Vengeance

52 MCLEAN, VIRGINIA

At the National Counterterrorism Center, on the main floor amongst sixty other employees of the fourteen-agency center, Jake Harrison sat beside Khalila Dufour, staring at his computer display as he searched for potential links to Lonnie Mixell. Harrison took a sip of lukewarm coffee as the next set of FBI reports loaded on his display, while Khalila scoured reports from other agencies. They had been at it since their return from the Middle East, but thus far their efforts had yielded no clues to Mixell’s whereabouts or next plan.

“I’ve got something,” Khalila announced.

Harrison glanced at her computer display, which listed reports from ATF — the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Khalila had expanded one of the reports, which provided the details.

“We’ve got fifty pounds of missing C-4,” she said. “Want to check it out?”

Harrison perused the report, focusing first on the amount of C-4. One pound of C-4 could demolish a car or wreck an average-sized house. Fifty pounds could take out a medium-sized office building. Then his gaze stopped on the associated report of missing detonators.

“Three dozen wireless micro detonators,” Harrison read the information out loud. “Looks like whoever has this C-4 intends to hit a lot of small targets. Maybe simultaneously, if the wireless detonators can be set off at the same time from a single signal.”

He glanced at the report location — Carver Construction, Timonium, Maryland — which was just north of Baltimore, not far away.

“Do you have any other leads?” he asked.

“This is it.”

“Let’s check it out. Even if it’s not Mixell, someone’s up to something. It’s worth looking into it now, rather than letting the ATF and NCTC wheels churn before this onion gets peeled apart.”

Khalila picked up the phone, calling the number on the report for Carver Construction.

Ninety minutes later, after a short drive north on Interstate 95 and up the western side of the Baltimore Beltway to Timonium, Harrison and Khalila pulled into the parking lot for Carver Construction. Calling from the NCTC, Khalila had connected with the office manager, who was aware of the C-4 and detonator issue, but didn’t know all of the details. However, the company’s owner, Jack Carver, was expected back in the office in about an hour, so Harrison and Khalila had decided to meet with him at Carver Construction.

The office manager, Beth Walters, escorted Harrison and Khalila into a nearby office, closing the door behind her as she left. Carver, seated at his desk, rose to greet his visitors, and after a quick examination of Harrison’s and Khalila’s identification cards, returned to his desk while the two CIA officers settled into chairs facing him.

After reviewing the ATF report with Carver, Harrison asked, “Do you have any idea what might have happened to the missing C-4 and detonators?”

“I don’t know what their intended use is, but I know where you can start. Our supply manager admitted that he had sold the material, pocketing a hefty sum. He even tried to bribe me and my office manager to keep quiet about the issue, offering to split the payment he received with us. I fired him on the spot.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Yesterday.”

“His name?”

“Craig Daniels.”

“Did he mention who he sold the explosives to?”

Carver shook his head. “He wouldn’t provide the name. He said ratting the guy out would likely be detrimental to his health. Plus, his customer was probably using an alias anyway.”

“So, Daniels interfaced with a single person. Did he provide a description of the man?”

“Nothing. He clammed up when it became clear I wasn’t going to go along with his plan to sweep the issue under the rug.”

“Do you have any idea where we might find him?”

“We have his home address and other basic information on file. That’s it.”

Khalila, who had been taking notes, said, “We’d like all of the personal details you have on him: full name, address, phone numbers, etcetera.”

“Not a problem. I’ll have Beth print out everything we have.”

“Thank you, Mr. Carver,” she said, then turned to Harrison. “I’ll have NCTC put out a bulletin for Daniels and identify potential locations he might be at.”