Back-Tracker

by Bob Blink

  “I already put people to work on that. They are almost all back in place.”

  An hour later Jake checked into his hotel. He had the ID that would allow him into FBI headquarters, and the Sig that Carlson had mentioned. He wondered how the shouting match between Laney and Carlson would go, but that was out of his hands. He checked in his mind, sensing himself a short way back, which had to be since he’d arrived in Washington. He still felt something that pushed him away from back-tracking, but it didn’t seem as sharp as it’d been in the past.

  After reaching his room, he checked the time. Given the three hours difference, it wasn’t too late to call Karin. She wasn’t going to be happy about how things were going.

  Chapter 27

  They arrived at FBI headquarters early the next morning. Jake couldn’t help recalling the various visits he’d made to this building in the past, starting with the first time he’d turned himself in to Carlson when he’d come to thwart the attack in Atlanta. That visit was no longer part of any record other than the one in his head, part of a swirl of conflicting memories representing events that had now no longer happened. Sometimes he wondered how his mind was able to sort out the valid memories from those that he’d acquired along the way. Perhaps that was why his head reacted to his continued back-tracking. It was becoming too filled with random bits that didn’t apply to reality. Going back this far was opening up the possibility of far too many changes to what he recalled as history. He didn’t really believe that. He’d checked this morning, as he always did since waking in the hospital, and found that he felt even less aversion to the possibility of back-tracking. He was getting better, he was sure of it. He’d also get an official position from the doctor Carlson had arranged for him to see.

  He followed Carlson through the line and toward the guards that validated those wishing to enter the building. Jake had passed through the gates in handcuffs, had been escorted by Carlson and Laney, but this was the first time he had credentials of his own that not only authorized him access, but to enter carrying a weapon. He slid the card with its magnetic strip into the reader and placed his hand on the scanner so it could check his print against the print on the card. Jake hadn’t been happy to have his print on file, but Carlson assured him this system was separate from the FBI’s massive database. It simply compared the card, the local database and the thumbprint for consistency. There was no way they would use the information to trace back to Jake Waters. The light flashed green, and Jake passed through, the scanner beeping as it detected the metal of his Sig, but the guard simply smiled as he walked on.

  On the upper floor where Carlson had her office, Jake sat in one of the two comfortable chairs in front of her desk and scanned the eight by ten photographs in the manila folder she had handed him. These were photos of the agents, reporters, and cops who had learned a little too much about Bob Trask the last time through this effort. Jake scanned each, fixing the likenesses in his mind and trying to pin down when he’d encountered each of them. The faces he recalled, but for most, not the circumstances under which he’d encountered them.

  While Jake was looking at the photos, Agent Jim Laney stepped into the office. Jake could see that Laney had had a rough night. His eyes were somewhat bloodshot with heavy bags showing, and while Jake couldn’t pin down what was askew, somehow even Laney’s normally immaculate attire appeared slightly less perfect than normal. Laney shot a quick glance at Jake, said nothing, and turned his attention to Carlson.

  “They’re assembling in the conference room,” he said.

  “We best get going,” she said to Jake.

  The meeting was scheduled in a large conference room on the same floor as Susan’s office. In addition to Jake and Laney, eighteen other FBI agents had been invited to the briefing. Most were chatting while taking advantage of the coffee and pastries spread out on the large table at the rear. When Susan stepped into the room, the idle conversations quickly quieted down as the participants took their seats. Jake and Laney took chairs that had been set aside for them near the front of the room.

  Everyone in the room knew generally what the meeting was about, but Carlson took the time to walk through what had been learned thus far. While she was doing so, Jake let his eyes scan those in the room. Two of the faces Jake had just studied in Carlson’s office were present in the meeting. The other agents would get involved as the scope of the problem grew over the next week. Neither was paying him any attention, their eyes focused on Carlson and what she was saying.

  Carlson pointed to Agent Laney.

  “Jim will be lead for this activity. Funnel all information through him. He will keep me informed, and in turn I’ll pass along anything pertinent to the Director. I’ll also be working with outside agencies where necessary. Paired with Jim is an outside contractor, Bob Trask.”

  Jake felt the eyes shift to him.

  “Bob has worked with me before and is an expert on the kinds of weapons we are seeing. He knows how and where they might be deployed, and if he gives you instructions, even if they don’t seem to make sense, follow them without hesitation. He might just save your life.”

  “Another thing so there is no misunderstanding later. Bob is armed just like the rest of us. He is an experienced operator and an accomplished shooter. He has full authorization to use his sidearm, or any other weapon he feels comfortable with should the need arise. I’ll take full responsibility for his actions in that regard.”

  Carlson then explained what they knew of the devices that had been discovered, showing slides of them, both assembled and broken down.

  “Do not attempt to disable any device you locate,” Carlson warned. “They are very deadly, and should be removed and made safe by the special team of experts we have assembled. Also, we don’t want to take any chance that disturbing the devices might alert those who placed them in the first place. The devices we have discovered thus far have had no broadcast capability, perhaps because they might reveal their presence, but we can’t count on that always being the case. One of the difficult parts of this task will be to maintain the search while not revealing we are aware of the existence of the weapons. You will be operating under the guise of employees of the Department of Health and Public Safety, and will be making a check of the facilities around Washington.”

  Carlson assigned the agents in pairs and passed out assignments each team was to focus on. Agents were assigned to chase down the cases, the electronics, and the manufacturing of the anthrax agent. Others were assigned organizations and individuals to pursue. Sister agencies were to be polled, and undercover assets and spies within the various militant groups questioned about new members, unusual activities, or other changes that could suggest those organizations might be involved.

  “We will meet briefly each morning in this room at seven,” Carlson said. “One reason you are working in pairs is so that at least one of you can be present for that meeting. Those who have teams will be responsible for gathering inputs and bringing a summary to this meeting. Any questions?”

  There were quite a few, and it took almost another forty-five minutes before the agents were satisfied and the meeting broke up.

  “Looks like we’re together,” Laney said after everyone else had left. “I want to go over to the museum and have a look at where the original devices were located. Is that acceptable to you?”

  Jake was fairly certain that it didn’t matter whether Jake agreed or not, but that was what they had done when they began their investigation the last time around so it was more than acceptable.

  “I have to make a stop at the hospital for that test,” Jake reminded Laney.

  “Okay, hospital, and then we’ll go to the museum.”

  At the museum, Jake led the way without realizing he was doing so. Laney had visited the museum before, but he didn’t know the way to the roof where the mechanical rooms were located along with the air conditioning for the building. Jake was moving on automatic, thinking about what the visit to the hospital had re
vealed.

  “This is good news,” the doctor had said when he stepped into the office where Jake and Laney had been waiting after the scans were completed. “I’ll want an expert to have a closer look, but from what I can tell, there is no swelling visible at all. Whatever problem you had before seems to have cleared up.”

  The doctor had activated a flat monitor screen which displayed the image that had been taken of Jake’s head. It meant nothing to Jake, even with the doctor’s attempts to show him key areas. What he got from the explanation was that all signs of his problem appeared to have disappeared. For that reason, or the fact he’d been off the medications for a couple of days, his head no longer felt stuffy. The only lingering indication he’d had a problem at all was the nagging discomfort with any thought of activating his ability. Jake wondered if that was simply fear, and not a real manifestation of a problem.

  When they came to the alarmed doorway that led to the roof levels, Laney asked, “Shouldn’t we have looked for someone to show us around?”

  “Karl Peterson,” Jake said, shaking his head. “Sorry, my mind was elsewhere. He’s the guy who found the devices. He has an office around here nearby.”

  Peterson was an older man, his hair graying, his face narrow and lined. Even his eyes were gray and sad looking. He was sitting in his office, reading the latest Guns and Ammo magazine when they found him. Obviously a slow day. Laney showed him his FBI identification and explained what they wanted. Peterson nodded and led the way back to the door they’d been at a few minutes before. He’d been escorting a number of people up to the roof of late and had thought they were finally done.

  Jake called out the six-digit electronic code just before Peterson punched it in.

  “How did you know that?” he asked. “They just changed it this morning.”

  “Lucky guess,” Jake said and smiled at Laney.

  They followed Peterson up the wide stairs onto the lower roof area. Peterson led them across to one corner, then used a key to open the double doors to the air conditioning unit.

  “There it is,” Peterson said, pointing to the cylinder that was just over a foot in diameter and eighteen inches high. On the top end a large black hard rubber cap hid the valves and radio gear that controlled the release of the contents.

  “Your people put that one back the day before yesterday. They told me it was inert, and that I should ignore it and not say anything to anyone about it.”

  Jake examined the mounting. A wide strap held the unit securely in a professional looking installation. If he didn’t know otherwise, it could have been a legitimate part of the equipment. The tank looked to be a couple of years old, with cosmetically placed scratches and marks in the paint. The tank was positioned so that the vented contents would be picked up by the intake to the AC unit and spread throughout the building.

  “How many AC units does this facility have?” Laney asked.

  “Eight,” Peterson replied, “but only four of them had tanks like these installed.”

  “Show us one of the others,” Jake asked.

  Peterson led them across to another corner, and opened another set of doors. They could have been looking at the same piece of equipment, except this one had a large splotch of paint on the ducting and, as Peterson had implied, no conspicuous tank.

  Laney asked the predictable questions. Who had access? Who knew the codes? Who worked in the facility and might be able to break in?

  Peterson explained the codes were changed remotely. They were controlled by some government office downtown. They controlled the access to all of these buildings. Supposedly the doors were monitored and the official logs should note when the doors were opened. Their coming up here would be noted. However, Peterson had overheard some of the other agents talking. The official records showed no unusual trips to the roof during the past month. Somehow those records had been purged.

  Jake suspected the cleaning crew or someone who pretended to be a part of the legitimate work force. The large barrels they pushed around on wheels could easily have hidden one of the tanks. A sufficiently skilled hacker could have gotten them past the locks.

  “You were asked to check all of the units every morning I understand?” Laney asked.

  Peterson nodded.

  Laney handed him a card. “Contact me if you see any change. It doesn’t make sense to me that those other units weren’t modified. I don’t think these people are finished here.”

  Jake smiled to himself. Laney’s instincts were good. Peterson would contact him in a couple of days and it would yield an important lead.

  “You were showing off with the code,” Laney said as he and Jake headed into the parking lot.

  “Trying to demonstrate I have some advance knowledge of what is coming,” Jake replied. “I need you to understand my ability is real.”

  “But you can’t do it now?” Laney asked.

  “I don’t know for certain. I’m feeling better about the possibility, but something in my head is warning me to stay away, at least for now.”

  “But you remembered the code? If I believe what you’ve said, it has to have been more than six months in your reference since you saw that code. That’s a long time to remember something like that.”

  “I have a good memory. Exceptional, actually. Memories are the only thing I can carry back with me, so I’ve developed the skill of recalling details.”

  Laney was silent for a bit, then asked. “You saved Kerns, didn’t you? Why did you use the Mathews name that time?”

  “I hadn’t been able to reach Carlson. I wanted her to realize what had happened. It was a calling card for her.”

  “You could have called me. You said we’d worked together a lot by that time.”

  “Then, as now, you don’t recall any of those times. You wouldn’t have known who I was or believed any more then than you do now that I had advance knowledge. I couldn’t count on your taking action.”

  “You save Kerns, but as Mathews you killed all those other people. Carlson and I chased you for years.”

  “They were mass murderers. Go through the reports sometime and think about what is suggested. Their actions never took place for you because I stopped them. I had no choice. Hundreds of innocent people would have died. But, you have no idea how glad I was when Carlson figured it out and agreed to be a conduit for what I knew.”

  “That’s where I have trouble,” Laney said. “Why didn’t Carlson confide in me. You’ve said we worked together. This makes me feel like I don’t really know her.”

  “That was my fault,” Jake admitted. “We should have included you, but enough had happened that I wanted the security of limiting who was aware of me. She tried to convince me otherwise, but I threatened to run and change my name.”

  Laney shot Jake a final look as they approached the rental. Jake could tell that Laney still wasn’t convinced, but at least he wasn’t as openly hostile as he’d been before.

  Chapter 28

  The first two days were mostly spent getting organized. The various groups had to bring together their people, put in place the tasks to be accomplished, and begin making calls and putting out feelers, or visiting the identified locations. This kind of thing took time, something they didn’t know how much of they had.

  “This is ridiculous,” agent Lloyd Miller complained loudly at the morning meeting on the start of the third day. “We spent an entire day with the full team I have been given and haven’t progressed more than a couple of blocks from where we started. It will take months to examine all of the possible hiding places with the manpower we have. We need to forget the secrecy, and put out a call for the maintenance people of every building and facility in the area to search for anything out of place. We need to get the police involved. They have far more manpower. Then we might be able to respond to what is found by the people we have.”

  Carlson listened to the complaint, knowing the agent’s claim was true. Unfortunately, Jake said they had tried that approach when he’d fi
rst been brought to Washington the first time they had dealt with this problem. How could she explain to the frustrated agent that the open search had caused someone to trigger the devices in place, resulting in thousands of deaths? She was aware they could never find all of the hidden devices this way, but Jake had assured her that this approach would yield the clues and information needed to find those behind the plan.

  “We cannot risk alerting those behind the placement of the canisters,” she said. “We have to hope your searches will locate some of the weapons, and that by questioning those in the facility we find someone who has seen something that leads us where we need to go. You know how it works.”

  Miller shook his head in frustration. “I think we are approaching this all wrong,” he said.

  “But you found something?” Carlson pointed out.

  “We didn’t find it,” Miller responded. “A broken compressor unit on one of the air conditioners in a mall almost two miles from the museum buildings brought in a repairman. He noted right away that there was something there that shouldn’t be. He called in security, and word got to us.”

  “It was the same kind of unit?” Laney asked.

  Miller nodded. “There were actually a number of units spread throughout the air conditioners that service the mall. They have all been disabled and are no longer a danger. No one knows when they might have been put in place, by the way.”

  Another agent wanted to pursue the matter farther. “All of the units we have discovered are synchronized to a trigger date that is more than three weeks from now. That gives us time if we knew where they were all located. I realize that there is the remote trigger capability, but you explained in yesterday’s briefing that we know the frequency they are using and can monitor for any signals. Why can’t we simply block the transmission at that frequency, and prevent them from triggering the devices? That would allow us to use the manpower as Lloyd suggested.”