by Alex Siegel
"Hello?" Ethel said in a cautious tone. "Who is this?"
"Your subordinate in Northern California, ma'am. The FBI is holding me in the San Francisco field office. I'm in an interrogation room with Special Agent Christopher."
Ethel paused. "We will discuss this incident at length after your release." Her voice was full of cold anger.
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." Marina gulped nervously. She hung up and returned the phone to its owner.
"That's it?" Christopher said.
She nodded. "You should be getting a call shortly."
"From who?" He raised his eyebrows.
"You'll see."
Marina estimated that five minutes had passed when his phone rang. He gave her a funny look and answered it.
"Hello? You're joking, right? You can't be..." He blanched, and his eyes widened. "Yes, sir! I meant no disrespect, sir! Right away, sir!"
Christopher hung up and stared at Marina.
"Who was that?" she asked innocently.
"Clarence Felt, Director of the FBI."
"I'm sorry he had to be woken up for this. What time is it on the East Coast? Three in the morning?"
"He certainly didn't sound happy," he said.
"I'm sure. He ordered you to set me and my friends free, right?"
"Who the fuck are you? What kind of woman can pull a string and make Director Felt jump in the middle of the night?"
"The kind of woman who doesn't have time for this conversation," she said. "Let us go. We don't want the director to have to call you again, do we?"
He glared at her and stood up. "Follow me."
* * *
Peter Hastings was frowning at the text on his computer screens. As he had hoped, the FBI had identified the woman and two men. Peter had pulled the information from the FBI computers, hoping for a revelation.
His hopes had been dashed.
The woman was supposedly a registered nurse who worked in a San Francisco hospital. The big, dark-skinned man was a landscaper, and his smaller, Caucasian friend was a home inspector. Peter didn't believe any of it for a nanosecond.
The false identities were expertly crafted though. They had real bank accounts, credit cards, driver's licenses, and insurance. They even had unpaid parking tickets. Somebody had gone to a lot of trouble to create entire lives that didn't actually exist.
Peter's fear of his adversaries went up another notch. He didn't doubt they would be back again and even more determined to look behind the red door. They had come very close last time.
He was safe for now though. The FBI was holding his enemies on several felony charges. It would be days before they even got a bond hearing, so Peter had plenty of time to prepare for the next phase of this game.
He considered leaving his secret chamber and running off while he had a good opportunity. Soulfriends could operate for a while without his guidance. The critical systems like the matching algorithm were fully automated. He could reestablish control of the company from another, more secure location.
Peter hated that idea. It would cause chaos in his life, which was intolerable. He lived in a world of precise analysis where every possible outcome was anticipated. He manipulated computers and people with equal facility, and there was no problem he couldn't handle. Running off would be an admission he wasn't smart enough to beat this threat, and that was impossible. He was the smartest guy in the world.
He held his fingers over his keyboard. He just needed a plan.
Chapter Twenty-two
Marina walked out of the Phillip Burton Federal Building, turned, and looked back. The FBI occupied only part of the massive building on Golden Gate Avenue. It also housed the IRS, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and other government agencies. The twenty-one story tower filled an entire city block. Cement columns ran from the ground to the roof, and narrow windows filled the spaces in between. The color scheme varied from light gray to dark gray. It seemed the architect had wanted the building to be as cold and intimidating as possible.
Marina realized she would be back. She needed to become friends with some of the people who worked here.
She looked up and down the street. She was in the middle of downtown San Francisco, and the neighborhood was quiet at this time of night. Surrounding buildings were smaller than the federal building, but nothing was shorter than three stories. She heard a siren in the distance.
Marina spotted Ipo and Hanley standing on the street corner, and she hurried over to join her friends. Everybody was still wearing black security guard costumes. Most of her possessions had been returned including her precious phone. She never got her weapons back though, and she felt naked without them.
"How did you get us out?" Hanley said. "I thought we were screwed."
"I called the legate," Marina said, "and she called Director Felt. Problem solved."
He snorted. "It's nice to have friends like that."
"Yes, which is why we need more friends of our own. The mayor and the police chief were just the start. I think the local United States Attorney will be next on my list." She glanced back at the federal building. "I'm sure there is a favor or two we can do for him."
"Wasn't the legate upset, ma'am?" Ipo said. "I don't expect she was pleased about bailing you out in the middle of the night. Commanders are supposed to take care of their own problems."
Marina grimaced. She had to call Ethel but was dreading the prospect. Marina would get chewed out, deservedly so.
"Yes," she said. "I'll call her now. Waiting will just make it worse."
She stepped away, took out her gray phone, and called the legate.
"Explain yourself," Ethel barked immediately.
"We were on a mission," Marina said timidly, "and the FBI ambushed us. Allowing ourselves to be arrested seemed like the best choice, ma'am."
"I'm very disappointed. You're supposed to be too quick, too clever, and too resourceful to get caught. You're a Society commander with eleven years of experience. You're in your own territory. Nobody should be able to touch you."
"Well, I'm still settling in..."
"That's no excuse!" Ethel said. "Who else was arrested?"
"Ipo and Hanley. Katie is injured and stayed back at headquarters."
"In other words, the entire operational component of the San Francisco cell was in custody. Only an injured, rookie legionnaire and a few assistants were still available."
"Yes, ma'am," Marina said.
"You're extremely lucky it was the FBI this time. If a real enemy had taken you, it would've been a total disaster. I would have to rebuild your team again."
"Yes, ma'am."
Ethel's voice rose in pitch and volume. "This is why commanders must avoid going out on assignments. You're the backstop. You save the day when your legionnaires fail. God's hand guides you most of all. If you're lost, then Northern California is in big trouble."
"But I'm short-handed, ma'am. Ipo and Hanley couldn't handle the operation on their own."
"When I was the commander of Chicago, there was a period when my only legionnaires were you and Aaron. I had no problem with sending you two out alone. I didn't babysit you. You have to trust your people more."
"Yes, ma'am," Marina said humbly.
"You know how much I hate fixing problems for my commanders. It makes you look bad, and it makes me look bad for promoting you. Think. Anticipate. Have a contingency plan. You're very impulsive, and that trait won't help you as a commander. Do you think Aaron would let himself be captured by ordinary federal agents?"
"No, ma'am." Marina felt one-inch tall.
"Of course, not," Ethel said. "He would know they were coming and turn the situation to his advantage. He's always two steps ahead in the game. I'm very unhappy. The next time something like this happens, our conversation will be even less pleasant. Good night!" The call ended.
Marina was shaking. She hadn't been chewed out like that in a long time, and it felt awful. She was forced to question her own qualificati
ons as a commander.
She shuffled back to Ipo and Hanley.
"Wow," Ipo said. "You look thoroughly scorched, ma'am."
"The legatus legionis is severely displeased with my performance," she replied softly.
"The operation could've been handled better, ma'am," Hanley said. "When we went in, I was thinking one of us should hang back, just in case. A good military commander always keeps a portion of his forces in reserve to deal with surprises."
"Why didn't you tell me that?"
He shrugged. "You don't appreciate being told you're making a mistake."
She sighed. He was right, of course, and the truth was painful.
"Listen," Marina said quietly. "I admit I have certain weaknesses. Elaborate schemes and contingency plans have never been my thing. I'm no good at managing a battle. I relied on Aaron to handle that stuff because he's a genius at it. Well, he's not here now, and I'm feeling a little lost without him. I want to be the great, confident commander you deserve, but I'm not quite there."
"You're not bad, either," Hanley said. "You have tremendous instincts. You know the right questions to ask and the right moves to make in the heat of the moment. You never hesitate, and that's a precious quality in a commander."
"Thanks." She smiled a little.
"Nobody can do everything, ma'am. That's why you have a team of highly skilled people around you. I'm actually pretty good at elaborate schemes and contingency plans. I may not be a genius like Aaron, but I've successfully managed a few battles. I'd be honored if you relied on me more often."
Marina studied his handsome face. He looked good in his black uniform.
"OK," she said. "I will."
"And please don't feel insulted if I tell you you're making a dumb decision. It's not a personal attack. I'm just trying to keep you out of trouble."
She snorted. "I'm still the commander. I make the final call."
"Nobody is saying otherwise," Hanley said. "I respect the chain of command, and I know you'd cut my throat if I tried to undermine you."
"True. Ipo, do you have anything to add?" Marina turned to the larger man.
"Only that this mission isn't over. Let's save the warm hugs for later and get back to work."
She nodded. "Well put. We need a new plan. I want to get this done before sunrise."
Marina took another look at the massive federal building. There was no sign out front to indicate who was inside. It could've been mistaken for an ordinary office building.
She remembered something the legate had told her. Aaron would turn the situation to his advantage. She had an idea.
"Hanley," she said, "what is the top government agency for fighting cyber-crime?"
"Um, that would be the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force," Hanley said.
Marina faced him. "Then that's who we work for. We're special operatives, and we were sent into Soulfriends to investigate allegations of massive identity theft. Criminals are using the Soulfriends Network to steal information about users. The data is being sold overseas. It's an inside job, and we don't know who to trust. The disappearance of the CEO has something to do with it."
"That's a great story, ma'am. Who do we tell it to?"
"The FBI, of course. We're going back to Soulfriends tonight, and the FBI will assist us this time."
He smiled. "I like it."
"But, ma'am," Ipo said, "we're not supposed to use outsiders for missions."
"They'll just secure the perimeter and make sure nobody interferes," Marina said. "When we look behind the red door, we'll be alone."
"In my opinion, it still seems like a questionable choice."
"Ice Crusher won't expect us to come back tonight, and he certainly won't expect the feds to be on our side. For once, we'll have the advantage of surprise. It won't be another trap. We can finally make real progress on this extremely aggravating investigation. We just have to manage the FBI carefully so they don't get in our way."
"I suggest you let me handle the FBI," Hanley said. "I can talk the talk."
Her first instinct was to deny the request. She was in charge of this operation. After a brief, internal struggle, she nodded. "OK. You're right. Let's go."
She led her legionnaires back towards the Phillip Burton Federal Building.
* * *
Marina walked into the office of Special Agent Christopher. Ipo and Hanley were right behind her, and two FBI agents were right behind them as escorts.
Christopher was sitting behind a blue steel desk. A narrow window provided an unimpressive view of the building across the street. Some battered file cabinets stood against the wall, but plenty of files were stacked on top of the cabinets instead of inside the drawers. More files were on his desk in uneven piles. There was a computer, but all the paperwork suggested he preferred old-fashioned methods of recordkeeping. Aaron was the same way.
"I didn't expect to see you come back," Christopher said. "To what do I owe the honor?"
"We decided to come clean after all," Marina said. "We need to talk privately." She glanced at the two FBI agents in back.
Christopher waved for them to leave. "Give us a minute alone, guys."
The federal agents left and closed the door. Ipo stood with his back to the door to make sure nobody could get in. Marina moved aside and allowed Hanley to come forward.
"We work for the Major Crimes Unit of the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force," he said confidently.
Christopher raised his eyebrows. "I've never heard of that unit."
"It's top secret. We infiltrate organizations engaged in large-scale cyber-crime. We go after the big boys who use the most sophisticated methods."
Christopher appeared dubious.
"That's what we were trying to do tonight," Hanley said. "We believe Soulfriends is engaged in identity theft on a monumental scale. Obviously, most of the employees are innocent, but a big group of them are involved. We went into the server room to gather evidence."
"The tip we received claimed you were terrorists."
"Somebody on the inside must've figured out we were coming. They tricked you into stopping us."
Christopher frowned. "Federal agents don't use sleeping gas."
"We had to get past security," Hanley said, "and we didn't want to kill them. It was all going well until you showed up."
"When I want evidence, I get a search warrant. I don't sneak into the building like a thief in the night and knock out anybody who gets in my way. Any evidence you found would be inadmissible in court."
"Our methods were approved at the highest levels. We can get Director Felt to confirm that fact when he wakes up in the morning."
"Why are you telling me this?" Christopher said angrily.
"We have to go back tonight to finish what we started. We need ten or twenty of your guys to help us control the situation. We can't afford any more surprises."
Christopher just stared.
"Time is of the essence," Hanley said. "The longer we wait, the less evidence we'll find when we get there."
"It would be nice if I had some proof you're not feeding me a bunch of bullshit. None of you even have government ID."
"We're working undercover. I have an idea. Why don't we meet you down there? We'll stop by our own office on the way and pick up our identification."
"Where is your office?" Christopher said.
"That's classified. We'll travel separately. Do we have a deal?"
Christopher was silent.
"Let me put it another way," Hanley said. "We're going back to Soulfriends. If you're not there to keep the peace, somebody might get killed. You can't let that happen."
"Don't tell me my job."
"We have to go. Hopefully, we'll see you there. Bye."
Ipo opened the door and left. Marina and Hanley followed him out.
* * *
Marina, Ipo, and Hanley walked into headquarters. The interior was dark except for a pool of light around the living room area. Katie was s
itting on the couch and watching television, and the volume was loud. It sounded like a news program.
Marina silently crept up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder.
Katie jumped and yelped. She looked up at Marina and said, "Ma'am! You scared the crap out of me."
"You're supposed to be guarding headquarters," Marina said.
"I am. I'm awake."
"Watching TV with the volume turned up? An army could sneak in here, and you wouldn't notice. You didn't even hear us come in."
"If I just sit and do nothing," Katie said, "I'll fall asleep, ma'am."
"At least it would be quiet. You'd have a better shot at hearing an intruder. But I want you to stay awake with the television off. Maintaining a high level of alertness when you're tired and bored teaches mental discipline."
"Yes, ma'am."
"After we finish the surveillance system," Marina said, "you can watch that. It's not very entertaining, but it's slightly better than staring at a wall. Everybody will take turns doing night duty."
"Yes, ma'am. What are you doing here? How did the operation go?"
"Not well, but I don't have time to explain. We just stopped by to change into our FBI disguises." Marina looked at Hanley and Ipo. "Hurry up. We still have a long drive back to Soulfriends."
She noticed Min Ho sleeping on the exercise mats. He had a pillow and a blanket, but the mats weren't very soft. She had asked him to stay in headquarters in case she needed computer help. Technically, he was following orders, but she would've preferred him awake and at his workstation. She needed him there now.
"Min Ho!" Marina yelled. "Get up! Time to work."
Min Ho sat up and blinked slowly at her. "Ma'am?"
"We're going back to Soulfriends. When we get there, I'll need a total communications blackout around the building. We can't let the enemy call for help or play another trick on us. Shut off all internet, phone service, and cell coverage."
"That will be tough, ma'am."
"You have an hour to figure it out," she said. "Move!"
He stood up and stumbled towards his workstation.
Marina went to her bedroom. She needed to change.
* * *
Ipo parked the van on the street instead of entering the Soulfriends parking lot. Marina had ordered him to stay out of sight of the surveillance cameras in the lot.