The Backup Asset

…58

Mason’s office at Walcott was crowded again, contrasting with the deserted corporate office building on a Sunday morning. Jeremy, Sam, and Alex were all standing, leaning against the walls of his small office.

“Thanks for coming in on a Sunday, Mason, we appreciate it,” Alex said.

“Sure, no problem,” Mason said, seeming a little surprised. “We’re in this 24/7 until we’re done.”

“Here’s where we are,” Alex said. “We have identified a Russian, most likely a handler, by the name of Smolin. He’s Russian intelligence, a major. He’s here under the cover of a visiting parent with a family of Russian-born American citizens, the Novachenkos. This man is key.”

“Why don’t we arrest him? How sure are we?” Mason asked.

“Very sure. Before he killed himself, Hadden handed Smolin an envelope. We assume some intel was in there.”

“Did we recover it?” Mason asked.

“No, we didn’t,” Jeremy replied. “We wanted to continue to investigate this leak, and it gave us results. Now we know it’s a bigger operation, bigger than just Hadden.”

“But you could have contained it!” Mason almost yelled. “You saw that happen and you didn’t arrest them? Why?”

“Because we thought—” Alex started, but was immediately interrupted by Jeremy.

“Allow me,” he said, and she nodded. “Interrogations in these cases are risky, as we’ve seen with Hadden, and statistically speaking highly unreliable. Our best bet to contain the entire leak is to let Smolin proceed under extremely tight surveillance.”

A few moments of silence ensued, while Mason was processing the information.

“All right,” he said. “What’s our game plan? How do we minimize the exposure and contain the intel?”

“I’ve worked intelligence for thirty years, Mason,” Sam intervened, “you know that. I’ve worked countless assets, and they all did the same thing. They trickled down the intel, looking to squeeze more money or more favor out of each document. No one comes to a handler and drops everything he knows or he has on one date. Not unless they wanted to defect, and that is obviously not the case here.”

“Then what do you think our exposure is, Sam?” Mason asked. “Can it still be salvaged?”

“I’m thinking some of the intel might have leaked all the way to Moscow, but I’m guessing it was the preliminary intel; the bait, as we called it out in the field. But this is too new to have gone too far, that’s what my gut’s telling me.”

“Ms. Hoffmann, are you in agreement with this strategy?” Mason asked.

“Wholeheartedly. We need to stay on Smolin like ticks on a dog, and he’ll lead us to the other assets.”

“What about leak containment?” Mason probed.

“It’s highly unlikely he’ll be able to drop a dime on the street without several agents seeing that. We’re confident no information will change hands without us knowing about it. I am positive the leak is contained.”

“Good,” Mason said with a long sigh. “Then one thing remains on today’s agenda. Tomorrow’s Memorial Day ceremony and inaugural demonstration of the laser cannon onboard the USS Fletcher. Are we canceling that? Do we have reasons to be concerned for anyone’s safety? Let me remind you it’s a highly anticipated event. It has been publicized everywhere, and canceling it will put a big blemish on the Navy’s reputation, not to mention SecNav’s.”

“These are paper spies we’re dealing with,” Jeremy said. “I am confident everything will be all right tomorrow. We don’t have any information about any threat to the USS Fletcher. Neither do NCIS or Homeland. All quiet.”

“Ms. Hoffmann?” Mason asked.

She nodded in response, a little preoccupied.

“Then we’re good,” Mason replied. “See you all tomorrow at the ceremony.”

They left the office and headed for their cars, Alex still preoccupied and tense.

“Something tugging at your gut there, kiddo?” Sam asked her, patting her on the shoulder.

She thought for a second of Smolin’s loathing message. Bolshoy khuy kolbasy… The message reeked of hate, hate against the weapon itself, against the object. Or maybe she didn’t really grasp the Russian culture, and she was overthinking the issue.

“Nah… it’s nothing,” she said, and forced herself to smile.