Deadly Agenda

by Lisa Phillips

  “Oh,” she called out before she shut the door, “Who is your boss?” Maybe she knew him. She took a sip of coffee and set her clothes on the counter.

  “Hank Cromwell.”

  Megan swallowed a mouthful of coffee. “Okay.” The word was strangled.

  She shut the door to the bathroom and took a breath. Hank? The agent who had been one of her father’s best friends?

  This meeting was going to be so much fun.

  Not.

  **

  Adrian flashed his badge to the security guards in the lobby of the DC FBI office. Then he turned to Megan, and waited.

  She pulled the badge from her back pocket and handed it over.

  The guard logged her name and other details and then passed it back. Access badges were given. So much procedure. But it kept them safe.

  They made their way through security after a few minutes. Adrian had his weapon on him, but Megan had stowed hers in the car. It definitely made it simpler not to have to go through the rigmarole of getting her things looked at.

  When he caught up to her, he asked her about it.

  She shrugged. “I don’t have a service weapon. Not anymore. And I’m not going to bring a Double Down gun into the FBI office.”

  “I’m not complaining.” She didn’t have a service weapon? She had a badge.

  What kind of agent was she?

  He led her to the elevator and punched the button for the floor where his office was. She glanced over. “Didn’t you arrest Alexis during that whole thing, when Rachel was kidnapped?”

  Adrian winced. “In my defense, it made sense to think she was involved. And when it became clear she wasn’t, we backed off. But we still kept her safe.” In fact, he’d been there when she had nearly been killed by Lincoln Sadler, and they’d had to take him down.

  Though, Bradley—Alexis’s husband now—still looked at Adrian like the agent was going to pull out cuffs at any second. Which, of course, would result in Bradley tackling him to protect the people he loved.

  Adrian respected him, and all of the team at Double Down, more than they would ever know. More than he would admit, anyway.

  The elevator doors opened. He said, “It’s this way.”

  “I know.” She strode out. “I remember.”

  Adrian followed her, trying not to look like her entourage. “Are you going to explain that to me at some point?”

  The look she sent him over her shoulder made him tense. Whatever the story was, it was huge. It had affected her career. Her life. Made her into this independent—and not really in a good way—woman who only wanted to work alone. Someone who skirted the line of legality, and got the result her way.

  He nodded to a few of his coworkers and got a couple of pointed looks in return. Yes, he was back. No, he hadn’t found Zimmerman. They probably needed a full meeting, so he could get updated and let them know what he’d learned.

  Megan stopped at his boss’s office. Adrian rapped his knuckles on the door twice. Adrian reached for the handle, expecting the usual, “Come in.” But it never came.

  Instead, the door opened. “That you, Meggie?”

  Her face softened, and her mouth curled up into a genuine smile. “Hank.”

  Adrian stared while his hard-nosed boss hugged Megan. Like she was his long-lost daughter. Or granddaughter, given both their ages.

  “It’s so good to see you.”

  Hank leaned back. “Sure about that?”

  She laughed. “Yes, I’m telling the truth.”

  “You always were a good liar. Got you out of trouble plenty of times.” He stepped back.

  She shook her head, but Adrian caught the look on her face when Hank turned away to his desk. “Got me in trouble plenty of times, too.”

  “Still does, by the sound of it.” Hank waved to the chairs. “Sit. And shut the door would you, Agent Walker?”

  “Yes sir.” Adrian sat in the chair by Megan.

  Hank’s attention was all on her. A soft, fatherly gaze Adrian had never seen before. He could hardly believe he was seeing it now. And then his boss said, “It really is good to see you, Meg.”

  She pressed her lips together and smiled. “It’s good to be seen.”

  Adrian figured that was the truth, despite her apparent ability to lie. Nothing about this woman made sense. She was an FBI agent. She didn’t have a service weapon. In the weeks he’d known her, it was clear she worked for Double Down. Not the FBI. He wanted to ask what was going on, but was that too demanding? They seemed to be having some kind of moment. Adrian didn’t want to intrude, or ruin it.

  For the first time since he’d met her, only weeks ago, Megan actually looked relaxed. Not completely at ease. He didn’t even know if that was possible. Still, she seemed comfortable. He didn’t think it was the FBI office, so it had to be this man. His boss. She knew him, that much was clear. Had they worked together before?

  His email hadn’t been the first time he’d mentioned her in communications with his boss. It was, however, the first time he’d discovered her connection to the FBI. That was the catalyst for his boss asking them both to come in.

  So was Hank going to explain?

  Maybe he was going to tell Megan she should work with Adrian. That would help speed this along. Having her on his team and not out in front doing her own thing—with him feeling like he had to watch her back every step of the way.

  “So.” His boss started everything that way. Speech. Explanation. Didn’t matter. Then he said, “We’ve gone over every inch of Zimmerman’s computer. Work and home. All his online accounts, social media. Emails. Found some instant messages you’re going to want to look through, Walker.”

  Adrian accepted the file his boss handed him across the desk.

  “Speaks to his state of mind. And his sympathies toward a group of domestic extremists.”

  “Islamic?”

  Hank shook his head. “Home grown, backwoods guys. Guns, Bibles, and freedom.” He paused, his opinion of that clear. “They hate the government, no matter which side it’s leaning toward right now.”

  Adrian didn’t view the federal government as any kind of enemy of the American people. Some felt that way. And while he knew there were many flaws in the system, along with selfish people making important decisions for their own gain, he’d chosen to be part of it. To work every day to try and make it better. To not let men like Zimmerman take their anger out on innocent people.

  Adrian said, “Any indication of where he might strike with the sonic weapon?”

  “There’s been chatter about the Republican convention in Denver next week. And a symposium of defense contractors in a couple of days, the location of which was supposed to be secret.” Hank mashed his lips together, making his mustache twitch. “I’ll keep you posted on both of those.”

  Megan said, “We’ll know if he tries to fly the weapon into a city, right?”

  Hank nodded. “It’d fit in a duffel, or large suitcase. But he’ll know every avenue we’re watching. He’s been trained the same way we’ve been trained.” Hank paused, his attention on Megan. “That’s why we need someone who thinks outside of the FBI box.”

  “Me?” It was less of a question and more of a realization.

  Hank nodded. “But there’s another reason I think you’re going to want to be all-in on this with us.”

  Adrian looked up from the papers he’d been studying over.

  Megan’s body had stilled. “What reason?”

  Hank swallowed, looking unsure for the first time ever. “We found a link. Between Daniel Zimmerman and El Cuervo.”

  The Crow? Adrian’s knowledge of Spanish wasn’t much to speak of, but he thought he had that right. El Cuervo was reportedly a hitman for a Venezuelan drug cartel, an up-and-coming player, and he was high on the FBI’s most wanted list. What did he have to do with—

  Megan shoved her chair back and headed for the door, breathing hard.

  “Sit down, Meggie.”

  Chapter 4
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  She turned back from the door, breathing hard. “Don’t give this to me if it’s nothing.”

  Hank’s gaze softened the way her father’s would have done. And it made all of this harder than it already should have been. Her dad had been gone for more than fifteen years, killed on the job as an FBI agent. A bust gone wrong, her dad had caught a bullet to the neck. Her mom had been used to living a single-parent life already, with Megan’s dad being away so much. Still, losing her husband had hit her.

  Being here in this office with Hank brought it all back. What she’d lost. What she would have had, as a legacy agent—her father being a special agent as well. He’d have supported her. And yet, without his death in the line of duty, would she have even become an agent? Maybe. Or maybe she’d have never even thought of it.

  “Who is El Cuervo?”

  She didn’t want to look at Adrian. Not when she was like this, with her emotions far too close to the surface. Megan wanted to leave that part of her life behind, the way she’d left the FBI behind.

  And kept the badge.

  She figured it was Hank refusing to let her go, and twisting some arms to get it approved. Or maybe sliding paperwork through, under the radar. They didn’t pay her. She didn’t have the rights or authority an FBI agent possessed—at least, she hadn’t attempted to exercise those rights. If she did, someone would probably notice and Hank would get into trouble.

  Megan shook her head to chase away the errant thoughts. She had to focus, or Adrian would realize exactly how unhinged she was.

  Hank was already frowning at her. “You want to tell him the story, or should I?”

  “Why does he even need to know? So what if there’s a link between Zimmerman and El Cuervo? It’s probably only because one is an FBI agent and the other is a wanted criminal.”

  “They were communicating.”

  She lifted her chin. “We already know Zimmerman is dirty.”

  She knew she was arguing only as a delay tactic, because she’d rather run, but leaving would be too obvious. She also wanted actual proof before she jumped on this bandwagon and chased after Zimmerman for answers. “We’re already trying to find SAC Zimmerman, what does it matter the reason? Our priority is bringing him in because of the sonic weapon and what he plans to do with it.”

  She glanced between them and let her gaze settle on Adrian. Wasn’t he going to say something?

  “Plus the fact he’s been blackmailing people around Washington and terrorizing them for his own gain.” Adrian studied her, then turned to Hank. “She’s right. Unless this will help us locate Zimmerman, it’s only an incidental connection.”

  She asked Hank, “Do you think Zimmerman has gone to El Cuervo for cover while he enacts whatever plan he has in place?” Then she realized another—possibly more deadly—scenario. “Or is he planning on selling the sonic weapon to the Venezuelans?”

  A flash of disappointment moved over Hank’s face. He sat back in his chair, the look disappearing almost as fast as it had come.

  Because she hadn’t wanted to talk in front of Adrian about what happened two years ago?

  He said, “The chatter indicates the relationship was alive and well as far back as two years. Specifically in the weeks before…” He shot her a pointed look.

  She didn’t move a muscle. Didn’t breathe. Didn’t think, just said, “Before Special Agent Tennyson was killed?”

  He nodded.

  Megan was surprised she’d even been able to get her partner’s last name out. “Was Zimmerman responsible for what happened?” Someone had burned her and Will, and it led to Will’s death.

  “Maybe you should find him, ask him that for yourself.”

  If Hank thought that would make her push harder to find Zimmerman, he was mistaken. The man was a traitor at best, a terrorist at the worst. She didn’t need more drive than that to go out and find him.

  “I will.” She swallowed.

  Adrian was watching the whole thing, glancing back and forth between them, but saying nothing. Just sitting there doing whatever he was doing. Her life wasn’t that interesting. But would she be able to convince him of that? Probably not. She was an anomaly. That was all. Nothing but a mystery he needed to solve, having been trained extensively to spot inconsistencies, uncover hidden truths, and see things that were out of place.

  Megan’s whole life was out of place.

  What special agent could ignore that?

  Her phone rang in her jacket pocket, vibrating against her hip, but she ignored it.

  Apparently Hank saw it. “Probably your mom.”

  Megan rolled her eyes. “Get me intel that will help me find Zimmerman. If you don’t have it, then you’re wasting my time here.” She turned to the door, glancing back over her shoulder for a second. “It was good to see you, Hank.”

  Megan strode out through the bull pen to the hallway.

  Hopefully he would need to talk more with Adrian, being the man’s boss and all. That would give her some time to get out in front of Walker on the search for Zimmerman. She didn’t need his help—or anyone else’s—to bring down the rogue agent. Especially if he had something to do with Will’s death.

  She’d been looking for El Cuervo in her spare time since she signed on as one of Steve’s team members at Double Down. Lately, she hadn’t made much progress. Most of her leads had gone dry, given basically everyone who had been present—or who knew about that night—was either dead or in jail.

  The ones in jail, two members of El Cuervo’s group, hadn’t wanted to speak to her when she paid them a visit. They’d both died in prison fights less than a month later.

  No one wanted her asking questions. Whoever was behind Will’s death hadn’t wanted her to find out the truth. And the FBI had told her to take some time. Get her head together. Whatever that meant.

  But until she got answers, her head wasn’t going to be “together.” Was it? So she’d lived with the dissonance of it all for two years. Questions. No answers. Death. The end of her FBI career. Maybe Hank was only prolonging the inevitable, not doing her a favor by allowing her to keep her badge.

  Sure, every so often he threw her the odd undercover assignment. Or a recon mission he didn’t have an agent for. On occasion he needed someone off radar because it was sensitive.

  Maybe she should just quit it all. Leave her badge on Hank’s desk.

  Give up Double Down.

  Go back to her basement and the murder board she’d set up down there. Find a new lead.

  Bring El Cuervo down.

  Her phone rang again. She pulled it out and looked for a quiet place to answer. The caller ID said, Double Down Inc.

  She slid to answer the call and said, “Hi, Mom.”

  “Megan.” Her mom’s voice was soft, which meant no one else was in the reception area of the office. Any other time she was all business. She treated Steve like he was her wayward son, and the other men like they were a bunch of rabble-rousers. Like, she’d literally used that phrase.

  Megan said, “I thought we were packing up the office because of you-know-who.” This wasn’t an elaborate children’s fantasy novel, but they did have a powerful enemy. One who was listening to everything.

  “I have nothing to hide,” her mom said. “I’m a professional, and Double Down is a professional company. We don’t run from trouble.”

  Megan shut her eyes for a second, letting her mom’s strength wash over her. Why couldn’t she be more like that?

  **

  Adrian stared at the doorway Megan had just walked through, then he looked back at his boss. “I’m going to need more information than I have, sir.”

  Hank Cromwell, Special Agent in Charge and Adrian’s boss, nodded. His thoughts seemed to be full of Megan still. Whatever all that was about, Adrian needed to know. There was more than a boss/employee relationship between Hank and Megan. The man seemed to have asserted himself into some kind of father figure role. And he’d called her Meggie. Which Adrian would have found hilari
ous—at any other time.

  Not right now.

  “El Cuervo?”

  Adrian nodded. “Can you have support send me all the files? I’d like to look into Zimmerman’s relationship with him.”

  Hank blew out a breath. “Can’t believe he’s had an agent on his payroll all this time. And we’re only finding out about it because Zimmerman stole a sonic weapon.” He shook his head. “If he hadn’t exposed his real intentions, would we ever have known? He’d have been the Venezuelan’s sleeper agent. And for how long?”

  Not to mention, the damage the man might’ve done in the years since.

  How much of that damage had affected Megan?

  Adrian said, “What happened to her and this Agent Tennyson person?”

  Hank was back to staring at the door. “Megan was undercover from early on in her career. Just had a way about her, it was noticed right away. Her being a legacy and all.”

  Megan had a parent who was an agent? Adrian had tried to find out about her background a few times. He hadn’t managed to get any information past her job with Double Down, her current address, and the fact her mother worked for the company as Steve’s assistant.

  “Her father?”

  “Perkins was killed in that Ceour d’Alene debacle.” Hank let out a breath and shook his head. “Megan caught the bug. Decided she wanted to be an agent. I didn’t want her undercover, but it was obvious that was what suited her.”

  Adrian nodded. He could see that from what he knew of her, and how he’d seen her be the past few weeks. She’d gone through the deaths of two of Double Down’s team members, and while he knew for a fact she’d grieved, it was clear she had an incredible ability to compartmentalize. After all, she’d passed out in the bathroom at the hotel and rolled through the fact that he’d bandaged and dressed her in clean pants, only mildly thrown by the whole thing. He figured most of the reaction she’d had was due to the embarrassment of having passed out from blood loss in the first place.