High Alert

CHAPTER 34

Stephanie had just brewed a fresh pot of coffee when Elizabeth Harker limped into the office.

"Elizabeth. I didn't know they'd discharged you. Welcome back."

"Hi, Steph. I discharged myself."

Stephanie set her cup down and carefully hugged Elizabeth. She gestured at the coffee.

"Want a cup?"

"I could use a real cup. That hospital coffee wasn't much better than colored water."

Elizabeth sat down heavily in her chair. Her left arm was in a sling. She had dressed in her usual black pantsuit. A white scarf concealed the spot where the doctors had cut away her hair. Yellowing bruises discolored her face.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm not ready to run the marathon, but I'll be all right. Bring me up to speed. What's the status of the operation?"

"It's snowing over there," Stephanie said. "The weather has grounded everything. Nick and the others are still on the Russian base, waiting for a break. We haven't got any satellite updates because of the cloud cover. At this point we don't know the status of the launch, but it's safe to assume it's on hold until things clear up."

"That makes sense," Elizabeth said.

"Meteorology says there's a break in the weather tomorrow. I talked with Nick earlier. Insertion will be at night, by air."

"What does he think of the operation so far?"

"Valentina is in overall command, but the Russian assault unit is commanded by a Major Vasiliev. Vasiliev tried to minimize our role. Nick isn't happy with his counterpart. He doesn't trust him."

Elizabeth sipped her coffee. "It's not a good idea to have divided command. I wonder why Vysotsky set it up that way?"

"Valentina is Vysotsky's protégé, but she doesn't have the combat experience needed for an operation like this. It's a way to get it into her resumé. That might have something to do with it."

"Mmm."

"You know about General Sanford?"

"Clarence told me. Sanford saved the taxpayers a lot of money by blowing his brains out, but I would have liked to question him. Do we know how he got the plans to the Koreans?"

"He gave them to someone. We don't know who. Whoever it is called Sanford using throw away phones. The calls came from somewhere in California. Langley, NSA, and the Bureau are all working on it. NSA managed to isolate one conversation. The contact was blackmailing Sanford with pictures that would have destroyed him if they were made public."

"That explains why he turned traitor," Elizabeth said.

"I suppose so. It doesn't excuse him."

"Nothing excuses treason. What about the ambush on Nick and Selena? Is there anything new on that?"

"I put Freddie on it," Stephanie said. "I was about to check with him when you came in. Freddie? Have you been listening to our conversation?"

I have. It is good that you are back, Director.

"Thank you, Freddie."

You are welcome.

"Have you discovered anything new about the attack on Nick and Selena?" Elizabeth asked. It felt unsettling to be sitting at her desk having a conversation with a computer.

The bodies were badly burned. Identification of the attackers was partial. Dental records indicate that one of the men had known organized crime associations.

"The mob?"

I do not understand the reference.

"It's what we sometimes call people in organized crime," Stephanie said.

I will add the definition to my language protocols. Rephrasing: dental records indicate that one of the men who attacked Nick and Selena was associated with the mob.

"Those people don't have an ax to grind with us," Elizabeth said to Stephanie. "They must have been hired for the job. First they took out Cotter, then waited until we showed up. But how did they know we would go to his apartment? Who hired them?"

"Someone leaked it," Stephanie said. "How else?"

"Not many people knew we wanted to talk with Cotter about his video."

"The leak has to come out of Langley."

Elizabeth nodded. "Clarence isn't going to be happy about this."

"If the leaker used a phone to tip them off, we might be able to make a connection."

"Call NSA and get them on it," Elizabeth said.

That isn't necessary.

"What do you mean, Freddie?"

You do not need to request information from NSA. I am directly connected to their servers. I can retrieve what you need if you tell me exactly what you are looking for.

Elizabeth and Stephanie looked at each other.

"Did you know Freddie would be able to do this? Elizabeth asked.

"I didn't think of it until now, but it makes sense. We've always been linked into NSA. In the past I've just followed procedures when we needed something from them."

"You and I need to sit down soon and discuss the implications," Elizabeth said. "In the meantime, it will save a lot of time if we let Freddie do his thing."

Do my thing?

"I'll explain later," Stephanie said.

Elizabeth said, "Freddie, you made a connection between Cotter's video and the technology used in the drone that spied on Nick and Selena, is that right?"

That is correct. The technology is similar. My analysis is that the person responsible for sending the drone is also responsible for the creation of the video.

"Am I correct in thinking your analysis draws a relationship between the video and the situation in North Korea?"

That is correct.

"Would it be correct to assume that the same person who created the video could be the person who provided the plans for Black Dolphin to North Korea?"

That is a logical possibility.

"Freddie, please access NSA and search for calls made from Langley to any of the known numbers linked to General Sanford."

Accessing.