Sewell didn’t look convinced. ‘People get replaced in mid-op all the time, Brian. You know that as well as I. Portman will cope.’ He lifted an eyebrow. ‘Didn’t you say he’s the best at this kind of work?’
‘Sure I did. And he is. But this is a distraction he doesn’t need. Don’t forget, he’s not on his own out there — he’s got another man in tow. We owe them both all the guidance we can give them. You take that away and the consequences could be severe.’ He stopped speaking, aware that he was sounding passionate and repeating himself, and in danger of overstepping the line. He wasn’t so close to Sewell that he could get away with almost anything, and certainly not with telling him that this was all bullshit, which he was sorely tempted to do.
Sewell was chewing on his lip in thought. He eyed Callahan and slowly nodded his head. ‘OK. I hear you. But from this minute on, you don’t let Citera out of your sight. You ride right alongside her, monitor her calls, stop all visitors and make sure she doesn’t have access to anything other than the equipment she needs for the job. Red light rules, got me?’
‘I hear you.’
‘In the meantime I’ll have security hold fire on their investigation. Let’s get Portman and Travis home first.’
‘Fine.’ Callahan nodded. He wanted to say more but knew he’d gone about as far as he could — for now.
Sewell stepped towards the door, then paused and turned back. He gave Callahan a bleak stare and said, ‘One other thing, Brian. I appreciate and understand your loyalty to your staff. It’s commendable. But let me remind you that if I wish to involve myself in internal security matters, it’s well within my scope of responsibility to do so.’
With that, Sewell walked out leaving Callahan conscious that he’d come closer than he’d ever thought possible to bringing his career in the CIA to an abrupt end. But he didn’t regret it. He might be wrong about Lindsay Citera, but only time would tell. For now, he had to keep this operation running. He’d deal with the fall-out later.
A ping announced an incoming internal mail message. He glanced at the screen and felt a twitch of disquiet. It was from Lindsay.
FORTY-THREE
Callahan opened the link. He read it through then printed off a copy before making his way along to the ops room where Lindsay was sitting. She made to stand up when he walked in, but he signalled for her to sit.
‘At ease,’ he murmured. ‘How’s it going?’ He was desperately trying to figure out a way of broaching the subject of her sister, in the hopes that instinct and experience might answer some of the questions raised by Sewell’s visit. But the walk so far hadn’t given him any brilliant ideas. How do you tell an employee you trusted implicitly that you knew a lot of money had landed in her account from an unknown source without breaking that trust completely?
‘Quiet, but about to go wild,’ she said, and smiled as if excited by the prospect.
‘Yeah, I think you’re right.’ He sat down in the spare chair. ‘You prepared for that?’
‘Yes, sir. Better than sitting here waiting.’ She gestured at the extra screen which was carrying a split display. ‘I hope it’s not overstepping the mark, sir, but I brought in some live satellite and news feeds to give me more data for Watchman. I’ll be keeping him updated as it comes in. I dropped you a note to that effect in the internal mail. I also made an additional request.’
‘I saw it.’ He waved the piece of paper holding the message. ‘And I approve the request.’ He took out a pen and signed it off for the record. It was a touch of rebellion on his part but Callahan was impressed with her thinking. The data she was referring to from NSA and DIA sources was available for anyone down here with the correct authorization, which Lindsay had by virtue of her assignment. But he was pleased she’d taken it on without having to ask for help, and even more pleased that she had thought of using a drone as overhead coverage for Watchman’s exit strategy. It showed a logical and mature approach to her work and made him even more certain that she wasn’t the cause of the leak.
‘I’ll have to speak to a couple of people to get it signed off, but this could be the one time we actually get the authorization to use it. Do you know where the drones are operated from?’
‘Isn’t it Ramstein Air Base in Germany?’
‘Correct. This one will be a high-altitude camera-only, so it should go unnoticed. As soon as it’s airborne you can advise Watchman. He won’t see it but it’ll be good for him to know it’s there.’ He gave a wry smile. ‘Tell him we can’t have it loaded with missiles, because that might cause problems.’ He tried to imagine what it would be like for Portman and Travis, making their way across country to the border with Moldova. He hadn’t been exaggerating in his description to Sewell; it was a long way and fraught with potential dangers. He just hoped nothing was going to come up that would place them in further jeopardy.
‘Was there something else, sir?’ Lindsay was looking at him and he realized he’d been frowning.
He shook his head, then decided to tackle the problem head-on.
‘I’ve been instructed to put you on red light rules,’ he told her.
‘What’s that?’
‘It means that for the duration of this mission you and this room are off-limits to all personnel. I’ll be here, too, in the office next door, to assist if you need it. It’s placing you under more pressure, but I think it’s necessary given the circumstances. Effectively it’s cutting you off even more from the outside world. I hope it won’t be for too long.’
Lindsay nodded. ‘I’m fine with that, sir.’ She hesitated. ‘By all personnel, sir, who does that mean?’
‘Everyone except Assistant Director Sewell. And the president. Although I think even he might find it tough getting past the security guards at the end of the corridor.’ He tried a smile but was aware that it didn’t quite come out right.
‘Sir, are you unhappy with my work?’
‘Why do you ask?’
‘Because I can sense something, sir. It might not be my place, but I like to think I can read people. Did Senator Benson say something, sir?’
‘Benson?’ Callahan’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. ‘What does he have to do with anything?’
‘Because he’s been down here, sir, asking questions.’
‘What sort of questions?’
‘About my ambitions, hopes, what I think of the work. He said he was compiling a report for a senate intelligence committee on personnel and needed some background information.’
‘Was that all he wanted to know?’ Callahan was puzzled. Anything like this should have been steered through himself, although he guessed Assistant Director Sewell must have given Benson the OK to come down here asking his questions. But the timing was very odd. Why now? And why the focus on Lindsay?
‘He asked about my family. My brother, Tommy, and my sister, Karen. I told him it was all on record, with the vetting procedure and so on, but he asked, anyway.’
She kept her expression blank, but it was obvious to Callahan that she wasn’t happy at what she saw as an intrusion at a critical time, and he couldn’t blame her.
He couldn’t believe it. Was it Benson who’d raised concerns with Sewell about Lindsay’s suitability for this job? Logic said that was impossible. Why would he bother? What would even instigate such concerns? As one of the most influential members of the Intelligence Community, Benson had the kind of background and status unequalled in Washington DC, giving him access to this and many other top-secret establishments around the city. The matter of personnel was surely so far down on his list of concerns as to be beyond thought.