Rescind Order

by Natasha Bajema

  “Is this woman Morgan’s mother?” she asked, her pulse spiking.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Frank said grimly.

  “That would also make her Jack’s sister-in-law,” Susan said, a pit forming in her stomach. She looked up at Frank for answers with her eyebrow raised. His dull face was expressionless, and his small eyes hid behind his thick glasses, betraying no information. “Why are you showing this to me?”

  “Ma’am, Grayson asked me to look into any connection between Morgan and Nightfall. He said you requested the information?”

  Grayson initiated the investigation?

  Susan nodded, trying to hide her surprise.

  “Ms. Shaw entered the country a week ago,” Frank said. “She traveled from Lebanon under the assumed name of Maria Koslova with a false Russian passport. At immigration, Faye claimed she was an executive working for Nesti Oil and Gas, and she didn’t raise any flags upon entry. We have video footage from TSA confirming her arrival last Tuesday through customs and immigration at Dulles airport.”

  Koslova… now why does that name ring a bell?

  “If Ms. Shaw didn’t raise any flags upon entry, how did you figure out who she really was?” Susan asked.

  Frank nodded as if he expected the question. “Ma’am, we ID’d Ms. Shaw through cellphone communications in which one of her contacts slipped up and used her real last name. After that, it wasn’t hard to discover her true identity by tracking her smartphone signals.”

  “But why were you listening to her communications? Is Ms. Shaw already under official investigation for something?”

  “No, ma’am. Recordings of several phone calls between Ms. Shaw and possible Russian foreign intelligence operatives came in from the NSA’s signals collection as part of an investigation in the FBI’s counterintelligence division. We’re tracking a number of Russian citizens in the country believed to be working for Russia’s Federal Security Service. We think these individuals are actively engaging in gray zone operations—”

  “Isn’t Ms. Shaw an American citizen?” Susan interrupted. “I sure hope you haven’t exceeded your authority here.”

  “Ma’am, under our mandate, any American citizens with direct ties to suspected Russian agents are fair game. But as of this morning, we’ve requested a court order for more comprehensive surveillance of Ms. Shaw’s activities. Anyway, there’s a direct connection to Morgan Shaw on your staff at the National Security Council. I mentioned it to Grayson right away. He told me you wanted me to dig further. And that’s why I’m here.”

  “Have you found anything interesting?” Susan asked, flipping through the contents of the file. There was nothing terribly compelling in the folder as far as she could tell. At least not enough to raise suspicions about Morgan’s loyalties to the United States or its Constitution.

  “Ma’am, interesting isn’t the word I’d use for what we found,” Frank said, a dark look descending on his face.

  “What word would you use, then?” she asked, taking another look at the thin file. She was stumped about what he could be referring to.

  “I guess if I had to choose just one word for it, I’d say it’s a sockdolager.”

  “A what?” Susan’s face tightened. She wasn’t in the mood for any levity and certainly not from Frank.

  “Sorry, ma’am.” Frank gave her a shy smile. “It’s an old-fashioned term. To put it more plainly, what I’ve found is a decisive blow to everything our country stands for.”

  Susan jerked her head, her pulse quickening. “Please explain.”

  “As I said before, we began digging into Morgan Shaw at Grayson’s behest. This morning, we discovered a single reference to her mother’s name within FBI case files in connection with the Nightfall Incident. Naturally, that caught my attention, and I asked for more information. But that’s when we hit a brick wall, and I decided it was necessary to inform you immediately.”

  “What sort of brick wall?” Susan asked.

  “Ma’am, I’m not sure how to tell you this.”

  “Go on,” she said, crossing her arms.

  “President Monroe sealed the early investigation files leading up to the Nightfall Incident and then later halted the investigation of Nightfall before it was fully complete. Of course, this was all before my time as director. My predecessor signed off on everything.”

  Susan’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. “Harrison did what?”

  “Ma’am. Apparently, the president demanded we seal all files on al Makhtar shortly after his inauguration. It was one of his first acts in office. He called the former FBI director’s office himself and ordered the physical destruction of all existing hard copy files. He also sealed any electronic files with the highest level of encryption. President Monroe insisted that no one have access without his authorization, including the FBI director himself. Since the president has passed on, I’ve had my IT guys trying to crack open the files all day. They’ll keep trying to break the code with brute force, but it’s really no use. The files have been encrypted using the most advanced algorithms, and only the president held the key to break it.”

  Susan turned her head slowly back and forth as she thought through the implications, and then she gasped out loud when it hit her. “The president’s request to seal those files was illegal.”

  Is that why the FBI director resigned?

  “Ma’am, it was highly illegal,” Frank said.

  “Why would the president actively prevent the FBI from gaining access to possible intelligence leads before the Nightfall Incident occurred?”

  Unless the investigation would implicate him?

  Frank cleared his throat. “Ma’am, I don’t think the president anticipated the Nightfall Incident. I had an opportunity to speak to the former FBI director about it. He wouldn’t say much, but he did explain what he knew about the president’s rationale. When Monroe requested the files be sealed, he claimed he didn’t want to destabilize the country with the information that would come to light through further investigation. He said uncovering the depth of the conspiracy behind al Makhtar would undermine trust in the U.S. government since the group had direct ties to a massive network of American citizens in positions of power across the country.”

  “And the former FBI director just believed him?”

  “He said he had no choice. Monroe was not only the president, he was also close friends with his boss, the attorney general. Apparently, he didn’t want to lose his job.”

  There has to be more to it than that.

  “But he resigned anyway,” Susan said, her mouth hanging open slightly.

  “Yes. And he wouldn’t say why,” Frank said, his bushy eyebrows squished together.

  Susan’s mouth remained open, but she was unable to find words. Her boss and good friend was not the man she thought he was. Her heart sank at the realization of how far Harrison had strayed from the ideals of the Constitution.

  I can’t believe Harrison would do something like this.

  “There’s more. As I hinted at earlier, the president went a step further after sealing the files on al Makhtar. He also interfered in the investigation into Nightfall,” Frank said. “In fact, he halted it prematurely when questions began to surface about the files and what might be in them. That’s when the FBI director made the announcement about the responsibility for Nightfall. Of course, the Islamic jihadist cover story conformed to the expectations of American citizens. Claiming al Makhtar had sole responsibility for the Nightfall Incident was an easy sell to the general public.”

  “I always wondered if there was more to it,” Susan said. “The official document trail was spotty, and there were gaping holes in the investigation’s findings. When I read through the report, it felt as if we’d only uncovered the first layer of the conspiracy. But I figured the president would dig deeper if he deemed it necessary.”

  I was wrong.

  “Ma’am, I now believe the official story about the Nightfall Incident to be a well-orchestrated cover b
y the president and his top officials. And I will not shirk my responsibility in finding the truth. I want to make this right, if you’ll let me do so.”

  Susan looked up at Frank and nodded solemnly. Her arms went limp at her sides, and a bitter taste filled her mouth. In her shock over the president’s betrayal, she’d bitten her cheek.

  Perhaps I misjudged Frank as well.

  “Have you spoken to any of the agents who were investigating al Makhtar before Nightfall?” she asked.

  Frank bobbed his head. “I tried talking to them today, but haven’t had any success in getting more information. One is dead. Another is working overseas as a legal attaché in Denmark and hasn’t returned my calls. The one with a bad reputation is willing to talk, but as the FBI’s resident conspiracy theorist, she’ll be of no real help. That leaves us with one young female special agent hired specifically to work the al Makhtar case around the time that the files were sealed. But she came to the FBI from the Treasury Department with background knowledge about the financial trail of the group.”

  “Did she talk?”

  “I met with her this morning, but unfortunately, she’s too afraid to say anything. Apparently, the president threatened her career at the FBI if she didn’t keep silent.”

  “And Harrison’s death isn’t enough to remove the threat?” Susan asked.

  Frank shook his head. “Ma’am, we need to reopen those files and figure out who is all involved in this.”

  “You said they were encrypted. What do I need to do to unseal them?”

  “Ma’am, all I need is your consent and that encryption key.”

  Susan stared back at Frank, her jaw clenched. “I don’t know of any encryption key.” She paused for a moment to think. “What if the key died with President Monroe? Is it just a password?”

  “My IT guys said it would be a small USB drive with software and a password to unlock the encryption code. Is it possible that President Monroe gave it to any of his confidantes?”

  “You mean to Jack?”

  Frank nodded. “Possibly to Morgan?”

  “You think she knows about all of this?” Susan asked, a deep frown forming on her face.

  She’d been on the fence about Morgan since she was sworn into office. Her first inclination had been to fire her along with Jack. But out-of-the-box thinking about the threats posed by nuclear weapons was so rare inside the Beltway and her own administration, Susan had decided to wait and see about her fate. Earlier that morning, Morgan had proven herself useful for poking at Burke, making Susan want to keep her around. But if what the FBI learned about Morgan was true, she could also be a liability for Susan.

  Frank shrugged. “How could she not? Jack’s her uncle, Faye’s her mother, and Monroe was a longtime family friend.”

  “But you have nothing directly linking Morgan to al Makhtar, to the Russians, or to the sealed files?” Susan asked.

  “That’s correct, ma’am,” Frank said. “I have no tangible evidence of any wrongdoing on Morgan’s part. On the contrary. As you know, she was instrumental in navigating the fallout after the Nightfall Incident. Some might still call her a hero.”

  “Then what should I do about all of this?” Susan asked, suppressing the sinking feeling in her gut. She recalled Morgan’s theory about the Russian connection, and her stomach roiled.

  How did Morgan come up with that idea? Was it a coincidence?

  Now Susan wished desperately that Elise had stayed for the conversation so she could consult her for advice. Looking up at Frank, she asked tentatively, “Do I fire her?”

  Frank shook his head. “Ma’am, if I were in your shoes, I’d keep her close for now. But not too close, just in case she has ties to the Russians. We’ve put two FBI special agents on her to track her movements. We’re also working to get a court order for her communications. Until we know more, I’d keep her around but severely limit her access.”

  “And what about Jack?” Susan asked.

  “We have him under surveillance as well. But if he’s communicating with Faye or the Russians, I doubt we’ll get wind of it from him. Since the president’s death, he’s gone mostly underground. If he’s involved in this scheme, Jack is not an amateur at subterfuge.”

  “What more do we know about Faye Shaw?” Susan asked.

  “We haven’t had a chance to learn much since she came up on our radar. But we do know she departed the U.S. yesterday, this time using her U.S. passport.”

  “Where did she go?” Susan asked.

  “She got on a flight leaving for Moscow.”

  Just then, Elise burst into the office. “Ma’am, sorry to interrupt, but we need to get ready for the press briefing.”

  Susan frowned. “But you’ve already briefed me on everything.”

  “There have been some new developments. You know those videos of the massacre in Hong Kong on social media?”

  Susan nodded.

  “It looks like they’re deep fakes,” Elise said, her forehead creased.

  “So, there’s no massacre?”

  Elise made a face. “Not sure. Our intel analysts are poring over satellite images as we speak to get a better sense of what’s happening. But the press and social media are both spinning out of control with conspiracy theories.”

  “Fake tweets, deep fakes, what’s next?” Susan asked, shaking her head.

  I probably don’t want to know.

  30

  Deep Fakes

  MORGAN

  1100

  Washington Monument

  The National Mall

  Morgan took a deep breath and tried to admire the pristine view of the Washington Monument from the Ellipse, but she was too distracted to take it in. She stood holding her smartphone in the oval-shaped park located just south of the White House. She dialed Jack’s number again. It rang twice with no answer. Then he finally picked up.

  “This is Jack,” a weary voice answered.

  “Why didn’t you pick up the phone before?” Morgan asked.

  “I was busy.” His voice was unusually cold.

  “Did you get my voicemail message?”

  “I did.”

  “And you didn’t call me back?”

  “Well, I was rather confused by your message. I don’t know what you were referring to.”

  What’s he playing at?

  “You don’t remember calling me just after Harrison died on the golf course?” Morgan asked.

  “No.”

  Why is he doing this?

  Morgan frowned, contemplating her uncle’s possible motivations for playing cat and mouse with her. Then she realized something.

  Maybe he thinks someone is listening in?

  “What did you think about the autopsy results?” Morgan asked, testing the waters.

  “Well, I wouldn’t say we have results just yet,” Jack said. “The medical examiner has not finished her analysis. I’d rather not talk any further. I’m being investigated by the FBI and the Secret Service at—”

  Her eyes widened. She hadn’t expected him to come out and say it. “Wait a minute. Investigators think you may have had something to do with the president’s chloroquine dosage?”

  He sighed. “Not sure what they think. They claim they’re following due diligence on the investigation. And since I was with Harrison most of the day, I’m a person of interest for now. Is this why you’re calling me, because if so—”

  “Jack, please don’t hang up,” Morgan said urgently. “I called to discuss something important. And it may help your case.”

  “I’m listening.”

  Morgan took a deep breath. “Do you know how Anton Vega might be connected to Russian oligarchs named Igor Koslov and Viktor Pasternak? I found a picture of them partying on a yacht and started wondering if there was something more to it.”

  “Hmm… Those names sound familiar,” Jack said. “Don’t they have ties to Russia’s natural gas and oil industry? Weren’t they angry at the Monroe administration for the U.S.-China
clean energy deal?”

  “Yes, those are the ones.”

  “Well, it wouldn’t be all that strange for Vega to hang out with fellow billionaires, would it?” Jack said. “Especially those with similar interests. Given Vega’s plans to normalize consumer space travel in the next few years, he’s invested heavily in sources of energy, including oil and natural gas. I’m sure Russia would be a lucrative supplier for him. But I don’t know of any specific business he’d have with Koslov and Pasternak.”

  “Do you think the Russians were somehow involved in Nightfall?” Morgan asked.

  “Harrison and I looked into it. We didn’t find a direct link to the Russians, but we also didn’t look too hard. I think you know what I mean.” He paused for a moment. “Why are you asking? Has something happened?”

  Besides the president’s sudden death?

  “I assume you heard about China’s aggressive tweets earlier this morning?” Morgan asked.

  “Yes, I’ve been following the situation in China all day,” Jack said.

  “Well, we don’t think the tweets came from the Chinese government. There’s evidence that someone from Russia might be behind the posts, attempting to stir up trouble between the U.S. and China during the escalating conflict in Hong Kong. Maybe one of these oligarchs is behind it.”

  “And you think these tweets are part of some nefarious plot?” Jack asked, his tone skeptical. “There must be more going on than a few posts on social media.”

  Morgan took a deep breath. “Well, there’s two nuclear-armed Chinese submarines traveling just off the coast of Canada, supposedly for the scheduled war game tomorrow. They separated from their flotilla, and we’ve lost track of them.”

  Jack grunted. “Huh. That’s an odd development, even for a war game. I’m sure China’s missile test this morning and the government’s crackdown on protesters in Hong Kong has everyone on edge. With the deep fake videos that have surfaced on social media, it’s become impossible to tell what’s really happening.”

  “Deep fake videos?” Morgan’s mouth fell open. She hadn’t had time to check the internet all day.