“They didn’t say, so I made the decision,” Jason said. They reached the tent complex used by Task Force TALON and the Army National Guard as their headquarters. “You have nothing to worry about,” Jason went on. “That migrant was shooting at you. That’s enough reason for you to go on the attack. Your use of force was totally and completely appropriate and justified…”
“We’ll be the judge of that, Major Richter,” a voice from inside the tent said. Jason was surprised to see the large TEMPER complex nearly filled with people, some in suits and ties. The voice came from an older woman who wore jeans, a white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, and a hiker’s vest. Jason caught a glimpse of a gun in a holster at her waist.
“Who are you?”
“Annette J. Cass, U.S. Attorney, southern district of California,” the woman replied. She unclipped an ID wallet from her belt and showed him her badge and ID card.
“I wasn’t advised of your arrival, Miss Cass,” Jason said. “I apologize for not meeting you.” She snapped the ID away before Jason could look it over and replaced it on her belt beside her gun holster. He smiled, trying not to look annoyed at having the ID snatched away before he could look at it, then extended his hand; Cass glared at his hand, obviously not expecting it, before accepting his greeting. He motioned to the others in the tent behind Cass. “And these nice folks?”
“Deputy Director Marta Fields from the San Diego office of the U.S. Border Patrol; Deputy Director Thomas Lombard of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Diego; Mr. Armando Ochoa, deputy consul general for investigation for the Mexican consulate in San Diego; plus some officers from the U.S. Marshals Service.” Cass noticed Jason’s eyes narrow when she mentioned the name of the deputy consul general, and she smiled knowingly.
“I wish you’d made an appointment first, Miss Cass,” Jason said. “As you can see, we’re in the middle of a shift change…”
“I’m handling the investigation of the incident last night. I’ll expect your full cooperation, Major Richter,” Cass interrupted. She looked at Vega and Falcone suspiciously, as if already deciding who was guilty and who was innocent. “I want to talk with Captain Falcone right away so he can give us a complete statement on the events of last night; all other personnel on duty last night will need to give us statements; and I want all operating data and recordings from last night from all of your Cybernetic Infantry Devices. Naturally all of your task force activities here will be suspended until further notice.”
“Naturally—as soon as I get proper orders,” Jason said.
Cass turned her green eyes on him and impaled him with an impatient, angry expression. “I just gave you your orders, Major Richter…”
“You gave me lots of orders, Miss Cass, but I’m not authorized to follow any of them.”
“What did you just say?” Cass asked in a clearly threatening tone. “Major Richter, let me get this straight: are you refusing to comply with my instructions?”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing, Miss Cass,” Jason said.
“Do you have any idea what the penalty is for obstruction of justice, Major? Try five years in prison and up to a two-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar fine. Your career would be over.”
“Miss Cass, you’re not in my chain of command, and I’m not in yours,” Jason said. “Your orders are worthless on this installation without authorization from my superior officers.”
“You’re acting like a man with something to hide, Major,” Cass said. “Are you trying to hide something? You do realize I’m here on official business?”
“You’re not conducting an investigation here, Miss Cass—this is a plain old shakedown,” Jason said. “Besides, you didn’t even say the magic word, ‘please.’ So you’ve just worn out your welcome. You should all just pack up and get off my installation, right now.”
“You’re making a big mistake, Major,” Cass said. “I’m giving you one last warning: obey my instructions or find yourself under arrest.” She turned to the group of persons behind her. “Deputy Director Lombard and the U.S. marshals will secure this facility and begin my investigation. If you or any of your personnel do not cooperate, they’ll be forced to take more drastic action.”
“Miss Cass, the fact that you showed up here without any prior notice tells me that not only do you not have authority over me, but you initiated this visit on your own without any authorization from anyone—not even the Department of Justice,” Jason said. He half-turned to Falcone and said, “Captain Falcone, make a note of the time, please.”
“Yes, sir,” Falcone said, surreptitiously checking the device strapped to his wrist.
“Dr. Vega, I would like you to call the White House from the secure radio in the command vehicle,” Jason went on. “Advise them of the situation here and ask for instructions.”
“Sure, J,” Ariadna said a little worriedly, turning and heading for the exit.
“You’re not going anywhere, Dr. Vega. Director Lombard.” The ICE director motioned, and two men wearing black BDUs, black bulletproof vests emblazoned with the letters “U.S. MARSHAL” on the front, Kevlar helmets, and carrying suppressed MP-5 submachine guns quickly stepped forward to block the tent exit. “You’ve forced me to take drastic action, Major Richter. No one leaves, and no one makes any calls until I say so.”
“What do you think you’re doing, Miss Cass—trying to start a fight in here?” Jason asked. He wore a slight smile as he casually put his hands behind his back. “Why the guns? Aren’t we all on the same side?”
“I will get your cooperation, Major, any way I must,” Cass said seriously. “I heard how you treat those in authority, especially federal law enforcement agents, and it won’t happen here. You could have done this the easy way. You want to be treated like an adversary, like you have something to hide—fine, you will be.” The U.S. marshals took Jason’s and Ariadna’s sidearms away from them. “Now let’s all go into your office, Major, while Director Lombard begins his interview with Captain Falcone. You will call in all of the personnel involved in last night’s incident and have them report to us here immediately. I want your records, logs, technical data, and downloads from your robots, and I want them in the next five minutes or I will take this entire camp apart piece by piece until I find them.”
“Five minutes?” Jason remarked, smiling. “I think we can have something for you a lot sooner than that. Captain?”
“Ready when you are, sir,” Falcone said.
“Show Miss Cass what we have.”
“Roger that, sir.” Hidden behind Richter, Falcone pressed a button on his wrist device…
…and seconds later the top of the TEMPER module they were standing in ripped open, and one of the Cybernetic Infantry Devices peered inside. “Everyone freeze and drop your weapons!” a machine’s electronic voice shouted. The CID unit immediately grabbed the marshals who were carrying weapons—one agent was grabbed by the upper arm, the other by his left shoulder. Both officers screamed in pain and terror as they were hauled up off their feet.
“What in hell…!” Lombard cried out, immediately reaching for his sidearm.
“No!” Jason said, still smiling. “No guns! It will detect guns and…”
But it was far too late. No sooner had Director Lombard’s gun cleared his holster than the CID unit walked quickly through the nylon side of the TEMPER module and swung the captured marshals at Lombard, knocking him off his feet. The CID unit kept moving forward until Lombard was pinned against the other side of the module, unable to move his hands or arms, with the two U.S. marshals dangling painfully in midair above him.