Identity

by Nancy Ann Healy

  “Do you honestly expect him to tell you anything about Gordon Brandt?”

  Jane didn’t know what to expect from her brother. She hadn’t spoken to him in years. His betrayal broke her heart. His justification had turned her stomach. He had continued with his life and his work. She had continued with hers. General Matthew Waters had been charged with ensuring the continuation of a Cold War project called Lynx. More specifically, he’d been tasked with integrating an initiative known as SEED. Lynx had been supervised by Jim McCollum. Its purpose was to investigate and implement ways to alter a soldier or agent’s thoughts and behaviors. By all accounts, McCollum had been successful in the endeavor. Lynx wasn’t the first program of its kind. It had been the first to bear fruit. The Intelligence complex deemed that fruit, a crop—a group of agents, soldiers, airmen, and sailors who had been successfully programmed with a task. A key word activated their orders, and another keyword silenced their memory. Lynx was a switch. Its crop paved the way for a new program—SEED. SEED’s objective took the work a step further. Rather than cultivating a “crop” of assets, it sought to grow them. Seeds would be planted in youth, cultivated over time, and harvested when necessary. Jane regarded the program as insidious.

  Evidence was uncovered that Cassidy’s former husband, Christopher O’Brien, had been one of the first subjects in the program. His aim was to infiltrate the innermost sphere of the Collaborative through a courtship and relationship with James McCollum’s daughter. He would build a family with Cassidy McCollum as he rose within the ranks of American politics. His children would attend a Collaborative funded school. The same school Claire Brackett and Eleana Baros had attended as children. His children would become new seeds, carefully watered and prepared to be harvested at the right time. The plan was upended by a wildcard—Cassidy. Cassidy refused to educate their son outside the country or at any boarding school. She demanded that Dylan receive a public education. And, after years of confronting O’Brien’s constant infidelity, Cassidy left the marriage behind. Christopher O’Brien had failed. Or had he? Alex worried that O’Brien fulfilled his objective with Dylan in another way. Jane would never discount the possibility. She agreed with Cassidy that it was unlikely. Even if O’Brien had managed to embed something in Dylan’s subliminal memory, Jane thought it probable that Dylan would follow a similar course as his mother. Everyone maintained choice. Jane believed that was the wildcard the men behind programs like LYNX and SEED forgot.

  She looked at her friend and shrugged. “I don’t expect anything, Joshua. It’s his choice to offer me the truth or a lie. That’s all I do know.” She stopped outside a steel door and took a deep breath.

  “I’ll wait here,” Tate said.

  “I’d say, wish me luck but—” She opened the door and stepped through.

  “Janie.”

  “Matt.”

  “It’s been a while.”

  “It has.”

  “Should I thank Alex for this visit, or do I owe a call to the White House?”

  “Does it matter?” Jane asked.

  “I suppose not.” Matthew Waters gestured for his sister to take a seat. He picked up a folder from his desk and tossed it to her.

  “What’s this?”

  “Everything I have on Gordon Brandt. That is why you’re here, isn’t it? It’s not for a dinner invitation.”

  “Matt—”

  He held up his hand. “It’s water under the bridge.”

  “Is it?” Jane asked.

  “Isn’t it? You walked out of my office and never turned back.”

  “You lied to me,” Jane said. “Not just to me.”

  “You never gave me a chance to—”

  “Don’t say to explain. I heard your justification. There is no justification for what you did. None. You always have a choice, Matthew.”

  “Maybe. I made the choice to give you that.” He pointed to the file.

  “What do you know about him? Brandt. He worked indirectly for the Admiral after he left your office.”

  Matthew Waters laughed. “No one worked indirectly for Bill Brackett. No one except his daughter. He may not have delivered the orders in person; if you were in his chain of command, the orders came directly from him. Without exception.”

  “Brandt?” Jane urged him.

  He pointed to the file again. “It’s in there.”

  “I want to know what it means,” Jane said. “From you.”

  Waters took a deep breath and released it slowly. He stood and paced to the front of his desk. “Few people who worked for Bill Brackett ever stopped working for Bill Brackett. Even after his death.”

  Jane grimaced.

  “President Reid should exercise caution with her Defense Secretary.”

  “You suspect Gil Rodgers might be working against Candace?”

  “I can’t say. He wanted Gordon Brandt beside him. Brandt brings more than his Naval experience.”

  “You mean people.”

  He nodded. “I’d rest assured he vetted every one of them, and not as a concern for Candace Reid or Congressional oversight.”

  Jane opened the file and skimmed the first page. “Was he involved with SEED?”

  “Everyone in my office was involved with SEED. If you’re asking me if he had direct knowledge of the program, the answer is I don’t know. Not when he reported to me. After he left my office, I can’t say, Janie. You might not believe this, but if I knew, I would tell you.”

  Jane nodded.

  “Think about what you are delving into before you dive,” he warned her.

  “Before I dive? Matthew, we’ve been swimming in this our entire lives.”

  “You’ve been on the sidelines for a few years,” he said. “Things evolve.”

  “Things evolve? What things?”

  “All things,” he replied. “You don’t honestly believe that the wheels stopped spinning because you and Alex decided to walk away from it all? Because Claire somehow found God or a conscience?”

  “None of us believe that anything stopped,” she replied. “And none of us think we have the power to stop it all. There’s always someone who wants to do the wrong thing,” she said.

  “Who decides that, Janie?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Who decides which things are right and which things are wrong? You? Alex? Candace Reid?”

  “Each of us,” she answered tacitly.

  “Good luck with that,” he said. “That’s how you cause chaos—giving everyone a choice.”

  Jane sighed. “Spoken like the follower you pride yourself on being,” she said.

  “The best leaders also know when to follow,” he countered.

  “Maybe so,” she conceded. “What do you know about Kapralov’s ties to Biocon?”

  “Kapralov’s ascension was not expected,” Waters offered. “Much like Candace Reid’s. He uses parts of the old alliance. He isn’t beholden to it. Barbu on the other hand—”

  “President Barbu?”

  “I thought you, of all people would know this.”

  “Know what?” Jane asked.

  “Costin Barbu worked for Technologie Applique for nearly ten years.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Biocon’s roots are French, Jane. Perhaps, it isn’t me you should be visiting.”

  “Edmond.”

  Waters nodded. “Be careful,” he advised. “John followed his conscience at any cost.”

  “Are you telling me Candace is a target?”

  “She’s an unknown quantity. That makes her a target. I don’t know what you and Alex are hoping to accomplish. If you want my advice, go back to the lives you’ve been leading.”

  “We can’t do that.”

  He nodded. “Then watch your back. Seeds are everywhere, Janie. That has not changed.”

  Jane rose to her feet.

  “Ask Claire about Brandt,” he suggested.

  “Why?”

  “No one was closer to the Admiral than Cl
aire.”

  “I’m not sure she would agree.”

  “He loved her, Janie. None of you think Bill Brackett was capable of love. Claire was his pride and—”

  “Claire was his possession,” Jane said. “Like too many of us.” She smiled at her brother. “It was good to see you, Matt.”

  “I wish you meant that.”

  “I do,” she said. She kissed his cheek. “The choices we make don’t change who we love. It’d be nice if that were possible,” she said. “Take care of yourself.”

  “Janie,” he called after her. “Be careful.”

  Jane nodded. “You too.”

  WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT

  FRIDAY

  “How was your escape?” Dylan asked his mother.

  “Wonderful,” Cassidy answered. “And needed. How was your talk with Maggie?”

  “Not wonderful,” he replied. “But not horrible either.”

  “That’s a start.”

  “I think we both need a break. I get it. Why she didn’t tell me. I don’t know if I can forget about it, though. The thing is, I don’t think she can either.”

  “I’m sorry, Dylan.”

  “It’s okay. I think it made us both realize that we want to have some time to be Dylan and Maggie without being Maggie with Dylan.”

  “How do you feel about that?” Cassidy asked.

  “Okay. Maybe I knew this would happen. Not the abortion or the pregnancy. Us breaking up.”

  “How is she?”

  Dylan shrugged. “I think she’s okay too.”

  Cassidy thought it was time to change the subject. “Looking forward to getting back to school?”

  “Yeah, but I will miss you guys. Even Kenz.”

  Cassidy laughed. “Something tells me it’s Kenzie you’ll miss the most.”

  “Probably,” he admitted.

  “D!” Connor yelled for Dylan.

  “I think you’re being paged,” Cassidy said.

  “Sounds like it. Hey, Mom?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thanks.”

  “What did I do?”

  “A lot of things, actually,” Dylan said. He kissed Cassidy on the cheek.

  “D!” Connor screamed louder.

  “I’m coming!” Dylan called back and jogged toward the sound of his little brother’s voice.

  Alex walked through the back door. “Where is he off to in such a hurry?”

  “To his captive audience,” Cassidy joked.

  “Kenzie or Connor?”

  “Probably both,” Cassidy replied. “What is it? You have that look on your face that says, I know I have to tell her, but I really don’t want to tell her.”

  “It’s nothing dire. Jonathan called while I was at Mom’s.”

  “How is Pip?”

  “Worried.”

  “Did something happen?”

  “Nothing out of the ordinary for us.”

  “That isn’t exactly confidence building,” Cassidy observed.

  Alex laughed. “I promise that we won’t be doing anything riskier than eating too much pizza.”

  “When are you leaving?”

  “I thought I’d head out after we take Dylan to the airport. I’ll be back on Monday. By the way, have you heard from Claire since we got home?” Alex asked.

  “No. You?”

  Alex shook her head.

  “Are you worried?”

  Alex shrugged.

  “Why don’t you call her?” Cassidy suggested.

  “Something tells me she’s working some things out. I don’t want her to think I’m—”

  “Spying for Pip?” Cassidy guessed. “Let me guess, you want me to call her so she can think I am spying on her for you both.”

  Another shrug.

  Cassidy rolled her eyes. “I’ll make you a deal.”

  “A deal?”

  “Yes. You take care of bedtime, and I’ll play CIA.”

  “Cute, Cass.”

  “Deal or no deal, Alfred?”

  “Deal, Agent Toles,” Alex replied.

  Cassidy giggled. How many kids do I have?

  SUCEAVA, ROMANIA

  “I’m going to take a walk and find us some food,” Eleana said.

  “El, you don’t have to leave.”

  “Talk to Cassidy,” Eleana said. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

  “Just be careful.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Eleana promised. “It’ll give me a chance to call home.”

  Claire nodded. “Sorry, about that,” she told Cassidy. “Listen, I’m sorry that I didn’t call Alex sooner. I just—we had some things to work out. Me and El, I mean.”

  “And, have you worked them out?”

  “I don’t know,” Claire said. “As much as we ever will, I guess. I’m happy for her. I am.”

  “I know. I also know how much you love her. She loves you too, Claire.”

  “Yeah, I know she does. Funny how everything can change and stay the same way.”

  “I suppose it is,” she agreed.

  “Tell me the truth,” Claire requested. “Who’s more worried, Alex of Krause?”

  “I told her you’d see through my call.”

  “So?”

  “I don’t think worried is the right word. Curious.”

  “About me and El, or about what we’ve learned?”

  “If I had to guess, I’d wager both.”

  “That’s what I thought. I don’t know that we’ve learned much of anything that Alex will find useful. As far as me and El—we’ve made our choices. We just have to figure out how to be Eleana and Claire without being—”

  “Eleana with Claire,” Cassidy said.

  “Yeah. Hey, is everything okay there?” Claire asked. “I didn’t even ask. How’s Dylan?”

  “Oh, he had some news for us. I’ll tell you about it when you get back.”

  “That’s not good.”

  “He didn’t rob any banks,” Cassidy said.

  “Did he get someone pregnant?”

  Cassidy said nothing.

  “Oh! No shit! I was kidding. No way. Is Dylan—”

  “No grandbabies any time soon,” Cassidy said.

  “Really?”

  “Don’t sound so disappointed.”

  “You’re already like everybody’s mom. Why not make the jump?”

  “Make the jump?” Cassidy groaned. “I still have Fallon in pull-ups. I’d like a few gray hairs before I become everybody’s grandmother.”

  “You’re not pregnant again, are you?” Claire asked seriously.

  “What? No!”

  Claire erupted in an animated guffaw. “It’s not like there isn’t precedent.”

  “Claire!”

  “Come on, Alex has been in a good mood a lot lately.”

  “Claire!”

  “Oh, my God. My sides hurt. Stop making me laugh.”

  “I’m glad you’re amused.”

  Claire tried to get a hold of herself. “I’m sorry. I think I need to laugh.”

  “Glad I could be of service. Do me a favor and call Alex.”

  “Yeah, I will. It won’t be as much fun, though.”

  “Just call her.”

  “Yes, Mom.”

  “Claire—”

  “Hey, Cassidy?”

  “What?” Cassidy snipped.

  “Thanks. I didn’t realize how much I needed to talk.”

  “Uh, Claire, we barely had a conversation before you made me into everybody’s grandmother and got me knocked up two seconds later.”

  Claire started laughing again. “That would’ve been funny, though.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “If you had a baby and a grandbaby at the same time.”

  “This conversation is over.”

  Claire laughed harder.

  “Call her.”

  “Yeah. Hey,” Claire called over the line. “Tell Kenzie I found some of that Alenka candy she likes.”

  “She’ll be thrilled.” />
  “Yeah. And, hey, Cass?”

  “Hm?”

  “You should take it as a compliment.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Being everybody’s mom.”

  Cassidy’s chest tightened.

  “I should go call your wife,” Claire said. “I’ll see you soon.”

  “You will.”

  “I gotta go. El just got back. Love you.”

  Cassidy didn’t have a chance to reply. She stared at the phone in her hand.

  Alex peered around the corner. “Who was that?”

  “Claire.”

  “Did something happen?”

  “She just said, ‘love you,’ to me.”

  “Claire said she loves you?”

  Cassidy nodded.

  “Did Eleana get her drunk or something?”

  “Or something,” Cassidy mumbled.

  “Dylan wanted to know if we were up to some billiards after the kids go to bed,” Alex said.

  Cassidy nodded. “Sure.”

  “You okay?” Alex asked.

  Cassidy smiled. “Yeah.”

  Alex smiled back and skipped off down the hallway. “Abby! Connor! Come on, baths for all.”

  Cassidy looked back at the phone in her hand. “Who says there aren’t miracles?”

  WESTPORT, CONNECICUT

  Alex apologized repeatedly for leaving Cassidy and Dylan alone at the pool table. She would never admit that she was grateful for the reprieve Claire’s call granted her. Why had she taught Cassidy and Dylan how to play billiards? Once upon a time, she’d been a force to be reckoned with in the rec room. Now, she was lucky if she managed to get the chance to take a shot.

  “Sorry if I spoiled your night with the family.”

  “Nah. Besides, it’s good for Cass to have some time alone with Dylan. So? What’s going on there?”

  “Nothing of consequence,” Claire said. “I don’t know what to think, Alex. Gregorovich knows Eleana is here.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah. That was my initial reaction until El and I talked it through.”

  “What happened with Popescu?” Alex asked.

  “Dinner.”

  “Dinner?”

  “Yep. He took me to dinner, made small talk about Dimitri. Which isn’t hard.”

  Alex caught Claire’s meaning and chuckled.

  “And, then he told me he wants me to meet with some guy in Poland.”

  “Poland?”

  “That was my reaction. El did a little digging. The guy’s name is Andrei Orlov.”