TWO SUDDEN!: A Pair of Cole Sudden C.I.A. Thrillers

by Lawrence de Maria

  Sudden wasn’t surprised that dogs had such a reaction to someone who wasn’t exactly a people person, either. He wondered if that fact, which hadn’t come up at Langley, could prove useful at CERN. Have dogs go through the facility, sniffing the scientists? He doubted the bigwigs at CERN would put up with that. And it wasn’t as if he could walk around with a dog on a leash. Maybe he could get a Maltese or a Chihuahua to carry around wherever he went. He could play the eccentric author. He could shoot everyone the toy dog barked at. Of course, those types of dogs were high strung. They might bark at everyone. It would be a bloodbath.

  “What’s so funny?”

  The man and trooper Upton were looking at him strangely. Sudden realized he’d started laughing.

  “Nothing. Thank you for your time.”

  CHAPTER 12 - ATHENS

  Athens, Georgia was a half hour south of Commerce. It was a typical college town, overrun with students and the kinds of businesses that catered to their needs. Sudden didn’t think he’d have any trouble finding a drink after he finished his interviews, the first of which was scheduled for 4 PM at the Science Learning Center at the University of Georgia's South Campus. He’d done some homework. The 122,500-square-foot facility, which consisted of three glass-and aluminum circular buildings arranged around a central courtyard, had just replaced the school’s 1960s-era Chemistry and Biological Sciences buildings. In addition to classrooms and offices, the complex had 36 state-of-the-art teaching labs split equally among four departments: chemistry, physics, biological sciences and plant biology.

  Sudden parked in the visitors’ lot and asked a young woman who was walking into the complex how to find the office of Dr. Maxwell T. Youngblood, the center’s director.

  “It’s on the second floor of the middle building, Parker Hall” she said. “I’m going to Parker. I’ll take you.”

  “That’s very kind of you.”

  It was a short walk but the girl used the time to flirt.

  “You’re not a student, are you?”

  “Only of life,” Sudden said.

  “And you’re not a teacher, either.”

  “What gave me away?”

  “The suit. So, what are you?”

  “Government.”

  “I knew it! You’re some kind of cop, or agent, right. I could tell by the way you talk and act. Are you as tough as you look?”

  “A little while ago I was feeding carrots to a horse.”

  “What agency?”

  “C.I.A.”

  “Be still my heart,” she said, laughing. “But I thought you guys never admitted who you are.”

  “You’ve been watching too much TV. Most of the time we don’t care who knows who we are. When we have to hide, we hide. Otherwise, it’s too much a pain in the ass.” He looked at her with mock severity. “You’re not Al-Qaeda, are you?”

  She laughed as they took the stairs to the second floor. He followed her until she stopped outside an office suite.

  “Well, you’re on your own,” she said. “Don’t let Miss Marble Mouth scare you.”

  “Miss Marble Mouth?”

  The girl laughed. It was a nice laugh, deep and refined. Sudden liked the girl. At first glance she’d seemed, well, bookish to him, with a small, pinched face and nutmeg brown hair tied in a bun. She wore glasses, but her eyes radiated both intelligence and humor. There was a tight body under her jeans and sweater, and he began to wonder what she’d look like with her glasses off and her hair down. He decided she’d look pretty damn good.

  “That’s what we call Youngblood’s secretary,” she said. “Her real name is Fogelby. But she talks like she has a mouth full of marbles. You’ll see.”

  Youngblood’s assistant was on the back nine of middle age, with white hair and horn-rimmed spectacles. And the description of her diction was spot on.

  “Dr. Youngblood is busy,” she said, barely moving her lips. “You will have to take a seat and wait your turn.”

  Sudden reminded her that he had an appointment and was actually a few minutes early, something that he was proud of, considering all the traveling he’d done that day. She was unmoved, and pointed to two other people, a man and a woman, who were sitting on a couch conversing.

  “Professor Angstrom and Professor Blaylock are also waiting to see Dr. Youngblood,” the assistant told him, nodding in the direction of the couch.

  The two professors didn’t even bother to look up and continued their conversation, which had something to do with the inadequacies of the instructors’ lounge.

  “He does know why I’m here, doesn’t he?”

  She sighed.

  “Yes. And I must tell you he has become very tired of all you Government agents trooping in here asking questions. Now, please take a seat!”

  In his experience, Sudden, who dealt with spies, mobsters and killers of all types, had discovered that academics were often the rudest people he came across, inflated by their own self-importance. He didn’t like the “Government types” crack but he decided to give Youngblood the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he was running late. He went over to the couch.

  “This is just like a doctor’s office,” he said, smiling at the two professors. “You guys also scheduled for 4 PM?”

  The woman gave him a look that made him wonder if he’d stepped in some cow chips on Baker’s farm.

  “We don’t have an appointment. We’re here on school business.”

  “Well, I don’t think I’ll take up much of the director’s time.”

  She looked at the man next to her on the couch. They exchanged shrugs and dismissive smiles and then resumed their conversation.

  “And they can’t even make a decent Chai latte,” the woman said.

  “I know,” he replied. “And have you tried the hummus? They must get it at Food Lion.”

  The woman thought that was hilarious.

  ***

  At 4:15 the door to Youngblood’s office opened and a young woman came out, followed by a heavy-set man with a reddish face, with white hair and bushy eyebrows to match. He was wearing a blue-pinstripe Hugo Boss suit, a gray broadcloth shirt and a red-striped tie. His suspenders were blue and bowed out with his belly. The woman turned to him.

  “Thank you ever so much, Dr. Youngblood,” she said. “I do hope you will come to the faculty party tonight.”

  “Looking forward to it, Melissa,” Youngblood said.

  She walked away, giving a little collegial wave to the two people on the couch. As she left, they got up and started walking toward Youngblood’s office.

  “Leslie, Paul, come on in,” Youngblood said. “Hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”

  Sudden got up and intercepted the pair.

  “Excuse me,” he said. “I heard you talking about the lounge. Is it still open?”

  “Yes,” the woman said, looking Sudden up and down. “But it’s only for faculty.”

  “Good. Then you two can go get yourselves a crappy Chai latte. Me and Max have something to discuss.”

  “I told him he would have to wait his turn,” the assistant said.

  Sudden looked at her.

  “It’s my turn now, Miss Marble.”

  “Well, I never!”

  “I don’t have any trouble believing that,” Sudden said.

  It was an obvious crack, but he enjoyed using it anyway.

  “I don’t know who you think you are, buster,” the male professor said, “but you are way out of line.”

  Buster? Sudden liked that even less than “Government type”. He looked at the man, who seemed to visibly shrink under his gaze.

  “Beat it.”

  The man opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

  “I’ll call security, Dr. Youngblood,” the assistant said.

  “Please do,” Sudden said, turning to Youngblood, who was looking on in disbelief, and opened up his C.I.A. identification. “Max. I’m not anything like the other Feds who have been here. I’m the real deal. You don’t talk to me w
hen I say so and I tell my bosses I found anthrax in the fucking cafeteria hummus.”

  Youngblood began to sputter. Sudden cut him off.

  “XYZ, Max.”

  “What?”

  “Examine your zipper. It’s Fellatio 101. You should always check your zipper after you get a blow job in your office.”

  They all looked at Youngblood’s pants. He zipped up, his face crimson. The two professors fled and Sudden headed into the director’s office without permission. He turned at the door.

  “We don’t want to be disturbed,” he said to the director’s now thoroughly cowed and horrified assistant.

  Sudden walked to a chair by Youngblood’s desk and sat down. Youngblood dog-trotted into his own office after him.

  “That was totally uncalled for,” he whined.

  “Shut the door, sit down and compose yourself, professor,” Sudden said calmly.

  The man did as he was told.

  “Nothing happened with that woman,” Youngblood said, trying to regain the high ground. “We were having an academic discussion.”

  “About the Bernoulli principle on the conservation of energy for flowing fluids, no doubt,” Sudden said. “But that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you take me seriously and give me your undivided attention. I want to ask you some questions. You will answer me fully and truthfully, leaving nothing out, because if I find out you are being obtuse, I will ship your ass to Guantanamo faster than you zipped up. Don’t wave academic freedom in my face, or Government intrusion, or any other bullshit. This is a matter of national security, and while that canard, I admit, is overused, in this case it’s germane. You’ve got a nice little deal going on here, with a lot of Government funding. Don’t pork it up. And keep what we are talking about to yourself. My reference to Guantanamo was not for show. Are we clear, doc?”

  Youngblood nodded.

  “Good. Now tell me everything you know about Professor Charles Baker.”

  Thoroughly cowed, Youngblood turned on the verbal faucet. As Sudden expected, most of what he said was already in the file. Youngblood, of course, had already been grilled by other Government agents. Sudden listened to all of it, occasionally jotting down a note on a small pad. According to Youngblood, Baker was an excellent scientist and teacher, a bit reserved, but well-liked by students, faculty and colleagues. No, Youngblood said, he’d never been invited out to the farm in Commerce. He didn’t know anyone who had, although there were rumors that Baker had taken some women out there who may have stayed the weekend.

  Sudden looked up from his pad. He didn’t recall anything about Baker’s love life in the file. Either the agents who first worked the case didn’t delve into that aspect or, as was more likely, the academic community had not offered the information up, either out of suspicion of the Government or to protect their own asses. But no one had leaned on anyone like Sudden leaned on Youngblood.

  “Max, you’re saying he was sexually active? Faculty? Students? Male? Female? Livestock? Who?”

  If Youngblood objected to being called ‘Max’ he was too frightened to say it.

  “Charles had a reputation for fucking anything with a pulse,” Youngblood blurted. “He was, I believe, totally heterosexual. Compulsively so.”

  Sudden, who had been hoping for barnyard animals, laughed. There was more than a hint of envy in Youngblood’s unexpected exclamation.

  “And you would know, right? Did you two scamps have any fuckees in common?”

  Youngblood squirmed in his seat.

  “I’m not the kiss-and-tell type, Mr. Sudden.”

  “Names, max. Or you’ll be the ‘whatever-happened-to-Professor Youngblood’ type.”

  Youngblood rubbed his eyes with both fists.

  “That woman who just left,” he finally said in a strangled voice. “Professor Krige. Melissa Krige. She’s the only one I am sure about. I won’t give you any other names. Please don’t ask me to.”

  Sudden decided not to press him just yet. If he needed more names, Youngblood would fold like a cheap suit.

  “How do you know about her?”

  Youngblood looked miserable.

  “Charles and I had a drink one night, and her name came up. He wanted to make sure that I was OK with him seeing her. Melissa and I had just agreed to take a break from each other. I told him that it was fine with me. We were all adults, after all.”

  Acting like randy adolescents, Sudden thought. He tried to imagine the conversation. Two grown men tossing a pretty woman professor between them. Probably giggled like schoolboys about Melissa Krige’s sexual proclivities, particularly her blow job prowess. But he suspected that the cautious Baker had his own agenda. He probably wanted to make sure his dalliance wouldn’t make waves for him at the university.

  “Are you married, Max?”

  A pause.

  “Yes.”

  Another reason Youngblood would probably keep the conversation private, but Sudden wanted to make sure.

  “I’m not Charles Baker, Max. This isn’t a hen party. You keep your mouth shut, and so will I.”

  “What happened to Charles? All we know is that he disappeared.”

  “It’s none of your business, Max. But I will tell you that you never want it happening to you.”

  “Are you going to talk to Melissa?”

  “Yes. Probably at the faculty party.”

  “Oh, God. You’re not going …”

  “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Thanks for the invitation, by the way.”

  Seeing the look of horror on Youngblood’s face, Sudden even felt a little pity for the man.

  “Don’t sweat it, Max. I’ll be the soul of discretion. Where is it, by the way?”

  ***

  When he went into the hallway a woman was waiting for him. It was the young woman who had helped him find Youngblood’s office earlier.

  “Well, hello. This is what I call service. Are you here to show me the way back to the parking lot?”

  She laughed.

  “I was in the lounge having coffee when Angstrom and Blaylock came in and sat at the next table,” she said. “They looked like they’d been hit by a bus. They started telling everyone who’d listen about this maniac who had flashed a badge or something and thrown them out of Youngblood’s office. I just knew it was you.”

  “I was probably out of line.”

  “Probably? Fellatio 101! Did you really say that?” She started really laughing. “Miss Marble must have had a fucking canary.”

  “What were you doing in the faculty lounge? I was told it was off limits to mere mortals.”

  She started walking along with Sudden.

  “I teach at the University, usually here at the science center. I’m only an adjunct in the Physics Department but they allow me to rub shoulders with the mucky-mucks, in the lounge, anyway.”

  “I thought you were a … never mind. I’m getting to an age when more and more people seem younger to me.’

  “Yeah, Methuselah. You must have 10 years on me.” She shook her head. “God. I wish I had been there. I’ve heard rumors about Youngblood. He keeps students late in his office. Was she a student?”

  “A professor. She invited him to a faculty party.”

  “Oh, yes, that’s right. There’s another one tonight. Hell, there’s one just about every week. I hear they are boring as hell.”

  “Aren’t you going?”

  “I could. They have to invite adjuncts, although they make it clear that they aren’t expected to show up. But I’d pay admission to go to this one. I wonder if Youngblood will be there.”

  “He’ll be there. I’m going as his guest.”

  She looked at him.

  “How the hell did you wrangle that? He must hate you.”

  “Oh, hell. Me and Max are pals, now.” He paused. “Would you like to go with me?”

  They had reached the parking lot. Sudden wanted to see the girl again, but he also thought he’d stand out less if he was accompanied to the p
arty. He stuck out his hand.

  “Cole Sudden.”

  She took it.

  “Samantha Brooke. Everyone calls me Sam.”

  “Well, what do you say, Sam? I can ditch this suit and dress down with the best of them. How about you be my date tonight?”

  Her eyes twinkled.

  “You bet. But don’t dress down. I’m going to dress up. I never get a chance to. A spy and an adjunct. What fun. But you’d better bring your gun, if you have one.”

  “Will a sharp wit suffice?”

  “Probably. This will be great. We’ll rock their socks. Can you pick me up at my place around 6:30?”

  Sudden took her address and then left to find a motel.

  CHAPTER 13 - PARTY TIME

  It was 6:15 when Sudden left his room at a Holiday Inn Express suite just outside of Athens. He was freshly showered and shaved, and had shucked his suit in favor of tan slacks, yellow golf shirt and a navy blue L.L. Bean travel blazer that Nigel Buss teased him about unmercifully, calling him a “Sebastian Junger wannabee”.

  He pulled up in front of Samantha Brooke’s garden apartment complex with five minutes to spare. He pressed the buzzer at her door. A tall, attractive and startlingly black woman opened it and smiled.

  “The Government dick?”

  “I have a great rejoinder for that.”

  She laughed.

  “Save it. I’m a nurse. I’ve heard ‘em all.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Noura, Sam’s roommate. Please come in. She’ll be ready in a minute.”

  She led him over to a couch, where a huge and heavily muscled black man wearing expensive slacks, Gucci loafers and a University of Georgia football sweatshirt was lounging and eating from a bowl of peanuts. The coffee table in front of him was stacked with shrimp, sandwiches, chips, salsa and various condiments. From the smell wafting from the kitchen, the Buffalo wings weren’t far behind. Sudden hoped he’d still be around when they came out.

  “Clarence, this is Cole,” Noura said to the man, who unfolded from the couch to shake hands.