Surrept

by Andrews, Taylor

  A nurse leaves the room to summon Dana's doctor.

  A few minutes later Dana is rolled down the hall, still in her bed, with her head and upper body elevated. The FBI agents and Matt are in tow. The nurse and an orderly guide her, her IV stand and her monitors down the hall to the ICU room of Reginald Haynes.

  She sees him hooked up to all of the crap that she is as they move furniture so that her bed will fit into the private room with him. There is a state trooper posted at the door.

  ***

  In international air space, a private jet whisks through the thin night air at thirty-four thousand feet. The man from Vancouver draws on his cigar and sips cognac on the plane. He is sitting with his associate from the warehouse. "Where is Adriana? She did not make her call. Was she injured, or killed at the tunnel site?"

  "We do not know. The rainmaker said there was small gunfire immediately after the fuel was ignited as they fled."

  "Did you meet the rainmaker and his associate at the pier?"

  He looks at his superior. "Yes sir. They decided to go fishing and became the bait as you requested. All of the details and loose ends have been handled, except for Adriana and seven of those who have been apprehended in the United States."

  The man looks at him, showing his displeasure regarding the apprehensions, "Are you sure of that number?"

  "Yes sir, according to the reported headcount at the tunnel, which I got from the rainmaker. In addition, what I have ascertained from the media, sir. Yes, I'm quite sure of the math."

  The man swirls the liquor in his glass, "We must find her as soon as possible. We will be in Caracas in about eight hours. We will handle our business there and wait for her for five days, and then we will assess our next move. What do you think Marcus?"

  His subordinate adjusts himself in the leather chair. "I never felt good about the leadership in Venezuela, and I believe they can't be trusted to follow through in cooperation with Tehran. Abu Dhabi does not like the Persians trying to build a relationship in South America. As far as Miss Pucci is concerned, I believe she is a tremendous liability. I believe that Adriana Pucci is a cunning viper that needs exterminating with extreme prejudice."

  The man nods. "I concur with you on all counts, Marcus. Let us now find another interpreter whom we can trust when we land in Caracas. Then we find our viper Adriana, and eliminate her." He laughs. "And save a few dollars."

  ***

  In Washington State, Adriana leaves an urgent care clinic with pain meds and ointments and several extra dressings in her bag. She walks down the street as she makes a call. This medical event has just cost her ten thousand in cash, and a session of oral sex in exchange for the physician's care and silence regarding her treatment.

  She thinks to herself that she wishes she could have eliminated him, but that would have established a trail for the authorities to follow. A cab arrives and she has the driver load her baggage from her father's old truck parked down the street in a shopping center. She gets in, and the cab disappears into the night.

  ***

  Across the country at the Homeland Security Headquarters in Virginia, the room is buzzing with activity.

  All concerned parties are present in the secure main briefing room.

  Homeland security head, Karen Satriano, speaks as the room quiets. "We have had a significant development, of which you all are aware, in Operation Pot Luck, in the State of Montana, near the Canadian border. Kevin Anderson will fill us all in. He has called this emergency meeting after briefing the president and the secretary of defense just hours ago. Kevin?"

  Kevin begins speaking from his seat at the table. "The president has been briefed as to the following developments regarding the attacks on the United States' and United Kingdom's public transportation systems that took place a week ago today." He looks at Leo Matz, who is swiveling back and forth in his chair, as he speaks. "At approximately twelve hundred thirty hours yesterday our Denver office alerted us to development in an ongoing investigation, whereby two FBI field agents and an assistant U.S. attorney brought forth two informants represented by their private attorney. The informants' attorney turned over critical evidence discovered by his clients. They also surrendered seven point four pounds of pure Afghanistan heroin, via their attorney seeking immunity from prosecution."

  "This negotiation was the result of an ongoing FBI investigation which was originated by the Denver field office. It included the release of a potential suspect, an American citizen, who was in our custody." He glares at Leo to signal his distaste for the methods used at Buckley Air Force base. "That suspect was detained, interviewed, and interrogated by our agents of the Denver office and special agents of the CIA at Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado four days ago."

  Kevin went on, "The suspect, David Bloomfield, a Colorado advertising executive, has no priors, no known associations and is deemed a civilian innocent as a result of that interrogation and the joint FBI and CIA's investigations, and was therefore ordered released by the attorney general, effective today at eighteen hundred hours central mountain time. However, it was that very investigation which yielded our newfound conclusions. The witnesses that provided that critical evidence were also granted immunity from prosecution by the attorney general in exchange for their cooperation and provisions of crucial evidence that we believe will lead to the originating sources and/or those responsible for the recent attacks in addition to a future scheduled biological agricultural attack plot."

  "The lead informant and crucial witness are known as Dana Lynn Underwood, female, twenty-nine years old, a real estate broker and also a resident native of Colorado, and the fiancé of the aforementioned suspect David Bloomfield. She was originally detained by our agents in the Denver office for interrogation regarding Bloomfield's arrest four days ago."

  He said, "Miss Underwood was instrumental in the acquisition of this evidence and was a principle in a private investigation of this terrorist organization. Her motive was to free her fiancé and clear his name. In addition, Miss Underwood's investigation resulted in a gun battle following a pursuit with the principle suspects who numbered seventy-six while they were in the process of fleeing to Canada via a drug trafficking tunnel. This border tunnel apparently is used for the entry and exit of narcotics and the currency generated in the operation, and the escape of the suspected principle terrorists in the recent attacks."

  "Miss Underwood and her associate were critically wounded in the process of intervening and preventing the escape after wounding the principle suspect leader who is presently at large. In addition, Miss Underwood fatally wounded a high-level principle suspect we believe to be the planner and designer, as well as an actual participant in the attacks. The suspect now identified as Ahmed Jassim Ali Naseri, a male Iraqi, twenty-five years old, a foreign student here on a visa, attending Colorado University in Denver."

  "Mr. Naseri's participation was validated by video taken from the Denver Metro commuter train authority. He is also a principle suspect in a double murder investigation of his two relatives who sponsored him, Omar and Kari Naseri, both of whom were naturalized citizens and Colorado residents and owners of a local market delicatessen, where the suspect Naseri worked. Their bodies were recovered in their home by local law enforcement in Englewood, Colorado after receiving a tip from neighbors."

  "In addition, Miss Underwood's investigation has lead to the recovery of seventy-six bodies, all deemed to be suspects in the terrorist attacks. All the bodies were recovered from the smuggling tunnel just hours after an intended explosion that was detonated from outside. We suspect that this was a mass murder plot designed to eliminate the actual participants of the attacks, while they believed they were fleeing from the United States into Canada to escape and return to their native countries. Miss Underwood and an associate also included in the Department of Justice investigation and negotiation are directly responsible for the discovery of this conspiracy. This is an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. We believe that those bodies were all foreign Muslims and the suspects that carried out the actual commuter attacks."

  He continued, "Miss Underwood and her associate are now hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries and are expected to make a full recovery. Both have agreed to full cooperation and to provide testimony as needed. At no time was Miss Underwood or her associate coerced or prompted to her actions and is considered a civilian patriot of the United States in the eyes of the Department of Justice."

  Leo spins in his chair while listening.

  Kevin says, "The other subject and associate of Miss Underwood who was granted immunity from prosecution is known as Reginald Alexander Haynes, a black male, age thirty-three, also a Colorado resident and native. Mr. Haynes is a former Army airborne sergeant, with one tour of duty in Iraq and two tours of duty in Afghanistan. Subject Haynes was assigned to a security detail for the Afghani government and U.N. officials, nine confirmed kills and three decorations. He was discharged with honors. Mr. Haynes has one prior for drug possession and was about to be indicted for heroin trafficking and weapons charges in the state of Colorado."

  "He has provided information regarding the principle suspects' involvement of heroin trafficking with contacts to Kabul, Afghanistan, and named three drug lords not known to the intelligence and/or drug enforcement community. All whom we believe are responsible for the funding and support of this terrorist action. Mr. Haynes assisted Miss Underwood throughout her investigation, including the critical evidence provided and the identification of the principle suspect still at large."

  Kevin Anderson scans the room. "Mr. Haynes was also critically wounded in the Montana gun battle at the tunnel site with the principle suspect we know now as Adriana Marie Pucci, an adopted name, also twenty-nine, also a Colorado resident whose birth-given name was Farah Salwa. She was fathered by an Iraqi and mothered by an Afghani and was born in Baghdad, Iraq."

  Leo Matz turns and listens carefully to Anderson.

  "Her father was killed in the bombing by Israeli forces at the Osirak nuclear reactor facility, just outside of Baghdad, Iraq in June 1981. Her mother abandoned suspect Pucci in 1982. Then in 1983, an Italian infrastructure developer and his wife adopted her. She has a formal public education and attended private schools in Oxford, England as a child, and the Colorado public school system. Suspect Adriana Pucci is a graduate of Boulder University with honors, magna cum laude with a major in linguistics and business, is fluent in nine languages. She has no prior felonies, two misdemeanor arrests for political demonstrations in Los Angeles and Seattle. Suspect Pucci is presently at large, and is now considered to be an active enemy combatant of the United States. She is considered armed and extremely dangerous."

  "Suspect Pucci has been placed on the FBI top-ten wanted list as number-one and a reward of twenty-five million dollars is now internationally posted for her apprehension. Pucci is the principle target of this investigation. She is close to the top and may be a principle conspirator. She is suspected in committing and/or conspiring in over two hundred seventy-one murders directly, and is suspected as a principle conspirator in the overall attack on the citizens of the United States and Great Britain, which has resulted in twelve thousand six hundred twenty-one deaths in total."

  The room is dead quiet. Leo wonders if that is dead or alive status. He notices that Karen Satriano has been taking notes the whole time. That tunnel is her responsibility and she is probably going to undergo strong questions with the whys and whats regarding it being missed by HSA satellite and her ground people in border patrol. Leo can see that Karen Satriano is sweating big time about the FBI discovery, and the disclosure recited by the Assistant Director Kevin Anderson.

  Anderson continues, "All notifications have been made to Customs, ICE, NCIC, Interpol and every law enforcement organization and intelligence service worldwide. That concludes our findings to date."

  Leo has never heard of this woman and has no information on her or updates by anyone in his office. He needs everything he can get on this Adriana Marie Pucci, aka Farah Salwa. He needs to get a file copy from Kevin Anderson asap.

  Leo shakes his head and pulls himself closer to the table as he interrupts. "Well Kevin, it sounds like the Bureau has been busy hoarding. What is the information regarding the next attack on this country. Would you mind sharing that with us, as it seemed to be omitted from your report."

  Anderson opens his file. "The evidence provided a plan and outline for the attack as a nationwide contamination of the entire pork processing industry here in the United States." He looks at Karen Satriano and continues. "Complete with local contacts of employees of those processing facilities who would assist with this contamination attack plot, which numbered eighty-seven suspects, all of whom are now in FBI custody." He glances at Leo. "A list of the sixty-nine suspects, who would perform the actual contaminations at processing facilities across the nation, is included in our report. All of the suspects are Muslim males who had the biological contaminates in their possession at the time of arrest and/or apprehension due to our investigation, assisted by the United States Department of Agriculture and its agents."

  Homeland Security Chief Karen Satriano is shocked and surprised by his disclosure and is thanking God for the FBI right now. She knew nothing about any of this.

  "That arrest operation is presently underway at this very moment," Kevin says. "The outline also included the contaminate formula which is a biologically engineered super bacteria that if implemented would have caused the deaths of an estimated ten-million-plus consumers in this country in an unprecedented death toll."

  Leo is floored by the Bureau's ability to keep a secret. Not even he has ever witnessed such an effective, efficient covert operation conducted by the FBI.

  "The secretary of the Department of Agriculture and their agents of the Food Security Investigation Service have halted all pork processing plant operations until inspections are completed. All of the pork-related facilities involved are secured temporarily, with local special weapons teams, until the National Guard can establish security perimeters at each facility in each state. The products presently in the marketplace have been deemed safe by the Department of Agriculture, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has stopped safe the attack prior to occurrence." He looks around the room. "The biological contaminate is still present in the public community, and until this operation is completed, as you can imagine, we wanted to keep a lid on it. We expect full containment by tonight. The attack was scheduled for," he looks at his watch, "fifty-one hours from now."

  Karen Satriano is angry that she knew nothing of this except a notification of a National Guard shift in the movement to private unsecured facilities. She thought is was just political maneuvering on the administration's part. She is about to explode with questions but is interrupted by the CIA's Leo Matz.

  "Excuse me for my indignation, Kevin, but is there anything else that should be forthcoming?" He leans forward about to demand further insight.

  Karen Satriano asks, "What happened to interagency cooperation, Mr. Anderson? Homeland Security should have known about this."

  He glares at Leo for his insinuation. "Director Satriano raises a valid question. We think that the suspect Ahmed Jassim Ali Naseri was the manufacturer and the designer of the attacks and the developer of the super bacteria. However, that is not yet been officially confirmed. That investigation is still in progress. This thing has developed very quickly, as you all can see."

  Leo pushes the file in front of him. "Thank you, Kevin, for forcing me to pull teeth to get all of the information. Is that all of the gory details?"

  Kevin Anderson gets up and gathers his things. "For the record, yes, Mr. Matz. Excuse me. I have work to do that is productive in protecting this country and its citizens." He throws five copies of his file onto the table. "The entire file and ongoing operation details are all there, complete with all suspect and principle files. Good evening."

  Leo Matz reache
s for his file and slides one of the FBI files to Karen Satriano. He notices that Jack does not reach for his like the others, until last. He knew about all of this.

  The room empties as Leo reviews the file he received from Kevin Anderson. He turns to the background info on Adriana Pucci. This young woman is the key to the agency's new agenda, and he needs to be the one to find her first. The administration is waiting to launch the three operations, as the mock pullout is taking longer than expected due to resistance from the joint chiefs who are dragging their feet at the Pentagon. Leo thinks that this Adriana Pucci, a.k.a., Farah Salwa, and those she worked for, are his new Huckleberries to target. She could aid in validating the war on terror. This could enable the United States to increase its foothold in the Middle East, as per the original agenda of seven years ago.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The next morning Dana finishes her third and final debriefing with the FBI in two days. They are all assembled in Reggie's new room. They have set her up there as per her request so she could wait for him to awaken from surgery.

  Matthew walks out after Dana finishes. He is on the phone in the hallway with Assistant United States Attorney Jay Watts trying to find about David's release.

  Agent Davenport turns off her recorder. "Well, Dana, you certainly have been through a great deal, but you're still here to talk about it."

  Dana looks at her friend, who is still sleeping. "That man right there gave me the tools to survive this thing. I would have never made it without him."

  Agent Taylor says, "His information was dead on, and he enabled us to get to you guys fast. The paramedics said if they would not have gotten to you when they did, maybe five minutes longer and he would not have made it. They also said you were losing blood fast as well, but your belt slowed the bleeding. You're a lucky woman."

  Reggie speaks out and surprises the room. "She isn't lucky, that girl is more dangerous than a blind pit bull with rabies. If determination was snow, than that little blonde chick right there is a blizzard. Shit, she's the perfect storm in those tight ass jeans she wears. Lucky, my ass."