Gabe's eyes widened. “Help you how?”
“I’m glad you asked.” Stephen turned on the computer and the overhead projection unit as he continued talking. “Since last summer, we have been trying to learn more about the Southern California Division of the States’ Rights Militia. They are a multi-state group that likes to collect lots of firepower and then threaten to use it on federal buildings like this one or ‘soft’ targets like Disneyland or UCLA right across the street from us. I know you remember the shooting at Del Madre High School last month.”
Gabe nodded. “Yeah, but that was a kid who was depressed and just went crazy.”
“Well, that’s what the initial investigation suggested, but now we have reason to believe there might be something else that motivated this young man to start shooting. Our latest intelligence suggests a small group of SRM members could have been using it as a dry run to test their preparedness.”
“Some test! That kid almost killed a teacher and could have taken out who knows how many more.”
“But he didn’t kill anyone, did he?” Stephen paused. “Listen, we don’t have a lot of details at this point, but I can say that what Zach Straszewski said before he lawyered up was that this was a test of his loyalty to some larger group planning to cause all sorts of havoc.”
“Are you saying there’s a terrorist cell in our back yard?”
“Well, they would see themselves simply as members of the local chapter of SRM, but you’re basically right. Whether they are acting on orders from higher up, or if this is an isolated incident, we don’t know. We do know Straszewski was friends with kids whose parents we believe are in SRM.”
“That’s a pretty weak connection.”
Stephen nodded. “You’re right, it is weak. But if we’re right, and this is SRM, their next attack could have many more casualties.”
Gabe paused. “So why are you telling me all this?”
“Because we have been trying to get an agent inside the local chapter since April and have been unsuccessful. They are immediately suspicious when an adult becomes a little too curious about their activities.”
“Let me guess: you’re figuring they won’t be as ‘suspicious’ if a teenager with an assault charge wants to hang out with them.”
“Pretty much.” Stephen pulled up driver license pictures of the suspected militia members and showed them to Gabe. “Here are some of the people we believe lead the organization. One of them, Gregory Booker, is their second in command. His son, Derek, is a senior at Emerald Valley.”
Gabe nodded. “Derek’s in my Physics class. I’ve talked to him a couple of times, but he doesn’t seem like a terrorist to me.”
Stephen chuckled. “You’d be surprised. If he’s anything like his dad, he’s bad news. At any rate, we could start your training while you're on suspension. And then when you go back to school, you could get to know Derek better and get yourself invited to one of the meetings. We think they’re taking place after school in one of the teacher’s classrooms, but we don’t know for sure. All you would need to do is confirm the identity of their leaders and report what you hear them talking about. Once you’re done, we’ll go in and make any necessary arrests. We can transfer you to Valle Vista or another nearby high school if you want.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep.”
“I hate to sound selfish here, but what do I get in return for helping you out with this little project? Could you make the assault and battery charges go away?”
“Not initially, no. If Derek is going to trust you, having a criminal record would be an asset. We figure a few months’ probation would do the job. But we can expunge your record after the mission is over and even give you a commendation from Assistant Director-in-Charge Arthur Carlisle praising your work for us.”
“Is it dangerous? I mean, if they figure out who I really am, will they beat me up or put a bullet in my head?”
Stephen paused. “I’m not going to lie to you, Gabe. There is an element of danger here. Though, we think the risk is minimal.”
Gabe’s glance shifted to his father. “What does Mom think about all this?”
His dad’s silence was deafening.
“You haven’t told her? You two talk about everything!”
“Not about work. And besides, I didn’t want to worry her before you had a chance to think it over.”
“Is it safe, Dad?”
His dad shrugged and grimaced. “Relatively speaking, yes.”
“That’s not very reassuring.”
“I know, but if it makes you feel any better, we put a couple of field agents in place at the beginning of the school year.”
Gabe chortled. “There are undercover FBI agents at Emerald Valley? Seriously? Who are they?”
Rob and Stephen exchanged glances, with Stephen nodding his head slightly before Rob answered the question. “Sarah Larsen is one of your campus security officers and Enrique Reynoso is a custodian. Both have complete access to the campus and neither look suspicious no matter where they are or what they’re doing.”
“Let me get this straight: I just happen to be enrolled in a school where you have two federal agents watching what you think is a terrorist cell planning to blow something up? It isn’t a coincidence I’m going to Emerald Valley, is it?”
Stephen answered the question. “Under the auspices of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the FBI runs lean on all CONUS investigations—cases that originate in the continental United States, in coordination with the appropriate federal, state, and local agencies. When your dad transferred from the San Diego field office and he told me you were going to Emerald Valley, I mentioned the investigation to him. Agent Larsen suggested you might be a perfect fit as a confidential informant for us. At that point, I volunteered to take over the investigation. I wouldn’t want the mission compromised because your dad is acting as a father and not a Special Agent for the FBI.” He looked the teen straight in the eyes. “Again, this was not his idea, and your participation is wholly voluntary. I promise you, Gabe, your father has worked hard to keep you as far away from this investigation as possible.”
“Until today.”
Squinting, his dad said, “I don’t like this any more than you do, but this is one way to keep your record clean and keep you out of jail.”
“I know, but it feels like you’re meddling in my life again. Like you did with Lauren.”
Stephen raised his eyebrows. “Lauren?”
His dad smiled as if he had done Gabe a favor. “Lauren was Gabe’s girlfriend last year. One day he tells me about a party the two were attending, and how he was concerned her college-aged cousin, Ben, might show up. Ben’s name sounded familiar to me from a case we assisted San Diego Sheriff’s on a few months earlier. When Gabe said Lauren always complained Ben was getting in trouble, I called a deputy friend of mine down there just to make sure we were talking about the same person. Guess what? The young man was suspected of being a low-level dealer selling marijuana from across the border to local high school kids. I told Gabe he couldn’t go to the party.”
“Lauren broke up with me because I bailed on her.”
His dad continued his narrative. “What Gabe conveniently seems to have forgotten is that the police were called in to break up said party, and her cousin was arrested for possession with intent to distribute.”
Stephen rejoined the conversation. “What it looks like to me is that your father has kept you out of trouble twice. I’m not going to force you to do this, but you should realize he’s worked out a pretty good deal for you here.” He paused. “Gabe, do you want some time to think about things? I can give you two the room to talk it over.”
Gabe thought a moment before responding. “While I’m still a bit mad about what happened last year, you’re right about my dad trying to watch out for me. And, as for this case, the way I look at it, there isn’t all that much to think about. Some bad guys want to hurt a whole lot of innocent people and I earn a ‘get out
of jail free’ card if I help out. Is that about it?”
“Yeah, it is.”
Gabe tapped his fingers on the table. “OK, sign me up. By the way, does this mission have a name?”
“Right now, we’re calling it ‘Operation Bookworm.’”
He laughed. “I hate to be mean, but that’s about the lamest name I’ve ever heard.”
Stephen smiled. “I’ll be sure to tell that to Assistant Director Carlisle, since it was his idea in the first place.”
“Never mind then. But before I get started, I have one more request.”
“What’s that?”
“I want someone else at school to know what’s going on so he can help me out if I need it.”
“This is an FBI investigation, not a Boy Scout camping trip.”
“Hey, I have my Eagle Scout Court of Honor next spring!”
Stephen raised his hands. “Listen, I’m sorry for that last crack, but we still can’t just read anyone in.”
“I know, but if you hear me out, I think you’ll agree with me.”
The two agents exchanged a look before his dad pointed at him. “OK, let’s hear your idea.”
11
The following Thursday, Terry returned to school after an early dinner for a 6:30 p.m. parent-teacher conference with Gabe's dad. Rob and Heidi O'Brien had shown up on Back-to-School Night, and first quarter grades wouldn’t come out until the end of October, but Terry had gotten used to parents of honor students wanting more frequent updates than he was used to. And, since the suspension, Mr. O’Brien probably wanted to make sure his son was keeping up in class.
When Gabe and his dad arrived, Terry handed Rob a printout of the student’s grades and offered them a seat in the front row of his room. He pulled up his stool. “As you can see, despite his little ‘vacation’ from my class, Mr. O’Brien is doing just fine. He missed a group project, but he completed the alternative assignment and earned an A on it. As far as the fight in my class, he’s pretty smart and I don’t think he’ll make that mistake again.” Terry took a breath. “Was there anything specific you wanted to talk about?”
“Actually, there was.” Rob gestured to his son. “Gabe, could you close the door for us?”
Looking straight at Rob the entire time, Terry heard Gabe pull the door closed and waited for the distinctive click of the lock engaging. “I am guessing you have more on your mind than your son’s grades or classroom behavior.”
“You could say that. Gabe talks about your class all the time. You’re his favorite teacher and he trusts you implicitly.”
Terry deflected the compliment. “That’s very kind, thank you. I like Mr. O’Brien a lot, myself. He’s a good student who works hard every day, which is commendable.”
“He also said you’re the kind of person who would run toward a dangerous situation when everyone else is running away.”
“Well, I don’t know about that.” Terry paused. “If I may ask, why are we talking about my alleged bravery?”
“Good question. What I am about to tell you is secret. And when I say secret, I mean it’s the you-will-go-to-jail-if-you-ever-tell-anyone kind of secret.”
Terry raised his eyebrows. What on Earth?
A Dave Brubeck song played softly from his radio as Terry considered his response. When he spoke again, he did so deliberately, searching for the right words. “I have no idea what you’re about to tell me, but I promise to listen.”
“And not tell anyone?”
“You’re a married man, so you know that keeping secrets from your wife can be a very bad thing. You probably do so a lot because of your job, but I’m just a high school teacher, and I’ve learned that secrets can destroy a relationship.” He paused. “I would tell my wife, Rachel, but no one else. If that’s good enough, feel free to tell me whatever it is you want to tell me. If not, I hope you two have a nice evening.”
Rob sighed. “I guess it’ll have to do.” He then read Terry in on the details of the operation, answering a few questions here and there. Terry was most concerned about his expected role and the backup he would have in case there was trouble.
“You mean Sarah and Eddie work for you guys? I had no idea.”
“Which means they’re doing their jobs right.”
“No wonder we’ve had more kids caught with contraband this year. They had no clue there were two FBI agents watching them.” Terry chuckled. “Seriously though, I am sure they’re good at what they do, but how do I know these militia guys won’t figure out Sarah and Eddie are federal agents and then the bullets start flying.”
“Trust me, that won’t be a concern. When the Bureau puts an agent through UC School, you are tested 24 hours a day for two weeks straight. If you break your cover, you’re out. Even other agencies will tell you we have the best undercover training program out there. We don’t mess around when people’s lives are on the line.” Rob paused. “So, what do you think?”
“Well, there is no way I can give you an answer without talking it over with my wife. She’s going to want to know what kind of backup plan you have in case we get ourselves in trouble. What would I tell her?”
“That’s easy. We would give you a number to call and a code phrase to use that would let us know you were in danger and needed our help.”
“Code phrase? I’m not James Bond. You can’t expect me to remember some complicated poem or something.”
“We would make it much simpler than that. For example, what’s your favorite pizza place?”
“Giovanetti’s. Their dough is chewy and the tomato sauce has just the right amount of oregano in it.”
“And what do you like on your pizza? Canadian bacon and pineapple?”
Terry scrunched up his face. “I don’t think so. I’m more of a pepperoni and mushroom kind of guy.”
“Then we would program this emergency number for us on your phone under the name ‘Giovanetti’s.’ All you would have to do is call us and order a Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza and give us your address. Even if someone is listening in, they will just think you are ordering lunch or dinner. Sound good?”
“That’s not a bad idea.” Terry nodded his head. “You tell me you’re calling this plan ‘Operation Bookworm’?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry but that sounds like something out those Hardy Boys books my dad used to read.”
Gabe joined the conversation. “That’s what I told them!” All three shared a laugh before they continued.
“Putting aside the name of the operation, do you think you can help us out?”
Terry scratched his chin and pursed his lips as he thought things through. “Like I said before, I would have to talk with Rachel before I commit to anything. When do you need an answer?”
“Unfortunately, I need to know by Monday. Our intelligence, thin as it is, tells us they might be planning something right around Halloween.”
“I’ll let you know.”
Rachel is not going to be happy about this one bit.
_____
After Terry arrived at home and explained the plan to his wife, he soon discovered how right he was about her reaction. While Rachel didn’t interrupt his lengthy narrative, the rhythmic tapping of her right foot told him she was ready to assert her point of view. “So, what do you think?”
She huffed. “I think it's an absolutely terrible idea. I almost lost you in that horrible shooting, and now you want to become a secret agent and fight terrorists. Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“Rach, I totally understand where you’re coming from, but I would just be a confidential informant, and there would be plenty of people to back me up in case things got out of hand.”
“Yeah, but they’d be in a van somewhere and not able to get to you until it was too late.”
“Actually, one of the campus security officers and a janitor are undercover agents. They have guns and everything.”
“I’m glad to hear it, but that doesn’t make me feel much bett
er,” she said. “So why do you want to do this?”
Terry pursed his lips. “It’s not something I want to do but something I think I need to do. Sure, I enlighten students as to the role of government in our everyday lives and how they can change it for the better, and maybe one or two of them a year might say thank you–”
“Students say nice things about you all the time. For crying out loud, Maddie Howes talked about you in her graduation speech last year. You’re making plenty of impact without having to get yourself hurt for no good reason.”
“But it’s not ‘for no good reason’ and besides, I think all of this might be happening for a reason.”
Rachel’s eyebrows rose. “What do you mean by that?”
“Well, in that dream I had in September, as horrible as it was, I was protecting my students, and that’s what I might be called upon to do here. Besides, I just happen to have Mr. O’Brien in my class, whose dad just happens to work for the FBI, which happens to be investigating a case taking place on our campus. That’s a whole lot of coincidence and you know I’m not a big fan of coincidence.”
“God may very well have you at Emerald Valley for a reason, but I’m not sure it was to run around and play spy. I mean, what if someone pulls a gun on you? You might have been Dirty Harry in your dream, but you’re not in real life.”
“Dad was in the Marines. He taught me how to shoot a gun when I was a kid.”
“Your dad was a dentist. I’m sure he was much better with a drill than a handgun.”
“My dad was an excellent marksman. You know what they say: ‘Every Marine a rifleman.’ Even after leaving the Corps, he stayed a pretty good shot at the range.”
“We're getting off topic. Whether or not you can still remember how to shoot a gun doesn’t change the fact that I don’t want you in a situation where you have to find out. Honey, I was scared to death about losing you eight years ago. I can’t go through that again.” Rachel paused and Terry noticed the catch in her voice. “After the shooting, you promised me you would be safe. I need you to keep your promise to me.”
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