by Larry LaVoie
Joshua unfurled the paper and flattened it with his hands on the table. “It’s about time you get acquainted with our offshore accounts.”
“Acquainted. How so?”
“We have a huge deposit that was transferred to our bank in the Cayman Islands. I need to move it to a an account in the Bahamas.”
Heather took the sheet of paper. “That’s a lot of money. Where did it originate?”
Joshua pulled back the paper. “Remember when I interviewed you, I told you not to ask questions?”
“Sorry,” Heather said. “My financial curiosity got the best of me. Who’s been moving the money in the past?”
“There you go again. Lucile, if you must know, but we know what happened to her.”
Heather wondered if he had told her about Lucile to scare her. She had never met the woman and didn’t know if she had really existed, but there was no reason to doubt Joshua. “No problem. I can move it for you. All I need is the account numbers, the amount, and your password.”
Joshua slipped the paper back at her. “It’s all here. I’ll be with you when you make the transfer and I’ll enter my password myself.”
“No problem,” Heather said. “You might consider burning that piece of paper. If it got into the wrong hands it could cause you a world of hurt.”
“I know,” Joshua said. “I hate it that these account numbers are so difficult to memorize. What would happen if I died and no one could access the account?”
“That’s why you hired me,” Heather said. “I can provide you with an encrypted password linked to your account number. All you have to remember is something you can easily remember like your first dog’s name or the name of the first girl you ever kissed. The account will be linked and you can forget the endless string of meaningless numbers.”
“Let’s keep this between you and me,” Joshua said. He smiled. “I think the first girl I kissed and my first dog had the same name.”
“That I will forget,” Heather said. “If the girl was named ‘Rover’ then all bets are off on breaking the encryption.”
August 22nd, Portland, FBI Headquarters
David and Trick were being held in separate rooms. Hours passed without them seeing anyone. Trick looked at the one-way mirror, certain he was being watched. Might as well use it to my advantage, he thought. “Hey, you, watching me! Bring me a hamburger and a cold beer and I’ll tell you everything.” He went over to the reflective glass and rapped on it. “I mean it. I’ll sell my soul for a hamburger and a shake. None of that fast food stuff, though.”
David, in the next room, was sitting, bent over, his head resting on the table. His walking cast was making a tapping sound as his right leg developed a nervous twitch. What did I get myself into? I didn’t ask to go to Mexico. It was a job assignment. How can they think I’m involved in any of this? I hope Agent Martin is here to interview me. We seemed to hit it off. It was several hours later when Agent Renfro entered.
“Dr. David Wayne, we finally get to meet. I wish it could have been under more pleasant circumstances.”
David started to rise. Matt Renfro was perhaps the largest black man David had ever been this close to. Sure there were football players in college, but the University of Utah had very few African-Americans, and he had never talked to any of them. He didn’t consider himself prejudiced, in fact, had never thought much about it, but he immediately felt uncomfortable looking up at the big man. Renfro wasn’t laughing as he reached out a beefy hand toward David. David continued to rise and felt the strong grip of Agent Renfro.
“Have a seat, Dr. Wayne, or may I call you David?” Renfro smiled. “Or do you prefer to be called Doctor? I know if I would have worked all those years to get a doctorate, I might just enjoy hearing the title.”
In spite of his earlier feeling, the big man’s smile was disarming. David smiled back. Something in the tone of Renfro’s voice told him the big guy was all right, a straight shooter. “David is fine. I only use doctor if I want to get a good seat in a restaurant.”
Renfro pulled out the chair across from David, and sat on it backwards. “Just for the record, were you the one who took the video of the attack on the tunnel site?”
“Are you serious. I told agent Nichols everything I know.” Maybe this guy wasn’t as nice as he had seemed.
“Then you won’t mind relating it to me. I’ll ask you again, was it you that filmed the attack on the site in Mexico?”
David leaned back in his chair. “I think you already know the answer to that. By the way, what happened to the other agent who questioned me? Heather, I think her name was.”
Renfro smiled. “You liked her, did you? She’s tied up in D.C. She was pretty pissed when she found out you held this video back from her. Now, can we get back to the subject?”
A disappointed look came over David. “I didn’t hold it back. I told Agent Nichols I had forgot about the phone. By now, you know the cell phone doesn’t belong to me. Why don’t you ask me something you don’t already know?”
Renfro opened a folder he had previously set on the table. “Your file says you were arrested once?”
David let out a long sigh and looked Agent Renfro in the eyes. “You’re really going to go there? What’s that got to do with what’s going on here? I was charged with minor in possession of alcohol at a campus party when I was 18. I spent the night in jail. I haven’t even had a parking ticket since then.”
“Thank you for your honesty. Is there anything else you want to share with us?”
“I don’t see how I can help anymore than I have. You’ve got the video, why don’t you leave us alone and arrest the ones who did this?”
“That’s what we plan to do, but our picture has too many blank spots. We’ve got a puzzle with too many missing pieces. If we close things down now, our nation will still be at risk.”
“Nation? These guys are in Mexico. Mass murders occur every day down there. I watch the news.”
Renfro pursed his lips in thought. He leaned over the chair toward David and stared directly into his eyes. “Are you willing to help us get some more answers, before we bring these guys down?”
David wrinkled his brow. “I’d like to help any way I can. I was asked to go to Mexico to help Colonel Frost divert the pending eruption of a volcano. How was I to know he would piss off some terrorists and get himself killed? I could have died right there with him. I don’t see where I can be of much help, now. Besides, I have this cast on my leg. I’m not much use to anyone right now.”
Renfro sat back quietly and listened until David ran out of words. “Somehow, the terrorists got their hands on a top secret file, The Yellowstone Brief. Have you heard of it?”
David shook his head. “Never heard of it.”
Renfro continued. “It’s not your fault, but you landed yourself in the middle of a hornet’s nest when you picked up that video. Until I saw the video, I had no idea the investigation into the incident in Mexico would bring us to where we are today. Like it or not, you are in the middle of it, and are in a position to help us.”
David was reluctant, still not putting the dots together. “I’m not following. I never heard of The Yellowstone Brief and I’ve told you everything I know about the incident in Mexico, as you called it.”
“When USGS loaned you to Colonel Frost, you were on a ‘need to know’ basis in a highly classified Homeland Security operation, which is outlined in a document called The Yellowstone Brief. The Yellowstone Brief is a study commissioned by President Merrill to help the nation survive in the event of a natural disaster. The tunneling operation in Mexico was a trial run, if you will, for a much more aggressive plan. Unfortunately, Al-Qaida got its hands on The Yellowstone Brief and have plans of their own. Their success in Mexico will only embolden them. We think they will continue to use The Yellowstone Brief as a part of their platform to bring down the United States. The terrorists are working with an environmentalist group called Green Keepers. We stumbled across the terroris
ts when they were being investigated for money laundering and tax fraud. When you gave us the video, it made the picture more complete, but a lot more sinister than we had imagined. Unfortunately, we don’t have the luxury of stopping the operation commissioned in The Yellowstone Brief. The wheels have already been set in motion and we can’t change directions, even if we wanted to. That means we have to deal with an impending Al-Qaida attack in real-time, not knowing how it will be carried out, or when.”
“I never served in the military, but I thought Al-Qaida was on the run, in Afghanistan, or hiding somewhere in the Middle East. How did they get into the country, and how am I able to help?”
Agent Renfro leaned back in his chair, hanging on to the back with both hands. “That’s as much as I can tell you about what’s going on right now. I spoke with your boss,” he looked down at a piece of paper, “Dr. Clayton Brown. He assured me you are the brightest and most qualified scientist on their staff, and the most qualified to conduct the operation.”
David sat dumbfounded. He checked his mouth to make sure it wasn’t hanging open. “You must have caught Clayton on a good day. I’ve never heard him say anything good about anybody, with the exception of himself, that is.”
“Unfortunately,” Renfro continued, “the tunneling operation in Mexico was a trial run, if you will, for the next phase of The Yellowstone Brief.
David looked down at his walking cast and tapped his leg. “You realize I’m handicapped?” he said again.
“Look, if you don’t want to become involved any further, I’ll understand. You can get up and walk out of here, and we won’t bother you anymore...according to your boss, there is no one else who can come remotely close to making the next phase of The Yellowstone Brief successful. They recommended you for the Mexico tunneling, because you are the best of the best.”
“I’m taking it, you read somewhere I was a sucker for flattery?” Even though he was being sarcastic, David was intrigued. Maybe it was his curiosity, or his sense for adventure. Without even knowing what he was so qualified to do, he was considering accepting.
“Who will do it if I don’t?” David asked.
“Then we get your AWOL buddy, Magic, to do it.”
“Really? I’m sure Clayton Brown, didn’t recommend Trick. He was about to fire him.”
Renfro stood up and put the papers back into his folder. “Come on, David, we can play this game all night, but it’s way past my bedtime. You’re going to help us, am I right?”
David smiled at the vision of Trick being AWOL and in prison. Trick hadn’t been fired yet, only because their boss hadn’t caught up with him. They had kidded about a pink slip arriving by special delivery at David’s house. Now it appeared Clayton had found Trick and was handing out his punishment, sentencing him to the salt mines in Siberia, or the equivalent. Whatever The Yellowstone Brief was, it couldn’t be good. He couldn’t let Trick do whatever it was without his help. “How about a two-for-one proposition?”
“Two-for-one? Go ahead.” Renfro looked interested.
“You make sure Trick keeps his job and we will both help. Trick is a hell of a geologist. We work well together.”
“You’re sure? You haven’t heard what we want you to do.”
“It has to do with geology or volcanoes or we wouldn’t be talking. I haven’t been to spy school, so I’m pretty sure you don’t need me to take out terrorists.”
Renfro clamped his jaw and nodded his head as he thought it over. “I’m impressed, Dr. Wayne. If you can deliver on Mr. Magic, we have a deal.”
“Bring him in. I don’t think he’ll pass up the chance to keep his job, no matter where it takes us. If you haven’t heard, he just got married. It’s time for him to settle down.”
David and Trick had a late dinner at Sayler’s Old Country Kitchen in S.E. Portland. With the Feds footing the bill, there was nothing he could do to talk Trick out of ordering the 72 oz. steak. The restaurant was known for its signature steak, a slab of meat the size of a roast. If anyone could eat the entire meal in an hour, the meal was free. The catch was it included, in addition to the medium rare hunk of meat, salad and a baked potato.
“You’re never going to finish that,” David said, looking at the giant piece of meat the waiter set in front of Trick.
“Medium rare, just the way I like it,” Trick said, chewing vigorously. “Look at it this way, I’m saving the FBI money if I finish this. Every citizen should be as responsible as I.”
“And if you don’t finish it, it’ll cost them twice as much as my meal and you’ll be spending the night in the hospital, because you were too stubborn to give up.”
“Relax. You saw the newspaper articles plastered on the lobby wall. A 12-year-old kid finished one of these. How hard can it be?”
“You are so predictable; it hurts to talk to you sometimes.”
“How much time do I have left?”
“Don’t tell me you’re getting full already. You haven’t finished your salad. The rules state you must eat the complete meal, baked potato and all. You want another beer?”
Trick looked at David. “Sure. I may have bitten off more than I can chew, but I can still drink. You think they’ll garnish my wages, if I don’t finish this?”
“I won’t say, ‘I told you so’.”
“You just did. I’ll have that other beer and they can take this slab of beef away. I don’t think I’ll order another steak for awhile.”
“How can you drink another beer?”
Trick shrugged. “To get the taste of beef out of my mouth. I don’t suppose they’ll use me for an advertisement.” He put a napkin to his mouth and let out a loud burp. “Do you think that agent is still waiting in the lobby?” Trick pushed back from the table and put his napkin down.
“Probably. You know if you get up from the table, it’s all over. This is probably the most expensive meal the FBI has ever bought.”
“I think I need to visit the little boy’s room. I’ll let you know if he’s still there.” Trick walked out and left David sitting in the crowded restaurant.
When he returned, Trick sipped on his Alaskan Amber, a beer he’d discovered up north. It was too late to call Tanya. Maybe he could Email her. She wouldn’t be happy to know that, in less than an hours, he and David would be boarding a private jet, headed for Billings Montana. The FBI wasn’t wasting any time putting the two of them to work.
Seeing his disappointment, David said, “I know this sucks. You come and visit me on your honeymoon and now you’re headed to Montana. I suppose there are a lot of young men roaming around at the beach who will appreciate that.” He laughed.
“Did I ever tell you, you were bad luck?” Trick didn’t wait for David to answer. “Well, you are. If I didn’t feel a deep respect for this nation, I’d skip out and head back to Tanya, right now.”
David wasn’t buying Tricks feigned patriotism. “Give me a break. You’re here because you love a mystery as much as I do. It will be great working together....I hope.”
“Are you kidding? I almost joined the Marines when Liz and I split. The gig in Alaska was a close second.”
“Yeah, we know how that worked out.”
“I didn’t like the uniforms, okay!”
“More likely Uncle Sam didn’t trust you with a gun.”
“Ha, ha. You think I should call Tanya?”
“Don’t you mean, Striking Eagle? Go ahead. Can I listen in?”
“Better wait,” Trick said. “I can explain it all to her in the morning.”
August 23rd, Billings, Montana Airport
David woke up staring into the deep brown eyes of a woman dressed in a blue suit and a white blouse unbuttoned at the neck. For a few seconds, he thought he was still dreaming. She shook him gently. “Tighten your sea tbelt and put your seat back in the upright position. We will be landing in ten minutes.” He looked across the aisle of the small jet and saw the young woman was waking up Trick. This has got to be the worst honeymoon anyone has ever h
ad. I’ll be surprised if the marriage lasts a month. They had been told they were going to Yellowstone Park, but that was about all. He surmised The Yellowstone Brief had something to do with Yellowstone, but he wasn’t certain what. Of course, he knew Yellowstone was a super volcano, but it didn’t enter his mind that there was anything associated with the volcano. More likely it was some project associated with the thermal energy stored underneath Yellowstone. A monumental geothermal project that would power the United States for the future. That would be worthy of a terrorist plot to stop it. He and Trick would be using their skills to help determine if such a project was feasible. He couldn’t have been farther from the truth.
As they disembarked into the chilly morning air, at the bottom of the stairs, the young woman handed David a down jacket. He stood on the tarmac and watched Trick get the same treatment. “We’re twins,” Trick said, slipping on the coat. “Where do you think we are?”
David looked around. The sun was yet to rise. “I’ll bet we’re about to find out,” he said, as he watched a dark SUV approach. It stopped beside them. David could not see inside through the heavily tinted windows. The door opened.
“More suits,” Trick said. “I feel like I’m in the middle of a spy movie.”
Agent Renfro got out of the vehicle and stood with the door open. “We’ve only got a few minutes to get to the hanger. You fellas can sightsee another time. Get in.”
Seated inside the car, David asked Agent Renfro, “How did you get here? You weren’t on the plane with us.”
“While you were pigging out last night, I was working. I flew in and set things up for a briefing once we touch down in Yellowstone.”
“Yellowstone?” Trick asked. “First time I’ve heard that mentioned.
David had already been piecing things together. “Yeah, I guessed, The Yellowstone Brief? What better place to brief us on Yellowstone, than in the park itself. Not that I mind. It’s been a while since I’ve been there. I put in a summer there as a grad student. Great place for a volcanologist to study.”
