First Target

by Robin Mahle

  “What? We’re funding Yang’s terrorist ties?”

  “That’s what we need for you to prove, but that’s the prevailing theory,” Lacy replied.

  “For God’s sake. Why?”

  “Retribution is our best guess,” Axell continued. “CIA Director Handley, as we spotted in the video, was working with Janz. He in turn was working with Yang. We now believe Janz was a middle man helping Yang clean the money and sending it overseas. And yet keeping the MSS intentionally out of the loop. His ties to the Chinese government was likely the reason Handley recruited him for this task. Elizabeth and Shaw both indicated that the US, or just Director Handley, wants to bring about a destabilization effort to throw the Chinese economy and anything else it can into chaos.”

  Aaron appeared stunned by the revelation. “How can we possibly go up against something this big? Why have us here to begin with?”

  “Distraction,” Lacy said. “We uncovered the truth once before; they don’t want us to do it again.” She surveyed the room. “Where’s Will?”

  “Still at HQ, I think,” Aaron replied.

  “Find where Yang is sending the money,” Axell said.

  “What happens after that?”

  “It’ll be time for me to take another trip. Shaw and I will have to uncover their plan of attack.”

  “You’re not going back there, Trevor. You can’t. After what we just found out? Are you kidding me? You won’t last a day in Beijing if they find you. Handley has his own operatives working for him there too,” Lacy said.

  “They won’t find me.”

  “Then I’m coming with you.”

  “Oh no. I don’t think so.”

  “You’re not going alone, that’s for damn sure. I can help. You know I can.”

  “Then we should all go,” Aaron said. “I can be your eyes and ears. Lacy and I can track the funds from the banks there. In fact, it might be easier to find the sources that way. And since you and Caison are trained for the field, he can be your spotter.”

  “Where did you learn all this, Hunter?”

  “Hey, I did work inside Langley for a while. I picked up a thing or two there.”

  “We can stop whatever’s coming before it’s too late,” Lacy said.

  “Fine. I’ll have to ask Elizabeth to help us get expedited tourist visas. We can’t go under our real names either. It’ll take a few days at least to get the paperwork sorted and new passports issued. In the meantime, Lacy, get with Caison. Tell him the plan and make whatever arrangements you need to make to get the time off and take care of your kids. Do you think Vogel will be a problem?”

  “Not at all. She’ll cover for me.”

  “Good. I’d prefer if Caison not tell SSA Kelly. I can’t be sure Director Mobley’s hands are clean in this. So maybe I’ll just reach out to Caison and tell him what to say to Kelly. Don’t talk to anyone else about this. You all know the drill. As soon as I get what we need, I’ll let you know. Keep your heads down until then.”

  Elizabeth stood on the balcony of her apartment and spotted the arrival of Trevor Axell, a man she knew would return. She’d counted on it.

  A knock on the door sounded and she snubbed the butt of her cigarette in the nearby ashtray. Inside, she made her way to the door. “You’re lucky you caught me. I was just about to leave for the airport.”

  “Really? Where are you off to?” Axell walked in.

  “New York. The work never stops piling on.”

  “You knew I’d come back, didn’t you?”

  “I hoped you would.” Elizabeth closed the door. “You ready for a drink now?”

  “Absolutely.” Axell shed his coat and sat down on the sofa in the well-appointed apartment. “I’ve got a contact at the Chinese embassy. But before I talk to him, I need to know if he can still be trusted.”

  “I assume you’re referring to Chi?”

  “I figured he must still be on CIA payroll.”

  “He is. Yes, he can be trusted. Then you’ll be going to meet with Shaw?”

  “Yes. My team is coming too.”

  “What? No. That’s not possible. Shaw’s not expecting all of you and I don’t know if he’ll be able to keep them safe in the event things go bad.”

  “He won’t need to. They’re more than capable of handling themselves, in case you don’t remember. And I need them. We’ve been sidelined, Elizabeth. Not only that, we’ve been lied to, once again, by our government. They won’t sit this out and neither will I, which is, of course, why I’m here. Can you coordinate with Chi to expedite our visas, or should I?”

  “Under assumed names?”

  Axell nodded.

  “It’s a risky move, Trevor. One that might catch the eye of those we’re trying to circumvent.”

  “It is, but we can find out things quickly if we have boots on the ground. Hunter is as good a hacker as anyone I’ve seen. He’ll find the money. Lacy can track down the banks—get inside. Caison and I will run the field with Shaw.”

  “It won’t be that easy. They control everything. Internet, media, and their cyber-security measures are at least on-par with our own. Maybe better.”

  “My people are good at what they do. This is not up for negotiation.”

  “Fair enough. I’ll make the call. Chi will do what is asked of him.”

  “How long?”

  “Days.” She tossed back her drink. “Why don’t you stay for a while? I can catch the next flight. And there’s nothing we can do right now. It’ll have to wait until the embassy opens in a few hours.”

  Axell noted the look in her eyes. “How did we get to this point, Elizabeth? After the administration offered up transparency, here we are again.”

  “I wish I had an answer for you, Trevor. I don’t. Except to say we have to assume Director Handley, and who knows how many others, maybe the president too, wanted a military response to the attack, once your people revealed the facts. Congress would never have let that happen. It would’ve been a lose-lose scenario. We’re already in an economic freefall.”

  “So are they.”

  “Yes.” She placed her hand on his chest. “I’ve stopped trying to figure out what goes on in the minds of men.”

  “Are you sure about that?” He held her gaze before pressing his lips against hers.

  Lacy opened the door. “Thanks for coming over.”

  “Absolutely.” Will walked inside and placed his coat on the rack.

  “Have you eaten?” She headed into the kitchen.

  “No, actually. I’m starving. I’ve been with my team all day.”

  “Anything new on that front?” Lacy pulled out lunchmeat and cheese and began to make him a sandwich.

  “Not yet. Ballistics came through, but we can’t tie a weapon to anyone. I’m starting to think SSA Kelly is becoming single-minded on the issue. Unwilling to identify outside causes. Since they got that new video, he’s convinced it was Casper Janz and has almost convinced the WFO’s ASAC too.”

  “It doesn’t exactly sound like him to box himself in like that.”

  “No. From what I know of him, it does feel out of character. But I can’t pinpoint the reason.”

  “Maybe he’s being led to believe it was Janz, led by people he trusts and respects.” She pushed the plate toward him with a sandwich and some chips. “I hope this is okay. Kids ate up all the dinner Celeste fixed tonight.”

  “Perfect, thank you. I wouldn’t mind a beer, though, if you’ve got one.”

  “Sure do.” Lacy retrieved two bottles of beer from the fridge. “Here you go.” As she popped open hers, she continued, “Do you think this is also an intentional diversion?”

  “The Turner investigation? Seems a little far-fetched, but at this point, anything’s possible, isn’t it?”

  She bit her tongue, declining to bring up their previous discussions of the possibility that it had been Trevor. She’d already questioned him and he denied it. She would have to leave it at that, or risk damaging their relationship to
the point it could not be repaired. Lacy wasn’t willing to do that for a man like Turner. “Guess it’s going to take a back seat for us anyway. Did you get Kelly’s authorization to leave?”

  “I did. I told him I was going back home because of an illness in the family.”

  “You did?”

  “What else could I say? I couldn’t afford for him to question any other reason. The man knows I don’t take vacation.”

  “I suppose. What if he checks?”

  “He won’t.”

  “You sound pretty confident. I hope you’re right. Axell said it would be a few days. I got approval from Vogel. Of course, I was mum to the real reason, but she suspected something was up. She always does. I hate lying to her, especially after all she’s done for me.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “That I was taking the kids to see my parents.”

  “Seems legitimate.”

  “I called them and gave them a heads-up. Although I think they wished I was coming home. Last time I saw them was when they flew in for Jay’s funeral. I’ve seen Jay’s parents more than I have my own.”

  “They do live here.”

  “That they do.” She placed the bottle of beer against her lips before continuing. “I don’t think I can continue on this way.”

  With a half-full mouth, he replied, “What do you mean?”

  “The Bureau. I don’t think I can do both anymore. Although I can’t be sure this task force won’t be completely dismantled on our return.” She chuckled. “Maybe I’d better wait until this next crisis is over.”

  “You know what, Lacy? I’m starting to think that they’re never going to be over. There will always be another crisis around the corner. What I find difficult to swallow is the sheer underhanded corruption. It’s wearing me down and making me feel as though we’ll never get ahead of it.”

  “Same here. If Trevor and Agent Shaw are right, what’s the point, you know? Why go to Beijing and fight a battle that no one wants us to win?”

  Jackson appeared in the kitchen’s entrance. “I brushed my teeth, Mommy.” His hair was wet and his pajamas clung to his tiny frame.

  “Did you forget to dry off with the towel after your bath?”

  He looked down. “No.”

  She laughed. “Okay. Is Celeste still upstairs?”

  “Yep.” He turned to Will. “Hi, Mr. Caison. How are you doing?”

  “Very well, Jack. Thanks for asking.”

  “Where’s Uncle Aaron?” He looked to Lacy again.

  “He’s not here, sweetheart.” Lacy set down her beer. “Come on. How about I let you watch one cartoon before bed? I need to talk to Mr. Caison for a little while longer. Will that be okay?”

  “Uh-huh.” Jack turned and began to walk again toward the stairs. “Goodnight, Mr. Caison.”

  “Goodnight, Jack.” Will watched as Lacy ushered her young son up the stairs. And as he cast his gaze around the home, his eyes landed on a photograph of the entire family, including Jay. He smiled.

  Within a few minutes, Lacy returned. “Sorry about that. I put on the TV for them. It’ll keep them occupied for a little while.”

  “How are they doing? Really?”

  “Better. Not one hundred percent but getting closer every day. We all are.”

  “That’s good to hear. You know, Jack looks so much like Jay. I see you in Olivia, but Jack,” Will shook his head. “Spitting image.”

  “I know. I’m glad, though.” She turned her sights to the photograph.

  “What will you do if you leave the Bureau?” Will asked.

  “I have no idea. I never thought it would ever happen. Of course, so many things have happened I never thought possible.” She turned on her heel. “You want to sit down in the living room? It’s a little more comfortable.” She peered over her shoulder at him. “You still hungry? I can get you something else.”

  “No. No, I’m fine. Thanks for the sandwich. It really hit the spot.”

  “Good. I’m glad.” As she made her way to the couch, Lacy switched on the television as a news broadcast began. “Oh no.”

  “What is it?” Will followed behind and glanced at the T.V. “Where the hell is that?”

  “North Carolina.”

  “For God’s sake,” he replied.

  A protest that had turned ugly was being broadcast while journalists and camera people rushed to get closer to the action. The breaking news headline that appeared at the bottom of the screen revealed what was happening. “Peaceful Protest Turns Violent.”

  Lacy lowered herself onto the couch. “When is this going to end?”

  Will joined her. “I don’t know. At this rate, I feel like they’ll start using internment camps just like they did for Japanese-Americans during World War II.”

  “No. It won’t get that bad. It can’t.”

  They both watched as a city was burning. People running for cover.

  “The president has to do something about this. Innocent people are being convicted of simply being of Asian descent. Most aren’t even Chinese,” Will said.

  “I think the president may have already made his decision.” She turned to him. “And if it’s what I think it is, then we’re all going to suffer for it.”

  Will placed his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. “We’re going to do what we’ve always done, Lacy, and that is to get the truth to the American people. To the world. For better or worse, that’s what we’re here for. Corruption, lies, manipulation. It has to end somewhere.”

  “And you think it will end with us?”

  “Maybe not, but if we don’t try, then who will?”

  Chapter 19

  The day had arrived. Visas issued. Flights booked. The first-class trip on the CIA’s dime, whether they knew it or not, thanks to Elizabeth, would be the only first-class flight Lacy had ever taken. While this was a bonus, it hardly made up for the dire circumstances and the risks of heading into China as agents of a foreign, now hostile government.

  This was a fact she did not share with the kids, who remained with Celeste. And while she didn’t have the same sense of fear as before, she was not so naïve to assume there would not be danger. It was something she’d come to accept in her new line of work. And her dedication to Trevor and the rest of the team compelled her to act and not be left behind while they took all the risks. It was who she had become. Good or bad. The woman she was—married to Jay Merrick—and who held an honorable, albeit safe job—was no longer. But who she would be after this was a mystery, even to her.

  “There you are. I was worried you’d been caught up at security.” Aaron approached just inside the passenger-only area behind the gate entrance. “You catch sight of Axell or Caison?”

  “No. Not yet. You sure they’re not already here?” She peered into the long corridor. “They’re probably in a bar. Come on.”

  Aaron followed. “How’d it go with the kids? I wanted to stop by this morning to say goodbye, but I ran out of time. I got some last minute info on the banks.”

  “You did? Best not to discuss it here. But this morning was fine. Kids were okay. Better than I expected, actually. They would’ve enjoyed seeing you, though.” She continued along the busy gangway when the announcement came. “Oh, that’s us.” And as she spotted the bar nearest their gate, she also spotted their colleagues. “And guess who it is?” She looked at Will. “I figured you two would be in a bar. Not that I blame you. I would’ve if I’d gotten out of the house sooner. It’s only 9am, but a Bloody Mary sounds fantastic right about now.”

  “You’ll have a chance to order one on the plane.” Axell patted her shoulder. “Come on. We’ll be boarding first.”

  “How’d you manage to get us in the good seats?” Aaron asked him.

  “Elizabeth’s got access to more money than Bill Gates’ net worth. Wasn’t really a problem.”

  “Ah, our tax dollars hard at work,” Aaron replied. “Not that I’m complaining.”

  They boarded the
plane, stowing away their hand luggage and sitting down in the reclining seats, complete with televisions and privacy walls.

  “Get settled in. This is going to be a long flight,” Axell positioned himself in his recliner.

  “Hey, Axell, I wanted to tell you what I found late last night,” Aaron began.

  “Not here. Wait until we arrive.”

  “Yeah, okay.” Aaron took his seat.

  Will was next to Lacy in his own private pod and pulled down the partition between the two. “You doing okay? The kids and everything?”

  She smiled. “Yeah. Everything’s fine.”

  The 14-hour flight was over. The captain made the announcement and they had begun their descent into Beijing Capital International Airport. Lacy was pleasantly surprised to discover she’d slept through a fair bit of the flight. While the boys had managed more sleep, to no one’s surprise, she was glad to have passed some of the time.

  Will began to stir. “Hey. Did you sleep?”

  “I did. Not as much as you, though. We’re here. Playtime’s over.” Lacy reached for her makeup bag and headed into the restroom to freshen up.

  “She all right?” Axell leaned over his seat toward Will.

  “Seems like it.”

  “Good. We’ll get checked in. Stay below the radar, because I guarantee we’ll have eyes on us almost as soon as we land.”

  “Whose? Who knows we’re here besides Shaw?”

  “Other CIA operatives, I’m sure. It’s just the way it goes here. Don’t worry. Our cover will get us by for a day, maybe two, before any MSS show up for us.”

  “Seriously?” Aaron interrupted.

  “No. Stop worrying so much. We’ll be fine. We’ll get in touch with Shaw after we check in.”

  Lacy returned to the men talking among themselves. “Everything all right?”

  “Never better,” Axell replied.

  The first to deplane, Axell took the lead and Lacy was sandwiched between Aaron and Will.

  “Just stay behind me. I want to see who’s out there waiting for us first,” Axell said.

  “Fine by me,” Aaron replied.