Most of the operatives had been sent to their assignments to infiltrate and provide intelligence for the Department of Defense. If their roles allowed them to participate in direct or indirect action against the regimes and criminal groups they had infiltrated, such action was encouraged as long as it did not jeopardize their undercover status. Similarly, any action taken within the regime against other criminals or regime members was fair game. Theft was encouraged, if the payoff was big enough.
Petrovich’s plan to abscond with nearly one hundred and thirty million dollars had been deemed significant enough to warrant an early end to his undercover operation. Money had continuously flowed in large quantities from Sanderson’s Central American operatives, but nothing on the scale of what Petrovich proposed. Sanderson hadn’t balked at Petrovich’s proposed finder’s fee of thirty million. The remaining one hundred million dollars could permanently bankroll the Black Flag program if invested properly.
This was where McKie made his second mistake. Knowing that Sanderson would never approve of the shipment and not wanting to lose out on a one-point-three million dollar payoff, he proceeded anyway, trying to keep the entire transaction under the radar. Fortunately for Sanderson, McKie’s acquisition efforts were far from subtle. The operative’s “legend” as an arms dealer put him in a position to seize the stockpile through a series of high-profile assassinations and double-crosses that attracted the attention of U.S. Embassy officials in Nuoachott, Mauritania. It didn’t take long for word to filter through the appropriate Department of Defense contacts, landing on Sanderson’s desk. He immediately recalled McKie and purged him from the program, making the mistake of assuming McKie would go quietly into the night.
Instead, he went noisily into General Tierney’s arms and blew the whistle on the Black Flag program. Within six months, Sanderson was tap dancing in front of Congress, and the Black Flag program was running on fumes. Petrovich’s windfall hit right about the time Sanderson decided to withdraw most of his operatives. The bulk of Petrovich’s money was disseminated into accounts that would be accessed when Sanderson was ready to start the second program.
Major Richard Farrington’s chance meeting with General Terrence Sanderson set in motion a series of events leading to the killing of Black Flag’s Judas, Derren McKie, in a baptism by fire that christened their new group, raising Black Flag from the ashes.
Chapter 23
7:18 AM
CIA Headquarters
McLean, Virginia
Karl Berg shuffled a few manila file holders into his worn leather messenger bag and surveyed the top of his desk for anything he had forgotten. Satisfied that he was ready, the veteran CIA officer closed the bag’s cover flap and latched the brass buckle to secure the contents. He didn’t need the physical files, since the entire presentation had been forwarded to the White House late last night, but he felt secure knowing that the contents of the briefing could be handed directly to the president, via Director Copley, if interest in the PowerPoint slides started to wane. Berg would scrutinize the president and his tightly knit cabal closely for signs of wear, producing the documents at the necessary moment to resuscitate the briefing and achieve his true purpose for hand-carrying them into the White House.
Nothing demanded the respect and attention of politicians more than files stamped with red block letters spelling “TOP SECRET.” In Berg’s experience, once he started distributing classified memoranda, he could pretty much say whatever he pleased with little interruption. In corporate America, MBAs were taught never to distribute handouts during their PowerPoint presentations. Attendees might start reading the material and stop giving their undivided attention to your boardroom soliloquy. Berg preferred to divide his audience’s attention from the start, especially for his more controversial pitches. The last thing he truly wanted during a briefing like this was a bureaucrat’s full attention. He found it more useful to keep their concentration slightly scattered, so he had room to maneuver the facts and fictions ever so gently to achieve the desired result. And if one thing could be said about his upcoming audience with the president, he’d be blending fiction with fact.
He stared at the brown leather bag standing upright on his desk and took a deep breath. He’d stretched the truth before…stretched it pretty far in some cases. He’d just never pulled off a stunt of this magnitude in front of the president and his own chain of command. A key element to the briefing had been essentially fabricated from scratch, with the hope of sealing the president’s support for the mission. He already had the CIA director’s support for covert action against Vektor, so he didn’t feel that he was deceiving his own organization in any way. Audra Bauer might raise an eyebrow, but she’d probably know better than to say anything in front of Manning or the director. She might not say anything at all, writing it off as one of Berg’s harmless little subversions. He remained fairly certain that she would never fit the pieces together to determine the ultimate reason for his subterfuge. Lives depended on the perfect choreography of his latest masterpiece, and he had every intention of playing Carnegie Hall this morning.
His cell phone chirped from his suit coat. He reached inside his jacket and checked the caller ID. Speak of the devil.
“I am just about to perjure myself in front of the president on your behalf. This isn’t a good time. I’m on my way out the door,” Berg answered.
“It’s the perfect time. We conducted our final mission talk-through last night and we’re still coming up short in a few areas,” Sanderson countered. “First and foremost, exfiltration remains an issue. Do I need to elaborate?”
“Negative. I have that covered,” Berg said.
“Does that mean solved?”
“No. But I have something cooked up that should seal the deal when push comes to shove. Have you worked this from your end? My little concerto only works if the assets are in place,” Berg said.
“I’ve received assurances that the assets will be in place if the president approves the overall mission, regardless of whether he agrees with our concept of final extraction,” Sanderson replied.
“Then I suggest you let me concentrate on this meeting. Is there anything else?”
“Two things, both related. Details regarding the installation are sketchy at best and—”
“I’ve sent you everything we have on Vektor. Satellite photos, Reznikov’s assessment, and intelligence data. I don’t have anything else to give you. Your people are good at improvising. This mission should suit them well,” Berg said.
“Not funny. I suggest you dig deeper. Reznikov hasn’t been employed by Vektor for a number of years, and I’m seeing several new structures at the facility. The satellite shots alone show considerable change over the past five years. This doesn’t concern you?”
“A separate intelligence asset has verified that the P4 building remains the same and has not been expanded. I’m not a tactical expert, but the building is located in an isolated section of the compound, easily accessible from surrounding ground cover. This is as good as it gets,” Berg said.
“Construction. Upgrades. Who knows what else has changed since Reznikov’s days? His assessment of the local security response seems sketchy on top of that.”
“Why are you throwing this at me right now?” Berg asked.
“Because my operatives need every advantage possible to survive this operation,” Sanderson shot back. “I have no doubt whatsoever that my team can infiltrate the site and destroy the facility, even without Reznikov’s supposedly critical final piece of information. The trick is getting out. Even with the most perfect extraction plan that you and I can envision, they’re going to face some long odds. The fewer bumps along the road the better, starting with the raid itself.”
“I really have to go, Terrence. I can’t conjure up information I don’t possess, and I’m not holding anything back.”
“Maybe you just haven’t considered all of your sources.”
Berg remained silent, trying to process the
general’s statement. The man didn’t waste words, which led him to the worst possible assumption. Sanderson had resources and friends hidden in high places, but not high enough to uncover Kaparov’s identity. Maybe he was just overanalyzing the comment. He doubted it.
“I’m fairly confident that the drawers have been emptied,” Berg finally replied.
“I think one of the drawers hasn’t been opened. In fact, I’m pretty sure you have your foot up against it to keep it closed. To be honest, I didn’t put it together until recently. I always assumed your source was Spetsnaz, which goes to show how dangerous an assumption can be. Ms. Pavrikova was a little intoxicated when we grabbed her. She let her anger spill out, along with a few name—”
“You can never repeat any of the names,” Berg cut in.
“That goes without saying, and I understand why you’re protecting him. You’re not the only Cold War relic with old enemies for friends,” Sanderson said, pausing for a moment. “Time to ask your friend for another favor. With the heat off his back, he should be able to give us an update of the facility. He should have the appropriate clearances for that, given his position.”
“I get it,” Berg said. “I’ll give him a call. He’s not going to be happy.”
“Who’s happy these days? Good luck in your meeting,” Sanderson said, disconnecting the call.
“Fuck you too, General,” Berg muttered to the dead line.
He replaced the phone and grabbed the messenger bag, rushing out of his office to meet with Audra Bauer.
Chapter 24
10:39 AM
The White House
Washington, D.C.
The president leaned over to accept a thin manila folder that the CIA officer had produced from his satchel and handed to the director. Several folders had been prepared for the meeting’s participants, and within a few seconds, everyone seated around the mahogany table was thumbing through documents, including himself.
“Is this all summarized in the presentation?” he asked.
“Mr. President, the top secret memos in the file expand on the presentation and hold key insights regarding the various sources used to derive the information. Of particular interest is the background on the Israelis. Diplomatic tensions between the two nations have been strained for years, compounded by the discovery of Russian made Kornet-E and Metis-M systems in Hizbullah’s possession within southern Lebanon two years ago. Mossad has been watching the Vektor situation with great interest and has provided us with actionable intelligence regarding two confirmed Iranian intelligence operatives assigned to Vektor,” Karl Berg said.
The president glanced at James Quinn, his National Security Advisor, who was still sifting through the documents to find the one Berg had referenced. Quinn sensed his stare and looked down the table at the president, nodding.
“This is a significant development, Mr. President, especially in light of the recent attack on the U.S. by domestic terrorists. Mossad confirms that one of the operatives is working inside of Vektor?” Quinn asked.
“That’s correct. Like our own CDC, Vektor hosts international scientists. They just don’t have the same selection standards,” Berg explained.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to get rid of the Iranians?” the president suggested. “Cut off the nexus between Iran and Vektor?”
The CIA director stepped into the conversation, which relieved the president. He was starting to get the impression that this previously unknown CIA officer was running the show at Langley.
“Mr. President, neutralizing the two Iranian operatives would be a temporary fix. Iran would send more scientists, and we’d be back to square one. On top of that, the Israelis would be blamed for the killings, which would further strain Russian-Israeli relations. Mossad appears extremely hesitant to conduct operations on Russian soil,” Copley said.
“So they get us to do their dirty work,” the president said.
“They’ve done the lion’s share of the dirty work for as long as I can remember. With all due respect, Mr. President, it’s our turn to take up this fight.”
“I agree, Director Copley,” the president said, “I just wish our turn didn’t involve blowing up Russia’s equivalent to the CDC.”
“The raid will be confined to the bioweapons facility. Unlike the CDC’s P4 containment labs, which are buried within a massive multi-story building situated in an urban center, Vektor Labs remains isolated, and its different research labs are well separated. The P4 containment facility housing the bioweapons program is at the far end of the virology campus. The raid itself will be surgical, with highly specific objectives. Non-lethal methods will be employed if practical. We anticipate minimal local casualties at the site. Best of all, we get our hands dirty from a distance. Sanderson’s crew is untraceable.”
“They also have a habit of churning up a high body count,” Jacob Remy said. “This is a high-stakes game we’re playing here.”
“They understand the stakes better than the rest of us,” Berg said.
“Good,” the president said, “because I won’t allow U.S. military assets to violate Russian sovereignty. I’ve spoken with General Frank Gordon, and SOCOM will provide helicopter support for the extraction, but only in Kazakhstan. Sanderson’s people are on their own until they cross the Kazakhstan border.”
“Can they count on drone support?” the CIA director asked.
“Not over Russian airspace. If General Gordon needs drones for surveillance, he can have them, but the same rules of engagement apply to unmanned vehicles,” the president said.
“They shouldn’t experience any problems getting to the border,” Berg said, hoping to steer the conversation away from drones. “Sanderson’s crew will be guided by local sympathizers during their exfiltration.”
The president looked up from one of the documents in time to see Director Copley flash Berg a faintly quizzical look. Thomas Manning, the CIA’s National Security Branch director remained stoic, almost too stoic compared to the normal array of facial expressions he had previously displayed throughout the briefing. This should be interesting. He decided to take whatever bait Berg was offering.
“Sympathizers?” Remy asked. “Do we have a massive sleeper cell network in the Novosibirsk region?”
“That would be nice, wouldn’t it? We’re looking at something homegrown. Since the dawn of time, a nation state’s internal enemies served as its external enemies’ best friends. These are turbulent and corrupt times for Russia, and they have no shortage of internal enemies. One in particular will be extremely valuable. If you’ll turn to the memo with the subject line ‘Kola Activist Group,’ you’ll see that our intelligence analysts have linked two very recent car bombings and three murders to a Russian-based eco-terrorist group.
“Historically, this group has been active in the northern regions around Monchegorsk and Norilsk, where widespread ecosystem poisoning by industrial pollutants has been a contentious, often violent issue for decades. In response to the Russian Federation’s brutal crackdown on Monchegorsk, the eco-terrorist group has renewed attacks and promised continued reprisals against the government until the truth surrounding Monchegorsk is revealed. Monchegorsk has brought them back to life. Initial contact with their leadership indicates a willingness to provide internal logistical support for the team, especially during the exfiltration phase,” Berg said.
“The Russians aren’t going to believe that this eco-terrorist group destroyed Vektor Labs,” Remy cautioned.
“It doesn’t matter. Even if they don’t help at all, this group’s implied involvement could complicate matters exponentially for the Russians, putting Monchegorsk back in the spotlight. This will help with any political fallout from the mission. The Russians will look for any excuse to sweep this whole thing under the rug as quickly as possible, knowing that we have a connection to this group…and not wanting to reignite Monchegorsk.”
The president looked to his National Security Advisor for any final thoughts. “James. Anything to
add? Can you see any reason why we shouldn’t proceed?”
“No, Mr. President. With the Iranians involved at Vektor, we can assume it’s only a matter of time before they get their hands on something similar to the Zulu virus or develop the expertise to start their own program. The use of Sanderson’s team keeps official U.S. assets off Russian Federation soil, maintaining the requisite amount of plausible deniability and distance required on the diplomatic front. I don’t see any impediments. The State Department will have to prepare a special song and dance for this one, but I don’t foresee any unmanageable fallout. The Russians got caught with their hands in the cookie jar with this one.”
“Jacob?” the president asked.
“They’re going to know we did this. I’m worried about an escalation. The Russians have already taken the unprecedented step of abducting a high-ranking CIA officer. Can we keep this from escalating?” Remy said.
“We’ve had a development in the overall situation related to Stockholm,” Director Copley said. “Their trail just went cold.”
The president didn’t like Copley’s choice of words. Dead bodies “went cold.” Berg suddenly looked uncomfortable for the first time since walking through the door.
“Is this something we need to be worried about?” the president said.
“Negative. It’s a complicated maneuver, but it should stop the SVR investigation in its tracks,” Berg said.
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