Author's Note: Let's just get right to it.
CHAPTER FIVE
WASHINGTON, DC
"Less than 24 hours after we interviewed Benji Applebaum about Jesse Swanson, he was on a plane to Vienna with tickets to the opera- and within 6 hours of his arrival, the Chancellor was dead. Now, that might be circumstance to some public defendant but to the CIA, that is actionable intelligence-"
"Consider the moment, Chief. Consider the possibility that Jesse's investigation led him to the opera. And that he's the one with the actionable intelligence." Agent Donald Faison was getting tired of always arguing with Chief Allen but there's no one else in the FO that would defend his team.
"In any case, finding Swanson is no longer our pet project. The Special Activity Division will now have full discretion."
At that, Donald became somber, "You mean shoot to kill,"
"Whether Swanson lives or dies, it's entirely up to him."
VIENNA, AUSTRIA
Jesse leads Benji to his secret hideout in Vienna. In the darkness of the night, he's led to a dock.
"A little posh, don't you think?" He gestures to the little, big boat.
"Gotta fit in,"
Upon entering the boat, it is completely clean. It was if it was brand new. Jesse reached over to one of the compartments, flips on a switch and a passage to the bottom of the boat is opened. They enter the small room and locked themselves up in it.
Jesse grabs a few items and throws them on the island table,
"New identity, passport, cast, road map. There's a change of clothes in that bag right there- everything you need to make it back to DC undetected. Once you're there, you'll have to inform on me."
"I'm—what? Sorry, what?"
"Tell the truth. You came to Vienna believing you won tickets to the opera- and I attempted to recruit you into assassinating the Chancellor, and you refused-"
"-that is not the truth!"
"Your life depends on them believing you, Benji. It'll go easier if you tell them what they want to hear."
"Jesse, at least tell me what this is all about."
The two friends looked at each other for a period of time before Jesse turned around to access the built in computer. "You recognize anyone?"
Just then, images popped up on the double screen. A slideshow of headshots started to play until Benji recognized one.
"Him," he pointed.
"He's former KSA, German Intelligence. Missing, presumed dead."
"But… he was at the opera tonight." Referring to the man dressed up as a security guard. Jesse nodded and another photo popped up,
"This guy, too. Former Mossad."
"Let me guess… presumed dead."
Jesse nodded, "Tonight, I made it official." Jesse pulled up the picture of his sketch, "I was looking for him in the Bosporus. The same day, a car accident killed the visiting President of Malawi. He slipped away again in Jakarta, hours before, a passenger plane vanished over the Pacific with 236 passengers. I just missed him in the Philippines… right before a fired petrochemical plant gassed a village of 2,000 people."
Benji turned around to face his friend, "You're saying these accidents are somehow connected?"
Jesse pointed to the screen once again, "That missing plane was carrying the Secretary of the World Bank," he pulled up a news article about the fire, "that fire bankrupted a global arms cooperation. That car wreck triggered a civil war. These are no accidents. They're links in a chain. They work of a single organization, The Synleague. A rogue nation. They're trained to do what we do- with a new sense of purpose- destroy the system that created them… regardless of who's in the way."
Benji absorbed all this information, "…An anti-FO."
"And since Allen shut us down, they've been escalating. Killing the Chancellor tonight was a statement. The start of a new phase."
"Or… they could just be a series of random disasters?"
"He was there… every time." Jesse walked past his friend, "Just like he was there tonight, I'm sure of it. I don't know who he is, where he's from, how he's funded… but I know he's the key. There's something else, too. I just… I just can't pinpoint it." He stared at his sketch.
"Jesse, this is what I signed up for. Let me help you find him!"
"That's why I brought you here, Benj, in the first place. And look what happened! I can't protect you. That's why I need you to leave."
"It's not your decision to make, Jesse! I'm a field agent, damn it. I know the risks. And more than that, I am your friend. No matter what I tell the polygraph every week. We've been friends since the very beginning of our journey in this goddamn organization. We trained together, we killed together. We're partners. Now, you called me because you needed my help! And you still do. So, I am staying. And that is all we're gonna say about that," Although it was unusual for Benji to blow up in situations and he still had that innocent look on his face, Jesse knew he was being serious. There was no changing his mind.
"Okay,"
"Good… where do we start?"
Jesse looked at Benji, with a smile creeping on his face. The memory of her began to cross his mind,
"Beca." He then pulled up a sketch he did of hers. It was more defined, more accurate than his sketch of the mysterious man. He wasn't going to admit that he spent extra time just sketching the face of this woman he couldn't forget.
"Right, well… how do we find her?"
"She said we have everything we need," Jesse pulled out the lipstick he grabbed from her. Benji took it, examined it. Hmmm, it was another lipstick. Normal- until he flipped it over to uncap the bottom. Aha, a usb.
Standing there, in a beat up dress, her hair messy and shoes in her hands Beca was not amused by the shadiness of this all. The guard accompanied her into the hotel room where she had to meet him. He gave her a push to make her walk faster and that just did not go well with Beca. In a swift movement, she jumped, climbed him like a tree, looped a leg around his neck and dragged him down to the ground. Next thing he knew, the guard was weapon free and confused. She turned around to face the man sitting on the chair,
"We had an agreement. You send me to do a job, I do it. But my way, not yours,"
"When did I deviate?" The shaky voice asked,
"You put 2 more gunmen at the opera tonight. One of them tried to kill me."
"You missed."
"I missed because Jesse Swanson was there… looking for you."
"Jesse Swanson's in Vienna because you allowed him to escape in London."
"Vikter would've killed him in London and that is not what you asked for." The two exchanged their tough personas,
"Twice now, you've let him slip away. Why is that?"
"Are you questioning my loyalty or my ability?"
"Can't decide,"
"I've told you before. Trust me… or kill me. But, if you're going to kill me- be a man," Beca dropped the gun onto the desk, "do it yourself."
There was a long pause until the him leaned forward to grab the gun, pointed it at her and fired. Beca jolted at the sound of the gunshot but to her surprise, did not feel anything. She heard a faint thud from behind and she knew the guard that she had just manhandled, was now dead.
The man, clad in a grey suit, laid the gun back down on the desk and moved to stand a mere inches from Beca.
"Did he say anything?"
Beca still stood straight, her eyes still looking forward without moving a muscle. The man stood next to her, speaking to the side of her face.
"He knows about Morocco."
The deep, raspy voice pierced through her ear, "What does he know about Morocco?"
"He knows about the power plant. He doesn't know what's in it."
"Find him, please."
Beca looked at the man, "He'll find me. I made sure of it."
Benji did the thing he does best. He inserted the usb into the computer and pulled up the files in it. A blueprint 3d model of a building pulled up on the screen,
"Hmm, that's interesting."
"What is it?" Jesse analyzed the picture.
"It's a SCIF. Secure Computer Facility, it's offline, ultra contained." Benji moved the mouse around to see the building from each angle, "It's impossible to hack into from the outside. It's essentially a digital safety deposit box. A very strange thing for a young lady to be carrying around in her underwear."
"Where's it located?"
"Uh… Morocco."
Jesse turned to Benji, "Morocco?" He smirked.
CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
Both Benji and Jesse did a little digging to find the place she would be staying out. After a plane ride, a car ride and trekking with a herd of goats, they found themselves in a small village. Jesse knew which house she'd be in, judging by the fact that there was a small piece of paper taped to a gate door with the lipstick stain of her lips. He will not admit out loud how he knew those lips were hers.
They were in a small vacation home, escorted by a guard to the backyard. No one was in sight but the towel on one of the lounge chairs made sure of the fact that someone was in the pool. The two agents stood, waiting for their host.
Moments later, Beca emerged from the water, her back to them. Glancing at the sleeve on her left arm, the timer had said she held her breath for a little under two minutes. Damn it. A few seconds short from her last record. She took off the oxygen sleeve and turned around to see Jesse and Benji, both staring at her. Benji was glad he was wearing shades because he felt really awkward watching Jesse watch Beca climb out of the pool.
He was definitely glad he was wearing shades. His eyes did not hesitate to roam over her tiny person. She was in a simple black bikini, and though it was simple, there was nothing about the woman in it that was. Jesse walked to meet her halfway, towel in hand to offer her.
"Now, what brings you gentlemen to Casablanca?" That voice. That accent. Jesse wishes he could record her saying gibberish just so he can listen to that accent. It's not like he's never met anyone who was British. He's just never met anyone who was British, who was around five feet, who was skilled in fighting and gun shooting, and oh, who was also extremely beautiful. He realized he didn't answer her so he did the next best thing. He pulled out the lipstick. She smirked.
WASHINGTON, DC
Donald wasn't sure whether this was a good idea, but Luke was part of Jesse's team. Emphasis on was. He may have gone off the grid three years ago when he and Jesse got into a bit of an argument but he's still an FO agent and he's been on the team for years. He's still an FO agent when they need him, although he turned in his resignation papers months ago. The helicopter had barely landed when the 6", blonde stud hopped off. Donald had pulled up next to the helipad, meeting the agent with a folder in hand.
"Good to see you!" The engines were still running and so were the rotors. They could barely hear each other as they walked towards the car.
"What couldn't you tell me over the phone, Donald?"
"The Chancellor of Austria was assassinated. We believe that Jesse and Benji were there. Allen's handed this over to Special Activities Division. So, in other words, we need to find Jesse before they do. And that's where you come in."
In his deep and very charming voice, Luke replied, "Not interested." Donald had briefly updated him on the FO's problems over the phone but he did not exactly reveal to Luke the reason why he needed him on this under the radar mission.
"Okay, Luke," Donald started his condescending tone, only to plead with his last hope,
"Look, Don, I know Jesse. I don't know you. Sure, we worked on that last mission together but that went to shit real fast. All I know about you now is that you chose to work for Allen."
"Yeah, and all I know about you is that you chose to resign."
Luke chuckled, "You don't have to worry about Jesse. He can handle himself. They'll never catch him." Luke's smug smile appeared on his face and he turned to start walking back to the helicopter.
"No, they're not gonna catch him, no. This is the CIA, Luke. This is Bumper Allen we're talking about. Things are out of control and they're going to kill him."
Luke stopped in his tracks and turned back to Donald. "They're going to kill Jesse. They're going to kill Benji. Now, I don't care about some stupid argument you and Jesse got into years ago. But, I know you two have been pals for a long time and you know how each other works. And Benji… c'mon, Luke. It's Benji. We have to get to them first. Are you going to help me?"
Luke stepped closer to Donald, giving him height leverage, "You need to understand something… That fight was years ago. Whether I'm still pissed or not, Jesse is my friend. And if I have one second of doubt whose side you're on…" Luke just stared down at Donald to punctuate his threat.
"I believe you."
"Alright.
"Alright."
"What do I have to go on?"
"Not much," Donald handed Luke the folder, "and not a lot of time."
CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
"His name is Solomon Sawnos. He created the Synleague." Beca took a seat on the couch while Jesse's sketches were sprawled on the coffee table in front of her.
"Where does he come from?"
Beca took a second to answer, "He's former British intelligence."
"If British intelligence knows the Synleague exists, why don't they just tell the CIA?" Benji asked her but before she could answer, Jesse stepped closer to her on the couch, but looked at his friend.
"Because they don't want anyone knowing the Synleague was created by one of their own." He sat next to Beca.
"I was sent undercover to earn Sawnos' trust. And eventually identifying the members of his organization. And for the first time in two years, I'm close to knowing who they are. Sawnos had a ledger. It contained the identities of his operatives, his terrorist associates, the entire inner workings of the Synleague. One of his agents stole it, hoping to blackmail him. He kept it in a secure computer facility for safe keeping. He died being interrogated for the access code. Which left Sawnos with a serious problem."
The entire time she was talking, Jesse could not help his eyes from wandering from her eyes to her lips. Those sounds she made, that accent that came with them. He wanted her. And he didn't even know her. He stood up from his seat to stall him some time. He turned around to face her again, as if he was in deep thought- which he was, but probably not for the right thing. He took another moment to actually absorb what she had just told them.
"So, the key to crushing Sawnos is sitting in a computer just waiting for someone to take it?"
"Why hasn't Sawnos just send someone to steal it?" Benji asked from behind the couch.
"Oh, he has," Beca looked at Jesse, "He sent me. And I can tell you right now, it's impossible."
Jesse smirked at her and looked at Benji, who gave him the exact same look in return.
In a different room, Beca had set up computers to debrief the men on how they could break into the facility, or in this case, how it was impossible to break into the place.
"The facility is hidden beneath the local power plant, under military guard," They were all staring at the 3d model on the screen with Beca demonstrating, "The only way to download the ledger is through the central computer terminal located there. To reach the terminal, you'll need to pass the main gates, access the elevator with fingerprint recognition, and open three separate combination locks."
"Well, that's easy. We just impersonate the agent who stole the ledger in the first place and I get to wear a mask!" Benji hyped up from behind.
"Unfortunately, even if you can make it through every other security measure, you won't beat the last one. That's because it's protected by gait analysis. A step beyond facial recognition. These cameras actually know how the agent walks, how he talks, how he moves, right down to his facial takes."
"So, what you're saying is, no mask can beat it?" She smiled at Benji, "We're busted before we could even get into the vault and I wind up in Moroccan jail. Hmm. Okay, I don't get to wear a mask."
"And there's no other way into the computer lab?" Jesse asked.
"No other way in."
"Air shaft?"
"Six inch diameter pipe."
"Foundation?" Benji asked.
"Twelve feet of concrete, top and bottom."
"Electrical conduit?" Jesse and Benji simultaneously asked. Beca chuckled at the two. At least, she knows now that they have an idea of what they're doing.
"Bottom line, guys, there's no way into that terminal unless your profile is pre-installed in the security system." Benji groaned but Jesse was intrigued.
"Profile? Where are the profiles stored?"
"All the security data is stored offline in the liquid cooler aid," Benji answered. He did his research. He pulled up the model onto the screen and pointed to where it was, "Here, inside the torus, liquid cooled."
"You mean that thing is under water?"
"Yes,"
"Yes." Both Benji and Beca answered.
"Okay… well, shit." Jesse muttered.
Author's Note: Next up, a whole lotta action. And also, who the eff is this mystery guy? Hope you guys are still reading this.. :')