In the Shadow of Mordor

Chapter 45

Krystal Murphy must have been more tired than she realized because she passed the night in dreamless sleep despite the horrors of the day before. She awoke with a start and it took a moment to remember where she was. This prompted thoughts of Ray Velazquez, which warmed her a bit until her bare feet hit the frigid floor and brought her with an almost audible thump back to wintry Arlington.

After a long, hot shower she discovered nothing but stale cereal in the pantry and pickles and beer in the refrigerator which she had cleaned out before going to Florida. She decided to grab a pastry and coffee at Starbucks on the way to the office and bundled up for the drive.

She cursed as she swept snow from her old Corolla. Fifteen minutes later she was at her desk where she found numerous notes asking her to contact various media outlets. She immediately dumped them into her wastebasket. She saw no sense in calling people to tell them there was nothing she could say.

She hadn’t kept up with the news, having collapsed into bed the night before, so she switched on the television and a bulletin flashing on the screen caught her attention: METRO BOMBERS IDENTIFIED. She turned up the sound in time to hear the talking head say the explosion was definitely a terrorist act. A claim of responsibility had been received from a heretofore unknown organization with the ominous name “Islamist-American Liberation Front.”

She recalled Ferguson’s comments of the day before and dialed his number at the FBI.

“We’re watching the news over here, too,” he said. “In each case, a woman speaking American-accented English called the media outlet to claim responsibility. She promised a more detailed written statement soon.”

“What do we say to the press?”

“Nothing, if possible; as little as we can, if we must. We’ve heard the claim of responsibility, but there is no evidence it’s real. Like I said yesterday, there are nutcases everywhere, and that’s the official line for now.”

Outside her window, snow had begun to fall again.