Black Flagged Redux

Chapter 60





11:25 AM

FBI Headquarters

Washington, D.C.

Special Agent Ryan Sharpe sat facing Special Agent Frank Mendoza in the small reception office outside of the director's conference room.

"So, did you get me in trouble or something?" Mendoza said. "Because I just started my new job and I haven't been there long enough to piss off the director yet."

"This might have something to do with Sanderson. That's all I can say. Honestly though, I'm purely speculating. Sounds like you've hit the ground running in your new position. I'm hearing good things."

"It's different than following the money trail, that's for sure. The investigative focus is a lot broader, and field activities are a shit ton more intensive," he said, and they both glanced up at Shelby's secretary.

"Sorry, Margaret," Frank said.

"You two aren't the first potty mouthed FBI agents to sit in those chairs," she said, without taking her eyes off the computer screen.

"The financial background is indispensable, even if it's only one aspect of our terrorism investigations. I used to think terror financing was the center of the universe," Mendoza said.

"Cut off the funding and there is no terrorism. At least not from extremist groups like Al Qaeda. The people don't hold jobs here in the U.S., unless you count mosque employees or the rapidly expanding sea of Imams. Your average terrorist cell here couldn't scrape up enough money on its own to buy the nails needed to fill a suicide vest."

"The director will see the two of you now," Margaret interrupted.

"Thank you," Sharpe said.

Mendoza and Sharpe stood up and walked toward the conference room door and opened it. Once inside, they each had silent doubts about their own immediate job security. Half of the conference table was occupied, which had taken Sharpe by surprise. He had been expecting another private visit with the director, possibly to thank Mendoza and himself for laying the groundwork that had led to Sanderson's capture. Now that he saw the players seated around the conference room, he was no longer so optimistic.

Keith Ward, director of the Domestic Terrorism Branch within the Terrorism Financing Operations Section was present, along with his former boss, Gregory Hill, who still commanded the Radical Fundamentalist Financial Investigative Unit. A past and present boss in the same room was never good news. Frank Mendoza's direct supervisor within the International Terrorism Operations Section One sat at the table, next to the Counter-Terrorism Division's director and assistant director. This put four assistant directors in the room, along with the executive assistant director for the National Security Branch and her associate executive assistant director. They all sat around Director Shelby at the far end of the conference table.

"Agents Sharpe and Mendoza. Please take a seat," Shelby said in a grim tone.

Two seats, side by side, were offered to them on the right side of the table. The appropriate nods were exchanged between all of them, which made Sharpe feel a little better about the situation. He was pretty sure they'd be kept standing if they were to be fired, and he highly doubted anyone would smile or nod at them. As soon as they were seated, the video monitor on the wall opposite to them came to life. The assistant directors on the other side of the table swiveled their chairs to view the screen.

A map of Argentina appeared next to a satellite photo dated April 25th, 2007. It was a close up of Sanderson's river valley compound and was centered on the road that ran parallel to the river. A lone helicopter sat on the road. Sharpe wasn't sure what to make of the photograph. The picture had been taken today, during the daytime. Now Sanderson had a combat helicopter at his disposal?

"At approximately 1:27 AM, Eastern Standard Time, a force of ten special operations helicopters landed nearly one hundred marines and SEALs at this compound in western Argentina, with the intent of putting an end to General Terrence Sanderson's rapidly growing terrorist organization. Unfortunately, Sanderson had been tipped off, and the entire operation was a complete failure. The compound was empty. This is one of the helicopters that had to be left behind due to a mechanical failure. Likely related to a high velocity projectile. The whole thing was a set up from the start."

Sharpe shook his head with a look of disgust.

"Special Agent Sharpe's investigative efforts got us to the compound, only to be thwarted at the last minute."

"We'll get another crack at Sanderson," Sharpe said.

"Unfortunately, this is only half of the story. At 12:49 Eastern Standard Time, completely unknown to me, a rogue Russian bioweapons expert was snatched from a Stockholm street by one of Sanderson's foreign operations teams. The team, working on behalf of the CIA, left ten dead Russian Spetznaz operatives in its wake, along with two of their own. Apparently, everyone wanted to get their hands on this Russian scientist."

"What is the connection between the two locations?" Sharpe asked.

"Sanderson is the connection…and he now works for the United States government."

"What?" Sharpe said. "He's still at the top of our terrorist list."

"Not any more. His organization has been granted unlimited immunity from prosecution. Including, but not limited to all activities past and present. This extends to all personnel that have been involved in these activities."

"Petrovich and Farrington?" Sharpe said, incredulously.

"We can't touch any of them, and it's quite possible that we will be working with some of them very shortly. Information acquired from the Russian scientist indicates the high possibility of an imminent WMD attack here in the United States. We'll work with Homeland to coordinate a response. As it stands, the threat appears to be a genetically modified, weaponized form of encephalitis, primarily designed to be delivered into a municipal water supply. The effects of this virus have been confirmed by Sanderson's team. Apparently, this scientist poisoned Monchegorsk, a city of 50,000 in northern Russia, before he was captured. Petrovich himself covertly entered the city and documented the effects. It's a worst case scenario. Those that don't die within the first week of exposure end up going aggressively insane from focalized temporal lobe damage."

"This is headed our way? Why am I the only one asking questions?" Sharpe said.

"Everyone here has already received this briefing except for the two of you. This is definitely coming our way. We just don't know how. The scientist, Anatoly Reznikov, was funded by Al Qaeda, or an organization very similar. He produced over sixty canisters of viral tablets, two of which were used by him in Monchegorsk. That leaves fifty-eight missing. Twenty-two of the canisters were originally slated for attacks on European cities, but all of the sites listed by Reznikov have been raided, yielding empty apartments previously occupied by Arabs…or people that looked like Arabs.

"The CIA is investigating a German medical supply company in Frankfurt. The company was identified by Reznikov as a possible distribution point for the canisters. This is our only direct lead at the moment. There was something else mentioned, which is why the two of you are here."

Director Shelby nodded at Carol Whitman, head of the National Security Branch, who stood up to address them.

"Reznikov told interrogators that he heard the Al Qaeda operatives mention a domestic terrorist group within the United States. This was a one-time conversation overheard by Reznikov in the laboratory. Unbeknownst to his benefactors, he speaks fluent Arabic. He told Sanderson's team that Al Qaeda had arrived at some kind of agreement with American ultra-nationalists. We think Al Qaeda might have entered into some kind of partnership with one of our domestic terrorist groups, which is why we want to appoint the two of you to lead a task force with the express purpose of investigating this possibility. Do we have a domestic terror organization that would consider working with Al Qaeda? It sounds like an awful stretch," she said.

"I'd start with True America. They have the most extensive physical network, and wouldn't have any religious objections to using Al Qaeda to achieve their goals. We haven't scratched the surface of their network, but they're rumored to have penetrated every level and walk of life in the U.S. We can start by focusing on known members employed in the Public Works sector, specifically anything having to do with state or local water systems. We might get lucky."

"If this shipment is inbound or already here, we'll concentrate on known fundamentalist cells near the True America members you initially identify. They'll have to come together at some point," Mendoza said.

"I assume that the canisters will be shipped to the Al Qaeda operatives. They wouldn't trust anyone outside of their own network to receive the bioweapon. If the CIA can get a shipping manifest soon, we might be able to intercept the shipments and roll up Al Qaeda operations in the U.S. before they make a handoff," Sharpe said.

"Sounds like we picked the right people to head this team. Pick your personnel from both sides. Finance and Operations. This has the highest priority, as agreed by everyone in the room. The task force will fall under the direct control of Carol Whitman. Any questions?"

"You mentioned that we might be working with Sanderson's people?"

"I was hoping you had forgotten that comment," Shelby said.

"It's hard to forget considering what he did two years ago," Sharpe said.

"Sanderson has operatives trained specifically to penetrate Arab fundamentalist groups like Al Qaeda. Arab-Americans capable of complete immersion…"

"It's too late to try and insert a deep cover operative," Mendoza said.

"I understand that, but they could be used to interface with True America. Possibly mimic one of the Al Qaeda cells. Our capacity to do this is extremely limited," Shelby said.

"Sanderson's people aren't exactly the kind you can restrain. We'll have to weigh this option carefully," Sharpe said.

"Maybe a little less restraint is necessary in the face of this kind of threat. This is ordered by the president, so let's figure out how to use them constructively. If you start to lose control of them, Carol needs to know immediately. I need to know. Don't think this isn't distasteful for me. We won't be parading them around headquarters or any of the field offices. This will be the most secretive aspect of the task force. Are we clear on that?"

Everyone sounded their agreement.

"Let's get the ball rolling. This is a twenty-four seven investigation, starting right now. Sharpe and Mendoza, start assembling your team," Shelby said.

"Forward your requests to Assistant Executive Director Gilmore. They'll be processed immediately. I expect this task force to be up and running by tomorrow morning," Carol Whitman said.

"That'll be all for now. Good luck, Agents. You're going to need it," Director Shelby said.

Mendoza and Sharpe left the conference room and didn't say a word until they were far outside of the executive wing of the J. Edgar Hoover Building.

"Looks like we're going to be up all night piecing this together," Mendoza said.

"I'm looking forward to it. We'll have to buy another leather chair for you. I foresee many long nights ahead of us," Sharpe said.

"I'll see about dragging a couch into your office. Damn, Sherry's gonna kill me. I'm supposed to be on a trip to the Mayan Riviera in two weeks," Mendoza said.

"Hope you bought trip insurance," Sharpe said and slapped him on the back.

"I always do," Mendoza replied.