by J A Heaton
Daniel glanced towards the smartly suited man standing in the corner. Whoever he was, he was from higher up in the CIA, and Daniel hoped he noted his care while operating on American soil. His black hair had gray streaks, but he exuded confidence befitting a man who had served in the CIA from the time Reagan was in office, if not earlier. His slicked-back hairstyle certainly fit the stereotype of a high-ranking government official.
“A US citizen?” Rex finally responded over the radio. “But I guess it’s okay to send my buddies into God-knows-what so we can get our asses blown off? The judge, or whoever needs to authorize a drone, should know that I can’t get an infrared reading on the cabin. I can’t see how many people, if any, are in there. They knew what they were doing. They’ve insulated that little cabin with some serious stuff.”
Muhammad fidgeted with his sweaty hands as he intermittently adjusted his earpiece and microphone. Daniel gave Muhammad a tap on the shoulder. Daniel felt that he had a lot of promise, and he knew he was highly motivated. His family had fled from Saddam Hussein’s regime.
“There is a door on the front, a door on the back, and a window next to each door,” Rex reported over the radio.
“You need to go in, Rex,” Daniel ordered over the radio. “You have the most experience, and we may need your eyes in there to make a split-second decision.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Rex said.
“Your men in position?” Daniel asked.
“In a few seconds. I’m doing one last visual sweep, and then I’ll work my way to the front door undercover.”
Daniel paced about a few steps as he waited for Rex and his men to finally get into position. Muhammad looked back at Daniel and wiped his hands on his pants.
Tina clenched and released her fist. Daniel sensed she wanted to be the one kicking down the door.
Jenny sat up straight, nervous that Rex was in the thick of the action.
“I’m in position,” Rex said. “I’m placing explosives on the door just in case they decided to lock it and didn’t want the big bad wolf to come in.”
Daniel appreciated Rex’s levity.
“Hold on,” Jenny interrupted. “I’ve got activity on their cell phone.”
Muhammad shut his eyes and listened to the Arabic conversation on the tapped phones.
After a few seconds, Daniel asked, “What are they saying?” To Rex, he said, “Wait. They’re talking on the phones right now.”
Muhammad began to translate on the fly as he listened to the conversation in Arabic. To Daniel, the words came rapid fire, nearly incomprehensible. But he could pick up the gist of what they were saying. They were greeting each other. They were confirming that everything was okay. Vague statements that were probably coded in some manner.
“Do you know where they’re from?” Daniel asked.
“One of them is Egyptian,” Muhammad said quickly. “I hear other people talking in the background. There must be at least three or four people in the cabin.” Daniel passed the information by radio on to Rex.
“While they’re talking on the phone is the perfect time for me to make my entrance,” Rex said.
“You have clearance,” Daniel confirmed.
“Breach in three, two—”
“Wait!” Muhammad said.
“Hold! Hold!” Daniel said over the radio to Rex. “What is it, Muhammad?”
“One of the other men started talking on the phone,” Muhammad said. “At first, I thought he was Palestinian, but something seems a little bit off. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s Israeli.”
“What the hell?” Daniel said.
“I don’t want to sit here forever,” Rex said impatiently.
“Hold,” Daniel repeated.
“They’ve hung up,” Jenny said.
“I don’t understand,” Muhammad said, looking at Daniel. “Why is there an Israeli working with these terrorists?”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Daniel said. “Screw this. Rex, are you still in position?”
“Make up your mind, dork,” Rex said over the radio.
“I don’t care if there’s an Israeli in there,” Daniel said. “We’re on American soil.”
“Okay, getting ready to breach in three, two, and one…”
A blast sent white noise over the radio, and then they listened for Rex to enter the cabin.
But everything was quiet.
“Perfect,” Daniel said happily.
“What the hell?” Tina asked.
“Yeah, what happened?” Muhammad said. “Is Rex okay? Did a bomb go off? Why are you happy?”
“I’m sorry, Muhammad,” Daniel said, giving him a slap on the back. “That was a training exercise. Rex is somewhere else in the building, pretending to talk over the radio with us.”
“Was that some kind of a test?” Muhammad asked.
“Exactly,” Daniel said. “I had to know during a mission how sharp your linguistic skills were. How deep your knowledge of the languages is, and how well you could tell where people were from on the fly. Those were all staged recordings and old conversations,” Daniel said. “And you are exactly right. One of them was an Israeli speaking in Arabic. What we can’t afford is to blow up a Mossad operation somewhere else in the world because we are overzealous. But you caught it.”
“So, if that had been real…” Tina asked.
“I don’t think the Mossad would be operating like that on our soil,” Daniel said.
Muhammad abruptly got up out of his seat, excused himself and made his way out the door. “I think I’m going to be sick,” he announced loudly as he headed towards the restroom.
“He is not as tough as you,” Daniel said to Tina, “but he has the exact skills we’re looking for. I’m going to request that his top-level security clearance gets fast-tracked so he can join the team.”
Daniel couldn’t help but notice the observer in the corner grin with appreciation as he came towards Daniel to introduce himself.
“You need to come with me, Dr. Knox,” the man with slicked-back hair said to Daniel and his team.
“Not again,” Tina grumbled.
“You need to come with me to Officer Carter at the main building,” the man said.
“Why didn’t Carter just call me?” Daniel asked. Since Officer Carter’s office had moved to the main CIA building, she had never sent a messenger to retrieve him.
“Because I’m the one who called the meeting,” the man said. He took a few steps towards Daniel and the rest of his team and extended his hand. “Edwards. I knew your father, and when I saw somebody with the same last name forming a new counterterrorism team with ties to the CIA, I had to come to see it myself.”
Daniel warily shook Edwards’ hand and said, “If you know about my team, then you must be pretty important. What did you say your name was again?”
“Edwards,” the man repeated. “And I’m not too surprised you haven’t heard of me. Unlike some guys, I haven’t spent my whole career trying to boost my ego to advance myself. To those who pay attention to results, they know that while I was in my prime, I was one of the best. I was chasing down KGB spies behind the Iron Curtain when you were busy chasing down Decepticons and playing with Transformers.”
Edwards released a winsome grin.
Daniel rode with Edwards over to the CIA headquarters in Langley in silence.
After they arrived, Edwards checked him through security, and neither of them could help but look at the Memorial Wall as they continued to the elevators.
“I don’t expect to find myself up on that wall any day,” Edwards said. “At the least, you have to die on the job to get your star on the wall. I’ll probably die wearing my slippers and watching a hockey game. Or, perhaps I’ll accidentally shoot myself at the target range. I still like to show those young whippersnappers that the old guys can handle a gun like a pro.”
Daniel lingered before the Memorial Wall a moment longer than Edwards. Each star represented a man or woman who lost
their life while serving the CIA. Some of them were unnamed, the recipients having died in secret operations that had to remain classified.
Minutes later, they both entered Officer Carter’s office, which Daniel thought was not near as spacious or large as her old one, but he figured it must have seemed more prestigious being in the main building.
After a nod of greeting between Officer Carter and Daniel, Edwards started the meeting.
“I’m hand selecting Daniel to help me with a special operation.”
“I’m listening,” Officer Carter said.
“There will be a three-day conference for international security overseas, a week from tomorrow,” Edwards began. “I’m busy hunting somebody down. We have a traitor in our midst.”
Both Officer Carter and Daniel sat up straight at the mention of a mole.
“I have prime suspects,” Edwards continued. “I’ve narrowed the mole down to three men, and they will all be at the conference. It will be the first time they are all together, and it may never happen again. It is the perfect time to uncover the mole.”
“Why me?” Daniel asked again.
“The international conference for security is being held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan,” Edwards said. “It starts next Tuesday, and it will only last three days, so we have a tight window in which to work. And this is not something I orchestrated, either. The mole won’t be suspicious of being lured into a trap. And because the conference is taking place in a country that is allied with us and supporting us in the War on Terror, it’s a good place for us to catch the mole.”
Daniel recalled that Nigora, the woman he once loved but who was now suspected of being involved with the Russian mafia, had warned him to never interfere with her business in Tashkent. That thought left his mind as quickly as it entered.
“And because it’s an old Soviet backwater, nobody cares what happens there,” Daniel added, “and we don’t have to play by the same rules as if we were in the United States. Am I right?”
“See, you’re not such an amateur, after all,” Edwards said kindly.
“This would be an excellent chance for you to strengthen your intel skills in the field, Daniel,” Officer Carter said. “Edwards has vast experience in this area, and he is the perfect man for you to learn from.”
“With all due respect,” Daniel said, “the War on Terror is different. I’m certain that Mr. Edwards was the best at what he did during the Cold War, but just like it was disastrous to use World War II tactics in Vietnam, I don’t want to use Cold War tactics now.”
“I see.” Edwards sat back, and instead of giving Daniel the scolding or lecture from an elder, he said, “Mole hunting is some of the most difficult work in the intelligence world. And it might not get the fast results that newer and more technological efforts can achieve.”
“Don’t turn down an opportunity to learn from a legend,” Officer Carter said. “I have half a mind to order you to take this mission.”
“I don’t want him unless he is completely on board,” Edwards interrupted. “This is dangerous business, and unless his heart and mind are completely in it, it could end up disastrously for all of us.”
“I would have a hard time buying into this mission,” Daniel said, “not because I don’t think I have much I can learn about intelligence from a professional like you, Mr. Edwards, but more because I believe my team’s focus should remain solidly on catching terrorists. As hard as it is for you to believe, a spy who has been working for the Soviets and now the Russians is simply not as dangerous as the terrorists I’m trying to catch. What’s the worst that could happen if this mole betrayed secrets to Russia, which is just a crumpled heap of a collapsed and corrupt Soviet empire?”
“It’s understandable that you think I’m an old man fighting old wars,” Edwards said patiently. “But you should be open to the possibility, as well, that perhaps your analysis of history is shortsighted and that you may be underestimating an enemy. It’s no accident that I’ve been winning this game for a long time. You had better be certain you’re playing the right game. Because right now, you’re so amateurish, you don’t even know what you don’t know. I don’t make offers like this to younger officers often, so carefully consider my offer.”
“I urge you to join Edwards,” Officer Carter added.
“Now is not a good time, even if I really wanted to join you,” Daniel said. “I’m building a team, and it’s not complete yet.”
“This is not what I expected,” Edwards said, reverting to his pleasant demeanor. He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair before continuing. “I would have expected differently from the son of the Knox that I knew. This mole is known as the Wolf, and we’ve been hunting him for years. He’s caused the deaths of multiple US assets. He made Reagan and every single president since him crap their pants, and he will make Russia a real threat to the security of the United States much sooner than many would like to think. So maybe I am just an old man stuck in my old ways, and I need to change with the times instead of hunting down my own whale. But if nothing else, I know the Wolf is responsible for many American deaths, and for that, I’m gonna make sure we catch the Wolf.”
Daniel remained steadfast in his decision. He needed to finish building his team, and they needed to focus on catching terrorists, not hunting ghosts from the Cold War.
“Okay then,” Edwards said. “I tried, but like I said, I’m not going to force you to join me. Having said that, I do have a small favor. I suppose you know Max?”
“The analyst who knows Russian, Uzbek, and spends too much time at the Russian bathhouse?” Daniel said. “What about him? I’m trying to get him to join my MDF team.”
“That’s the one. Be careful. Keep an eye on him.”
“Are you saying that the Wolf might have a connection with Max?” Daniel asked.
“I didn’t officially say anything of the kind,” Edwards said with a smile. He rose from his chair and extended a hand for a handshake from Daniel. Daniel accepted, and Edwards left.
Daniel already knew the results were embarrassing. He put the gun down that Rex was making him take target practice with and pulled the target towards him. All his shots were off the mark. He was glad nobody on the team was there to watch, especially Tina. Taking a few deep breaths and trying to relax, Daniel put up another target. This time, he left it closer than the previous one.
The gun felt unnatural in his hands, but Rex wanted him to become accustomed to a variety of firearms. Daniel understood the reasoning, but he seemed incapable of making progress. Daniel fired off several shots in quick succession. Before he continued, he noticed that somebody else entered the firing range and stood behind him.
It was precisely what he feared. Tina was standing behind him. She watched him finish the magazine, and they both knew the results were not good.
“I hope my life is never on the line when you’re shooting,” Tina said. Daniel knew she was joking, but it still hurt. After a quick look back to Tina as if to say, “That was just unlucky,” Daniel put up another target and placed it at the full distance.
Daniel took a few more deep breaths and tried to refocus his thoughts. Another round of inaccurate shooting in front of Tina would be shameful. Instead of firing, he put the gun down, turned, and explained to Tina, “Rex is making me practice with guns I’m not used to. This one is new to me.”
“Beginner,” Tina mumbled without empathizing with his excuse. She moved into the spot next to Daniel and grabbed the gun he had put down. Daniel stood back to watch, and what he saw made his heart stop.
After her first shot, Tina turned her head and said, “You shouldn’t be checking me out at work.”
“I… I was just noticing your…”
Damn, I can’t say form, Daniel thought to himself.
She finished the magazine and pulled out another gun. It was a Glock, just like the one he preferred. Unfortunately for Daniel, he continued to dig himself deeper into a hole.
“What were yo
u noticing?” she asked, just before firing several more rounds.
“Your gun. It’s just perfectly balanced. It’s well-made, it’s beautiful to look at, and yet it’s extremely effective.”
Tina took another shot. They both knew it was a perfect one.
“You like my gun?” Tina asked. “You jealous?”
Another shot that hit the target perfectly.
“I’ll give it a try,” Daniel said. Tina set the gun down and took a few steps back. Daniel took her place.
Daniel picked up the Glock, and it felt a little bit differently from what he expected. It was warm from Tina’s grip, and he could tell from its weight that it was neither full nor empty. It was somewhere in between. But it was just as he had said. The gun felt perfect. It was the same type of Glock his father had made him practice with.
Despite his nerves, Daniel quickly raised the gun and, without thinking, squeezed off a shot. It was just as perfect as Tina’s previous ones.
“Maybe I was wrong,” Tina said. “It seems that you like my gun.”
“I love it,” Daniel said. He regretted it as soon as he said it.
He couldn’t look at her. They stood in silence.
Daniel wanted to say more, but he figured that Tina was still in mourning for her partner’s death. He took one more shot.
Daniel exhaled and put the gun down. He took one deep breath and braced himself for what he was going to say to Tina.
Daniel turned around and said to her, “I know we just became coworkers, but…”
Daniel found that he couldn’t talk anymore.
Tina stood and waited. Daniel feared she wasn’t going to bail him out.
“You can borrow my gun if you want it,” Tina said.
“No, it’s not about that at all,” Daniel said.
“Then…?”
“Can I take you out for dinner sometime?” Daniel said quickly. His throat nearly constricted, and he was hardly able to get the whole sentence out. As soon as he said it, he imagined how happy his mother would be, and how Jenny would be excited because she had first tried to hook Daniel and Tina up.