Игры разума

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The agencies always hated each other. I can still remember how we as CTU always fought the District, how they had their problems with the NSA and the FBI. The Secret Service, the White House and all the others also played that game - everyone against anyone.

As Wilson's case was pulled to Langley it got buried there by some politicians, but he didn't let lose. I should have taken his warning seriously, when I sat at his desk in Pittsburgh, a week ago. Probably I shouldn't have gone back to Washington. I should have stayed there, and I would have stayed away from a lot of trouble.

The CIA doesn't have any authority to act within the States.
But I guess they don't care too much about that official limitation.

Someone one behalf of Wilson sent a fake transfer order. When the people from the state prison brought me away they soon got ambushed by his tac team. They used tear gas, stun grenades and electroshock guns.

I'm still trying to get my senses back. The guys from the state prison must have given me some kind of a sedative before the travel started. The tear gas of Wilsons team also served its purpose. I'm alone here now with him, lying on the back seats, trying to get a grip of myself a gain. It hurts to breathe. My eyes hurt, my lungs hurt, too. We changed cars twice in the meantime, though I could barely walk. I really hope that this is getting better soon. We both won't survive that getaway if I'm not getting back on my feet really soon.

I didn't ask him where he was going. He's a CIA agent, Chloe told me that he even was a good one... wait: did he only get me out of there to serve me back to the Russians to get some favor of them in return?

Hell, I have trust issues. That comes from spending twenty years in the intelligence sector.

After an hour on the road and some rest, I am finally strong enough again to sit up. The sedatives are slowly wearing off and even my eyes have come to rest again after the tear gas.
Wilson is driving silently through the night. We're on an interstate.

Where are we going?, I ask him, I hope not back to Pittsburgh.

He starts to smile and looks at me in the rear view mirror. No, he laughs. I'm not a amateur, Captain Bauer.

Call me Jack, I say, wiping out my eyes again- the tear gas still irritates. I don't like formalism, especially in cases like this one. He tells me to call him Rob and that we're going to a safe place in West Virginia. Five hours hours later we arrive there, at a cottage in the middle of nowhere.

He parks the car and has to help me walk inside.

We're the only ones here.

After he sits down across the table where I am, we finally have the time and the calm to talk. Where's the cavalry, Rob?, I ask him, fearing the answer.

There is no cavalry, he tells me, at least not yet. You upset the White House, Jack, mildly speaking.

Mildly speaking. I almost laugh. That's a nice understatement. How?

They've known it for months that Audrey Boudreau is alive and in the hands of the Chinese.

Who exactly? The President?

No, I have no evidence that the President knows. The Advisor for National Security - Rayburn - knows, and two other cabinet members.

How did they get to know it?

The Advisor for National Security found out, because Audrey gave up some vital information that let Chinese hackers successfully steal information from the White House networks. He made some investigations and found out that only she could be the source.

Damn it. She gave them something they could use. This is not her fault, I say, immediately defending her.

I don't blame her, Jack, Wilson sighs, not even the White House people did. They just changed all the access codes and lots of protocols, it seems. The few ones who know see this all as a mighty problem, because they can't intervene and they can't even admit that they know she's alive. It would expose them to ridicule to admit that they made such a mistake, when they at the same time just negotiated a new Pacific Trade deal.

I don't know what to answer. That fits exactly what the other guy told me: diplomatic and economic sanctions. That's all the White House cares about.
How did you find that all out?, I finally ask him.

We look into each other's eyes.
I received a pack of evidence two days ago. I traced the IP address to Belgrade, he remarks, watching my reaction, as he slides a flash drive over the table, apparently with all the evidence on it. I'm sure it's just one copy of many.

Chloe. She wouldn't be that careless to let them trace her IP address. Or would she, to send me a sign? Would she really decide to work with the CIA to help me get out of all this? I really owe her.

How do you plan to get her out?, I just ask him, acting like I overheard Belgrade, adding We have to make this evidence available to a higher member of the White House.
I have no idea yet how to do that. But I'm determined to find a way. Wilson seems shocked by my proposal. He's young. He doesn't know how many times I've already gotten myself access to cabinet members I needed.

You're gonna get yourself killed that way, Jack, he says, shaking his head, we have to find some other way.

There is none. Rob, if you don't want to help me I'm okay with it.

He's shaking his head. No. Look at yourself in the mirror. You couldn't even walk from the car to the house, Jack.

I have to admit that he's right.
Give me a few days and I'll recover, I say. That might be true to be able to walk upright again. But I'm not so sure if I'd be able to go through with such a plan.

You would need a member of the White House, one that you can trust, who's gonna believe you and who'll put the life of Audrey over the possible diplomatic and economic consequences. Wilson keeps staring into my eyes as he enlists all these things, you won't find one.

He's not right.
There is somebody like that. Not an active member of the White House any more, but one who knows everyone in there and who still has some kind of access, even though he fell from grace. I even know where to find him and how to persuade him.
There is one, I silently say. I hate this option already.

Who?, Rob asks.

I'm gonna do it for Audrey. I would do everything for her. Even that.

Mark Bourdreau.

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