IV
Four weeks later after formally accepting a position with Omega Sector Agent Andrew McCabe, formerly of the FBI, sits across from Stone who is finalizing McCabe's orientation paperwork. McCabe sits quietly in a chair facing the big mahogany desk as Stone goes through his file. Having just met the Deputy Director for the first time McCabe is unsure how or if he should break the silence between them. However Stone picks up on this and offers him something to drink.
"No sir, thank you." McCabe replies. "I'm sorry to hear about your Director Grant."
"Thank you" Stone pauses for a moment then continues. "Now we've gone through your general orientation, issued your access code to the building and your name and personal information has been classified so all ties to your family have been effectively severed, digitally and on paper that is." Stone explains.
"Is that the norm for all field agents?" McCabe asks.
"Yes, it's for your own protection, more importantly for your family's. Now the odds that someone would be able to find and exploit that link to use against you or us is minimal but then again anything's possible and we don't leave anything to chance." Stone explains.
"What about rogue agents, within Omega's ranks?"
"Never had one, not yet. Hope we never do, as you know Omega's screening process is pretty thorough." Stone replies.
Stone spends another ten minutes or so with McCabe then decides it's time to introduce him to the team he'll be working with. He leads McCabe to the Shadow Ops room where Hudson is receiving the latest report from Agent Huber and his team currently overseas. Hudson sees Stone enter with the unknown following him and walks over to give him the latest update.
"Still no sign of Aziri although Huber said they have a lead that suggests he was headed for Minsk when he was last in town."
"Good, have Bravo pursue the lead and keep us update. Oh Will this is former FBI Agent Andrew McCabe. He's one of Grant's prospects, just completed orientation and he's been assigned to Shadow team." Stone says introducing McCabe to his team leader.
"Oh excellent, welcome aboard." Hudson says extending his hand.
"McCabe, this is Shadow team leader William Hudson, former Army special forces." Stone says.
"Good to meet you sir." McCabe says shaking hands with Hudson.
"Hudson will get you settled in and introduced to the rest of the guys and then he'll get you up to speed on what they've been working on lately." Stone says. "Good luck Agent McCabe."
"Thank you sir." McCabe says taking Stone's extended hand.
Stone walks back to his office, collects McCabe's file and a few other documents then goes to see Hayes. He knocks on the door since its closed and waits to get approval before entering. Stone walks in to find Hayes talking to a man in a suit and tie with a visitors pass clipped to his jacket pocket.
"Michael, I'm glad you're here. This is John Foley, CIA. Section Chief of Middle Eastern Operations." Hayes says introducing the man.
Stone extends his hand as Foley rises from his seat to meet Stone. "Deputy Director Michael Stone, good to meet you."
"Likewise. Kim here was just informing me of your recent promotion, congratulations."
"Thank you, actually we both did." Stone replies.
"Yes I know, that's actually the reason for my visit today." Foley says.
"Oh?"
"The CIA has a tendency to keep tabs on us as best they can, isn't that right John?" Hayes says with a wry grin.
"We are after all the Central Intelligence Agency . . . . . " Foley says putting emphasis on the words central and intelligence. "And the one government agency that knows the most about Omega Sector and its operations."
"Yes well, if there's nothing else you need John then I believe Stone needed a word with me in private." Hayes says.
Stone meanwhile senses that Hayes doesn't like this guy very much and takes his cue from her. "That's right I did."
"Yes well, I guess I will be on my way then. Congrats again on the promotion Stone, Kim always a pleasure." Foley says as he shows himself out of her office.
Stone is about to bring up the report he came to give her then notices Hayes' eyes still on Foley as he walks down the hall towards the elevators.
"I cannot believe they made him Section Chief of Middle Eastern Ops." Hayes says as Foley steps onto an elevator.
"Why? I mean I clearly got the vibe you don't like him but what gives?"
Once the elevator doors close Hayes finally turns her attention to Stone. "He's extremely biased towards the Middle East. His younger brother was killed on September 11th, he was a passenger on board United 93."
"Damn." Stone says. "Can't say I blame him, or anyone who lost loved ones that day."
"There's more." Hayes says as Stone finally takes a seat.
"A week after that he tried to have a small incursion team sent to Baghdad to try and capture Saddam Hussein."
"Alone!? We hadn't even invaded Iraq yet by that point." Stone says starting to get the picture.
"Exactly and then he . . . ." Hayes stops herself.
"What? What is it?" Stone says knowing she wants to say more.
"Close the door."
Stone does as instructed and sits back down across from her.
"Now we have no evidence but shortly after we captured Hussein there was an assassination attempt on his life while in custody." Hayes explains.
"Really." Stone says not overly shocked. "Who wouldn't want to kill him?"
"Yeah, yeah, anyway the assassin was shot and killed in the process and the whole thing was covered up, no one knew."
"Then how do you know, if I may ask?"
"Because Grant was there, he broke protocol and told me in secrecy. I think it was weighing heavily on his mind and he only told me because I was his Deputy Director. That's why I'm telling you now and this is all under lock and key."
"Of course but I don't see the point yet, what was weighing on Grant's mind."
"The point is the assassin was a CIA agent that up until three months prior to then was on the same team as Foley!" Hayes says.
"Whoa, you think Foley ordered the hit? Stone asks.
"Foley wasn't the same rank back then as he is now and even though he was cleared of any involvement yeah I do."
"What's your theory, more importantly what was Grant's?"
"During the investigation Foley barely passed his polygraph." Hayes explains. "I know it's not much but bottom line . . . . neither myself nor Grant ever felt he could be trusted."
"This agent, the assassin; did he have family that were lost on 9/11?"
"We don't know, his file was classified by CIA."
"Kim you know we have ways of getting around that." Stone urges.
"And they're not technically legal, so leave it be. Besides it's not our problem, as long as Foley stays relatively out of our affairs we'll stay out of his." Hayes replies.
"And if he doesn't?"
"Then I'll take care of it"
"Okay, well the reason I came to see you was to let you know Andrew McCabe is now active and has been assigned to Shadow team." Stone says. "Hudson is with him now."
"Good, what about the other candidate, the female pilot. Grant had her at the top of the list." Hayes says.
"I know but his notes state that she wasn't interested, at least not right away. Grant would've given her a card but unless she comes to us there's not much we can do." Stone explains.
"Okay, keep looking. I'd like Hudson to have at least one more agent so we can get Shadow back to full capacity again." Hayes says.
"I agree, I'm on it." Stone replies.
Two nights later while preparing to leave for the day Stone is informed about Bravo team's current status.
"Michael, I've got some news from Huber." Hudson says intercepting him on his way out.
"Yeah?" Stone says with a curious reply to Hudson's expression.
"They tracked down the car Aziri was using at some abandoned stables in mountains outside of Minsk. It was blown to smithereens along with a van it was parked next to."
"You're kidding, any bodies found on site?"
"Four. Two of them were found inside the stables, killed by explosion." Hudson says.
"The same explosion that took out the cars." Stone assumes.
"No, separate explosion on the backside of the stables." Hudson adds. "The other two were found out by the cars burnt to a crisp. But here's where it gets really interesting, the two bodies found out front." Hudson pauses.
"Yeah?"
"They weren't killed in the explosion, each body had at least one bullet wound to the head."
"At least one?"
"Yeah, one of them was shot through the throat and then twice more between the eyes!"
"Was Aziri one of them?" Stone asks.
"Not sure yet but there were firearms found on each of the bodies so it's a safe bet he's one of them." Hudson says.
"We need to get a forensics team out there ASAP and collect the entire site for analysis."
"That may be difficult given their location maybe even impossible but remember Huber's got a forensic specialist on his team. I've already ordered Huber to have him collect all the data he can but if the local authorities show up then they'll have to pull out. Which could be anytime."
"Good, gather what they can off the site, if possible I want the bodies collected as well." Stone orders.
"Not a problem but without a lab we won't be able to analyze any of it until they get back to the states." Hudson adds.
"No that'll take too long, send them to Ramstein Air Force Base after they evacuate the area."
"Germany?"
"Affirmative, they can analyze the data there besides depending on the results it may be wise to keep them in Europe in case we have to re-deploy them elsewhere. I'll send the order down the line to Ramstein to let them know Bravo is coming." Stone says.
"Good point, I'll update Huber and let you know when they arrive at Ramstein." Hudson replies.
"Good job Will."
"Thanks, oh wait one last thing. Guess what was found among the wreckage of the vehicles." Hudson says.
Stone stops for a moment and makes an educated guess. "A shipment of Stinger missiles?"
"One empty launcher to be precise, Huber thinks it was used to destroy both vehicles."
"Great." Stone says sarcastically. "Keep me informed."
"You got it."
Stone walks back into his office to make arrangements for Bravo team at Ramstein then finally heads home for the night.
When he arrives the next morning Stone immediately asks to see if a report has come in from Bravo's forensic specialist.
"Not yet sir, I'll page you as soon as I hear something though." Dyson replies.
As he walks to his office Hudson intercepts him having spotted him coming out of communications.
"Anxious I see."
"Guess so, how's McCabe getting along with the guys?" Stone asks.
"Good so far, I know I'm still a man short but I'd like to take the team to Germany and help follow up with this case." Hudson requests. "I also need to get McCabe out in the field."
"I know you do Will, I'm eager to see how he does in the field as well but until we have a further lead the answer is no. Besides Hayes and I both want Shadow back at full strength."
"Okay." Hudson pauses for a moment. Even though best of friends and he has always served under Stone's command now that he is Deputy Director Hudson takes caution to voice his thoughts properly. "Permission to speak freely sir?"
Stone grins slightly as he opens the door to his office and walks in with Hudson following. "Yeah Will go ahead."
"We weren't exactly at full strength in Istanbul."
"I know but we had Alert team 5 backing us up." Stone replies knowing where Hudson is going with this.
"Right, Bravo is already there. We'll back them up and while we're on the subject you realize it's actually been five years since Shadow was last at full strength." Hudson says making his case.
"All good points Will but until the results come back from Ramstein we don't have a lead so I can't justify sending you out there when you might end up just turning around and coming right back. And yes Shadow is long overdue for a replacement for Drake; we waited for a long time to get his prognosis because we didn't want to have to replace him if there was a possibility he could come back one day." Stone explains as he pauses for a moment to read Hudson's expression. "Is there anything else?"
"No sir, I'll let you know when the report comes in."
"Thanks and Will." Stone says stopping him before he reaches the door.
"I know you're eager to get the team out on your own again, just have patience. The last thing I want to risk getting someone killed because you didn't have an extra pair of eyes there to watch your back."
"I know, thanks." Hudson replies understandingly.
A few hours later while speaking to Robin on the phone a call comes through from communications.
"Hang on a second babe." Stone says putting her on hold as he switches to the incoming line. "Stone here."
"Sir this is Dyson, I've got Huber on an incoming call from Ramstein."
Realizing that's the first time he's circumvented Hudson's command he asks Dyson to patch it to Hudson since he's on another line.
Still thinking like an agent.
"Sorry sweetie I've gotta go, something just came up." He says to Robin.
"Okay well don't forget we're having dinner at Amberly's tonight at seven." Robin says.
"Amberly's, seven, copy that. Love ya!"
"Love you too." She replies.
Stone finishes up a report he was working on while he waits for Hudson give him the update. After a few moments he spots him through the window heading towards his office.
"You'd better read this." Hudson says as he hands him a fax.
Stone reads the document and within seconds his expression sours. While his initial reaction is to update Hayes he realizes that as Deputy Director he can field this on his own. "So Aziri was among the dead found at the stables."
"It's confirmed but keep reading." Hudson says as he continues giving the highlights of the report from Bravo team. "Huber's forensic specialist has determined that the second man found next to Aziri was killed by a separate weapon then the one that killed Aziri himself."
"How did he reach that conclusion?" Stone asks still looking through the fax pages.
"Well it may be difficult to explain it myself, Huber suggested we contact him via sat-com. He says Galloway has generated a 3D layout of the scene and he can demonstrate what happened."
"Okay set it up, give me about thirty minutes to finish up a few things then I'll meet you in Shadow Ops room." Stone says.
"Will do." Hudson replies.
A half hour later Stone walks into the Shadow Ops room to find Hudson as well as Watts manning the computer as he initiates the uplink with Bravo team at Ramstein AFB in Germany.
"Hey Kyle, how's it going." Stone says as he takes a seat.
"Good sir thanks, I've got Huber and Galloway online for you." Watts replies as the image of the two Bravo members appears live on the wide screen monitor.
"Good afternoon boys, how's Germany?" Stone asks.
"Well the weather sucks." Huber says with a smile.
Stone chuckles and says. "Hudson says you've got something for us, let's have it."
"Copy that sir, Watts we're sending the template now." Huber replies.
Watts receives the file for the digital layout of the stables where they found Aziri and his men. Along with several of the pictures taken on scene, Watts transfers the crime scene layout to the main screen on the wall as he brings up a slideshow of the stills on a separate screen. Huber then gives the floor to his forensic specialist, Ben Galloway, who then proceeds to inform Stone and the others, with limited technical jargon, his evidence that there were two shooters at the scene.
First he shows them the scene when Bravo team first arrived; then based off all the analyzed data collected at the scene he adjusts the image to show it before Aziri and his men were killed.
"Okay so this is Aziri." Galloway says indicating one of the figures with a pointer via the computer uplink. "There's a second man to his eight o'clock and two more inside the stables that were found killed from the initial explosion."
"Why are you so sure that was the initial explosion?" Stone asks.
"Well thus far we're assuming Aziri was there to take delivery of a weapons shipment. My theory is the dealer/seller, what not, arrived on site and told him the weapons were stashed in the stables." Galloway explains.
"Reducing his opposition from four to two." Stone puts in. "I see where you're going now, please continue."
"Right, so the first bomb goes off taking out two of Aziri's henchman. Then the seller is clear to take out the other two. Now at this point I don't see a motive for taking out his customer but I can guarantee you he had backup." Galloway says now directing their attention to the pictures of both corpses out front. "From the position their bodies were found I'd say they were both facing east. Aziri was shot once through the throat and twice more between his eyes from twelve o'clock with a 6.35mm caliber pistol at close range. The man found to Aziri's eight o'clock was killed from a ninety-degree angle by a 7.62 round at long range."
"Do we have any leads gentlemen, foot prints, tire tracks anything?" Stone asks.
"We did find a third set of tire tracks but no make or model on the vehicle and the tire type is a common brand used throughout that area for sedans." Huber puts in.
"I'm assuming we have no satellite imagery to assist us?" Stone says pursuing all avenues.
"That's a negative sir." Huber replies. After sensing Stone's frustration of the situation Huber finally asks what his orders are.
"Stay put for now, we'll keep you informed. Good work Galloway."
"Thank you sir."
As Watts disconnects the satellite connection to Germany Stone rubs his forehead wondering where they can go from here.
"Suggestions." He finally says.
"We could talk to Khalid again." Hudson says.
"We already tried that, he's not going to give us anything."
"Yeah but we didn't ask him about Aziri, we pressure him to see what he knows about him. Aziri's father was a known terrorist back in the eighties, he was responsible for several car bombings and even a restaurant bombing during an earthquake."
"He set off a bomb during an earthquake?" Stone says curiously.
"Yeah, guess he thought no one would suspect it wasn't a result of the earthquake. Eventually he claimed responsibility for it, I can try dropping the name and see what kind of reaction it will elicit from Khalid." Hudson says.
"I have my doubts but if you think you can get him to talk then go for it. Take the new kid with you, see what he can do with it."
"McCabe. Alright we're on it."
That afternoon Hudson and McCabe drive to the federal prison where Ali Khalid is being held. After identifying themselves as federal officers they surrender their firearms to the lockup before being allowed access. A guard shows them to an interrogation chamber as they retrieve the prisoner. They wait about five minutes before Khalid is escorted in still in chains and wearing orange prison issue clothing.
"How do you like that color?" Hudson says jokingly.
Khalid says something in Arabic as he is forced into the seat across the table. The guards leave as Hudson walks up to the table and gets right into Khalid's face.
"Did you say something? I know you just didn't insult me . . . . did you insult me Khalid?" Hudson says giving him a thousand yard stare. "That's what I thought."
"What do you want?" Khalid finally says in English.
"We want to know you your working for? Who sent you to buy those Stingers in Istanbul?" Hudson replies as he backs away.
Taking his queue from Hudson, McCabe walks over and sits down across from Khalid as he pulls several pictures from a manila envelope. "Do you know a Taliq Aziri?" McCabe asks first putting a picture of Aziri in front of the prisoner.
Hudson tries to get a read on Khalid as he looks over the picture. "We found him deep fried outside Minsk, do you know anything about that?" Hudson says as McCabe pulls out the pictures of Aziri's body as well as the henchman found with him.
"Do you know who he was working for?" McCabe adds. "Is he part of a terrorist faction planning an attack on the United States?"
McCabe throws out a few more questions but after receiving nothing but silence in return Hudson grasps at his final straw.
"Okay short of being released what would it take for you to help us?"
Khalid says something else in Arabic that neither agent understands; then he raises his cuffed hands giving them the finger!
"Let's go." Hudson says realizing they'll never get anything out of the Iranian.
Back at headquarters Hudson reports the unsuccessful attempt to interrogate Khalid. McCabe follows Hudson into Stone's office as they both take a seat.
"Guess you were right, whatever info Khalid's got he'll take to the grave. However it did seem like he was surprised upon hearing about Aziri's death; I'm convinced they were working together." Hudson explains.
"Unfortunately that's just not going to get us anywhere at the moment." Stone replies. "Alright, I'll contact Huber and pull his team out of Germany."
"So what now?" McCabe asks.
Hudson simply looks at Stone and shrugs his shoulders. "Move on kid, move on."