“And how do you know each other?” asked JR.
Britney gave a sly smile as she said, “we went to summer camp together.” Zoe had the image of the posh Australian model Brittany Thompson in her head instead of the Oklahoman cowgirl in front of her now.
This woman was the stereotypical rodeo queen, long blonde hair, Wrangler jeans, plaid shirt, boots, and a large belt buckle.
JR seemed taken aback by Timmons, thought Zoe. He was looking her over.
But not as a man interested in her. With a shrewd look, JR said, “it wasn’t summer camp.”
Zoe saw the flash of surprise in Britney’s eyes. “JR knows the basics.” Now, Zoe saw relief.
“You told him? Isn’t that against protocol?” asked Timmons.
“The situation called for him to know the truth.” Zoe was unused to discussing this secret still. She slipped her arm around JR’s waist, and said, “the person we’re extracting is a friend.”
Zoe was not sure if the questioning look JR gave her was because of the sudden closeness between them or his feeling the shoulder harness with the Sig P320. She left it unanswered, for now.
Britney raised an eyebrow at the level of comfort Zoe and JR exhibited. “When do we go?”
“Tomorrow. Once we extract Katie, we’re to proceed to the Ranch.” Zoe looked to JR, and asked, “earlier, you mentioned having a way to transport us. What do you have in mind?”
With a sly smile, JR said, “my dad bought an RV with his retirement. I think it would serve us well to use it.”
Zoe could see the questioning on Britney’s face. “If anyone has the right to help us, it’s JR. Besides, we need someone on-site running comms. And, I’m sure an RV would be more comfortable than a semi-trailer.”
Placated, Britney asked, “when do we meet up with the others?”
“In the morning at the armory. They’ll have the rig we need to get in and out unnoticed,” said Zoe. She tossed her keys to Britney, and said, “you can sleep in my bed.” A look crossed her face as she continued, “I plan to spend the night with my boyfriend.” With that, Zoe led a surprised JR upstairs for the night.
◆◆◆
Once upstairs, JR asked, “how often do you carry a gun?”
“Usually, I carry a P238 in my purse. It’s a micro, chambered as a .380. That gun could be stuffed into my jeans pocket and you wouldn’t know I had it.”
“I’ve seen some of the jeans you wear. How could it not be noticed?”
Zoe flushed with embarrassment. For a moment, she thought back to her life as Daphne. Men rarely noticed Daphne, for her looks like JR had just implied. Sometimes Zoe forgot how much her life had been changed because of that one story.
“This is a Sig P320.” Zoe forced her mind back to the present. “Same as the army uses. No, I take that back. This is the compact M18 variant,” said Zoe. “NATO-standard 9mm. More stopping power than the P238. I switched to this because the threat level around us has risen.”
She had removed her jacket and slipped off the shoulder harness. Zoe pulled the weapon from the holster, setting it on the nightstand, and the holster was hung from a chair.
She then undressed for bed as JR watched, almost dumbfounded. She made her way to the dresser, guessing correctly which drawer JR kept his t-shirts. She was down to her undergarments, she removed her bra and slipped into the t-shirt.
A sad smile played across her lips as she said, “sorry, I think you’re going to be disappointed tonight. I’m still tired from that cognitive reset. All you’re gonna get is us sharing the bed.” Zoe yawned as she pulled back the covers. She was asleep before her head fully hit the pillow.
JR crawled into the bed beside Zoe, and said, “that’s okay.” He saw the small smile form as he pulled her closer.
THIRTY-THREE
Monitor did not need to receive updates on the investigation regarding the disappearance of Robert Fritz. He had assigned an intelligence officer, a spook, to monitor the FBI.
Damn, not being able to operate in the States, Monitor thought. The careless actions of a few within the Cabal were going to bring all that had been built up after 9/11 down.
The Minerva Program was started to gather intelligence via the new social media outlets that arose with commercial use of the internet. The ancillary projects created as the technology boom expanded into other sectors, including bio-tech.
Project Aurora was the Company’s codename for the research that created Zoe Mills and the one who had formerly been Katie Sikora. Monitor had high hopes when Project Aurora was proposed. Now he was unsure.
The more that was revealed to be falsified by the Ranch, the more Monitor was tempted to mothball Aurora.
Liquidate Mills and Sikora.
Loose ends that needed trimming.
All because Fritz got hacked, Monitor thought. He knew none of it was true. The cleaners found the remnants of the hack. It was excellent work, by the hacker. There was enough to expose Fritz as a traitor. Monitor knew Fritz better, though. This was to expose more than Fritz. Monitor was sure of that.
The partnerships with the technology sector created by the Minerva Program gave the CIA a strong intelligence gathering apparatus that extended the world over.
The ancillary projects, like Aurora, had the potential to take human intelligence gathering and tradecraft into previously unobtainable heights.
Then, there were the financial benefits reaped from the Minerva Program to consider. Monitor had benefited from the technology boom just as Fritz and the other cutouts had. The assets gained were not strictly legal and would lead to more questions. And possibly convictions.
Monitor’s plan was to keep track of the FBI investigation and then bring Fritz back to Langley before the San Jose field office realized what had really caused Fritz’s disappearance.
If Monitor could not accomplish that task quickly enough, every cutout he had embedded in the tech industry would be at risk of exposure. The Company would face Congressional hearings.
Left unchecked, this would grow to an unmitigated disaster. And Monitor knew it would be his head on the chopping block. Stop it now, and it would be Fritz taking the fall.
THIRTY-FOUR
The first thing Fritz realized upon waking up was he was strapped to a bed. The second, Robert Fritz, did not exist anymore. But Roger Green did not come away clean. He had been burned too. Fritz vaguely remembered getting into the Black Ford Transit van two blocks from his office. Someone injected me with something, he thought.
Fritz did not know how long he had been knocked out. The room he was in was sterile, like a hospital room. He saw no clock and no windows. His training at the Farm, the CIA’s training ground, had been rudimentary.
Fritz worked as a cutout.
Wetwork, actual work of spies was accomplished by others in the Company. Fritz only needed to know the basics of an interrogation. No one ever expected a cutout based in the United States to need comprehensive training.
He tugged at his restraints. They had only a small amount of give, but not enough to get free. Fritz noticed someone had changed him into hospital clothes. He realized he must have been out for some time because of the intravenous tube attached to the back of his hand.
Panic set in for Fritz. He had been groggy the first few minutes awake, but now he recognized the room he was in. He had never been here himself. Regardless, Fritz recognized the room where Daphne Meyers had been inducted into the Aurora Project. He knew he was in trouble now. The Cabal, or worse, the Company arranged this; he thought.
◆◆◆
one back on its cradle. Stein wanted to know the moment Robert Fritz was awake. They had planned something special for the interrogation. This will be interesting, thought Smith.
Calvin Stein joined Smith in the control room. “How long has he been awake?”
“A few minutes. Other than pulling at the restraints, he’s done nothing. Hasn’t said a word either.”
“I’ll let him wonder what’s going
on for a while. It will be more interesting if Mills does the interrogation.” With that, Stein headed back to his office. At the door, he stopped and asked, “do we have other labs prepped? We may need several.”
“We have three ready and a couple on standby. We have some guest rooms prepped as well.”
“Good. I’d expected to be winding things down, but we seem to be doing the opposite. I’ll be back in an hour or two. Maybe I’ll stop in to see our guest then.”
◆◆◆
While Fritz is cooling his heels, I can checkup on Gomez, thought Stein. He had Charlie monitoring any e-mails the man sent. Someone had given the actual research to the CIA. They called it the Aurora Project. At least it’s clever and accurate, he thought. Any passing doubts for the plan to assist Zoe Mills and to escape the confinement inflicted upon him by the Cabal were gone. Stein was horrified that his research was actively controlled by the CIA.
PART V
THIRTY-FIVE
Remorse was an unfamiliar experience for Katarzyna. Then again, most emotions outside of anger and jealousy were new to her. She had never understood how her actions affected Katie.
Now she did.
Katarzyna had despised Katie for being weak. But all the time Katarzyna had been in control had shown her how strong Katie could be.
Without Katie protecting them from what these people were trying to program Katarzyna to become caused her to shudder. It also caused her righteous anger to flare.
Soon, we will be out of this place, she thought.
Soon, Katie will be safe again.
Katrina sighed, the thought crossed her mind that she would fade to the background again. She was fine with that now. Katarzyna understood how her and Katie’s connection worked. It was mutual protection.
They were two parts of a single person. Katarzyna suspected she would dream of Katie again tonight. The dreams had been helpful to bolster Katie. Their shared strength would be vital in the coming days. Katarzyna knew, though, she was uncertain of how she did.
◆◆◆
This was more vivid than the others thought Katarzyna. The others had taken place at the pizzeria.
This one was odd.
It was on a deck she recognized. Katarzyna was sitting on the deck at JR’s house. The house she had coveted when she tried to force Katie to marry JR. She realized how immature she had been, and how it had made Katie look in JR’s eyes.
Shame. Another new emotion.
“You know, I can feel your emotions,” said Katie. She had a smile on her face and looked better than the other times Katarzyna saw her. In fact, she looked physically different. She looks more like I do, Katarzyna thought.
“I know your thoughts too. And yes, I am getting stronger. I hate to say it, but your anger has helped. It is a good anger though, not based out of pettiness or jealousy,” said Katie.
Katarzyna suspected Katie chose this place for a reason. She saw a knowing smile flash across Katie’s face and said, “it annoys me that our mental exchange is only one way. But, I understand why.”
“I thought you’d like to be outside. It’s a nice day,” said Katie.
“There’s another reason too.”
“Maybe this exchange isn’t as one way as you think.” Katie had been standing by the rail but made her way closer to Katarzyna. “You’re right, though. We have to let JR go. He’ll be happier without us. Although, I think we’ll still be good friends.”
Katarzyna smiled. “Something we agree on. Imagine that. He probably wouldn’t recognize us anymore.”
Katie smiled and said, “we are quite the looker now. I also have a message from the outside that was hidden in the simulation today. Three words. ‘Tomorrow. Be ready.’”
THIRTY-SIX
Robert Gomez knew they should be winding down operations. It puzzled him that rooms were prepped for new arrivals. Gomez was looking forward to when he could leave the Ranch. He had been brought in as a genetics specialist.
But he was a fraud.
He had stolen his research assistant’s work and passed it off as his own. The Cabal took an interest in the concept of DNA re-sequencing. The purpose was to cure cancer, but his new employer had other ideas.
It was apparent early on that Gomez did not possess the skills to make the genetic re-sequencing work. The Cabal confronted him, and he struck a deal. His assistant would join the Ranch and he would provide information on the projects. There was monetary remuneration for the information, of course.
Gomez had several million dollars in a Cayman bank for his troubles. He intended to use it. And soon.
At the moment, though, Gomez wondered why Calvin Stein wanted to see him. Their specialties only overlapped on one project.
And that should end soon.
Only the people still at the Ranch left to process, Gomez thought. Except, for all those the Cabal had lined up. That information had garnered Gomez’s largest payout to date.
Stein’s office door was open. He was going through some papers. Gomez knocked lightly on the doorframe to announce his arrival. Stein looked up and said, “come on in Rob. We have a few things to discuss.”
“I thought with this place shutting down, you’d stop with the paperwork,” said Gomez. He stepped into the office, sliding into the chair in front of Stein’s desk.
Stein smirked. “We have to keep up appearances as long as possible.”
“Of course,” said Gomez.
“Speaking of appearances, have you given any thought to yours? I mean, for once we’re out.” Stein was keeping the tone light. Maybe we’ll be out of here sooner, Gomez thought.
“Someone much younger and better looking.”
Stein laughed at that. “Just like everyone else. It seems we’ve created the fountain of youth.” The nod was almost imperceptible, and Gomez gave it no further thought. “For you, it would work with all that money you’ve made selling secrets,” said Stein. The smile was gone. Gomez sensed someone behind him. “There’s no point in denying it.”
Gomez made to stand. He needed to leave the room. No, he thought, I need to leave the Ranch. Strong hands wrenched him back into the chair. Stein made his way around the desk, syringe in hand. “I wouldn’t fight. It’s been a while since I had to do this,” said Stein.
“I didn’t have a choice. They were going to kill me.”
“Rob, we’ve all been dead since we got here. This will go easier if you don’t fight. We’re just going to sedate you,” said Stein.
Gomez did not believe that, but saw no alternative. He stopped struggling. Stein administered the sedative, but before Gomez was completely under its effect he heard Stein say, “take him to lab three and strap him to the bed.”
◆◆◆
Back to our guest, thought Stein. Charlie was still in the control room. “Any change?”
“He asked for a drink of water a few minutes ago,” said Smith.
Fritz is taking this well, thought Stein. “I guess I should let our guest know who’s hosting him.”
Stein used his keycard to open the door to lab one. A necessary security precaution, he thought. Stepping through the doorway, he saw Robert Fritz still strapped to the bed, eyes closed. Stein used a friendly approach in his greeting. “Fritz, it’s nice to meet you in person.”
Eyes open now, Robert Fritz had a wary look, and asked, “why am I here?”
Appears he does not want the friendly approach. Fine, thought Stein, I can be just as direct. “To answer some questions. But not right now.”
Fritz looked agitated. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Stein smiled. Charlie’s latest nanobot improvement had worked. “From that facial tick, I’d say that was not truthful. Did you hear a buzz when it happened?”
Fritz nodded.
“That would be our version of ‘enhanced interrogation methods.’ We’ll know every time you are less than truthful. I’m not going to question you. Someone else will take care of that.”
“So why a
re you here then?”
“You must be uncomfortable strapped to the bed. If you agree to cooperate, we can loosen the straps.” Stein asked to test Fritz’s truthfulness. “I’ll cooperate,” said Fritz. His face betrayed him, though.
◆◆◆
“Unfortunately, I know you won’t. Facial tick.” Stein turned and retreated out the same door he entered moments ago, leaving Robert Fritz strapped to the hospital bed.
THIRTY-SEVEN
Gomez and Stein were the last left at the Ranch. The others had drifted away. Most had received similar training as Mills. Skills that they did not have before, many had alterations that made them look very different. Others had subtle changes, but everyone would walk away with the identities created through hacking various government systems.
The plan was for Stein and Gomez to seal themselves in a portion of the underground bunker. The blueprints of the former government facility had been altered to hide from the cabal. Once the cabal hacked their computers to take the faked research, the facility’s known portions would have cave-in via explosives previously placed. Stein and Gomez would undergo their treatments while hiding.
The breach came earlier than expected. Stein and Gomez would have two minutes to secure themselves or die in the facility. Gomez grabbed the ampules that contained the planned DNA modifications for him and Stein. They secured themselves in the protected area with less than ten seconds to spare.
Project Aurora (Hope Novak Thrillers) Page 10
