“There’d be sharks there, too,” commented MayAnn. “Now, I’ll deal with the two Cerberus agents. They’re waiting for a briefing in one of the smaller rooms. I’ll take Schmidt with me, and Mark will help, I’m sure. I’ll let you know if the two Cerberus agents should also be relieved from duty.”
“Very well. I still think you’re taking a risk, though.”
“We arrested a hundred and fifty of these young Cerberus people in Afghanistan; I think they were pleased we took control. I suspect it will be the same with these two agents. We’ll have other agents outside, just in case.”
~~~
When Schmidt and MayAnn entered the hastily prepared meeting room, Mark already was in an intensive discussion with the two suspected Cerberus agents. One of the young children was sitting at a corner table, close enough to listen to the conversation. Mark was relying on her eidetic memory if he needed to review any aspect of the interview. He raised his hand at the newcomers, wanting to continue the discussion without interruption. The two Cerberus agents were intent on Mark, and their body language indicated some concerns; they were tense, coiled spring-like, as though ready to pounce. Schmidt and MayAnn sat at the table and listened, careful not to interrupt the conversation. Schmidt was very interested in the ensuing exchanges between Mark and the two agents.
Mark directed. “Now tell me, do you both agree with Cerberus management?”
“No,” replied one agent. The other shook his head. “We don’t know their strategy, we’re aware only of their short term tactics. It’s very worrying. Sometimes we think they’re operating illegally, although we don’t have evidence.”
The second agent said, “I agree. We’re always getting instructions from Cerberus, some of which we can’t or don’t carry out.”
“What kind of instructions?” asked Mark.
“Oh, things like—let us know if you hear Cerberus mentioned in any conversation?”
“Or there was one today, asking if we’d heard about the arrests at Pebble Creek. We said no.”
Mark asked, “Why did you say no?”
“Because,” said the first agent. “It seemed to be inimical to our tasks here.”
“You wanted to see the children freed?”
“Definitely. They’re a very advanced group. We don’t want to see Cerberus in control of them.”
“Why not?”
“As I said before, we don’t know what Cerberus’s strategy is. I don’t mind disclosing a comment overheard in a casual conversation, but I’ve major concerns when they want us to disclose confidential material, or if they want us to do something illegal.”
“Or unethical,” agreed the second agent, nodding his head.
“Are you willing to disclose Cerberus details to us? To General Schmidt and to Special Agent Freewell?”
The two agents looked at each other and then back at their interrogator. Mark said, “Don’t try to equivocate. I can tell if your answers are false, or even if they’re not entirely truthful.”
“Yes. As long you help us to not incriminate ourselves. We want to continue working with the FBI.”
“Or at the very least, we want to ensure the Cerberus children are protected.”
Mark looked at Schmidt. “General, do you have any questions? Shall I continue?”
Schmidt nodded. He understood Mark’s use of formality was to convey the serious nature of the discussion. He would later explore Mark’s comment that he would know if the agents’ answers were not totally truthful. That was something new.
“No, carry on.”
MayAnn nodded her agreement.
“Good.” Mark turned back to the two young agents. “How much do you know about Cerberus management?”
“The people?” asked the first agent.
Mark nodded.
“Not much. We don’t know where their main offices are or who’s in charge. We know the locations of some of the Genetics Center’s laboratories, and we’ve met a number of their doctors and researchers. We were based at one laboratory for a while, before we joined the FBI, to help with research. There was a doctor who visited occasionally and she seemed to be in charge, her name was White, Dr. White. She’s highly regarded by all the staff, as far as we can tell.”
The second agent added, “There are different types of Cerberus people. Some are normal employees, some have had genetic changes as adults and some are genetically engineered like us, at the genome level. Sometimes it’s difficult to distinguish between these two latter groups.”
“How many Cerberus people are there who were genetically modified as adults?” asked Mark.
The two agents looked at each other. One licked his lips. The second agent frowned.
The first agent spoke. “It’s difficult to say. My guess is thousands.”
The second agent nodded his agreement.
“Why did you hesitate?”
The first agent replied, “It—it’s just overwhelming, for us. I think there are two or three thousand or more Cerberus people who have been genetically modified in some way, as adults. There’s a sense of antagonism between them and us—us being the Cerberus people who were modified at the genome level. I think we have different ideals, different ethical concepts, and different reactions.”
The second agent clarified, “We’re from a very different process. We think the adults are modified using nanotechnology, while we’re engineered using very focused DNA modifications in embryo. The Genetics Center has a method for cutting and stitching DNA at specific locations in complex genomes. They’re focusing on very specific changes.”
“Neither of us are experts,” said the first agent.
“How many FBI agents are Cerberus-modified? In each category?”
The two agents looked at each other. The second agent signaled he would answer the question.
“I think there’s about forty or fifty of each. There’s more in other law enforcement sectors.” The first agent nodded his agreement.
“You know them all?” asked Mark.
“Only those located at Quantico. That’s probably most of them, though,” said the first agent.
A tap on the door interrupted the session. An FBI agent opened the door and addressed Schmidt. “Sir, there’s a Major Symmonds for you.”
“Good. Ask him to wait. We’ll be out shortly.”
“Very good, General,” replied the agent as he closed the door.
Less than a minute later there was a second, very timid, knock on the door and it opened slowly to reveal one of the young Cerberus children. She looked at MayAnn. “Can I come in?” she whispered.
“Why certainly,” replied MayAnn, beckoning. The young girl closed the door and walked over to the table and stood beside Special Agent Freewell.
MayAnn said, “What can I do for you?”
“Special Agent. It’s about the major.”
“Yes?”
“He’s Cerberus.”
***
Chapter 25
MayAnn made a quick call on her cell phone before she, Schmidt, and Mark left the small room they were using to interview the two Cerberus agents. As a result of the call, Gross and two of his team were standing near the major and other agents were positioned nearby, when Schmidt approached the officer.
“Major Symmonds?”
“Yes, General?”
“I understand you’re a member of the Cerberus organization?” Schmidt had decided a soft approach was not going to work, at least, not for him.
“Ah, sir?” The major was nonplussed. The other members of Schmidt’s new support team were also taken aback; they had not been briefed on Cerberus and lacked knowledge of the organization.
“Don’t play games, Major. While membership of Cerberus is not proscribed by the Army, the activities of some of its members could be classed as terrorism. Are you a member of Cerberus?”
“Yes, sir. I am. However, I have not done anything illegal or unethical. I honor my military oath.”
“That’s
as may be. A Cerberus member shot at me last week, Cerberus killed CIA agents at Cherry Hill, Midway has been kidnapped—twice—by Cerberus agents, these children were being held as prisoners of Cerberus. You see where I am going?”
“I—I believe so, sir. Am I under arrest?”
“I’m still considering that. I want you to spend the next couple of hours with Special Agent Brown. He’ll take a detailed statement from you. I may arrange for you to meet with Midway, as well. I’ll read Brown’s statement and rely on his and Midway’s assessments of you, to form my opinion. Understand?”
“Yes, sir. I don’t believe any of your support team are members of Cerberus.”
“Thank you, Major. Gross, he’s yours. Let me know what you think.”
Schmidt waited until Gross led the major away. He then turned to address the remaining four members of his support team. “Listen and listen good. I’m tasked with identifying and overcoming an organization known as Cerberus. If any of you—now or in the future—gain knowledge of that organization or of its members, and don’t inform me immediately, I will become your worst enemy. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.” The response was in unison, the men standing at attention.
“At ease. We have fifteen children here and tomorrow they’ll be joined by another fifteen. We need to organize them, ensure they have all the resources they need, and then we’ll provide education classes, training and so forth. We’re going to need your help to arrange resources. This might not be the army you thought you were joining, but it’s the army we have. If any of you want out, let me know, now. What do you say?”
“Sir, we’re with you,” replied Lieutenant Diaz. The other three nodded their assent.
Schmidt frowned. “Good.” He looked around for one of the older children. “Aah—Erikk and Nelson, take these four and brief them on Cerberus, enough so they understand what we’re doing.” He turned back to the four soldiers. “If you breathe a word of what you see or hear while working for me to anyone outside my command, you’ll spend the rest of your life in Guantánamo, and not as guards. Understood?”
There were no dissents. Erikk and Nelson led the four soldiers away, to another small room, for their briefing.
~~~
It was early Monday morning. Dr. White was in conference with five of her senior biotechnologists when her meeting was interrupted by one of her PAs.
“Dr. White.” The PA was in a near-panic state.
The doctor looked up from her notes. “Yes, Joyce?”
“Doctor, Security at Building 23 has just phoned. They say people are taking the children. Apparently it’s the FBI.” Building 23 was five miles away from the building that housed the core researchers of the Cerberus Genetics Center.
“What?” She pushed back her chair. “This meeting’s over,” she said, closing her file of research notes. The five attendees, two men and three women, exited from the meeting room, their conversation muted, their expressions curious. However, they knew not to ask questions.
Dr. White continued, “Did Security say whether they have warrants? How many are there? Can we access the web cams for that building? Quickly, connect this display to the cameras.”
Her PA, relieved she had a task to focus on, quickly set up the connections to access video cameras in the building where the children were housed. The main camera streamed video from the entrance lobby to the LED display in the conference room and showed a group of FBI agents standing in conversation with security guards in the lobby. Five Cerberus employees, handcuffed, were standing to one side. Other FBI agents were photographing each child and then leading them in small groups outside the building. Dr. White’s PA switched to an external camera, where the video stream displayed a line of children boarding a bus, again under supervision of FBI agents.
Dr. White turned and faced her PA. “Get Davis and Jones on a conference call, tell them it’s urgent. I’ll take it here. Contact Security, tell them I want copies of the FBI warrants as quickly as possible.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
“What’s happening? What’s the urgency?” asked Jones when the three were connected on the conference call. Dr. White ushered her PA out of the room and closed the door.
“FBI agents are removing children from Building 23 here in D.C. They took the children from our Pebble Creek building yesterday. That’s thirty of our children now under FBI control. This is the work of Schmidt and Freeway, I’m sure.”
“Of course, it’s nothing to do with Buchanan and Jamieson kidnapping Midway,” snapped Jones.
“That’s history now Buchanan’s dead.”
Jones asked, “How long do you think before the FBI link the children to the Genetics Center? Do the children know the address?”
“They may not know the address, but it won’t take very long for the FBI to discover where we are. I suspect I’ve got about an hour before they identify this location and it’ll take probably three or four hours for them to locate both of you.”
“I think we need to consider emergency actions,” said Jones.
“Yes,” agreed Dr. White. “While I’ve asked my people to get copies of the FBI warrants, I strongly recommend implementing Removal Plan Alpha.”
“You think it’s reached that level of crisis?” asked Davis.
“Yes, I do.”
“So we each head off into the sunset?” asked Davis, seeking confirmation.
“We knew this might happen sometime,” said Jones. “We’ve been sailing close to the wind this last year. The FBI involvement with the children now confirms we’re in serious danger. Likewise the Buchanan and Jamieson items. When we complete this call, we’ll each implement our portion of the plan.”
“What about the Chairman?” asked Davis.
“He’s on board the Hammer and is on his way to Bermuda. We’ll need to inform him that we’ve implemented Alpha, of course,” replied Dr. White.
“That’s going to be an interesting conversation,” projected Jones. “I don’t think I’ll volunteer to be spokesman this time.”
“He’ll get notification of corporate stock and bank account transfers anyway, when we initiate the Removal Plan,” reminded Dr. White.
“Our ears will burn when that happens,” said Jones.
“All right, I’m running out of time. Do you agree, we need to act?” asked Dr. White.
“With the FBI at our door, we’ve no alternatives,” said Jones.
“I think we’re now at risk,” said Dr. White. “I plan on leaving here in the next hour. I’ll take the Citation and fly to Paraguay. I may be able to take two or three of my senior researchers with me.”
“All of your records are backed up to our storage clouds?” asked Davis.
“Oh, yes. The FBI cannot access those records, at least, as far as I know. We’ve maintained the agreed three separate backup sets in Europe, Asia and South America. Our data should be well outside the reach of the FBI, NSA or anyone else from the US. We’ll lose some current research; unfortunately, it will take a year to replace anything that’s in progress.”
Jones said, “Our Swiss subsidiary already controls our non-US operations. We’re holding substantial cash reserves at our Luxembourg operations, representing offshore profits we haven’t transferred to the parent company. Re-organization of our commercial operations will be straightforward, as almost half of our business is non-US based. The Chairman will be faced with a fait accompli, I’m afraid. Davis, I suggest you drive to Toronto tonight and I’ll leave tomorrow morning.”
“Follow the plan,” reminded Dr. White. “We’ll have a video conference meeting in seven days. In the meantime, good luck.” She disconnected, ending the conference call. She then used her cell phone to arrange for departure of the Citation. The business jet would be ready in three hours. That, she thought, would give her time to clear her desk and get to the airport.
~~~
General Schmidt, Special Agent Freewell, and Mark watched as the bus carrying the second group of yo
ung passengers pulled up in front of the barracks building. Mark suspected MayAnn had arranged for the balloons and streamers that now softened the harsh lines of the entrance area. The children, as they disembarked, initially were somber, very quiet, and obviously concerned at the morning events. They had been roused out of bed earlier than usual, photographed by strangers, and loaded onto a bus for a trip to an unknown destination. Erik, Anna, Nelson, and Martin were waiting at the double doorway and when the new arrivals saw them, their expressions immediately changed to surprised relief. Their shrieks of delight were ear-shattering.
“I suspect we won’t get very far with the newcomers for an hour or so,” predicted MayAnn.
“Agreed,” said Schmidt. “Let’s go inside and wait for the excitement to subside.”
It was more than hour later; the children had moved themselves to a large assembly room that had rows of seats and an open floor area. The room was used for recreation, group training and occasional presentation purposes. There was a noticeable lull in the conversational sound level prompting MayAnn to suggest they should now welcome the newcomers. Schmidt was first to enter the room and the children immediately quietened. MayAnn followed, with Mark trailing. His entrance was met with a complete hush.
“I think your reputation preceded you,” MayAnn said to Mark.
Anna, accompanied by ten young girls, approached MayAnn.
“Special Agent Freewell,” said Anna. “The girls wanted to thank you. We’ll make more name badges and wear them tomorrow so you’ll know our names. This is Gabrielle; she’s the youngest of us all.”
A very tiny girl stepped forward, her shyness apparent, her face almost totally hidden by her curls. “Special Agent MayAnn, thank you for bringing us all here. We’re a very large family and we like being together.”
“You’re welcome, Gabrielle,” said MayAnn. “All of you are very welcome. Let me know if there ever is anything I can do for you.”
“We will,” affirmed Anna and she led the girls back to the other children sitting along the rows of seats. A hubbub of excited conversations built up again.
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