"No, sir, the second agent saw nothing. The video system was compromised, but we do have footage on the computer. No, sir, I have not seen it. The FBI is in charge. They got here about ten minutes ago. They chased everyone out, including me. I know one of the agents here, so as soon as I can, I'll speak to him. No, sir, I told them I was in the area visiting family. No one is aware of Davis's status." He paused listening to Backersley. "I will call you immediately, sir." He closed the phone.
"Sir, Claude had me watch the back. I had no view at all of the front or sides of the building. I didn't like my positioning, but he wasn't up to debating it," Davis told her boss.
Marty Larrow knew he couldn't doubt her on that fact. Claude Dole was a prick who really despised working field operations with female agents. He might have excelled during the fifties, but in the current world, despite his young age, he was a dinosaur.
"Go to the safe house and wait for me." He turned to see an old friend waving him over. FBI special agent Paul Hedges greeted him.
"Tough day. Marty, what was the CIA doing here?"
"Paul, I honestly don't know, and if I did, you know I couldn't comment on it. Like I said, I just happened to be in the area and got a call to stop in and lend a hand if I could."
Marty, we go way back, and we'll always be friends, but we both know you're feeding me a line. The CIA never just happens to be anywhere." He stepped around a corner, motioning for Larrow to follow. "I don't know what's going on, but here's what I do know. The security discs and backup were taken, but they didn't know about the backup in the computer. The footage shows a man of Middle Eastern ethnicity attacking your agent. I watched it three times, your man looked like he could handle himself, but he was no match for this guy."
"You say he was Middle Eastern?"
"Yeah, we're running him through facial recognition right now. If he's anywhere in the system, we'll find him."
"Any chance you got him in a vehicle?"
"No, he withdrew right through the front door and walked toward the street. That's the last we have of him."
"Where is the employee who was supposed to be on duty?"
"She was sent home by your man. He wouldn't allow her to call her manager. There was a second employee scheduled to come on duty within a half hour but was called to stay out. Marty, this is going to get messy. My boss is going nuts about the CIA being here."
"Trust me, he's not half as pissed as my boss. My next posting might damn well be the Arctic Circle."
"Between you and me, is there anything you can tell me?"
"Between you and me, Paul, I'll tell you this: it has something to do with a rumor of a possible terrorist action. Not necessarily here, but something was intercepted, and it was believed that a meeting might take place here. This was an observation-only mission, nothing more. The last thing we need is a CIA agent turning up dead, much less here."
Paul Hedges knew his friend was being up front with him. Their friendship went back to high school football. Hedges was an usher at his friend's wedding. "I'll call you later. Now get out of here before my boss gets hold of you."
Nodding, CIA agent Marty Larrow turned and left.
Walking back inside, Hedges heard, "Where the fuck is that CIA asshole?" This is not going to be fun.
"Was that the guy in the black suit?"
"No, Hedges, he was the guy in the Easter Bunny outfit."
"I believe I saw him leave, sir. I did not know that's who he was."
"Why were you outside?"
"A quick smoke, sir."
"Well, if you're not too busy feeding that disgusting habit, do you suppose you could bother yourself to try to help out?"
Hedges was struggling to stay professional. Agent in charge Dan Gare was a boisterous jerk. He had ten months until retirement, and it seemed like he was trying to make life as miserable as possible for everyone around him with the time he had left.
"What do you need, sir?"
"I need answers, preferably before they boot me to the curb." Gare was not taking retirement well. In reality, everyone who knew him thought it couldn't come soon enough.
"Our forensics team is on the way. They should be here in fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. I've been keeping everyone away like you instructed, sir. The local PD is having a fit."
"Like I give a shit. I don't want to see a single face I don't recognize. If I do, it'll be your ass where they'll find my boot."
"Understood, sir." Hedges walked out.
Bernard Backersley had no intention of mentioning the incident in Portland, Oregon, to President Lamar unless directly asked, and even then, Backersley would brush it off as a mere unfortunate circumstance. Backersley would press they had much more important items to address. In truth, he was seething over having had an agent killed, particularly because it happened inside American borders. Nothing caused him more grief than explaining any actions inside the country when they were discovered. Four times he had been summoned up to the Hill to explain such incidents. Four times he had left intact but presently had some very powerful senators as sworn enemies. He didn't care. He had a job to do, and if they could find someone better, that was their choice. As long as he was in charge, he would do things his way, and damn them if they didn't like it.
He had talked to his own AIC, Martin Larrow, and had a suspicion of what might have happened. At that moment, his phone rang.
"Yes, Martin."
"Sir, I spoke to that friend of mine. He saw the video footage personally. A man of Middle Eastern descent attacked and killed Agent Dole. There was no doubt on that point. They are running him through facial recognition as we speak, along, of course, with us. If his group should ID the man first, I'll know immediately."
"Are you trying to tell me that some religious fanatic knew we were running an operation at that particular motel? We were on station what, less than an hour?"
"Approximately forty-five minutes, sir."
"So they knew we were there inside of forty-five minutes? Martin, I did not know that, and I run this agency."
"Yes, sir. I can't explain it. When I have answers, you will have answers. I simply cannot tell you what I don't know. I am not foolish enough to guess."
Backersley sighed heavily. "All right, Martin. Keep me posted in real time."
Special Agent Larrow knew that meant 24-7. He called the leader of his response team and filled him in on what had happened. Agent Robert Randall listened and only replied one word: "Shit." Next he called the leader of his intelligence team, Special Agent Toni Latell, and informed her. She had already found out. Not surprising.
"Is that crotchety old bastard Gare AIC?"
"Yes." Larrow knew that Latell and Gare had a history, and not a good one. Latell had quit after working under Gare for only four months. She had made quite a stink when she left, strongly accusing him of inappropriate conduct. It was her computer skills that got her a probationary position at the CIA, which now was six years ago. She had quickly worked her way up the ranks and was now the cyber team leader for the West Coast surveillance unit, which of itself was somewhat of an oxymoron. Larrow found her to be professional and quite competent. She also didn't question the aspect of sometimes working within national boundaries. That was a plus.
"You want me to widen the scope of the assignment?"
"Do as you see fit."
"Yes, sir."
Larrow knew he could trust Latell to be discreet. She routinely found out items of particular interest by her own initiative.
US Marine captain Richard Starr, retired, sat by himself in the cockpit of one very expensive jet aircraft. He was sweating. While he had countless hours sitting beside his assigned pilot, J. C. Christman, learning the plane, this was his first time alone. Calm down, Starr. You know how to do this. He keyed the radio microphone and contacted the airport tower. He gave the plane's identification numbers and requested instructions for takeoff. As Christman instructed, he kept it short and sweet. Christman had filed the flight plan for him, written up a quick set of notes that he'd taped to the copilot's seat, and slapped him on the shoulder when he left. "Read you loud and clear," he replied.