They Disappeared

54

New York City

Ken Forsyth stared somberly out the window at the Brooklyn Bridge.

The FBI supervisory agent with the NYPD-FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force was alone in the boardroom of the FBI’s New York headquarters getting ready to lead the latest case-status meeting.

Glancing to his files, Forsyth’s jaw muscles bunched, as they often did under stress. In his brief solitary moment he assessed the monumental challenge they faced.

Who’s the target? What’s the plot? Who’s behind it?

Forsyth realized they had nothing more than a few disparate pieces and little time to put them together. The president was due to arrive in Manhattan in three hours for an event later in the day.

Give us something.

Anything.

Investigators from the NYPD, the FBI, the Secret Service, Homeland, Port Authority, State Police, ATF, Customs and several other agencies soon took their places and Forsyth started the meeting. He raised his voice to take a roll of those on the teleconference call from Washington, D.C., before going around the table.

“We have no significant developments to report. Every thread of the investigation that can be pursued is being pursued,” Forsyth said. “We’ll go to everyone for updates, then we’ll look at next steps. Adam?”

Adam James, senior agent with the Secret Service, which headed security for all world leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly, led off.

“I am circulating detailed agendas, these are highly classified. Those on the line should be receiving password-encrypted copies. I’ll go through today’s events. As you know the president arrives in three hours, two hours in advance of his joint open-air event with the British prime minister near Columbus Circle.”

“We’re adding another one hundred officers to security there,” NYPD Lieutenant Ted Stroud said.

“Right,” James said. “I’ll go over our list of events taking place now and those carrying on through the evening. China’s president will attend the World Gymnastics Championships at Madison Square Garden. We expect protests there. We also expect protests that could get ugly when the Russian president and president of Mykrekistan visit Battery Park today. There have been threats for that event that arise from the unrest in the Russian republic.

“Japan’s prime minister will attend a baseball game at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. As noted, two Tokyo-based apocalyptic extremist groups with supporters around the world have been issuing death threats and making claims to having access to weapons of mass destruction. We have special teams assigned there.

“This afternoon, Spain’s first lady will be at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to open a new exhibit of Picasso paintings. In Bryant Park behind the New York Public Library, Russia’s first lady and the wife of the president of Mykrekistan will be attending a ceremony honoring the discovery of literary papers from Russian and Mykrekistani writers.

“Malaysia’s prime minister will be at a luncheon at the Waldorf. The American Sports Academy hosts the Australian prime minister for a fundraiser at the Saint Regis Hotel. Vietnam’s prime minister will be at an outdoor cultural event in Queens in Rego Park-protests are expected.

“A number of threats have been issued against Iran’s president, who will be attending an exhibition soccer game between Iran and the U.S. national team in Flushing Meadows this afternoon. Germany’s chancellor will be opening a new Manhattan office for Lufthansa. And later tonight, Brazil’s first lady, a noted mezzo, is going to sing in a special performance of La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera.

“Let’s go back to the president’s event with the British P.M.,” Forsyth said. “Have the White House and British security considered canceling?”

“We broached the subject and were told that neither office would cancel.”

“What is the likelihood of canceling any of the other events?”

“The answer is no. In fact, we’ve been advised via State that none of today’s events will be canceled because we have, and I quote, ‘not verified the validity or target of the threat.’”

Forsyth tapped his pen on his files.

“What are we hearing from the foreign security teams?”

“Not much. Japan’s security detail is passing us all new intel picked up by Tokyo. British intel is keeping us updated. The Russians said they are aware of threats but offered little more.”

“Are we getting the whole story from foreign security?”

“We’re never certain. The Russians were reluctant to provide details, only to say they would not cancel any planned events for their president while in the U.S.”

“Anything further, Adam?”

“We are going full bore on intel and investigating. Iron Shield, our command center in Brooklyn, is monitoring on all fronts.”

“Thank you, Adam.” Forsyth leaned into the speaker. “Our folks on the line, can you add to that?”

The officials with the CIA and the NSA confirmed they were monitoring all chatter and that, to date, nothing “of consequence” had emerged.

“What about the task force on the explosives aspects?” Forsyth asked an FBI agent three chairs from him.

“We’ve put out classified alerts and we’ve got agents canvassing suppliers on any recent, large or irregular purchases.”

“And?”

“Nothing to note, the canvass is ongoing.”

“All right,” Forsyth said. “Let’s update the evidentiary aspects of this investigation.”

Forsyth went around the table for status reports on the tips called in since the press conference with Jeff Griffin.

“Ninety-one tips so far. All are being processed,” said NYPD Lieutenant Fred Ryan.

Forsyth then moved on for summaries of the status of the arson, the crime scene investigation, the FBI’s lab work on processing the detonator and the backpack. He got updates on video analysis by the NYPD’s Real Time Crime Center. Then he went to the airports.

“Glen, where are your people at with the origin of the backpack?”

Glen Healy, a security director with the Transportation Security Administration who oversaw airport screening and checkpoint operations for the New York area, loosened his tie.

“In working with the airlines, this is the best we have at this time. As we know, the Griffins flew from Billings, Montana, connected in Minneapolis-Saint Paul to LaGuardia. The bag mix-up was just an erroneous grab from the carousel. We’ve also learned that other airline tickets may have been purchased for a passenger Hans Beck. At first we believed he’d arrived at LaGuardia, via Montreal and Paris.”

“Was that wrong?” Forsyth said.

“No, but here’s the complication. It turns out there may be more than one person traveling as Hans Beck. Our updated investigation shows he may have also entered through JFK, linked to one of several flights originating from four potential locations and airlines served by Kennedy-an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to terminal one, one from Pakistan International Airlines out of Lahore to terminal four, a Turkish Airlines flight out of Istanbul to terminal one and one with Uzbekistan Airways, to terminal four. It is unclear how it happened.”

“Maybe they used decoys as part of the scenario?” Forsyth asked.

“We can’t rule it out,” Healy said. “We are working with the airlines, scrutinizing all passenger manifests, records and surveillance of airport baggage check-in, drop-off and handling.”

Forsyth went to NYPD Lieutenant Ted Stroud and his team for the status of leads arising from the SUV used in the abduction and its ties to the investigation of a global auto theft ring by the D.A.’s Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau, the NYPD Auto Crime Division and the Insurance Frauds Bureau.

“I’ll turn that over to Detective Brewer, who is leading that aspect,” Stroud said.

“With respect to our investigation on the two deceased-Donald Dalfini and Omarr Aimes-confidential sources arising from inquiries on Omarr Aimes led to Florence Payne, aka Mary Ballard, aka Miss Tangiers, an exotic dancer, thought to be the last to see Aimes.

“We interviewed Payne, who indicated that on the night before his death, Aimes took a cell phone call from a man she referred to as-” Brewer read from his notebook “-‘Zeta’ or ‘Rama.’ She said, ‘It maybe had something to do with making a movie, that some guy named Zeta or Rama, some crazy Albanian or Russian, had a job for them that was big easy money.’

“We’ve investigated records through the mayor’s office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting. Subsequently, we’ve contacted location managers and we’re waiting to hear back for leads in this direction.”

“Thank you, Detective Brewer.”

Forsyth then turned to Cordelli.

“Detective Cordelli, you’re working with Jeff Griffin on any subsequent leads based on his contact with the suspects. What do you have?”

“Working with Detective Lucy Chu, one of our forensic artists, we compiled a series of images based on what Griffin saw in the van. Using that material we’re in the process of canvassing targeted locations for leads.”

Forsyth glanced at his files, spotted a note and frowned.

“Excuse me, I’ve received this from our agents with you, but am I to understand Griffin left his hotel unescorted and we’ve lost track of him?”

Cordelli cleared his throat.

“That’s correct. But I remind everyone he is not in custody.”

“Has he been contacted again by the suspects?”

“All indications are that he has not had any further contact.”

“But we don’t know what he’s up to or where he is?”

“No, but it was the FBI who were assigned to him this morning.”

“I don’t care,” Forsyth said. “Lieutenant Stroud, were you aware that we’d lost Jeff Griffin?”

“No, I was not.” Stroud glared at Cordelli. “Triangulate his phone. Track him down. He should not be out of our sight.”

“We’re done for now.” Forsyth recapped his pen, closed his folders.

As the meeting broke up, investigators checked their phones while standing to leave.

Detective Brewer was the last to remain seated. His full attention was on his phone and the message he’d just received from Chuck Pennick, a location manager from Los Angeles in New York working on a film. Betty Bonner, Brewer’s ex-partner in the film office, had said, “If anyone knows what’s going on here, it’s Chuck.” Betty said Pennick was plugged into all foreign productions and crews.

Brewer read Pennick’s message.

Detective: I heard a foreign crew was working without permits in a warehouse in the Bronx maybe making porn, or horror, or thriller. It’s all rumor but I can try to find out more, if you like.