The town-car? Finally, at the point where nothing surprised him, Zach headed downstairs to wait for his ride. There was no wait, as soon as he entered the lobby the clerk pointed to the black town-car out front. The driver wore a chauffeurs uniform and stood by the open rear door of the car. When Zach walked out the front door, the driver welcomed him and asked what he would like to see. Zach said, “All the normal sights a tourist would enjoy, just make sure we are at the restaurant on time.”
The driver nodded, slid behind the wheel, and pulled from the curb, ready to do the traditional sight-seeing tour. As they crossed the Potomac, Zach could already see the Washington Monument, shimmering under the floodlights. The Monument appeared as it had in so many images captured by so many cameras. Completely enthralled, Zach enjoyed all the sights that made up his private tour. Cynicism kicked in as he thought, how can such a beautiful place be so ugly in the corridors of those buildings?
The driver told Zach it was time to get to the restaurant, and made a beeline for the restaurant, weaving in and out of traffic to ensure his passenger was on time. The driver knew Mr. Dunlap's penchant for punctuality.
At the restaurant, the maitre d’ said, “Welcome Mr. Taylor, right this way,” and whisked Zach off to a private room. Zach didn’t even question how the maitre d’ knew his name. After the events of the day, he almost expected it. Jake, already at the table, was in the middle of a discussion with the attentive waiter. The waiter headed for the kitchen with Jake’s instructions. When Jake noticed Zach’s presence, he said, “Welcome Zach, please have a seat and thank you for being on time.” Relieved he wasn’t late, Zach took a seat across from the man that had filled his head with questions without answers.
“I hope you don’t mind, I went ahead and ordered our dinner. It’s a special sampler meal; there will be a myriad of different specialties they make here, I think you will enjoy it,” Jake said.
“That’s fine,” replied Zach, he wasn’t thinking about dinner, he wanted answers. “Mind if I ask you a question?”
“Go right ahead.”
“How do you know so much about me? You have way too much information on me, and much more than you could obtain from my shows.”
“Very well, we can skip the pleasantries, and get right to it. However, there is one thing that has to be settled before we can go any further.”
“What’s that?”
“What we discuss requires complete secrecy. Confidentially is a life or death situation. If you feel you can’t promise complete silence, I suggest you leave now. I can’t reiterate this enough. There is no wiggle room on the promise. Your life depends on your silence. It’s your call.”
Zach just sat there, processing what he just heard. He knew it wouldn’t be a problem to stay quiet. But did he even want to get involved in whatever Jake’s company did? Unconsciously, Zach munched on the best caviar available and was unaware of the exquisite flavors presented.
Zach considered all the adventures he had undertaken, and how many times he had put his life in a precarious situation. For no other reason than to accomplish some feat no one else had. Zach looked at Jake and said, “Go ahead, Let’s hear what you have to say. And for the record, I have my doubts about the whole life and death thing, just saying.”
Unlike Zach, Jake was savoring the white beluga caviar, with its golden hues, rich, creamy butter laced flavor, crispness and just the right hint of brine. When Jake heard Zach’s last comment, his whole demeanor changed as if he had just been insulted, and forcefully responded, “To doubt us is naive. So tell me, how does that suit fit?”
Zach understood the innuendo present in Jake’s question, and said, “I get it, you have ways to gather lots of information on someone. So what do you want from me?”
“I’m glad you get it. We might offer you a position at our agency, but that depends on how tonight goes.”
For the first time, Jake had referred to his company as an agency, and the label did not go unnoticed by Zach. At a loss for words, he merely said, “Okay.”
As if that was his cue, Jake began a lengthy review of FAPS' history and purpose. The agency started with a single individual, in nineteen sixty-one, named Patrick Delaney. A seasoned military vet and close friend of the president. In a closed-door meeting, with no aides in attendance, the president laid out the plans for the Bay of Pigs operation and wanted Patrick to insert himself into the mission as an observer. The president had complete confidence in Patrick and wanted him to be his eyes and ears on the ground, but his role would be unknown to everyone involved.
After the failure at the Bay of Pigs, Patrick reported back to the president with his observations and suggestions for future operations. It was at that meeting the secret agency became a reality. The president recognized America had the best intelligence agencies with their existence well known around the world. This agency would work from the shadows, and the only person aware of its mission would be the president himself.
Patrick formed a small team, and they began to take on missions that were primarily observational, but occasionally took on covert operations to help influence the outcome of world events. Over time, Patrick recognized situations where more than a passive role to accomplish the desired result was required.
His good friend and President of the United States met a tragic ending, way too early in life, and Patrick introduced himself to his successor. What this president heard made sense for the countries security, but thought there needed to be a greater separation between the White House and the agency. Official deniability would become an ever-increasing priority, as the agency took on more aggressive roles in solving problems.
The solution to separate the agency from the White House directly was quite simple. An agent would be assigned to an obscure job at the state department, whose duties were never made clear to anyone in the department. Of course, this came with the usual grumblings of government waste, as someone was being paid to do who knows what. It didn’t matter; the government was so large, one person could easily get lost in the massive bureaucracy.
Attentive to what he heard, Zach soaked it in, the way a dry sponge absorbs water until it has reached its capacity. Fortunately, his mind could assimilate a great deal of information. Unfortunately, his sponge had become saturated. Jake recognized the look and decided it was time to take a break from the torrent of data he dumped on Zach. Jake looked down and saw a small ostrich steak with a peppercorn sauce ready to be sampled. “What do you say, we take a short break.”
Relieved by the suggestion, Zach dug into his steak and found himself finally able to appreciate the flavors the chef could create. He knew after a short reprieve; there would be more to come, so he wanted to savor the food while he could.
Chapter 6
Virginia
When Jake felt enough time had passed he continued his narrative on FAPS’ history. He explained how over the years the agency had grown, even amid mixed opinions by different presidents. Some presidents wanted an innocuous agency that simply monitored the local atmosphere, and helped push efforts for democracy around the world. At the other end of the spectrum, some presidents wanted the agency to take on a more forceful approach to problem solving. The one thing all the presidents shared was their appreciation of a group that pushed that president’s agenda without all the accountability every other agency had to abide by.
Jake went on to explain; in some cases, it involved aiding an opposition party in a country with an autocratic ruler or to negotiate the release of prisoners, in other cases, it meant assistance to overthrow oppressive governments by any means necessary or to extract prisoners at all costs. While their success rate was around ninety percent, not every mission had a favorable outcome. That could mean either a complete mission failure or an assignment accomplished, but with unconscionable costs, the agency had a difficult time accepting.
Zach had an idea but was unsure what exactly Jake meant. He didn’t want to interrupt but needed an answer and asked, “What k
ind of costs are you talking about?”
Emotionless and in a somber voice Jake’s response was three cutting words, “Loss of life.”
“That’s what I thought you meant.”
“Whether it’s an innocent or an agent, loss of life is unacceptable to us, regardless of the mission’s outcome.”
“I don’t want to sound heartless, but how many of those lives were agents?”
“Thirty-five since the agencies inception.”
“In other words almost one agent a year, if my math is correct.”
“Yes Zach, that is the reality of what we do, but the successes remind us that we are doing the right thing.”
As if to create a diversion, Zach took a bite of some unknown fowl in a slightly sweet yet tangy sauce. Jake appreciated the distraction and tried the poultry for himself. They both ate the next two sample plates in silence. Zach felt guilty that he had not thoroughly enjoyed the quality and skill of the chef’s dishes. He focused all his attention on the flavors of the next sample plate delivered. Coupled with his enjoyment of the food, Zach took this time to process all he had just heard. Jake waited patiently. The conversation would resume whenever Zach was ready.
In due time, Zach said, “Why me? I don’t get why we’re even meeting.”
“There are several reasons I wanted to meet you. First, I think you might be a good fit for the agency. I’ve watched several of your adventure shows, and from those, it was not very difficult to get a general impression of you.”
“Well, those shows are edited to make me look good.”
“Maybe, but you’re obviously willing to take calculated risks, are detailed oriented, focused, physically fit, and intelligent. Your adventures also give you a superb cover since you are viewed as someone that travels all around the world to try crazy adventures.”
“So if I do join, I still get to make my adventure shows?”
“Absolutely. Finally, our research team did a great job pulling together the rest of your story. Nothing stood out as a red flag, and your worldviews are a great match.”
“I have to admit. It was eerie to discover just how much you know about me.”
“Best research team in the world. Besides having access to all the data from the various intelligence agencies, they acquire additional information that is fairly personal and of no interest to the intelligence community at large.”
“So they’re responsible for my suit fitting the way it does?”
“Indirectly. By the way, except for a few transition offices, most of our building is home to the research team. They’re all so focused on their computer monitors that you’d be hard-pressed to know they even exist. That’s why we call the team Bigfoot.”
“So far, I’m not convinced that I should join your agency, but you have at least piqued my interest.”
Jake was glad to hear Zach express some interest and dove into the agencies structure. He explained there were currently ten thousand agents scattered across every country in the world. Their primary responsibility was to monitor local events and look for signs of any nefarious activities. The majority of agents had been in place for decades and were no longer considered an outsider by the locals. When an agent finally decided to retire, the agency had already spent years establishing a storyline for their replacement.
Typically, it was a distant relative that visited and loved it so much they decided to stay. Up to now, this had worked well and ensured a level of continuity they couldn’t achieve if they just threw strangers into the local population. Every agent had developed a vast array of informants, and they would be wary of a stranger in their midst. Also, informants are thoroughly vetted by Bigfoot, so agents had an intricate knowledge of those they dealt with.
In addition to the fixed assets, there were rapid response teams, called RRT’s for short, that were sent in when information indicated a critical situation was looming. RRT assignments were more dangerous, and where they risked unacceptable costs, but also where they had the most significant impact.
Jake reviewed at length the structure of an RRT, how the team consisted of: a team leader, a logistics expert, a communications expert, a tactical expert, and possibly a local associate. Typically the associate would be the fixed asset, who coordinated support personnel from his contacts and rarely accompanied the RRT on the actual mission.
Jake made the point, role designations were intended to maintain an organized structure for the mission at hand, and every team member was expected to take on any of the roles. In fact, their assignment within the team would rotate at times, to keep every agent sharp in all aspects of an operation. Jake assured Zach all team members went through intense training, so they were qualified to assume any position on the team. However, Jake also made the point individuals would gravitate towards one specialty over the others. With his generic spiel complete. He sat back in his chair and waited for a reaction from Zach.
It didn’t take Zach long to respond, “So I take it you want me to be an RRT agent?”
“Yes, since you’ve appeared on TV, being a fixed asset is out of the question. There is one critical question I have to ask you. It’s something Bigfoot couldn’t determine how you might answer. If there are no other options, in a split second life or death choice, would you be able to neutralize a man?”
“I don’t know. I would have to think about it.”
“Fair enough, let me have your answer in the morning if you are still interested. Are you?”
“I was very interested, up to that question about neutralizing someone, but in reality, I should have recognized that possibility from everything you have said.”
“For argument’s sake, let’s assume your response is positive. Let me go ahead and give you some more details on what it takes to be an agent.”
Jake laid out precisely what was expected of a potential agent, starting with the commitment involved. Zach had to agree to a one year contract where he would not be in contact with anyone other than agency personnel and other potential recruits. In return, he would be paid a healthy sum up front. That ensured the next of kin would be compensated in the event of an unforeseen tragedy.
Then Jake broke down how the next year would unfold: there would be physical training, communications training, tactical training, logistics training, and survival training. Those tasks would not be linear but interspersed so advances on all fronts would be continuously assessed. Leadership skills would also be evaluated, but there wasn’t specific training on how to lead a team, just suggestions on efficient ways to interact in a given situation.
At any time, the agents that conducted the training could dismiss a recruit for lack of acceptable progress, and the contract would be terminated. There would be no financial reimbursement required if someone didn’t complete the year-long training program. That money was guaranteed regardless of the outcome. Before he went any further, Jake needed to determine how receptive Zach was to the terms of the contract.
Jake said, “Well, the balls in your court Zach.”
Overwhelmed was not a strong enough word for the way Zach felt at that moment. It was as if he asked for a drink of water, and someone opened the floodgates drowning him in a sea of water that attacked him with such force he couldn’t tell up from down. Zach was drowning, but not in a sea of water, but a sea of information. Always a resourceful and confident man, he had never experienced the level of self-doubt he felt at that moment. How do I respond? What should my response be? Why such a rush for an answer? The proverbial drain opened, and he rode the whirlpool until the water had subsided and he stood on dry ground.
Finally, Zach said, “I still have some real soul-searching about being able to kill someone. All you get for now is a tentative yes I’ll sign up.”
Jake scribbled on a piece of paper, handed it to Zach and said, “Call me in the morning at this number with your final answer. Oh, if your answer is yes, you will have seventy-two hours to get things in order before you start your training.”
&n
bsp; Absentmindedly, Zach nodded as he glanced at his watch, it was just past twenty-three hundred hours. From Zach’s perspective, their conversation had reached its end. It was time for a much-needed break. He hoped his rendezvous with Sandy would provide not only a distraction but much more. Zach was instantly relieved to hear Jake’s next words.
Jake said, “I believe you have a young lady waiting for you. Why don’t we call it a wrap, and let you get on your way.”
Zach thanked Jake, excused himself and headed for the bar. He hurried towards the lounge, aware it was important not to leave a lady waiting. Zach walked in, looked around, and found Sandy tucked away in a corner booth. Candlelight danced across her face. When the flickering light caught her green eyes, it reminded him of moonbeams sparkling on the surface of a lake. Mesmerized, he stopped and stared, as the light emphasized the seductive expression from her full lips. She returned his focused look and telegraphed her thoughts.
When she stood, her appearance rivaled the model that posed for the Venus De Milo. Sandy waved to acknowledge Zach’s presence and tugged at the hem of her short skirt which accentuated her curvy hips and tight buttocks. The low cut neckline displayed her cleavage in such a way that her firm breasts pressed against the blouse and clamored to be captured by an artists brush. At the office, her hair had been in a bun, this evening her long blonde hair shimmered in the magic of the light show.
Captivated by her appearance, it took a moment for Zach to break out of his trance-like state. He walked over to the table and kissed her on both cheeks. He held out her chair and helped Sandy return to her seat, then sat down directly across from her. Electricity filled the air as they looked into each other’s eyes. Sandy began to blush, thoughts about the outcome they both anticipated filled her head.
The conversation flowed unabashedly as flirtatious innuendos dominated their exchange, laughter helped to conceal any embarrassment about their intentions. On occasion, the discussion turned philosophical, while they shared most views, as should be expected there were differences. The inner strength and Sandy’s views on life just added to her beauty and sensuality. It only increased Zach’s carnal desires. Sandy had a favorable reaction to Zach’s nonverbal cues since she harbored the same thoughts. While they finished their drinks, the conversation turned into a planning session for what was to come. They both realized a few hurdles stood in their way.
Beyond Top Secret: A Zach Taylor Adventure Page 5