Chapter 28
On the beach, directly in front of Brad and Susan's bungalow is where they were going to meet Ted Warner, Director of Special Branch, Anti-terrorism Task Force at 1800 hours. At exactly 6PM, Ted and Armando appeared, walking casually at the waters edge, carrying their shoes and socks in their hands, their pants rolled up to their calves. They appeared engrossed in a conversation as they walked, looking like tourists on a sunset stroll. Occasionally one of them would gaze along the land side of the beach, as if admiring the beauty. They passed the meeting point and kept walking. Brad smiled as he watched them moving casually down the beach, gesturing with their hands as they spoke. Brad wondered what they were talking about that so engrossed them. He and Susan sat back in the foliage shadows of the bungalow observing them.
“They'll turn around. We'll just sit here for a moment and see if anybody is following them. We have a pretty good view and will see them coming back long before they get here.”
They sat in silence for a moment in their lounge chairs, sipping iced tea, staring at the ocean.
“Got your plan figured out?” Brad asked her.
“I've got the basics of it figured out. I know the main steps we have to take to make this work, but these guys we're meeting, and probably you too, come to think of it, know the inner workings that I don't.
“I'm doing what I would do if I were putting a project together. Figuring it out, seeing my weak points, and bringing in the people who will make those weak points strong.”
“I've been waiting to hear what you have in mind.” Brad said.
“I didn't want to say anything until I had it formulated. I think I do now, but I might learn something in this meeting that will change all that. Trust me when we meet with them. This is what I do and I'm good at it.”
“I would trust you with my life.” Brad said taking her hand, “which you know, I already do.”
“They're coming back.” Susan said, looking down the beach. Brad stood and scanned the beach in the other direction.
A quarter mile down the beach Brad could see two boys throwing a Frisbee, a dog chasing after it as they tossed it back and forth. He studied the beach passed them all the way to the misty cliffs. Not another person was in sight.
“Looks good to go.” he said. “Let's do it.” Susan stood. They swung open the small gate on the white picket fence and walked barefoot out onto the beach. When they reached the water's edge they turned towards Ted and Armando and walked hand and hand, stopping occasionally to let the surf swirl around their feet and look out at the ocean. As the four drew closer they showed no acknowledgment of the others existence until they were ten feet apart. In all appearances they were friends who accidentally happened across each other. They all shook hands, hugged and smiled, then turned into the direction of the designated meeting place and started walking together. The Director walked next to Susan and Armando on the other side of Brad.
“So, Miss Jenkins - “ the Director said, “What is it exactly you want to discuss?”
“Eliminating our mutual problem.” Susan responded.
“I'm listening.” he said.
“They want a memory stick containing weapon systems, which we let them have. We let the mole discover it, but it has to look like it's authentic. If they found the memory stick that we have in place now what they would see is a friend of mines son's eighth birthday party.
“It has to look good enough to get all the way to the buyer – good enough to possibly be attempted, and bad enough to never have a chance of working. I assume you have that sort of weaponry information stored somewhere.”
“We're dealing with highly classified information, here, young lady. You already know far more than you should.”
“With all due respect, Director, let's cut the protocol bullshit and get passed the politics. I'm asking you to deal with a problem from a point of logic and common sense. Everything else must go to the wayside. Do you think the mole or Alberto De La Cruz gives a damn about protocol? If you're going to work from a point of rigidity, they're going to take advantage of it, which, in fact, is what they've been doing.”
“So, what branch were you in, Miss Jenkins? Marines?” The Director asked her with a straight face.
“No, sir. I was in finishing school, but I can apply makeup and have complex thoughts at the same time.”
“Hmm,” the Director said with the hint of a grin. “A multitasker.”
Susan laughed. “Yes, and I suspect that an old time Marine would have trouble with that particular multitasking.”
“The Marines I knew would.” They both laugh and seemed to relax with each other, any tension they felt released into the moment.
“May I call you, Susan?” The Director asked.
“Yes you may, Ted.”
“As I understand it, Ted.” Susan started, “You have access to weaponry data that is stored, including the ones that never worked.”
“Well, it's not quite as simple as that. There are protocols to go through.”
“You are well trained, aren't you, Ted.?” Susan said with a hint of sarcasm. “You can't do protocol. Not yet, anyway. Protocol is what the mole is using to find out what's happening, how he gets things. The strong point becomes the weak point when it can be used against you.”
“I would have to agree.” he said.
“How ever you can do it, you and only you, will have to research the data available and download the most plausible items that you can find. The buyers will have their version of experts check it out, who would probably not be as sophisticated analysts as your people, but good enough to follow directions and build a system. It would have to look like a passable system on paper.
“Somewhere along the way, after they have paid De La Cruz, they would discover that what they had was bogus. Not only would they want their money back, they would probably want De La Cruz, and Alberto, of course, would blame it on the mole. From that point, I doubt that you would have to do anything. Nature would, let's say, take it's course.”
“What do we do after we create the memory stick?”
“Give it to us.” She said, referring to her and Brad. “We'll put it where it was originally meant to be hidden, just in case that is somehow discovered. Once we've done that then you make the information available to the mole, but don't make it too easy, or he will get suspicious.”
“Okay, it sounds good in theory, but I see some dangerous bumps in the road, and things rarely go according to plan.”
“Oh, Ted, quite being such a pessimist.” Susan said teasingly. He looked over and smile at her. He found himself liking this young lady.
“So, are you going to tell me where you have the stick hidden?” The Director asked.
Brad picked up a piece of drift wood and threw it down the beach for Recon, who happily went after it, the silver clasp of his collar glittering in the sun. Brad said, “No sir. Not right away, but we will when the time is right. At this point, the fewer people who know, the safer it is. I have no doubt that you would do the same thing.”
“Yes, you're right. I would.”
“I'll tell you this much.” Brad continued. “It's close and safely guarded.”
The Director looked over at Brad. “Okay. For the moment I'll accept that. So, Major, how do you feel about Susan's plan?”
“So far, it's the only plan that I've heard and I think it has merit.”
“Actually, I do too.”
The Director sighed and said, “We do have one big problem, though. Susan is a civilian and the victim of a pursuit.” He turned to her. “You're also involved in the operational movements as an agent would be, but you're not an agent.”
“What's that mean, Sheriff?” Susan asked. “Are you going to deputize me? Make me part of the posse.”
“Close.” he said smiling at her. “Armando!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Find some way to make Susan an operative for the duration of this case. You're her handler.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Okay.” Ted said somewhat contentedly. “That takes care of any department problems that we may run into.” Ted glanced at his watch. “Why don't we go have dinner and discuss the details of your plan.”
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