The politicians, p.24
The Politicians, page 24
part #3 of The Beckett Cypher Series
The guard lay immobile, blood seeping from both hands, his wrist and neck. While Jago, Bruiser and Kate all stood close to protect her, Angie reached down and checked for a pulse.
She looked up at Kate and said, “He’s dead! It feels like he has a broken neck.”
Kate replaced her handgun in its holster, and kneeled down beside the dead guard. Kate and Angie worked together to roll the big man back and forth while they searched all his pockets. They located an airline ticket, a passport with Russian markings indicating ‘Diplomatic Passport’ in English, and a wallet containing a white notepad paper with a handwritten phone number, three thousand dollars in hundred dollar bills, and a North Carolina driver’s license. The names on the North Carolina license and the passport did not match, although the photographs were of the same person.
As they stood up over the dead body, Angie asked, “Should we take the rifle?”
Kate thought out loud. “If we leave the rifle, when the dead guard’s forces find him and see the wounds on his hands and neck, they may think a wild animal killed him. If we take it, they’ll likely believe humans were involved, too. But I’m not sure we don’t want the Russians to think they have an enemy near the mine site. For now, I’ll stand watch here with the dogs, in case there are more guards in the area.”
Angie said, “We ran over here without a radio, and we need to warn the others. I’ll run back to the chopper, warn Char and Jesse, and bring you a radio. Then I’ll return to guard the chopper and wait for them to return. We can tell them what happened and discuss taking the rifle once they’re back. I’ll take photos of the documents and the phone number we found, and you can put them back in his wallet and pockets. Right now, we need to hurry!”
Kate nodded in agreement. When she finished taking photos using her cell phone, Angie turned to leave, and Bruiser immediately began to follow.
She stopped, looked back at the large pit bull, and said, “Stay with Kate and Jago.” Angie held up the palm of her hand toward the bloodied dog. Bruiser immediately sat and looked behind him, first at Jago and then at Kate.
Angie said, “Good boy, Bruiser. Good boy! Stay with Kate.”
Kate said, “Angie, be careful. The Russian could have riddled the chopper and both of us with bullets from that rifle, in just a few seconds!”
Angie waved behind her as she sprinted to the trail. Bruiser stood up and returned to Jago, understanding he was needed there, with Kate and his canine friend. Kate began to hike up to a higher position where the guard had fallen, a spot she hoped would give her a better view of the surrounding area.
Both dogs followed Kate as she climbed out onto a long rock outcropping. Once she arrived at the end of the granite, Kate discovered she had an excellent view of the trail the armed Russian likely used to access their location. Kate could see the path winding uphill toward her for at least a half-mile.
Back at the helicopter, Angie located the scrambled hand-held radios the team had brought for emergency communication. She pressed the call button to notify the camera team. Jesse immediately responded, “We’re almost finished and ready to head back.”
Angie responded with two microphone clicks to acknowledge receipt of the message. She then said, “Problem solved, but not sure the problem won’t continue.” The codes conveyed that Angie and Kate had overcome a dangerous situation that may recur. Jesse acknowledged he understood. Angie then recovered Kate’s rifle case and spotting scope, and carried both to Kate’s new position.
When she arrived, she handed Kate the cases, and said, “I thought you could use these. Jesse said they’re almost done. They should come downhill more quickly than they hiked up. I used the code phrase to tell them we neutralized a threat, so they’ll hurry. I’ll fire up the chopper and prepare for your take-off, so we can get out of here as soon as possible.”
Angie removed a handheld radio from her vest pocket, handed it to Kate, and said, “I’ll hit the call button as soon as I see them coming down the trail.”
Kate smiled and nodded. She said, “Thanks! Good thinking. I’m really happy you’re part of our family and a member of my team!” Angie smiled and nodded.
As Angie turned to leave, Kate added, “And I think we should take both these boys on more assignments. They are really good dogs!”
Angie turned back briefly, smiled and waved. When she arrived at the helicopter, Angie went through the preflight checklist, and had the ship idling and ready for takeoff in less than ten minutes. Five minutes later, Angie saw Jesse and Char hiking quickly downhill toward her position. She hit the call button. Kate responded with two mic clicks, indicating she was on her way.
When Kate, Char, and Jesse reached the chopper, Angie quickly relayed the incident about the guard. After briefly discussing the rifle, they decided to leave it, and hope the Russian team would think wild animals killed the guard. Once everyone was loaded, and their equipment safely stowed, Kate got into the right pilot seat, and took off slowly, moving the ship left and right to afford a clear view of the landscape below.
Jesse, Angie, and Char cautiously scanned the ground for threats, as Kate flew north, out of sight, before she turned west. Fifteen minutes later, Kate circled back south-east around a mountain and headed toward home.
Jago and Bruiser both received lavished praise, water and treats from Char and Jesse on the way home. Angie toweled them off as best she could, removing much of the dead man’s blood. During the flight, both dogs finally settled in directly behind Kate and Angie and drifted off to sleep.
Once they landed, the fliers gathered their camera equipment and weapons and headed to the workroom to brief the others. When they entered the mudroom off the rear deck, Heath met them and asked, “Well, did you all enjoy your flight?”
Char said, “We did! Kate and Angie did quite an amazing job today!”
Jago trotted into the room, and immediately sat next to Heath, anxious to receive his usual greeting. Heath leaned down to give the big dog his welcome-back hug and kiss. He instantly saw blood around the dog's mouth and hesitated.
He called out anxiously, “Angie, Jago has blood around his mouth and on his muzzle. Is he okay?”
Shane heard the word blood and immediately got up from his desk and raced into the mudroom, arriving just as Angie answered from the deck, “They’re both okay. But I need to clean them both up soon. Bruiser has quite a bit more blood on him!”
Pete heard the conversation, arrived behind Shane, and asked, “Did they get into a fight? I thought they loved each other. They play together all the time!”
Kate struggled her way into the crowded room carrying equipment and her cases, and said, “Yes, they got into a fight. And thank God they did! But don’t worry, they still love each other and want to play together!”
As Heath, Pete and Shane knelt beside the dogs and quickly checked them for injuries. Kate glanced from Char to Angie, shook her head and laughed, saying, “Boys and their puppies!”
Shane asked, “Do you think we should keep Masai away from them if they’re fighting? He’s only a little puppy!”
At that very moment, Masai forced his way into the now nearly impassable room, found both big dogs, and jumped up against one and then the other, barking and growling, trying to play. Bruiser reached down with his massive head and licked Masai, as the women all laughed and the men froze, horrified.
Finally, Char said, “Relax, guys, the blood isn’t from the dogs, it’s human!”
The three kneeling men quickly jumped to their feet and stammered, “Are you all okay? Who’s hurt? Where’s the injury?”
The men rushed to their partners and began checking hands, arms, and legs?
The women erupted in laughter, as Jesse walked into the doorway and asked, “What did I already miss that's so funny?”
Shane said, “We don’t find it funny that someone got hurt, and is bleeding!”
Jesse said, “Oh that! It couldn’t be avoided. And it’s a good thing it happened the way it did. But he’s not hurt, he’s dead!”
Jesse smiled proudly, while Heath, Shane, and Pete looked around the room in wonder. Finally, Pete said, “Maybe we should all go inside and hear the whole story.”
Char led the way to the workroom.
***
Vice President Bob Crawford called FBI Special Agent in Charge Bryan Holland, using his scrambled private cell phone. When Bryan answered, Crawford said, “It’s urgent we meet and speak in person. Are you free to meet me at the usual place in twenty-five minutes?”
“I am, sir.”
Crawford ended the call and immediately called Barbara Walcott. When she answered, Crawford said, “I can’t speak much right now, Bonny. I hope all is well, and if you have anything that can help, you’ll be ready with some assistance when I call back.”
Recognizing Bonny, their code word for trouble, Walcott replied only, “Happy to assist. Be careful!”
When the line went dead, Barbara squirmed in her office chair, as her heart and mind raced through possible threats that could face the man she loved. She instantly regretted not telling him about Tasha. Twenty minutes later, Barbara Walcott found herself pacing back and forth at her office window. She decided to pour herself a stiff drink and headed to her wet bar. She discharged two fingers of scotch from the full bottle and quickly downed half the glass.
As Barbara waited in England for Crawford’s phone call, Vice President Crawford entered his D.C. apartment, leaving his security detail stationed outside at the front door. He walked into the bedroom, closed the door behind him, and said, “Bryan, we can talk now.”
Bryan Holland stepped into the bedroom from the large walk-in closet. He asked, “What’s happened, sir?”
“I’m being set up in one of our President’s schemes, and I need your help. Vera Langhart sent me an encrypted package, with the few details they’ve consented to let me in on, and I printed you a copy.”
Crawford opened his briefcase, removed a folder, and handed it to SAC Holland. Holland read the file as Crawford relayed his conversation with President Marshall and Chief of Staff Vera Langhart. Holland was stunned.
“Another deal with Russia, so soon after the last mess he created with China? He really doesn’t care what people think, does he? He always believes he’s the smartest one in the room. ”
Holland walked to a chair with the file, and asked, “Fifteen billion in gold, in North Carolina? I didn’t even know there was any gold in that part of the country!”
He sat in the chair, flipped another page, and asked, “So, what are you going to do, sir?”
“I need some help to figure that out, Bryan. We need to find someone to trust at the EPA. What about Steve Sampson?”
“We can’t use him. Sampson’s on administrative leave, effective an hour ago.”
“Admin leave, for what? He’s one of the most ethical people I ever met in the agency.”
“Exactly!” Holland replied. “And one of our faux-environmentalist President’s most outspoken critics. Sampson singlehandedly proved that the jobs President Marshall outsourced to China more than quadrupled the carbon footprint and pollution compared to what was produced when those electronic components were manufactured here in the United States. Marshall and the Dems hated the revelation and immediately started digging up the dirt.”
“What did they pin on him?”
“A twenty-seven-year-old sexual battery allegation about inappropriate touching from three women,” Holland replied, as he closed the folder.
Crawford sat down in a chair next to Holland and looked at him intently. He said, “Wow. Three women. They have corroboration this time!”
“Not exactly,” Holland admitted. “One woman is dead, and the other fried her brain on designer drugs ten years ago. Sampson’s remaining accuser says she’s speaking for all of them.”
“Right,” Crawford scowled, “but does she even know him?”
“They attended the same college back in the day, along with thirty-three thousand other people.”
Crawford cringed, as he asked, “How did they find her?”
“Well, sir, of all the students still alive and currently registered as Democrats from Sampson’s high school and college days, the two FBI agents working for the Democratic Party took three months to find sixteen radical activist women and one man they believed could be persuaded to file false sexual allegations against Sampson.”
“The agents interviewed them all, selected one, and created the storyline for this woman, who was most eager to help. And the agents created a tale they knew no one could disprove, considering the other two women they selected to use. It will be just another ‘he-said-she-said,’ but it will effectively destroy Sampson’s career, and prevent you from using a credible resource.”
Crawford sighed. He said, “I’m getting too old for this! When did we get to the point that political parties feel free to use government resources to fabricate negative stories on political opponents?”
Holland laughed, and said, “Sir, that’s been happening for longer than I know about, ever since my agency came to exist! You do remember J. Edgar Hoover and the accusations levied against him regarding serious abuses of power, don’t you?”
Crawford laughed, and said, “I do! But it was so long ago I forgot the abuses began happening shortly after the government created the agency. You know, Bryan, the vast majority of FBI agents are among the finest law enforcement officers in the world. It seems the agency gets sidetracked by a handful of corrupt administrators and political operatives who give the public the wrong impression about the great work done by ethical, hard-working agents!”
Bryan Holland chuckled, and said, “Go figure! But sir, it’s also true that below those corrupt administrators, there is no shortage of agents willing to sell their souls to climb the ladder to promotional success. They’re more than willing to do their masters’ bidding.”
Crawford added, “But, damn it, Bryan, why is it always sex issues the Democrats use to trump up charges knowing there are legitimate sex problems, including actual crimes committed by them, on their side of the political aisle? They bury their own stink and throw bullshit accusations on everyone else!”
Holland said, “Sir, I truly believe both major political parties abuse the system and concoct false stories to destroy political opponents. The Democrats may just be better at abusing the sex scandal part of the system because they’re closer to the feminist activist groups. But make no mistake, sir, the Republicans use similar dirty tactics, just more quietly!”
Holland looked at Crawford, waiting for a response. When Crawford looked down in silence, Bryan Holland tried to lighten the mood. He said, “Sir, you do remember you’re a registered Democrat, working in a Democratic administration, right?” He laughed for emphasis.
Crawford reluctantly nodded, and said, softly, “I do, Bryan.” He looked at Bryan and smiled.
And then Crawford said, “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m really an independent who had to register with one party or the other to go anywhere in politics. I was mad at the Republicans at the time, so I chose the Democrats. I just stuck with them throughout my career. But it hasn’t been easy, and it wouldn’t have been much easier on the other side!”
“But this time, my party used a dirty trick against Sampson to protect their image and to insulate President Marshall from his own bad decisions. That bogus criminal allegation will destroy a good, caring man, who was simply doing his job to clean up filth and pollution in the world, while it protects a bad man, who is harming his people and the environment. It’s not right, and it's not fair, to Sampson or his family. Someone in your position should be able to stop them.”
As soon as he said the words, Crawford regretted speaking them. He knew that working openly against political corruption at the FBI would destroy Bryan Holland’s career, rendering him useless to fight much more pressing issues. Deep down, Crawford knew Holland couldn't get directly involved.
Crawford looked up and met Bryan's eyes. He said, “I’m sorry, Bryan. I didn’t mean that. I’m tired and frustrated. I’m sick of all the lying and scheming. I often think if we got rid of all the politically motivated investigations and spent our resources investigating real crime, ours would be the safest country in the world, by far!”
Bryan Holland smiled, and said, “These two bad apples in my agency will be handled internally, in a few months, when the dust settles, and the informer’s identities are too obscure to prove. As with similar cases involving abuse of power that have come to light in the past, these people will eventually be demoted and fired. But with this President, those of us who know this is wrong must move slowly, and keep well under the radar, to prevent severe backlash. You understand the federal system as well as I. You know the consequences for an unpopular whistleblower! They’re much more severe than what would happen to a politician for refusing to tow the party line!”
Crawford nodded, and asked, “You mentioned these agents dug up a man willing to make a false complaint? Sampson’s not gay. He’s been married twice and has eleven children. What was the man’s complaint going to be about?”
Holland grinned. He said, “A sex change. My source says the man used to be a woman. He offered to claim that he hadn’t been able to sleep well for twenty years because Sampson had fondled his breasts, eventually motivating him to have a sex change. He said he would claim the operation and treatments ruined his marriage and his life. The man asked the agents if they would help him file a lawsuit if he agreed to lie. He was hoping to make millions and then write a book. Even our corrupt agents thought the story was too unbelievable. But they still ran it past their political handlers for a final decision.”
Crawford placed his head in his hands, and said, “Now I’m sure I’m getting too old and tired for politics!”
Holland smirked. He asked, “So what can I do, sir?”
“Bryan, I need to meet with my old friend Walter O’Leary and reconnect with him, to see where his team is at on their investigation. I know you’ve distanced yourself from the cypher team somewhat for their safety. I would like you to do as much quiet research as you can on Marshall’s toxic site, identify the Russians involved, and find out who at the EPA might be advising President Marshall. I need an enemy list and a fresh copy of the new rules of engagement to win this fight.”
