The Faithful Spy

by Jeffrey Layton

“I agree, her tale is preposterous—almost.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  Michaela consulted a notepad before looking back at her boss. “There are several items that we need to consider. First, Captain-Lieutenant Yuri Kirov was and probably still is an officer in the Russian Navy. During the timeframe Newman quoted, DIA already confirmed he was assigned to a nuclear powered submarine based in the Pacific Fleet.” She again checked the pad. “It was called the Neva.”

  Diesen remained silent. Taylor continued. “Second fact. During the interview, I had one of our agents call the property management company that Newman said handled the rental of the beach house at Point Roberts. The house in question was and still is in the company’s rental pool. Accordingly, we’re going to request a court order requiring the company to release its records regarding Newman.”

  “Okay, so she might have been up there. What else?”

  “Newman’s attorney claimed they made contact with the State Department about seeking asylum for Kirov. That should be straightforward to verify.”

  Diesen glanced at her wristwatch. Traffic would still be a nightmare if she left now. “We’re working on it from here. I’ll probably have something tomorrow on that.”

  “Great. If we assume for the moment that Kirov was in fact trying to defect, that would bolster her story.”

  “But he’s missing now and she claims she doesn’t know where he went after Houston. That may have been part of his strategy all along—time to get out of Dodge.”

  Taylor sensed she was making little headway with her boss. “Let’s say he has returned to Russia and won’t be coming back. That still leaves the problem of what to do with Laura Newman.”

  “Charge her with espionage. She clearly helped the SOB.”

  Taylor pursed her lips. “Ava, Newman has considerable resources. She will do everything she can to protect herself. If she can back up just part of what she revealed, there’s going to be a lot of questions asked about just how secure our naval facilities are in the Northwest and elsewhere. Can you imagine the political fallout from that?”

  “Go on.”

  “At this time, I’m inclined to believe her story.”

  “So, you accept the nonsense about Kirov’s so-called ‘spy sub’ sinking offshore of where Newman was staying and he washes up on the beach by her house.”

  “I agree it does sound far-fetched. But if he did take her hostage as she claims, it’s possible that he manipulated her into providing assistance. That is a well-known consequence of hostage taking. There is documentation about—”

  “Yeah, yeah, I know,” interrupted Diesen. “I’ve heard of the Stockholm Syndrome, too.”

  Taylor collected her thoughts. “Let’s assume that Newman decided to help him—regardless of the reason. If what she reported is true, there must be a record. She claimed that both our Navy and the Canadians were searching for the sub. There would be a record of that activity.”

  Diesen clasped her hands. “What are you suggesting?”

  “Can you contact the Pentagon and check on her story? We could try from here but we have no clout with the DOD.”

  “I’ll take care of it, but don’t be surprised if there’s nothing.”

  “I understand.” Taylor hesitated. “When you talk to them, please inquire about the other event Newman mentioned—the aborted attack on one of our missile submarines in Puget Sound.”

  Diesen rolled her eyes. “Come on, Michaela, of all the BS that Newman spewed today, that one really takes the cake. Chinese agents conspiring to sink a Trident missile submarine in Puget Sound to start a war between us and Russia.”

  “I agree, but we at least need to ask the question of the Navy.”

  “Okay, I’ll ask about it.”

  Diesen terminated the video conference. She walked back into her office, collected her purse, attaché case, and coat. If she hustled and there were no hiccups on I-66, she might make the last half of her oldest daughter’s semifinal soccer game.

  Just as she reached her Honda Accord, the revelation hit with the power of a tornado. The Trident sub base in Puget Sound is one of our most important strategic assets—that’s got to be it. What if Kirov’s real mission was to spy on it!

  When Ava drove out of the garage, she made up her mind.

  I’ve got to go out there and interview Newman myself.

  * * * *

  As the sun rose in Hong Kong, Kwan Chi sat at a desk in the office of his Kowloon apartment. He had just checked the draft folder of the Outlook email account he shared with Elena Krestyanova. After downloading the Word document, he typed in the password and opened the encrypted file. Elena’s latest report in English text was brief but to the point: SVR and FSB still searching for Kirov. Believe FBI has him sequestered in a safe house near Washington, D.C. No report yet of what Kirov has revealed. Search continues. Has highest priority with SVR. Will update as information is received. E.

  “Dammit!” Kwan muttered. He had hoped Elena would work a miracle. Kwan composed a new message, also in English: Received authorization to increase your fee to five hundred thousand USD. Need address ASAP. Pull out all stops. Counting on you. C.

  Chapter 57

  Day 32—Wednesday

  The Director of the FBI offered one of the Bureau’s jets. Ava Diesen accepted. The Cessna Citation X cruised at 45,000 feet above South Dakota’s Badlands National Park. It would touch down at Seattle’s Boeing Field at 11:15 A.M. Laura Newman’s second interview was set for two o’clock.

  It was Ava’s first ride aboard an executive jet. The flight was smooth and surprisingly quiet inside the eight-passenger cabin. What impressed Ava most were the seats. The recliners were comfortable with ample room. Each chair came with its own mini workstation that included secure communication links to Headquarters. Accompanying Ava today were two additional passengers—a U.S. Navy Captain and a counterintelligence officer from the CIA.

  Her telephone call to a Pentagon contact the previous morning resulted in a firestorm of activity. Within an hour of her inquiry, she received a return call from a senior officer in Naval Intelligence requesting a briefing. Minutes later, she received a similar request from a case officer at the CIA.

  All three sat in the forward four-seat section of the cabin. Ava requested a summary from the Naval officer.

  Forty-eight-year-old Captain Robert Clark gave his rundown. “The search lasted four days. Both U.S. and Canadian assets were involved. Nothing was found.”

  A bit stocky for his five-foot eight height, Clark wore a Service Khaki uniform—khaki button-up shirt and trousers.

  Ava leaned forward. “Did the search include the waterway where Newman says the Russian sub made its escape?”

  Clark pursed his lips while rubbing the back of his salt and pepper hair. “No. We concentrated on the logical route to the ocean.”

  Ava checked her notepad. “The Strait of Juan de Fuca?”

  “Yes.”

  “So, it’s possible what she claimed is true?”

  “Maybe.” With his brow furrowed, Clark continued. “We just didn’t think it was doable—ditto for the Canadians. Those passages are narrow and some are shallow.”

  “What about the other incursion?” asked CIA officer Steve Osberg.

  The oldest of the trio at fifty-six, he had a thick mop of slightly grayed blond hair, Nordic facial features, and the trim five-foot-ten frame of a younger man.

  “There we had a positive hit by a P-Three,” Clark said. “Definitely a Russian boat.”

  “P-Three?” Ava asked.

  “Aircraft for hunting subs.”

  “Where did it go?” asked Osberg.

  “West, down the Strait of Juan de Fuca.”

  “Did it reach the ocean?”

  Captain Clark grimaced. “We think so but were never able to confirm i
t.”

  “Is it possible that was the other submarine Newman mentioned?” Ava said. She paused to consult her notes again. “The one that helped the crippled Neva?”

  “It’s possible, but highly unlikely.”

  “Why’s that? Osberg asked.

  “For two Russian submarines to evade detection in our territorial waters is just too unlikely.”

  Ava decided it was time to move away from the delicate subject matter of Russian spy subs.

  She shifted to another hot potato, addressing Osberg. “What about the oil problems in Alaska? Could the PRC be behind those events?”

  The CIA officer cupped his hands. “The Russians continue to claim we sabotaged their oil well in the Arctic. That’s why they refuse to participate in the oil spill cleanup in Alaska. We remain convinced they countered with the attack on the tanker and the pipeline. There’s plenty of evidence pointing straight back to the Kremlin.”

  “What about the attack on their Sakhalin oil facility?” Captain Clark asked.

  “Russians didn’t try to pin it us. They claim Chechen rebels took it out.”

  Ava processed the new information. “So, I gather you don’t think much of Newman’s accusations that Beijing was behind all of this stuff?”

  “We believe Kirov fed her a bunch of BS to motivate her. Beijing and Moscow remain allies—they’re tighter than ever, increasing economic ties and conducting joint military operations. If the Kremlin thought the PRC blew up their oil well, they would hit back with a sledgehammer.”

  “So, who sabotaged the well?”

  “Unknown.” Osberg gulped from a water bottle. “There’s been some talk about eco-terrorism—there’s massive opposition to drilling for oil in the Arctic.”

  “Hmmm,” Ava said. She decided to move on. “Steve, what can you tell us about the fellow from Hong Kong, Kwan Chi?”

  “He’s wealthy. Net worth of several billion. Has a large real estate company with holdings throughout East Asia.”

  “And North America?”

  “Yes,” Osberg said. “His company owns office buildings on the West coast from San Diego to Vancouver.”

  “What about the yacht Newman mentioned, the Yangzi?” Ava asked. “Have you been able to examine it?”

  “No, not yet. We’ve asked the Coast Guard to conduct a bottom survey of the wreckage.”

  Captain Clark rejoined the conversation. “Is that the boat Newman claims blew up?”

  “Yes.” Ava crossed her legs. “A large yacht purported to be the Yangzi caught fire and exploded in international waters about fifty miles offshore of the southern Washington State coastline—just as Newman claims.”

  “We should have our people involved in that bottom survey.”

  “That would be welcome. I’ll have our Seattle office set it up with Coast Guard.” Ava turned to Osberg. “What about Kwan Chi? Have you located him?”

  “He’s in Hong Kong.”

  “That puts the kibosh on Newman’s claim he was on the yacht when it went down.”

  Osberg cleared his throat. “Maybe not.”

  Ava frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “Our assets in Hong Kong report he’s been convalescing for the past several months. An automobile accident was claimed as the cause. Broke a leg and suffered severe burns to his arms.”

  “When did the accident occur?” Captain Clark asked.

  “Four months ago.”

  “Interesting,” Clark said. “That’s close to when the yacht exploded. Maybe he was aboard like she claims and somehow survived.”

  “Rescue vessels reported finding no survivors,” Ava said. “Just a couple of badly burned bodies. How could he have survived?”

  CIA officer Osberg responded. “Remember, Newman claimed there were two boats involved, the Yangzi and a smaller workboat.” He checked his notes. “It was called the Ella Kay. Our people located the workboat. It was abandoned at a port facility in Ensenada. We also—”

  Ava interrupted. “Are you suggesting the workboat rescued Kwan and took him to Mexico?”

  Osberg continued, “We also checked the airport in Ensenada. Four days after the Yangzi sank, a Gulfstream registered to one of Kwan’s companies landed and then immediately departed.”

  “Well,” Clark muttered, “ten to one he was aboard the workboat. I think Newman is telling the truth.”

  “That’s our conclusion, too,” Osberg said.

  Ava could only nod.

  Osberg removed a file from a folder parked on his workstation table. He extracted a color photograph of Yuri Kirov in his Russian Naval uniform and tossed it onto the table.

  “Kwan’s activities are important, but the principal reason I’m here is that this GRU officer has been operating in the U.S. and Canada for the past year or so. We want to know what he’s really been up to and how he pulled it off. As of right now, Newman is our best avenue for reeling him in.”

  Ava smiled. “Steve, I think we can all agree on that.”

  Chapter 58

  Laura Newman and attorney Tim Reveley sat on one side of the table in a sterile room at the FBI’s Seattle field office. The space was about half the size of the conference room used during Laura’s first interview. Special Agents Ava Diesen and Michaela Taylor occupied the opposite side. It was a half past two in the afternoon. The interview started twenty minutes earlier.

  Two HD video cameras mounted in the corners of the interrogation room transmitted live images and audio to an adjacent room. U.S. Navy Captain Robert Clark and CIA case officer Steve Osberg observed the proceedings, along with two additional FBI agents. A miniature receiver in Ava’s left ear allowed her to hear questions asked by the observers. Taylor was similarly equipped. Both women concealed the devices with their hair.

  “Ms. Newman,” Ava Diesen said, “before the yacht you were held on travelled from Seattle to Vancouver, did you see the individual known as Kwan Chi?”

  “No. The only contact I had at that time was with crew members. I didn’t see him until the boat was in Vancouver.”

  Ava consulted her notes. “What about Elena Krestyanova, the woman working at the Russian trade mission in Vancouver?”

  Laura clasped her hands. “She was on the Yangzi in Seattle. She came into my cabin a couple of times.”

  “What for?”

  “She negotiated with Yuri for our release.”

  “You were aware she was an SVR officer?”

  “Yes.”

  “Other than Krestyanova, were the personnel aboard the Yangzi of Asian origin?”

  “That’s correct. Until Yuri and Nick and his men showed up.”

  “Ah, yes. Let’s revisit your relationship with Nicolai Orlov.”

  The interview continued for another forty minutes when Ava called for a fifteen-minute break.

  * * * *

  Laura and Tim conferred in a hallway near the restrooms. They spoke in low tones.

  “What do you think so far?” asked Laura.

  “I think it’s going well. They obviously confirmed that you were in contact with the State Department about seeking asylum for John—sorry, Yuri. That really helps.”

  Laura frowned. “I don’t think they believe me about the Neva.”

  “Is there anything that you can think of that might have been left behind to confirm what happened?”

  Laura bit her lower lip as she mulled over the question. “We used an ROV—it was left on the bottom.”

  “ROV?”

  “Remotely operated vehicle—an underwater robot. Yuri used it to enter the Neva through a torpedo tube.”

  Tim’s eyes ballooned. “Laura, the more I hear about what you went through…incredible.”

  “The ROV is on the bottom near where the Neva was marooned.” Laura hesitated as another flashback jelled. “One of the crew,
Yuri’s friend, died while making a dive. His body is also on the bottom in the same area.”

  “When you get a chance, you should mention this to Diesen. She’s clearly calling the shots. They can order a search of the bottom.”

  “Okay.”

  “Can you think of anything else that might have been left behind up there… maybe at the house you rented in Point Roberts?”

  “No,” Laura said, but the mention of Point Roberts resurrected an old horror. Laura’s face rolled into a frown. “They haven’t asked anything about Ken—why?”

  “They know you were up there to get away from him because of the divorce. There’s plenty of documentation that verifies that element of your story.”

  “But what if they grill me about what happened—you know, what Ken did?”

  “Just tell what happened. Remember, it’s a crime to lie to federal officers.” Reveley placed a hand on Laura’s shoulder. “You’ll be okay. If things start to get out of hand, I’ll intervene.”

  Laura gave him a weak smile.

  Reveley removed his hand. “You’re doing a fantastic job.”

  “Thanks.” Laura ran a hand through her hair. “You still want me to show the photo?”

  “Absolutely. It will blow them away.”

  “What about the phones?”

  “At this point, I would prefer not to mention them unless they ask the specific question. I’ll guide you on how to respond if it comes up.”

  Laura cast a puzzled look.

  “The phones are powerful bargaining chips for you and Yuri. I intend to offer them at the right moment.”

  “That was Yuri’s idea.”

  “Smart man.”

  “Yes, he is.”

  * * * *

  While Laura and Tim deliberated, Ava Diesen and Michaela Taylor conferred with Captain Clark and Steve Osberg in the observers’ room.

  “Parts of her story just don’t resonate with me,” Clark said. “Conducting a rescue mission as she described is unbelievable. The things she claims Kirov did solo would normally require multiple divers and an armada of surface support vessels.”

  “Why would she make up something like that?” Ava asked.