Auggie woke up the next morning with none of the nausea that plagued him the day before. He was early for his first meeting at the House of Representatives. Auggie used the extra time to get to know the receptionist, a cheery young lady from the State of Oklahoma.
Auggie straightened when he heard the Representative approaching.
"Mister Anderson! I'm so glad that you could come over so soon."
"It's my pleasure, Representative Cole." Auggie replied as he held his hand out. He was met with a firm shake.
"Come on in to my office here," Cole stated and he walked through a door. Auggie used his cane to follow confidently. "Can I get you anything?"
"No sir, just let me know where I should sit, and we can get straight to whatever it was you wanted to discuss?"
"Oh, sure. There's a chair directly in front of you, about five feet away." The representative openly stared as Auggie found his way into the seat.
"Your offices are much more spacious than what we have at Langley." Auggie commented.
The congressman blinked at the agent as he folded up his cane. "Wh-wha-how..."
Auggie laughed. "Your office doors in the hallway are a lot further apart than ours."
Cole sat down, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "So you were a spy?"
Auggie looked incredulous. "Of course I was. Up until mid-day yesterday I had covert status as a fully trained operative."
"You could understand how that doesn't give me much comfort in our intelligence gathering."
Auggie laughed. "I totally understand. I assure you that with and without my sight, the Agency assigned me roles for which I was fully capable of accomplishing. For the past four years they have denied any and all requests I have submitted to jump out of airplanes."
"Well that does give me more comfort."
"Anything else I can ease your mind about?"
"The Agency has a tendency to be, let's say, less than forthcoming in regards to sharing details with Congress. What are your feelings on that matter, Mister Anderson?"
"Representative Cole, we will hopefully be working with each other for a long while. Call me August."
"Thank you, August."
"And to answer your question, I am sure that you are aware that there are very real reasons that the Agency is less than forthcoming in all matters. I have been placed in this position as part of a campaign to increase transparency, and I will do that to the best of my abilities, but I will never share any information that I feel will compromise the safety and effectiveness of the intelligence missions of this country."
"Hm." The Texan responded. "That is, word for word, exactly what your predecessor said."
Auggie smiled. "We aren't secretive just to piss the world off, sir. I assure you that behind the scenes we are getting a lot of things accomplished that make this world a better place."
"You run some expensive operations behind the scenes."
"I assure you that our operatives always travel in coach. Think about that the next time you are sitting in first class halfway across the Atlantic en route to Italy."
"Those trips are on my own dime."
"As it should be. Anything else you would like to talk about?"
"No. I'm sure you have many people you need to meet with today. I look forward to having you at our next intelligence committee meeting."
"I'll be there." Auggie replied. He assembled his cane and stood. "I appreciate you taking the time to discuss things this morning, and please don't hesitate to give me a call if I can be of service."
"Likewise," the congressman responded.
Auggie left the office and moved on to his next meeting.
...
At the end of the day, Auggie had the same conversation so many times that he was ready to scream. Yes, he was capable. Yes the CIA was secretive. Yes, the CIA was responsible with their funds, and no, he couldn't promise to answer every question.
Some of them tested his abilities more than others. Some of them pressed him for more information. Overall it was tedious, but not frustrating. He found that almost all representatives had at least one intern that was more than willing to lead him to his next meeting, and he catalogued the information about each receptionist and intern that he met for his future use. In his experience, the people supporting those with power were often more useful than those with the actual power.
It was the type of day that he would normally finish with a trip to Allen's. He had been there enough that people could easily associate him with the place, if they were asking the right questions. It was hardly a secret that it was a spook bar. But all of his friends there were spooks, and he didn't want to put them in danger by going while the media was so interested. For the second night in a row, he went straight home after work.
This time there were no reporters on the street, and his brother didn't show up with burgers. He changed clothes and got in a quick workout with the free weights that he kept under his bed. Then he microwaved a frozen burrito and listened to a podcast on the art of manipulating the media. He had survived his first week, and his next big challenge would be the Sunday morning news shows.
Saturday morning he decided to catch up on phone calls to family members. He started with his mom.
"Good morning, Auggie." His mom answered.
"I didn't call too early, did I?"
"Not at all. I'm glad to hear from you."
"Jules said he talked to you Thursday?"
"Oh yes. I'm glad he knew about this, if I couldn't."
"Yeah, I had a hard time hiding it from him, back when we both first moved to DC."
"That seems like a lifetime ago, Auggie. Have you worked at the CIA all this time?"
"Yes, mom. Ever since I returned from my first tour in Iraq."
"I knew you were up to something."
Auggie laughed. "Of course you did, mom."
"So I take it you haven't been just a computer guy since your accident?"
"I love you mom. But I can't tell you much about what I have done, even just two weeks ago."
"Surely you can tell me something."
"I wasn't jumping out of airplanes." He drew the over-used words out, tired of saying them.
"August."
"Yes, I was a computer guy. That was part of why the Agency recruited me."
"And your second tour in Iraq?" His mother asked softly.
Auggie took a deep breath. "There were a lot of things involved in that trip. But I was with the Army, in combat. Everything I've told you about the accident was true."
"I wish you hadn't chosen this line of work."
"You've mentioned that, a time or two."
"I mean it."
"Mom, I'm really good at this. They wouldn't have kept me around after my accident if I weren't."
"So when I talk to the ladies at Bridge Club, I can tell them that my son is a spy?"
"You could refer to me as a 'Super Spy' if you want."
"I wouldn't want to sound presumptuous."
Auggie exhaled dramatically. "Presumptuous would be pointing out that your son has done more to protect the security of this nation than all of their children combined, even if you just count the time that he has been blind."
"Oh I don't know. Regina's son is a suspicious character. He might be one of these spooky types, as well."
"Mother." Auggie said with a serious tone.
"You don't know..." She stopped herself. "You do know?"
"I can neither confirm or deny that Regina's son is a spook, but I can tell you that you can confidently brag to your friends that your son is more awesome than theirs."
"I'll be sure to tell them how humble you are, as well."
Auggie sighed. "So, has my father said anything?"
"Yes, but would you like to talk to him yourself?"
"Is he home?" Auggie asked, slightly shocked.
"I don't think he has left for the golf course, yet. Hold on and I'll find him."
Auggie took a few deep breaths while he waited. He rarely spoke to his father.
"Hello?" A gruff voice came on the line.
"Hi Dad." Auggie responded somewhat sheepishly.
"Julian?"
"One month later."
"Well I'll be damned. If it isn't the liar himself."
Auggie was silent for a moment. "How are you, Dad?"
"I'm fine, son. Looks like you are doing pretty well, also."
"Yeah. I got a few new responsibilities at work. Finally just got some time to catch mom up on all the details."
"I'm sure you did. Do you have a script writer for these conversations?"
"Humph." Auggie replied. "I don't even have a script writer for in front of the cameras. Have to go on network television tomorrow morning and improvise."
"Well I'm sure you are more than experienced in coming up with things to say."
"Dad, I'm sorry I never told you."
"Even after that damned bomb, son? I had to sit and watch you recover, and you couldn't even tell me that you weren't actually with the Army?"
"I was actually with the Army."
"The CIA didn't hire a blind veteran."
"No, they didn't. I worked for them and the Army on my last tour."
"Oh. So you were Special Forces?"
"All of that is true, dad."
"I just..." his dad sounded less sure of himself. "I don't know what to believe."
"That's understandable." Auggie replied. "I didn't mean for you to find out this way. Everything happened so fast."
"So you will be on Meet the Press tomorrow?" His Dad sounded excited about the idea.
"Not this week. I think they are trying to fit me in next week."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Really. Haven't you heard? I'm the feel-good hit of the summer."
"Well be sure to let your mother know when to see you. If that's the only way she can see you these days."
"Hopefully with this new position I'll actually have a more regular schedule." Auggie replied.
"If you say so." His father replied with a tone that conveyed that he didn't expect Auggie any time soon.
"It was good talking to you, dad."
"Same here, August. Take care of yourself, alright?"
"Will do."
The line clicked off, and Auggie dialed a more familiar number.
"Auggie!" Annie answered enthusiastically.
"Good morning sunshine. What are you up to this fine Saturday morning?"
"I was just trying to figure that out, myself."
"Wanna go play in the gym?"
"It's Saturday, Auggie!"
"Come on. It's always a good time to hit things."
"That's debatable."
"I worry that while I'm off talking congress into appropriating your paycheck, you'll fall out of practice."
"Can't we practice on a weekday?"
"Annie, please?" He quietly asked in a voice that Annie couldn't refuse.
"I'll pick you up in an hour."
...
"So, tell me all about the astronauts." Auggie said as he reached for Annie's shoulders.
"What's your clearance level now?" Annie asked in response.
"Higher than yours."
Annie reached for Auggie's waist, and pulled him around and she tried to duck under his arm. He spun out of her reach, and in the process kicked her knees out from under her.
"See. Only a week without me, and you're going soft."
"Har." Annie said from the mat. "Why don't you sit here and tell me what's really on your mind."
Auggie reluctantly sat next to her, his knees pulled to his chest. He leaned his head down and took a few deep breaths. "It's been a rough week."
"I gathered that much."
Auggie lifted his head and lightened his tone. "You know, I didn't realize how badly I would miss being able to go to Allen's until I tried to stay away."
Annie laughed and pushed him with her shoulders. "You'll be out of the spotlight soon enough."
"Maybe, but I'll always be overt."
Annie could see the pain in his features, but couldn't think of anything to say.
"Arthur didn't hold back on reminding me how little value my covert status held for the Agency."
"Arthur can be an ass."
"Sure, but he was right. My job at the DPD was valuable, but my covert status wasn't. Ninety-nine percent of what I did with you, I could still do. Nothing that I did in the field was special enough that it couldn't be done, and perhaps be accomplished more efficiently, by somebody else. So now I'm overt."
Annie wanted to lighten his mood. "Just think of how you are changing the face of the CIA, though! You are definitely making us look good."
"If you say so." Auggie replied.
"Are you going to get to go on the Daily Show?" Annie asked.
Auggie laughed. "I actually got a request from them. Audrey is waiting to see how tomorrow goes. Evidently, Jon Stewart is a bigger fear for political figures than the talking heads on Sunday."
"I think you could handle him."
Auggie sighed. "I'll have to."