The director's office
Assistant Director Bobby Markham hangs up his telephone and looks across the room. He is looking at nothing but the opposite wall of his office. He believed that this day might come sooner or later. He never thought it would come in this manor. He figured that some congress oversight committee would slam the door on their operation. He never thought it would be exposed because of some nosey civilian book writer.
He gets up and walks around his desk and steps over to the window and looks out over the city. Here he is in his crystal tower separated from all the dangers he has had to send others into in the past.
Maybe this is the sign he needed for him to see that it is time for him retire. He has enough credit to get full retirement. But he would rather retire without some Raging Storm cloud hanging over his head.
Stepping back to his desk, he picks up his telephone and calls out to his assistant "Rita, please have the senior staff assemble in the conference room in ten minutes"
Rita Alvarez opens an instant message box on her terminal and sends a broadcast message to all the members of the senior staff "Meeting in main conference room in 10 minutes" She then waits to get the responses. One by one all the members acknowledge the meeting request. She picks up her phone and dials back inside to her boss "Sir, all have been notified"
MS. Alvarez has worked in this department long enough to know when an urgent meeting is called that something is up and it is not going to be pretty. She takes a note book from her top drawer and walks toward the meeting room. When she arrives she goes to the counter and sets up the coffee carafe and water pitcher. She brings out soft drinks, bottled water, coffee, and tap water with ice. From the upper cabinets she removes classes and coffee cups in preparation of whatever the participants are wanting.
By the time she is finished with her preparation, the members of the staff are arriving. The first ones to arrive look at her. One of the men speaks up "Rita, do you know why we are here? What is going on?"
"Mr. Simmons, I really don't know exactly what is going on? I do know Mr. Markham got several phone calls from Delaware and he seems concerned about them"
The rest of the staff drifts in and then finally Bobby Markham steps into the room and closes the door. He walks to the head of the table
"Ladies and Gentlemen, We have a serious problem. The Delaware facility has had a breach." There are several audible gasps
"It seems a mystery book writer and his assistant have been able to get the password and entered the facility. The manager believes that this man" looking at his notes "A mister Richard Castle is trying to do research for a book. He writes mystery novels and has in the past done stories based loosely on research he did with the help of company agents. As of now we have him and his lady friend in custody and we will be dealing with them in the usual manor"
Gordon Simmons interrupts "Bob. Do we really think that holding them is a good idea? This mister Castle might be too high a profile to be kept there out of touch. What if his friends know where he is and they come looking for him?"
"We can deny any knowledge of him being there. After all, this is only a hotel catering to tourists and in fact if none of you have noticed, the last issue of Travel The World Magazine listed us as four and a half stars. They said our Sunday Brunch Buffet is the best in three states and our Spa is the best around." This comment brings a few chuckles from around the room
Simmons comments "So we just pretend that there is nothing happening there?"
"Yes! We continue to operate the debriefing center just like we have for thirty years and if anything is said about this man. Well, we never heard of Richard Castle. If he wants to stick his nose into our business, he will get it chopped off."
"What about security? If he knew the pass codes to get in then probably someone else knows them too" Simmons again asks
"Yes, true" again looking at his notes "We are changing the passwords, let me see…The patron will ask to see the menu for the Sunrise Restaurant."
The members of the group make notes then Markham stands back up "Everyone, we need to watch this situation very carefully. We may have foreign agents trying to get past our defenses. We must stay diligent. Thank all of you for being here. Let's go back to work and protect what we cherish the most"
The group begins to disburse and return to their respective offices. Bobby Markham stops one of the men "Mike, will you stay for a few minutes?"
"Sure. What do you need?"
Alvarez looks at her boss "Mr. Markham do you need me to stay and take notes?"
"No Rita. You can go back to your desk. Thank you"
"Yes sir" She leaves and closes the door behind her
"Mike, I know you have not been back to this section for very long, but you have been involved on and off with this group for many years. You have seen successes and failures in the things we try to do. You are also our senior legal council. What do you think about what we are trying to do here?"
He sits briefly thinking about the plan he just heard "Bob. I am not sure that this is the way we should handle this. This Castle fellow has done research before with the CIA and he was discrete in the way he handled it, we might be causing ourselves a serious problem if and when he gets out. He could bring about all type of problems if we detain him and his lady friend. I believe I heard he is well connected with mayors, judges, and many other important political figures."
"Mike, we can't have him disclosing information about our center. You know even most members of congress do not even know this exists. It could make a lot of bad press for us if he talks. I think for now, we keep him and this woman detained. Later if there is any claim by him we will just deny it's existence and we will he will been seen as a fool"
"Bob, you are the assistant director and your word goes, but I want to go on record that I think it is a mistake doing this"
"Your concern is noted. Thanks Mike. I need to go to another meeting. I will see you later"
The two men leave the conference room and return to their respective offices. Mike enters his space and closes the door and sits at his desk. He looks toward the door for a brief moment before removing a cell phone from his pocket. He opens the top and selects a contact from the list.
He types the message
"Ask for the menu for the sunrise restaurant"
He presses the send button, closes the burner phone and places it back into his pocket