The guard studied them for a moment with a firm, emotionless gaze, and then looked down at his system. Ruby assumed he was checking a visitor’s schedule or something.
“You’re not on the list,” he said after a few moments. “I’ll need you to wait while we obtain the correct clearance from your super—”
Ruby held up her hand impatiently. “General Matthews himself sent us to brief Secretary Phillips. He told us he would arrange for the necessary clearance in advance so we wouldn’t have to wait.”
“There’s no record of your clearance, and until we have it I can’t sign you through. Now if you’ll just wait—”
“What’s your name?” she asked, cutting him off a second time.
He frowned. “Young.”
“Okay, Mr. Young… Have you seen a television in the last twelve hours or so?”
He didn’t respond or react, he just stared at her, growing more uncomfortable with each second that passed.
“I’m assuming you have,” she continued. “The director of the CIA sent us here to brief the secretary of state on the current situation with North Korea. This is of the highest importance, not to mention a matter of national security. I don’t have time to wait around while you take your thumb out of your ass long enough to do your job. If you want to check with Langley, be my guest, but can you please do it after you’ve allowed me to do my job and brief your boss. She’s waiting for this intel, and time isn’t something anyone has much of right now. So, Mr. Young, do you want to be the one who pisses off the CIA and the White House on a day like today?”
He shifted uncomfortably, exchanging sideways glances with his nearby colleagues. They try to remain neutral, almost disowning him now they believe he’s in trouble, like they don’t want to be blamed as well.
After a few tense, silent moments, he reached down and picked up two temporary security passes attached to lanyards, which he handed to Ruby and Jonas.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” he said. “I’m just following procedure.”
Ruby took the pass and placed it over her head. “I understand, and I’m sorry for snapping. It’s just days like today don’t happen all that often, and when they do, things tend to become a little more urgent, y’know?”
He nodded his agreement and gestured them past the desk to the security scanner, which was manned by three of his colleagues.
Ruby strode confidently ahead with Jonas following, clutching the briefcase. Neither of them had any items on their person, and the case itself simply showed the papers contained within when it was x-rayed.
Beyond them was a wide corridor that led to an elevator lobby with more corridors branching off to either side.
After both passed unhindered through the metal detector, they walked unprompted toward the nearest bank of elevators and stepped inside the first one that dinged open. Ruby pressed the button for the top floor, assuming that’s where the important people would be.
The doors slid shut and they began their ascent.
Jonas breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Jesus Christ, that was intense.”
Ruby took some deep breaths, silently proud of herself for pulling it off. “At least it worked. Now we just have to find this Elaine Phillips woman before they decide to follow up on our authorization and discover we don’t have any.”
“Yeah… So what happens if they do that before we get out of here?”
She shrugged. “Then we probably won’t get out of here. But if we can get that case to Phillips, at least Adrian will stand a chance, having the secretary of state on his side.”
Jonas rubbed a sweaty palm over his head, forcing himself to calm his nerves. “Oh boy…”
The doors opened on the top floor revealing another small lobby with corridors stretching off to the sides and directly in front of them. The floor was covered with a worn pale-red carpet, and the walls and ceiling were painted the same generic off-white.
“Which way?” asked Ruby.
Jonas shrugged. “Beats me. Straight on?”
She looked along both corridors for any indication of layout but saw nothing.
“Okay — straight on it is.”
The floor was quiet, compared to the lobby at least. Only a handful of rooms lined the hallway, and only one of them was occupied — a small group of men in suits were talking animatedly while staring at an image of a spreadsheet projected onto a whiteboard.
All the real work must be done on the lower floors, thought Ruby.
They reached the opposite end of the corridor, which again branched off to either side.
Jonas stared along the left side. “Looks dead that way,” he observed. “A short hall with only two rooms. No signs of life.”
Ruby was looking right. “Yeah, I think it might be this way.”
Jonas moved alongside her and followed her gaze to a large office at the end of another short corridor. It stretched across almost the full width of the hallway, and the vertical blinds at the window were opened enough for them to see inside. They glimpsed a woman sitting behind a desk, writing feverishly.
Elaine Phillips.
“Come on,” said Ruby, walking purposefully toward the office.
Jonas followed hastily, their muffled footfalls the only sound to be heard.
Eagerly, she reached the door and walked straight in without a moment’s hesitation. Secretary Phillips looked up from her work and watched impassively as the new arrivals stood in front of her.
“Elaine Phillips?” Ruby asked.
Phillips sat back in her chair staring thoughtfully at them both. She placed her pen slowly on top of a small stack of documents covering the surface of her solid, expensive-looking mahogany desk.
When she spoke, the words were clear and deliberate. Stern, without being challenging. “I’m pretty sure someone from the CIA would know to address me as Madam Secretary.”
Ruby let out a small sigh. “Right. Sorry. Madam Secretary, I—”
“You are a very bold and very stupid young woman.” She glanced over at Jonas before continuing. “Today really isn’t the day to try passing yourselves off as government employees. Frankly, I’m astounded you even made it into the building. There will be some serious questions raised about the level of security at our front desk, given you talked your way in with the promise of fake credentials. But—”
“Elaine… Madam… Secretary… Phillips… if I could just—”
“But… that doesn’t change the fact you’re in a level of trouble I can assure you is beyond your comprehension.” She looked past them both at the door, just as it opened and four armed guards entered the room. “Get them out of here. Please.”
Two of the guards stepped forward, each placing a hand on Jonas’ shoulders. He quickly shrugged them off, spinning around and holding the briefcase up in front of him like a weapon.
“Get your fucking hands off me!” he growled.
“Jonas!” yelled Ruby, glancing at him. “Easy… Madam Secretary, I’m sorry, I really am, but I need five minutes of your time. It’s a matter of national security.”
Phillips regarded her silently for a moment, flicking her gaze between the two intruders and the briefcase. Eventually, she looked back at the guards and said, “Take them away.”
“No! Wait! Please… my name is Ruby DeSouza. Adrian Hell sent me here. Do you know that name?”
Phillips’ eyebrow twitched, and she held her hand up to the guards. “Adrian Hell is a wanted terrorist.”
Ruby shook her head. “Adrian Hell is a goddamn hero. He’s being framed to cover up a massive conspiracy. A conspiracy we have undeniable evidence of. Please, you have to give me time to explain.”