by Bobby Akart
The driver picked Harper up at Fort Belvoir and barely spoke a word to her during the twenty-mile trip north to Arlington, Virginia, located across the Potomac River from DC. He navigated the black sedan onto North Randolph Street, where DARPA was located.
Harper glanced up at the sign and smiled. Her family were lineal descendants of the Virginia Randolphs. They were a prominent political family historically considered to be the most powerful in the Virginia colony even after she received statehood.
She was proud of her Randolph ancestry. She was a direct lineal descendant of Thomas Randolph, a close friend of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Randolph had thirteen children, including Dr. John Randolph, the former governor of Virginia, whose daughter moved to Washington, Georgia, and lived to her death. The home where Harper’s grandmother and great-grandmother lived, known as Randolph Mansion, was constructed in 1795.
Harper’s mind wandered to the two old biddies, as Joe lovingly referred to them. She missed the women who’d raised her when her mother was no longer able to. Then she thought of her mother, who was two hours away just south of Richmond. She closed her eyes to bring up the fondest memories of her mom that she could muster, but was unable to do so. All that resonated with her at the moment was their last visit together almost a year ago. It didn’t go well.
Harper’s mood had turned from apprehensive to melancholy as the driver pulled into the secured parking area at DARPA. She barely remembered him opening her car door and leading her to the secured entrance of the seven-story all-glass building. The windows contained an odd grid pattern designed to block all types of electronic intrusions. The glass panes might have enticed America’s adversaries to sneak a peek, but DARPA technology foiled their access.
“Here we are, ma’am,” said the driver as he opened the door for her. “I’ve been instructed to wait for you. I’ll be keeping your luggage in the car.”
Harper opened her eyes wide, snapping herself out of the trance that had overtaken her. “Um, yes. What? You’re going to take me back?”
“Yes, ma’am. Those are my instructions.”
“Okay.”
She walked into the building, and a rush of air-conditioned air swept over her. The lobby was quiet and unoccupied except for plainclothes security personnel and two armed guards standing on opposite ends of the open space. Harper paused and glanced around the lobby to get her bearings. Then her heart leapt.
On the other side of the glass partition stood Joe. He was dapperly dressed, as always, in one of his Tom James custom suits. He waved his right arm so that it could be seen over the X-ray machine that sat beside the full-body scanners.
Before she entered, she reported at an administrative desk. The pleasant receptionist checked her credentials, confirmed whom she was there to visit, and then issued a visitor’s badge, which she attached to the lapel of her blazer. Harper had dressed up for the occasion. She still wore her usual Levi jeans and white Nike sneakers, but over her white, French-cuffed shirt, she’d put on a black blazer.
She tugged at it. Like life, she didn’t want her clothes to feel constraining. Also, she wanted to make a lasting impression on her husband, whom she may not see again for a while. She concentrated to stifle the words if ever as she cleared security.
Once she passed the scrutiny of the DARPA security team, she rushed to greet Joe. All of the negative thoughts and emotions associated with her mother were immediately washed away. Her face broke out in a smile, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
She ran into his arms and they held one another without speaking. It was a reunion that seemed different than others. It was more emotional. But then, because it was their nature, it turned playful.
“Oh, Rhett,” she cooed, channeling Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind. “Please, kiss me proper.”
Joe laughed and then his face turned serious. He became Captain Rhett Butler. “No, I don’t think I will kiss you, although you need kissing badly.”
“But, Rhett …” Harper’s version of Scarlett begged.
“You should be kissed, and often, and by someone who knows how.”
“Please, Rhett, do kiss me!” she demanded in a Southern drawl that would make Margaret Mitchell proud.
So he did. The two’s public display of affection was not frowned upon by passersby, but admired. They were truly in love with one another and it showed.
Joe pulled away and looked into Harper’s eyes. “Better?”
“More better.” She smiled and then planted a gentle peck on his cheek. “God, I’ve missed you.”
“More than ever, it seems. Are you all right?”
Harper wiped away the tears and smiled. “Yeah. I just had a moment thinking about Mom.”
“Did something happen?” asked Joe.
“Oh, no. You know how my brain works. I noticed this building was located on Randolph Street. I went down the rabbit hole to the family history from the old Randolphs to the new. The stroll down memory lane ended with my last visit with her.”
Joe gently wiped the last remnants of her tears from her cheeks and hugged her. They embraced for half a minute until she regained her composure. She pulled back and then noticed his visitor’s badge.
“Hey, why is yours a different color than mine?”
“It allows me to do things you can’t.”
“Like kiss me in the lobby?”
Joe laughed. “Yeah. That and going through doors to check out all the neat shit.”
“I wanna see!” Harper jokingly demanded.
Joe grabbed her by the hand. “Welcome to the Department of Mad Scientists.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Darpa
Arlington, Virginia
Joe checked his watch. They had ten minutes before they were to meet with the man with whom he would entrust the safety of his wife. He walked Harper through the hallways and shared some of DARPA’s long list of technological accomplishments.
“Berger has undoubtedly told you about his role working with infectious diseases in the Biological Technologies Office,” he began. “Since his departure for the CDC, I was able to fund a new program for DARPA.”
“PREEMPT,” interjected Harper.
“Preventing Emerging Pathogenic Threats,” added Joe. “While you’re hunting viruses, these guys are modeling viral evolutions in animal populations. They focus on quantifying the probability of human pathogen emergence and pursuing interventions to prevent viral spread to humans.”
“They place a huge emphasis on zoonotics,” said Harper. “Very smart considering most viruses start in animal reservoirs and are later passed on to humans through a variety of vectors, including insects or intermediate reservoirs—small mammals, poultry, and swine.”
“Or biological weapons,” said Joe solemnly. “As you know, the Department of Defense works around what’s known as the threat timeline. At the DTRA, the guys at Fort Belvoir refer to it as right of boom—a phrase that referred to the timeline of a disaster, in particular the aftermath. In a world at war with terrorists, governments had concentrated their efforts on what happens after a catastrophic event, hence the phrase right of boom. The DTRA, like DARPA, has evolved now to address the events left of boom.”
“Prevention.”
“Yes,” said Joe. He paused for a moment before continuing. In his position as chairman of the House Oversight Committee, he held a security clearance equal to that of the Speaker of the House. He always had to be cognizant of the potentially classified information he provided Harper. His concern was not that she would intentionally use or disseminate the information for any purpose. Sometimes, those who don’t work in a world of secrecy could accidentally slip up.
“Most of what I’m about to tell you is available through FOIA requests. It’s public knowledge and anyone could make a request to see it. However, it’s safe to say very few people know to ask for it.” FOIA was an acronym for the Freedom of Information Act, which allowed private citizens to seek full or partial
disclosure of previously unreleased documents and information from the government.
“Sounds mysterious,” said Harper.
“It is, but essential to our national security.” Joe checked his watch again and pointed toward the elevator. “With PREEMPT, DARPA has followed a model initiated at Fort Belvoir known as Project Artemis.”
“She was the Greek goddess of the hunt,” said Harper.
Joe wrapped an arm around his wife and gave her a squeeze. “Not unlike yourself, darling.”
“Wow, you’re certainly buttering me up for something.”
“Maybe,” he said as the elevator doors opened. The cab was empty, so Joe continued. “Anyway, Project Artemis was designed to liaise with the CIA and the NSA to stop the use of biological weapons by terrorists—before boom. Whether it was the use of anthrax by domestic terrorists within the United States or weaponized smallpox throughout Europe, the team at Project Artemis works around the clock to prevent bioterror events from happening.”
Harper was somewhat familiar with the secretive project. The Project Artemis team was known for its outside-the-box thinking and employment of covert operatives. They were adept at analyzing data and intelligence and piecing threads of evidence together that might seem far-fetched to some. Sometimes their working theories didn’t pan out. When they did, and a bioterror attack was thwarted, it was a rewarding feeling for those who worked tirelessly for the country he loved.
Joe continued. “PREEMPT was created to focus on the zoonotic side. They looked farther left of the timeline, before the bioweapon was created, and began to identify opportunities to contain viruses before they endangered humans.”
Harper was about to add a comment when the elevator door opened. A long, sterile corridor appeared before them. A receptionist sat behind a half-wall enclosure. She looked up and immediately recognized Joe.
“Welcome back, Congressman. You and your guest may proceed to conference room A at the end of the hall. It will be just a moment.”
“Thanks,” said Joe with a smile. He finished his explanation. “Ebola is a high-profile example that you’re familiar with. As you know, it’s a zoonotic disease that’s difficult to spread, requiring direct contact with fluids from an infected animal or person. PREEMPT looks at Ebola as, well, let’s call it tame compared to other biothreats. Influenza and other airborne pathogens are more vexing. And then you have the vector-borne transmission of zoonotic diseases that are on the rise courtesy of mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.”
Harper leaned in to her husband as they walked toward the conference room. “I’m impressed, Joe. You’ve got a tremendous grasp of this stuff. You have been paying attention to my rants at the dinner table.”
“I have,” he said with a chuckle. “Dad’s death has always made this a topic of importance to me. That’s why I’ve made so many friends in this field, like Dr. Reitherman and the folks at the DTRA and DARPA, including the gentleman you’re about to meet.”
“Your guy?” asked Harper.
“One of many, darling.”
They entered the conference room and Joe retrieved a bottle of water for each of them. Harper wandered along the wall of windows and took in the view of the surrounding area. Immediately below them was an Enterprise Car Rental location built on a postage-stamp-sized lot. Yet it contained three structures in which cars were stacked three rows high and removed by a massive lift. She was astounded by the technology. As she would soon learn, as the saying goes, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Darpa
Arlington, Virginia
Dr. Li Kwon’s entrance into the conference room was completely unnoticed by Harper and Joe. She caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye before he announced himself, immediately making her wonder how long he’d been standing there. She gasped slightly as she made eye contact with his dark eyes. Kwon was an imposing, mysterious man who could star in any action and adventure movie.
He locked eyes with Harper and then turned his attention to Joe. His greeting was simple.
“Congressman.”
Joe turned abruptly and greeted his guy. “Right on time, as always, Kwon. I’d like you to meet my wife, Harper.”
Kwon nodded. “Hello. I don’t shake hands. No offense.”
“None taken. Nor do I.”
Harper studied the man. Either Dr. Li Kwon was a humanoid robot, yet another secretive project of DARPA, or he had little or no personality. One thing was certain, she’d never met someone so intense. His black eyes were almost lifeless. Devoid of emotion. Piercing.
Joe, who knew Kwon well, was used to his demeanor. “Let’s take a seat and talk.”
Everyone pulled out a chair, with Joe at the head of the table and Kwon seated across from Harper. Harper was beginning to question whether the two of them would be able to work together. She reserved judgment until she learned more about him.
“Dr. Randolph, I’m very familiar with your work.”
Harper raised her hand. “Please, call me Harper. May I call you Kwon?”
“Yes, Harper. Absolutely. Even in Beijing. Li Kwon is a common name.”
“Is it your real name?” Harper asked with a smile. “I’ve had contact with some CIA agents lately who can’t seem to keep their names straight.” Harper was trying her best to add some levity to the conversation. It didn’t work.
“Yes, it is.”
Harper nodded. There was an awkward silence. It appeared she’d have to pull the words out of Kwon, so she got started. “Well, Kwon, I know absolutely nothing about you. First, may I assume you know what I’d like to accomplish in China?”
“I do,” he replied.
Great, Harper thought to herself. We’re up to two-word responses. If our adversaries ever captured this guy and tried to interrogate him, they’d end up shooting themselves in the face out of frustration.
“Okay, would you mind telling me a little bit about yourself?”
Kwon’s eyes averted to Joe, who provided him an imperceptible nod. Harper, however, picked up on the subtle interaction. She turned to her husband.
“Joe, am I missing something here?” She was perturbed and ready to get on a flight by herself despite her husband’s protests.
Joe took a deep breath and explained, “Harper, within our government, there are people like Kwon who, for all intents and purposes, don’t exist. Certainly, you see him, and he has a life outside of his work for DARPA, but there is no trace of him otherwise. No pay records. No personnel file. No Facebook page. No social security number. It has to be that way for his safety, and yours.”
“Okay, I understand,” she said, turning her attention back to Kwon. She tried to show some empathy for the man who chose to live his life as a ghost. “Kwon, you’ve made great sacrifices for our country. Far more than I would ever endure. That said, I need to feel comfortable that you can help me when the time comes. Are you allowed to tell me anything about yourself? I mean, the CliffsNotes résumé at least?”
Again, the eye contact between the two men. Joe nodded and Kwon began.
“I was born in San Diego. My father is Chinese and my mother is South Korean. Following high school, I enlisted in the Navy as a Seaman recruit. I completed Hospital Corpsman training and then reported to BUD/S training at NAB Coronado.”
Joe interrupted. “Harper, BUD/S is an acronym for Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training. It’s conducted at the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado.” He then nodded at Kwon to continue.
“After completing my training at the NSWC, I reported to the JFK Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. There, I completed the Special Operations Combat Medic Course. I was assigned as a Special Warfare Operator to SEAL Team 3, Charlie Platoon, in San Diego.”
“The Punishers,” added Joe.
Kwon nodded and continued. His voice and facial expression remained unemotional. “With SEAL Team 3, I obtained qualifications as a Military Freefall parachutist, Combatant Diver,
Naval Special Warfare Recon Scout and Sniper, and was designated as being qualified in Advanced Special Operations Techniques.”
Harper raised her hand slightly. She turned to Joe. “Really? All of this is real?”
Joe smiled. “Trust me. Let Kwon continue. He’s just getting started.”
Harper shrugged and leaned onto the table, resting her arms crossed in front of her as she took in the rest of Kwon’s résumé.
“I was commissioned through the Navy’s enlisted-to-officer commissioning program following graduation from the University of San Diego. My rank was elevated from Seaman to Admiral – 21.” The Admiral – 21 was the U.S. Navy’s commissioning program for the twenty-first century designed to enable active-duty sailors to obtain their college degree and become commissioned officers.
“You’re an admiral?” asked Harper.
“No. It’s not the same. I then went to MIT and obtained my degrees in computational biology and genetic epidemiology. Afterwards, I began my medical internship in the Harvard Affiliated Emergency Medicine Residency program. I held a position as a resident physician in emergency medicine with Partners Healthcare at Mass General until three years ago when I was recruited by DARPA.”
Kwon stopped speaking and Harper simply stared at him in amazement. She’d never heard of such a résumé. It couldn’t be real. She tried again to catch Kwon off guard.
“You’re smarter than I am.”
His face remained emotionless although Joe couldn’t contain himself as he burst out laughing before addressing her statement. “We all have our strengths and weaknesses.”
Harper leaned back and shook her head. “Aw, shit, Joe. This guy is a Navy SEAL, an MIT grad with a dual degree, and an ER doctor. He’s gotta be some kind of AI project, right?” She studied Kwon for any type of reaction. He remained stoic.
