality.
When he finished, Elizabeth shivered, just once, then looked at Garrett. "Myles – uh, Agent Leland – is correct, Mr. Garrett," she said. "My grandfather probably wouldn't even let you in the door. He is an expert at tuning out what he considers irrelevant. He feels he's…uh…I'm not sure how to explain it…"
Myles cut to the chase. "David Dillingham thinks himself invincible, and certainly wouldn't consider mere terrorists as a threat. You said it yourself, Elizabeth: 'twenty-five years with the CDC, and he thinks he's God.' The man's arrogance is palpable."
Bobby grinned. "Aw, we don't know anyone like that, do we Myles?" A ripple of laughter went around the table as Myles glared at him. Even Garrett allowed himself a minute smile.
Elizabeth joined the laughter, then shook her head. "Bobby, let me try to put this in perspective. When it comes to 'pompous,' David Dillingham makes Myles Leland look like Sue Thomas." There was more laughter at that, and Sue raised her eyebrows at Myles, smiling. He returned the look with a wink.
Jack got everybody's attention back. "Guys, we're on a deadline here. The conference is Friday morning – three days and a few hours from now – and we don't even know where to start. Dr. Dillingham…"
"I can get you in to talk to him," she said. "After that…if you all don't have any luck, would you consider letting me try?"
Jack looked at Ted Garrett. The big man scowled, then thought about it. "As much as I would prefer to keep you as peripherally involved as possible, from what you've just told us, I think you should be there while the conversation is going on. How long will it take you to set it up?"
Elizabeth looked up at the ceiling, an exasperated gesture. "Under ordinary circumstances, where I'd just come out and tell him, probably two weeks. As it is, five minutes." She turned to Jack. "May I offer a suggestion, Agent Hudson?"
"Go ahead."
"As I assume you're going to want at least one agent with my grandfather from now until the conference, I would suggest that Myles is probably a good choice for one of them. Grandfather likes him."
Myles looked up. "He does?"
She nodded with a smile. "Let's just say you made a favorable first impression. He's happy that I'm dating a Harvard man — I think I've atoned for going to Princeton." Her expression became serious. "Now, is there a place where I can call Grandfather and get you all in the door?"