Overbrook Farms

by Neal Goldstein

  When she had not received authorization to act at the appointed time, and there was no reply to her calls to Ran and Kim, she left for the rendezvous.

  Qwon needed to find out if Ran Kang-Dae was working on his own, or if someone else was directing him. If it was the latter, who was behind the plot and why? Whom could she trust?

  Ten Minutes Earlier

  Kang-Dae checked the thermal images on the monitor and saw the heat profiles of four bodies in the back room of the farmhouse. He assumed the images were the boy and the men who had accompanied him. From the remoteness of the site and the open fields surrounding the building, he concluded that Montgomery had relocated to the rural location so they could land a helicopter there and move the boy without attracting undue attention.

  He was unaware that Benson and Hunter had staged the homing device and four mannikins with heating elements in the farmhouse and had exited to the tunnel where three members from the PPD tactical unit were already waiting for them. The remainder of the squad were in their vehicles a quarter mile from the property watching the vehicle that had parked across the road from the safe house.

  “We can’t wait for Qwon any longer,” Ran told his companion.

  “What do you mean?” Kim asked.

  “We have to take the boy now, before anyone else comes to assist them.” Kim checked the monitor, “But Qwon told us to wait.”

  “You can wait if you want. I’m getting the boy,” Kang-Dae said and got out of the car.

  Kim exited the vehicle, moved towards Ran, grabbed him and said, “She’s our leader. We should wait.”

  “We’re wasting time. We should kill the old man and the guards and grab the boy,” Ran shook out of the man’s grip and continued towards the farmhouse. Kim followed.

  Kang-Dae used a switchblade to depress the latch on the front door of the building and the two of them entered. They quickly moved to the back room and discovered that what they had believed was the boy and his companions were actually manikins.

  “It’s a trap!” Ran shouted, turned and ran back to the front of the building. When he got to the door, he felt light headed as he struggled with the lock. Within seconds both he and Kim were lying unconscious on the floor.

  Hunter, Benson and Loman, and the members of the tactical squad emerged from the tunnel. They were wearing gas masks. The tactical squad had pumped an odorless gas throughout the building that temporarily knocked the North Koreans out. By the time the rest of the group arrived, the two intruders had been hand -cuffed and secured to chairs.

  When he came to, Ran’s flat eyes stared blankly at Hunter. He smirked at the rest of his captors with a dismissive look. Ronald Kim, a short, stocky young man with unremarkable features of Korean lineage, slowly scanned the room as if looking for an escape route.

  “Where is Ms. Qwon?” Benson asked.

  Ran shifted his eyes to Benson and gave no response.

  Benson held the other man’s stare in silence. After a few seconds he said, “You and your colleague are under arrest for kidnapping Roger Montgomery, attempted murder,” Benson enumerated the list of offenses for several minutes and ended with the Miranda colloquy as the two North Korean agents sat in silence. When he concluded, Benson nodded to the leader of the tactical unit who gave the order to his squad to remove the suspects and transport them to the Detention Center where they would be processed.

  * * *

  After the police unit left, Benson said, “Too bad Qwon wasn’t with them. We could have nabbed her too.”

  Hunter shrugged, “I hear you. Do you think Scarface was acting on his own?”

  Benson let out a heavy breath, “Maybe,” he paused, “I still can’t figure out why he tried to kill Roger. If they wanted to eliminate the boy, Qwon could have done it with a lot less risk.”

  “Yeah, I agree. It’s been bothering me too.”

  “Did Montgomery get his lobbyist to set up a meeting with the National Security Advisor?”

  Hunter nodded, “Jarvis and Mr. Montgomery are meeting with him tomorrow morning. There’s going to be another summit with Kim Jong Un the end of the month. Let’s hope NCS can use Qwon and Ran as leverage to stop the DRPK’s plot to gain control of Montgomery’s company by killing his heirs.”

  Benson’s expression left little doubt of his lack of confidence in successfully convincing the President that the North Korean regime was not trustworthy.

  40

  Saturday morning, June 9, 2018, the White House, Washington D.C.

  “Gentlemen, the Advisor was called to an emergency meeting by the President. He apologizes for the change in schedule. His Chief of Staff can meet with you now if that’s satisfactory,” the National Security Advisor’s secretary told them when they entered the outer office. Before responding Jarvis looked over at Montgomery whose expression failed to conceal his annoyance.

  As Jarvis was about to respond, the door to the left of the secretary’s desk opened and a huge man with a ruddy complexion and a broad smile stepped into the ante-room, and loudly exclaimed as he extended his hand, “Len, you old goat, it’s great to see you!”

  Jarvis smiled as they shook hands. “Cleve, I didn’t know you worked for the Advisor,” he replied. “Mr. Montgomery, meet Cleveland Jackson…Rear Admiral Cleveland Jackson, an old friend from my Naval Intelligence days.”

  “Mr. Montgomery, it’s a pleasure to meet you. The Advisor asked me to step in for him. I assure you I’ll fill him in on whatever we discuss,” Jackson said. “Miriam, we’ll be meeting in the boss’ conference room if he calls,” he said to the secretary as he led them into the corridor.

  They entered a small paneled conference room and took seats around a highly polished mahogany table. At that moment the phone rang. Jackson shrugged apologetically, picked up the receiver and listened to the caller.

  “Yes sir, they’re here,” he responded. After another few seconds he said, “Yes, I told them what happened and that I would convey whatever they tell me directly to you.” Jackson listened again, raised his eyebrows and replaced the receiver.

  “It appears that POTUS is unhappy with something he heard on Fox News and wants to pull all of our forces out of Syria and bring them to the southern border to stop the caravan of invaders, who are coming to rape and murder our citizens,” Jackson said with only a hint of sarcasm.

  “Really?” Jarvis replied.

  Jackson averted his eyes momentarily and said, “Some nonsense like this happens almost every day. The Boss has to talk him off the ledge,” he cleared his throat and continued, “So, gentlemen what is it that you believe is vitally important to our nation’s interest that you wanted to tell the Advisor?”

  For the next forty-five minutes Montgomery and Jarvis relayed their story. When they finished, Rear Admiral Cleveland Jackson stared back at them and said, “That’s quite a tale.”

  “Admiral Jackson, Kim Jong Un never stopped his nuclear missile development program,” Montgomery concluded.

  “We know. What we didn’t know was the extent to which the DPRK has gone to evade the sanctions. Sending their agents to murder your family to seize control of your organization… It’s barbaric, unimaginable that they would kill children to accomplish their goal.”

  “Cleve, they’ve been starving their people and killing untold thousands for decades,” Jarvis commented. “Do you think your boss can help us?”

  Jackson locked eyes with Montgomery. “I know he’ll try, but the President is having a bromance with the Dear Leader, that murderous little shit. I’ll talk to the boss. I’m pretty confident POTUS wouldn’t want this to leak out before his summit in Vietnam.”

  41

  That afternoon, Southwest Detectives

  “There’s been a development,” Jarvis said when they assembled in the war room at Southwest Detectives later that day.

  “What?” Benson asked, he anticipated bad news whenever he had dealings with the feds.

  “The NSC Advisor’s chief of staff is an old budd
y of mine. The President called his boss for an emergency meeting so he met with us in his place. My friend believed everything we told him. On the train ride back, he called and told me he had shared all of it with the Advisor. The short story is the National Security Advisor also believes the North Koreans are not to be trusted.”

  Hunter shifted his glance to Montgomery who nodded his agreement. “Did your friend tell you what they plan to do?” he asked.

  Jarvis briefly broke eye contact with Hunter as if trying to come up with the proper way to explain what he had been told. He looked directly at Hunter and said, “It appears the President trusts Kim Jong Un. If the Advisor tells the President that Kim is playing him, and the Dear Leader denies it, the President would likely side with the North Korean.”

  “You got to be shittin me,” Benson retorted.

  “Unfortunately, I’m not.”

  “So, where does that leave us? Are we just supposed to sit back and let them kill Haley, Roger and Mr. Montgomery?” Hunter asked.

  Montgomery held up his hands and motioned Hunter to stop. “That’s not all of it.”

  “There’s more?”

  “Homeland is taking custody of Ran and his associate,” Jarvis said.

  “They can’t do that! We’re holding them on state felony charges,” Loman responded.

  “They’re claiming superseding jurisdiction based on the Patriot Act,” Jarvis said with a shake of his head.

  “Sounds like a load of crap to me,” Benson commented.

  “I think it’s time we leak what’s been going on to the press. You know, let the media know how the North Koreans are playing the President and his enablers for suckers,” he added.

  “Why don’t we keep our powder dry for now? Let’s give the NSC Advisor a chance to convince the President to tell Kim Jong Un to back off. Afterall, Qwon is still out there,” Jarvis said.

  * * *

  That afternoon, when he walked through the door, Hunter’s expression left little doubt that he was upset. “So, I take it the news from Jarvis and Montgomery wasn’t good,” Lena said.

  He forced a smile, “You could say that.” He glanced over at his son who was sitting in his swing chair sucking on his pacifier and looking at him with attentive eyes. The sight of his son melted his tension away and he returned his gaze to Lena. Now his smile was real, and told her what he had learned.

  She looked up at Hunter and asked, “Do you know what Homeland plans to do with the North Korean agents?”

  “No. Benny’s gonna ask Nikki if she can find out.”

  Carlos spit the pacifier out of his mouth and yelped. “I think your son’s ready for his bottle,” Lena said.

  Hunter lifted the baby out of the swing and followed Lena into the kitchen. As she was preparing the bottle she said, “You got another call from the docent at the Art Museum. She really wants to see your sculptures.”

  “Just what I need,” he replied grumpily.

  “She sounds determined. If I were you, I’d return her call.”

  That evening Benson called and told him Homeland was making arrangements to transport the North Koreans to the DPRK. “They’re taking them via military transport to Seattle and back to North Korea from there. Jarvis got conformation from his buddy at NSC. According to his contact the North Koreans deny any connection to Ran and the other man. They claim they have no agents in our country.”

  “And the President believes that?” Hunter asked.

  “Yes. The thing is, with the summit in Vietnam, I don’t think the DPRK wants to step on their collective dicks, if you know what I’m sayin, and neither does POTUS,” he responded.

  * * *

  Hunter finally capitulated and returned the docent’s call. The following morning, she pulled her Mini-Cooper into his drive way. “Mr. Carson, thanks for allowing me to see your work,” she said as she offered her hand.

  “Dr. Kimbro, I didn’t think I really had any other options,” he replied.

  “Please call me Lisa.”

  “And I’m Hunter. Follow me, my stuff’s out back,” he said and led her to the backyard.

  Lisa Kimbro, who had a PhD in Fine Arts, and Hunter spent the next two hours looking at and discussing the eight sculptures and other objects d’art assembled there. Kimbro took numerous pictures of each of his works, and copious notes of Hunter’s responses to her questions.

  “And you created all of this in your garage?”

  He nodded.

  “Can I see your studio?” she asked.

  “When you see it, I don’t think the term ‘studio’ is really accurate. Anyway, my wife made us some lunch. We can go to the garage afterwards.”

  When they entered the dining room Lena, Carlos, and Lena’s parents were already seated at the table. Hunter made the introductions.

  Kimbro’s glance lingered on Lena’s face and she said, “Your husband’s sculpture of you really captured your beauty.”

  Lena blushed.

  “I’ve been telling him for years he has talent,” Don Carlos said.

  Hunter ate his lunch silently as the rest of them talked about him as if he wasn’t there.

  Lena reached for his hand, “You’ve been awfully quiet,” she said.

  He looked around the room and said, “Dr. Kimbro, I’m truly flattered, but it’s just a hobby.”

  She shook her head and responded, “Mr. Carson, your work is remarkable…Really. I’m so happy you agreed to share it with me.”

  After lunch Hunter led Lisa Kimbro to his garage. Before he opened the door, he warned, “I’m pretty sure it’s not what you’re accustomed to.”

  Her eyes widened in amazement as she scanned the cramped space. All along the back wall lay stacks of metal scraps, broken parts of bicycles and machinery, and other odds and ends. In the corner of the room was the welding equipment and a work bench. “You created all of your spectacular sculptures here?”

  He nodded.

  She took another look around and asked, “Can you tell me more about how you discovered your gift. You said you had no formal training. Did your parents teach you?”

  Hunter studied the woman’s face, wondering why she was so interested in his background; the source of what she referred to as his ‘gift.’ “No,” he replied

  “Did your mother or father have artistic talent? Or your grandparents, or any other members of your family?”

  “I don’t know.”

  She looked confused, and he felt compelled, for reasons he did not fully understand, to tell her more. “My mother died when I was very young- I was eight years old. I never met my father.”

  He could see her face flush with embarrassment, “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to...”

  He waved, “No, it’s alright.”

  “So, how did you recognize your talent?”

  He shifted his eyes to a pile of metal hangers that lay on the floor under his work bench and smiled, remembering a distant memory. “I’m not sure. When I was a child, for as long as I can remember I drew things. I scribbled on the walls and made chalk drawings on the pavement. I made little toys out of wire hangers. At first, my mother would scold me. And then she stopped; she taped paper on the walls and let me draw on them.

  “I remember making drawings of her. She was so beautiful…and then she wasn’t,” he stopped and let out a deep breath.

  “Did you continue to draw after your mother passed away?”

  His eyes narrowed and the corners of his mouth tuned down. “No.”

  From his dower expression she realized she had pushed the topic as far as Hunter was willing to go. “One more question?” she asked.

  He nodded.

  “What’s with all of the wire hangers?”

  Hunter smiled, turned to the workbench and lifted the tarp off of an object that sat on the table revealing a partial skeletal sculpture of a woman holding a baby.

  “You use the wire as the foundation for your sculpture?”

  “Usually, but sometimes copper p
ipe, or wood. It depends on the size and scale of the piece.”

  Lisa shook her head in amazement and took several photos of the object.

  When she stopped Hunter said, “Lisa, did Lena tell you I don’t want to exhibit my work?”

  “Yes, she mentioned it. Can I ask you why?”

  He shrugged and said, “Let’s just go with I’m shy. OK?”

  42

  Monday, June 11, 2018, Michael Montgomery’s home, Radnor, PA

  “What do you mean Ran’s missing?” Len Jarvis asked Rear Admiral Cleveland Jackson.

  Jackson had called his friend to alert him to the fact that Ran Kang-Dae was not on the flight from Seattle to Korea.

  “I haven’t received a full report yet, but from what I’ve been told so far, Ran overpowered his guards when they were taking him from his cell to the plane and escaped. Homeland has a BOLO on him.”

  “What about the other agent, Kim?”

  “He’s still in custody.”

  Jarvis took a few seconds to digest what he had just been told.

  “Len, you still on the line?”

  “Yes.”

  “Look, it wasn’t our idea to release Scarface to the DPRK. That order came directly from POTUS,” Jackson said.

  “This is turning out to be a bigger cluster fuck than I ever imagined,” Jarvis opined. “My guys aren’t going to like this development,” he added.

  “I hear you. My boss is going ape shit. I just wanted to give you a heads up.”

  “Do you think Qwon was involved in his escape?” Jarvis asked.

  “There’s no report of her being seen there. Our thinking is Ran didn’t want to return to North Korea because he and Qwon were both on Kim Jun Un’s shit list.”