When Paul got to Roger’s office, Roger started shoving the pages of notes to Paul as Kim dictated them. Paul looked like he was reading a crime novel, flipping each page, his hand out for the new one before Roger could even finish writing. The mood was tense and surreal. They were reading someone’s thoughts which was bizarre and felt sneaky.
Suddenly, Ellen was sending Kim Mathew Core’s thoughts. She had found him in New Orleans. He was in a building in the French Quarter. Kim gave Roger the address. Mathew was upset Mark hadn’t called. Mathew hadn’t heard anything yet. He needed to call Jason and warn him. Ellen implanted an information tag from Mathew’s computer line to Jason’s line. She got a visual and an address on Jason for Roger.
Ellen also implanted a data window for Ray to be able to infiltrate Jason’s computers. A special Ellen code. Ellen said Mathew feared Mark had been caught by the FBI, and there wasn’t any safe way to get to him. Mathew was sending a data message to Jason they might need to prepare to go underground with operations. Roger told Kim to let info go to the transmitter for a few minutes. He had to go back to Mark Mills. Roger ran down the hall and went into the room where Mills was sitting. He had a handful of papers from Kim’s notes and looked intently at Mark. Roger whispered, “Say these two addresses out loud, tell me what they are, and I will do my best to guarantee your safety.”
Mark Mills looked at the addresses, stunned, and looked back at Roger. Mills knew the FBI had them. He was shocked. There were so many layers of security built into their operation; he had begun to believe that it could not be penetrated. After all, they had been conducting business in the States for almost ten years and never had a single problem. Mathew Core was very careful, but the FBI knew his name and address! Mark knew he was a dead man if the FBI didn’t finish Mathew. He figured he might as well switch to the winning team. At least it might buy him some time.
Mark Mills raised his voice and repeated the addresses as Roger pretended to write them down. Then Mills said, “The New Orleans address is the home base for Mathew Core, and the Virginia address is our computer-money man, Jason Sims.”
Roger thanked Mark and left the room. He met Thor in the hall. “How the hell did you get him to give you those addresses?”
Roger just said, “Not now Dan. I’ll talk to you later.” Roger ran back to his office. He called the Director, advised him of the development, and informed him he was ordering full assault teams for both addresses immediately. Then Roger personally put in the call to Special Agent Ray Davis, the FBI computer specialist, instructing him to go immediately to the Virginia address, and wait for the assault team. He was going to be needed on those computers at the moment of transition. Roger didn’t want to risk Jason would have one second to send a warning message to Mathew. He also didn’t want any gaps in Mathew Core’s ability to reach Jason. He needed Mathew to think Jason was safe.
Roger told Thor to arrange the seizure of the Virginia computer lab and the arrest of Jason Sims and tell the assault team to wait for Ray. Agent Simon Frost was given the task of contacting the FBI Center in New Orleans, having Mathew Core’s operation seized, and arresting Mathew Core. Then Roger went back to the earpiece. “Kim, I’m back. I’m going to have a heart attack here, but I have covered the two addresses. Are you still hearing from Ellen?”
Kim answered, “Yes, Ellen says Mathew Core is on the phone with someone, right now. He is being warned you are coming! It looks like he plans to leave the building soon.” Roger looked at his watch. Kim said, “Ellen also said she was going to do some kind of computer thing to Jason’s firewalls, so he can’t destroy information. I’m not hearing any more from Ellen right now.”
Roger said, “Okay”. He relayed some information to Ray, looked at Paul, and said, “I think I covered us knowing these addresses. Mills repeated them for me in exchange for promising him protection.”
Paul said, “That might be quite a job, especially if we don’t get these other guys.”
The wait was excruciating. It was an hour before the teams had been put together and briefed. One team in Virginia to get Jason, and one in New Orleans for Mathew Core. Roger and Paul sorted the notes from Kim and stared at the phone. Paul began to pace. Roger’s phone rang. They both jumped. “Dance…….. Good…. Secure him. Is Ray Davis from IT there now?…Okay. He is the new Jason. We should be getting a lot of good information coming in if Jason didn’t have a chance to block it.” He looked at Paul, “We got Jason.”
They knew Mathew Core would be the real test. The task leader in New Orleans called Roger from location when they were in place. Roger told them to use extreme care; this guy was ex- military and good. Twenty minutes later the task team leader called Roger back. They found escape passages through the basements of the adjoining two buildings. Core’s building was secure, but Mathew Core was gone.
Mathew Core didn’t have to go far, so he just waited for them. He had seen them positioning themselves from his security cameras. He laughed. The Feds were so predictable. His motion and weight sensors were carefully placed where only deliberate threats would likely register the alarm lights. He noticed the exit sign on the neighboring building blinking. That meant there was someone on the roof of his building who weighed at least 120 lbs. Also, the bar sign on his building had turned red, meaning someone was in the gated alley to his side door. The cameras showed several dark figures pressed against the brick wall, armed and wearing vests that said FBI. Mathew smiled. It was not hard to disappear in New Orleans, and within ten minutes he was in another safe place. He wasn’t worried about getting caught. He logged into his laptop to warn Jason. Ellen made sure Mathew’s computer messaged “Temporary Internet Connection Issues” until she was ready.
An hour later, Ellen was still listening to Mathew’s thoughts. She had followed him through the basement escape doors and was now with him in a beautiful old Mansion type home on St. Charles Street. Mathew was still worried the FBI would compromise Jason. That data was the heart of his operation. Mathew had grabbed his book of codes and was using a laptop he had stored at this house for future use. Ellen was communicating Mathew’s keystrokes and thoughts to Kim who was passing them on to Roger. Roger had Ray on the other line at Jason’s desk.
Ray didn’t know how Roger was getting his info, but it seemed to be working. Ray was communicating with Mathew, getting instructions for transferring money and sending alerts to the rest of Core’s team. He hoped to hell he could figure this out and carry out Core’s instructions, or the whole cover would be blown. When Mathew hung up, Ray stayed on the line with Roger. “Holy Shit! Do you realize what I am going to have to do to figure out these things?” Roger said a prayer that Ellen could help somehow. She was on her way.
Mathew Core was grateful Jason was secure. At least he didn’t have to worry about that. He still had two guys in the field he could use if needed. He knew Mark had turned. How else did the FBI get his address? At least Mark didn’t know much about Jason. Right now Mathew had to make sure things kept running as usual.
Linda and Mary were in with Daniel Warren in the interrogation room, floating near the ceiling. Ellen had asked them to stay with Daniel and record his thoughts, so they could be passed on to Kim and then Roger.
Daniel, it turned out, really didn’t have a lot of thoughts. He was actually happy! In his mind the plan had been flawless from the beginning. The DA accepted Daniel’s deal and right now he was in an FBI center instead of prison. The lunch they had brought him had tasted better than the prison food. When he got out, he would be a millionaire! Sweet.
Linda and Mary looked at each other and shook their heads. This guy was clueless. They decided to play cards until Ellen showed up. Not much going on in this mortal mind.
After talking to Kim, Roger and Paul sat staring at their notes. Paul looked over at Roger, “We still have Daniel Warren.” Roger knew Kim had to leave for work, so he wanted to get what was available on Warren before she left. He called Kim to see if she was ready for round two.
“I’m ready,” she answered.
Paul and Roger stood outside the room where Daniel Warren was being held. Paul noticed Daniel looked smug, as if he had pulled off some kind of Oscar win. He was smoothing down the sides of his hair and checking his reflection in the observation window. Paul couldn’t help but think that Daniel might even be uglier than Devon.
Linda and Mary watched Roger and Paul enter the room and take seats across from Daniel. Linda started sending Daniel’s thoughts to Kim.
Roger looked at Daniel, “You are going to tell me everything about the plan to get Devon out of jail.”
Daniel looked at Roger, “I don’t really remember that much. It was a long time ago man.”
Roger slammed his fist on the desk. Mary and Linda jumped farther into the corner. “I don’t have time for bullshit!” Roger had his face within inches of Daniel’s. “Your buddy that impersonated Patterson? He’s dead. Killed by a sniper this morning, right after he testified. I have that sniper in the next room! He was here to shoot you! Do you know why? You aren’t worth shit to them anymore.” Roger pushed his chair away from the table, He shrugged and looked first at Paul and then Daniel. “You are a liability to them alive. How long do you think you are going to last in that prison after I send you back? If you think they are going to pay you any money, you are a fool. You are not a fool are you Daniel? So you are going to remember, a lot, and I am going to decide if what you do remember is worth the hassle to protect you.”
Mary and Linda thought Roger made a very convincing argument. Evidently Daniel Warren thought so too. Daniel told Roger he had been recruited because his military picture looked like Devon. They had shown him pictures of all of the dead people who had not followed the plan. A lot of dead people. Daniel said he was made to practice changing clothes from a suit and into a prison uniform until he could do it in less than four minutes. He said it took days. Then he spent days leaning how to walk and talk like an attorney. They wouldn’t let him leave the facility, and they drove him to the prison for the exchange.
Daniel assumed they gave Devon a ride from the prison to the airport. They had their own pilot and jet. He said they had told him as soon as his true identity was discovered, probably at trial, he would only have to do a couple of years in jail, and they would pay him one million dollars. Daniel kept talking, and talking, and talking. Linda and Mary were shocked at what they were hearing. Roger was beginning to get a picture of Mathew Core’s organization, and he didn’t like it.
Carl had been told to get to the duck pond at Lincoln Park, off Capital SE, in D.C.. It was close to the Capitol Building, making it convenient for Thomas, not for him. He wondered what was so damn urgent. He didn’t appreciate being summoned, and he didn’t like being seen anywhere near Thomas. He looked at his watch again and adjusted his large frame on the wooden park bench.
He was annoyed at everything today. Even the sunshine pissed him off. He needed to get away. There had been a time when all of the political manipulation was exciting and fun. He had believed what he was doing was important, actually made a difference. He knew now that his youthful enthusiasm and arrogance had just fit their plan. Recruits were in training to take his place at any time. There wasn’t anything special about him. He just knew how to play the game.
He saw Thomas walking toward him on the path. He was walking quickly and with purpose. Capitol Hill was playing on Thomas too. You could see it in his furrowed brow. Thomas sat down next to Carl. “We need a new fixer, and I need this address to disappear within the hour. You still have someone inside CIA?” The intensity of Thomas’s stare pierced Carl’s train of thought.
Carl slowly answered, “Yes, I have someone. A ‘new’ fixer? What’s wrong with…”
Thomas cut him off, “Just do it!” He handed the paper with the address over to Carl.
Thomas stood and cracked his neck. “Find out what they know. Now. I put a temporary number on there for you to report to me.” He turned and walked back to the waiting BMW.
Carl looked at the address on the paper and started walking quickly toward his car. Shit. Virginia. Core’s computer lab. Why? He was close enough he would make a few calls and just drive there himself, verify it was done. All hell was getting ready to break loose.
Ellen called a meeting at Kim’s house. Kim had finally finished with Roger and left for work. I was watching “The Jerry Springer Show” on Kim’s TV. Now there are some mortals who need help. Ellen, Mary, Linda, and Teresa got there and all assumed various positions of fatigue on the furniture. It was the picture of exhaustion.
“I guess I don’t have to ask how your morning has gone.” Boy, did I feel guilty. I had been playing with the cats while Kim talked to Roger. I painted an oil painting of a tropical beach for her to hang in her bathroom, just kind of chilled.
Linda pointed, “Look at that! She painted an entire painting while we were working.” Shit. Leave it to me to create evidence I’ve just been messing around.
Ellen said, “There is a mountain of information the FBI is getting right now from the computers at that Virginia lab of Mathew Core’s. We have to find clues about Devon and Patterson in that mess. Anyone have any thoughts?”
Linda said, “Mortals always say to follow the money. Patterson and Devon both must have money, and surely they had to pay big money to Mathew Core to get this done.” I was thinking we needed to read Jason’s and Mathew’s minds some more.
Ellen looked at me and said, “I agree. Vicki thinks we need to read Jason’s and Mathew’s minds for more info. Teresa, you and Vicki come with me to visit Mathew in New Orleans. Linda and Mary can go listen to Jason in jail. We need something specific Roger and Paul can use to catch Devon and Patterson.”
Ha ha. I got out of going to jail, again!
Linda and Mary found Jason Sims in the FBI building in Quantico, Virginia in a large cell with an observation window and two guards outside. In the room were a table, three chairs, a small cot, a sink, and toilet in the corner. Mary and Linda put their seats up at the ceiling as far from the toilet as they could. “Yuck,” Mary said.
Linda was already adjusting her watch bar to start her memory transmission for Kim and Roger. She looked at Mary and said, “Who do you think invents all of these gadgets we use?”
Mary thought about it and said, “Maybe there’s another class where they invent this stuff? That would be a good place to stick Vicki!” They both laughed.
From the cot they could hear some of Jason’s thoughts coming. Mathew has no idea how screwed he is right now. We are supposed to get that five million dollar payment today! It still has to get moved to a safe account. The Feds might not see it if the Global Corp. firewalls have not been compromised. Maybe they will try to stiff Mathew and not pay since we hit a snag. That would be a mistake. Maybe the Feds already have Mathew. If I could just get a computer for five minutes.
Linda and Mary looked at each other. “Five million dollars? That’s a lot of money!”
Mary was frowning. “I think it might be payment for killing the two stand-ins. He said they might not pay it because of the snag. What do you think?”
Linda said, “I am going to tell Ellen.”
Linda had a look of concentration on her face as she pushed the small blue button on her watch, and said, “There. I think I did it.”
Mary was looking at her, “How will we know?”
Linda shrugged. Her watch started glowing blue. They both stared at it, and Linda tried to take it off. “These things don’t come off!” The blue was getting intense and started pulsating large blue rings of color that filled the entire room.
Jason was looking around, “What the..?”
Mary looked at Linda and yelled, “Stop it!” Linda was starting to fly in figure eights around the ceiling. She was getting faster and faster.
“I can’t stop it! I’m stressing here!”
Mary felt herself getting caught up in Linda’s little flight pattern. Soon they were both flying in f
igure eights around the ceiling at rapid speed. Mary was screaming and swatting at Linda as they passed each other, “Stop it!”
Ellen was with Teresa and me in New Orleans watching Mathew. All of a sudden the room we were in started pulsating a blue color. Teresa and I were swooped to the ceiling and began flying in figure eights at high speed. Teresa was lapping me at every corner.
I was screaming, “I’m turning left here! Not liking this! What is happening?” Mathew looked out his windows and looked at the ceiling trying to determine the source of the pulsating blue color.
Ellen frowned and said, “You guys, I will be right back!” She just left us flying in circles.
Ellen popped into the cell with Mary, Linda, and Jason and grabbed Linda’s arm as she circled overhead. She touched Linda’s blue button and the room immediately became clear of the blue color. Mary stopped flying.
“Oh my GOSH! I thought the blue button was to send you a message,” Linda was weaving a little.
Ellen was laughing. “It is. I think your watch just had a malfunction of some sort. Here is a new one.” Linda’s watch popped off and disappeared. A new one was on her wrist.
Linda was looking at it. “How do I know this one works?”
Ellen said, “Touch the blue button and send me your thoughts now.” Linda touched the blue button, and the blue color started pulsating again. She and Mary resumed their flight pattern on the ceiling. Ellen grabbed Linda’s arm again. She touched the blue button. They were once again in a normal colored room and had stopped flying. Jason’s eyes darted around the room. He figured it was some sort of FBI mind trick, some new torture technique.
Ellen started laughing, “Oops. I told you the wrong button.”
Linda said, “Oops?”
Mary was laughing, “It is so nice to see someone else make a mistake for once!”
Ellen was really laughing now. “Oh, how ironic. I’ll tell you about it later. Yeah, the button I should have told you to push is that little silver one on the very top, see?” Linda and Mary were nodding. Ellen asked, “So what is it you were trying to tell me?” Linda and Mary told her about the five million dollar payment Jason said was supposed to come today to Mathew. Maybe Roger could use that transfer to find out more about Devon and Patterson. Linda and Mary thought it was payment for the sniper hits.
Extreme Heat Warning: A Shallow End Gals Trilogy, Book Two Page 4