Black Flagged Apex

Chapter 61





7:00 AM

FBI Headquarters

Washington, D.C.



Frederick Shelby sipped his straight black coffee and leaned back in the plush black leather executive chair behind his desk. He raised the volume until the CNN commentator's voice could be easily heard from his desk. The moment of truth was seconds away. He'd either continue his day as FBI director or be summarily dismissed by the White House. He'd already spoken with his lawyer, a good friend and senior partner at an established Washington, D.C., law firm that boasted one of the most successful and robust Public Policy and Law divisions in the country. If summoned, his lawyer would accompany him on the trip. He was apparently no stranger to the inner sanctums of the hill.

"My fellow Americans, I am pleased to inform you that the terrorist threat against our nation's public water supply has been eliminated by federal law enforcement agencies, working in close conjunction with key military units. I understand that the past week has been filled with uncertainty. This attack threatened all of us in a place we consider the safest—our very own homes. Thanks to the tireless effort and courageous sacrifice of our nation's heroes, I can assure you that your town's public water supply is safe. My administration agrees with the Department of Homeland Security's assessment that the threat has been neutralized, in all of its forms, and that your local municipality can commence regular water service effective immediately.

"I know you have many questions, and they will be answered in as much detail as possible during the upcoming weeks. Here's what I can say right now: A rogue, domestic terrorist group acquired the deadly virus from Al Qaeda operatives in the United States. Both the domestic terrorist group and the Al Qaeda cells involved have been neutralized. This represents a major law enforcement victory, in that Al Qaeda's operations in the United States have been destroyed. We'll release more information about the domestic terrorist group in the weeks ahead, though it appears that most of the group was killed or captured during counterterrorism operations yesterday. On a somber note, I can confirm that this group successfully detonated a suicide bomb at the National Counterterrorism Center on the evening of the 28th, killing 26 people and injuring 62 more. This attack was directed against the task force actively engaged in hunting them down.

"The FBI, supported by the White House and the Department of Justice, will conduct a thorough investigation of the events leading up to the attack, and the declassified results will be released to the public when they have been assembled. I'd ask that you join me in a moment of reflection for the men and women who gave up their lives safeguarding ours."

The president bowed his head, and Shelby followed suit.

"God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America," the president said.

He turned off the flat-screen monitor mounted on the wall in front of his desk and folded his hands. He was impressed with the president. No direct mention of the bottled water conspiracy or the final targets. Police officers successfully stopped the convoy approaching Philadelphia, without killing the driver, who identified the Chinese embassy as the target of the southernmost convoy. Delivery paperwork and a preprogrammed GPS confirmed the driver's statement. New York City Emergency Services officers stopped the second Manhattan convoy at the News Corporation Building, just as Shelby had predicted.

The last convoy's destination remained unknown, since the lead truck was destroyed after a Special Operations helicopter fired over one hundred rounds of 7.62mm ammunition into the cab, causing the rig to swerve off the road and explode. He still wasn't sure exactly why the president had authorized General Gordon to obliterate the truck and destroy critical evidence, but figured it had something to do with his dramatic departure from the Oval Office. Both the president and Jacob Remy looked panicked by his final outburst. The destruction of the truck represented one less piece of evidence connecting the plot to Greely's splinter group, which didn't support the White House's spin against True America. It didn't really matter. The FBI would go to excruciating lengths to investigate the events and provide a concise, detailed account of how Greely's cabal had acquired biological weapons from Al Qaeda and come so close to successfully executing their wild plan.

The president could do whatever he wanted with the results of the investigation, if he was still the president when the final report was issued. Detailed investigations took a long time. Long enough for the American public to forget. Within three months, the outrage would have faded, and the events of the past few days would no longer hold the political capital required to launch an attack on the mainstream True America movement.

His direct line rang, and he examined the caller ID. He smiled and picked up the phone. He didn't bother to identify himself.

"Frankly, I expected a little more fight from the president," Director Shelby said.

"Then I guess you made a lasting impression yesterday," a deep male voice said.

"They'll recover sooner than you might expect. Give them a few days to reorganize…or a few hours," Shelby said.

"I have no doubt they'll be back at our throats shortly, but this gives us more time than we had originally anticipated. I assume the investigation will be a lengthy process?"

"It took the 9/11 Commission nearly nineteen months to release their report. I don't anticipate taking that long, but we can't afford to rush this kind of an investigation. From what I can tell, Greely's plot had roots extending all the way back to Al Qaeda cells in Europe. As you might imagine, I would demand nothing short of the most exhaustive and detailed investigation into a terror attack of this magnitude," Shelby replied.

"And we would expect nothing less from our nation's top law enforcement agent. I foresee an incredible future for your agency, Director. Especially if we continue to build our momentum leading into the 2008 election. With our focus on reshaping the domestic landscape, we see an expanded role for the FBI…especially in the wake of repeated attacks against our nation's great people."

"With more resources and less legal red tape, we could have stopped this conspiracy in its infancy," Shelby said.

"I couldn't agree more. Stopping this heinous attack despite the obstacles placed in your way is a tribute to your leadership. Leadership this nation can't afford to lose."

"I appreciate hearing that and look forward to the days ahead."

"As do we. Thank you for your continued, dedicated service, Director," the voice said, emphasizing the word continued.

"My pleasure. I'll keep you posted."

After disconnecting the call, Shelby leaned back in his chair and stifled a laugh. The politics disgusted him, but he was willing to ride this train a little longer. He had played a long shot, but if True America's candidate won the 2008 election, he'd be in a position to make history for the FBI and the United States. The payoff on this bet was too tempting to ignore, even in the twilight of his career. For the first time in years, he felt there was hope for this nation. He picked up the phone and summoned his secretary. He had a vacancy to fill within the FBI. Associate Executive Assistant Director Ryan Sharpe would lead the National Security Branch's investigation into the events leading to the recent attack against the United States.