Covert Interview

by Missy Marciassa

  “I said loyalty to the agency, Ms. Paquet.”

  She understood but didn’t want to veer into that direction. “I’m not a field operative!”

  “We know you can think on your feet: you did an impressive job last spring.” He was talking about when terrorists attempted to steal her laptop with her master’s thesis, which would have told them how the CIA planned to undermine their plot. Elle had thought fast enough to wipe the laptop first.

  “Fifteen minutes,” Mason said, pulling out an envelope. “Upload the program to your father’s computer. It’ll look exactly like their program but includes your modifications. Since his computer is connected to the corporation’s network, the program will be able to infiltrate the network and replace the original one without detection.”

  Just like a virus. Mason held out the envelope. “We’ve thoroughly assessed the situation. This is low-risk. Your father doesn’t have armed guards, and even if he did, they wouldn’t shoot his daughter.”

  How could Elle explain? Explain that her relationship with her father- nor her mother, for that matter- was not “normal”? She couldn’t just stop by: she wasn’t welcome to just drop in on their vacations with their families. And even if she could, while they may not be close, it didn’t mean she wanted to… to… spy on them. “I- I want to help, really I do- I want to support the agency- but his wife and I are not… close. He probably would prefer I wasn’t-”

  “Don’t stay at the villa with them then. Just drop by for a visit.”

  Elle closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead.

  “Fifteen minutes,” Mason repeated, dropping the envelope on her desk. “And then enjoy a weekend in the South of France. On us.”

  Elle stared at the envelope. She couldn’t even process all this. Rather than say anything else, she opened the envelope. There was a receipt for an e-ticket for a flight to France. It left the next day. She pulled out a couple of credit cards and some cash, too. “You knew I’d agree?”

  Mason rose, setting a usb drive down next to the envelope. “I had confidence in your commitment.”

  Commitment was important but where did principles and morals come into play? This was the CIA…

  “I do have one concern,” she said, and he immediately paused. “It’s about my supervisor here: Evelyn Raleigh.”

  When Mason simply looked at her, she continued. “She- she doesn’t want me here.” When he just continued to look at her, she felt like she had to elaborate. “She doesn’t want any technological advancement for ‘her library.’”

  Mason shrugged. “She doesn’t have the authority to terminate you without cause, so be sure not to give her cause. Cooperate with her. If she doesn’t want you to improve this-” He glanced at her old desktop, “outdated system, that’s fine. More time you can spend on my projects.” He turned off and unplugged the white noise machine before putting it into his backpack.

  He had a good point there. She nodded as he left.

  Elle heard Raleigh’s voice in the hallway.

  “Did you just complete your consultation with Miss Paquet?” She must be talking to Mason. Elle could hear the rumble of Mason’s deeper voice before Raleigh spoke again. “Please complete this evaluation form and leave it at the circulation desk, if you would be so kind. Miss Paquet just joined us, so I’m sure she would appreciate any feedback you could offer.”

  Elle rolled her eyes. So the attempt to get dirt on her had already begun. At least she knew Mason wouldn’t cause her problems there. It would only make trouble for the agency if she got fired. She looked at the ticket in her hands. Her first business trip.

  Chapter Eight

  Elle felt jittery from a combination of excitement and dread by the time she left the library that evening. On one hand, she was going on a field op. On the other, she was being asked to spy on her father. Whether they were close or not, she just wasn’t sure about that one. When she stopped by Raleigh’s office to tell her she had to leave town unexpectedly due to some work for the Library of Congress, Raleigh hadn’t looked as irritated as she imagined.

  “I’ll revise the desk schedules,” she said, referring to the circulation and reference desks. “I spoke to the doctoral student who met with you this morning.” She was referring to Mason. Elle did her best not to show any reaction. “He seems to find working with you helpful.”

  Elle swallowed, trying not to gulp. “I hope so.”

  “He rates you highly: I daresay working directly with you is more beneficial than any computer program.” Of course she had to go there. Raleigh gave her a slight smile. “Keep up the good work.”

  Elle stopped for some takeout before going back to the hotel. She left in a couple of days. Tomorrow she could pick up her apartment keys; she would have to arrange for the management office to let the movers in with her furniture on Saturday, since she’d be in France then. Would she get to meet up with Marni and Tina? They were going to the South of France after spending some time in London; Tina’s cousin had a villa in Nice. Yet Elle didn’t think they would be there yet. Maybe, after spending “fifteen minutes” spying on her father- assuming she actually went through with this- she could head over to London

  Elle was partway through dinner when her tablet beeped. Marni and Tina. “Check it out, baby!” Marni’s voice blared through the tablet as a picture flashed up on the screen. It was her and Tina- topless. “We’re in the South of France!”

  Elle choked on her dinner. She didn’t even know what she was reacting to more: the fact that they were already in the South of France or the topless picture. “Oh my God! How did you get Tina to go topless?”

  The picture disappeared, replaced by Tina and Marni’s faces. It looked like they were sitting in a living room.

  “Note the drinks in our hands,” Tina said, making a wry face.

  “I don’t care if you have to tell them you’ve fallen desperately ill and need to come to Europe for some specialized treatment: you have to get your ass out here!” Marni declared. “You should see this villa. It’s sick. They’re going to have to drag me out of here.”

  Tina laughed. Elle didn’t know this was luck or not. “Well, it just so happens…” She had to think fast. Did she say she was traveling for the Library of Congress? To see her father? Since they might actually meet Betsy, who thought she was traveling for the Library of Congress, she’d better stick with that. “I’m flying out there tomorrow.”

  ***

  Who knew a trip could be so complicated? As Elle boarded her flight the next day, she had never felt so indecisive in her life. She had the usb drive but still wasn’t sure if she could actually bring herself to upload it to her father’s laptop. It wouldn’t get her father into trouble as long as he wasn’t directly involved with terrorists activities but still… she was spying on him. Her Dad. Her dad who vacationed in the South of France without even inviting her.

  If she didn’t do it, she had a feeling her time with the agency was going to be very short-lived. Something told her sticking to her principles wasn’t going to cut it with Mason. The key principle at the agency was doing whatever was necessary to protect the United States, because hell, this wasn’t even legal. She was sure some secret court or someone had approved this op, so it was legal for her in this instance, but all the same.

  And then there was Marni and Tina. On one hand, Elle couldn’t wait to see her friends again. It felt like a lifetime since she’d seen them. On the other hand she was going to see them because the CIA was sending her there. They were going to be flabbergasted at the idea of her visiting her father. She had to figure out what she was going to tell them about him, too. No matter what she said, however, she was lying. That was the bottom line.

  Elle was relieved she had the foresight to stock up on aspirin while getting ready to go out of town. She was going to need it.

  Chapter Nine

  Elle’s flight arrived at Aeroport Nice Cote d’Azur at a little after seven-thirty in the morning local time. She had slept m
ost of the flight, so it actually worked out well. Mason had emailed her a brief from the Library of Congress email account (the guy missed nothing) explaining that her hotel room had been reserved for the night before, so she could check in as soon as she arrived. He also included the address for the beachfront home her father was renting, which, Elle realized, was a good thing: she had no clue where the hell they were staying.

  She ended up sending Tina and Marni a message via the Wi-Fi on the plane, saying she had to take care of some Library of Congress business as soon as she arrived, so she would be in touch that evening or the next day. That way they wouldn’t be expecting to hear from her as soon as she landed. Elle figured, one way or the other, she might as well see her father without delay. She didn’t want this hanging over her head the whole weekend.

  Once Elle checked into her room- the CIA was too cheap to get her a room overlooking the beach, but the hotel was less than a five minute walk from one, so she was thrilled- she reviewed the cover story Mason had given her, took a deep breath and called her father. She knew he had an international calling plan on his phone since he traveled a lot.

  “Ellie?” her father sounded surprised when he answered the phone.

  “Hi Dad.” She perched on the edge of her bed. She had never felt so nervous calling him before.

  “How is the adult world treating you?”

  “Pretty good, can’t complain.” She was lying already. Well, kinda. On one hand, she was used to being one of the “anointed” students who was loved by teachers, so her less-than-enthusiastic supervisors were a change. But how many new hires were sent to the South of France on a business trip? “I got the job with the Library of Congress.”

  “Library of Congress, huh? What are you doing there?”

  “Helping them organize some major data sets, archival government data, that sort of thing.” She could imagine him surfing his computer as she spoke. She was sure he didn’t have the slightest true interest in what she did, especially since she had chosen it (information science) over getting degrees in law and business like him. “But I’m already traveling for the job.”

  “Oh really? Where have they sent you?”

  “Nice!” Elle glanced out the window. “I’m sitting here looking out on the streets of the South of France.”

  Her father was silent.

  “I started working right away, so I didn’t get a chance to take a vacation, but now I’m getting paid to go on one.” She forced a laugh that she thought sounded genuine. To her, at least. She had a feeling her father couldn’t recognize a real laugh from a fake one out of her. “I know you always go on vacation every summer. Where is it to this year?”

  This was probably the weakest part of the cover story. Mason seemed to assume that she would know her father was in Nice, so dropping in wasn’t a big deal. The truth of the matter, however, was that Elle hadn’t vacationed with her father and his family in over a decade. There was nothing “normal” about her arriving on his doorstep. If he decided to lie about where he was, she didn’t know what she’d do. Go for a stroll where his villa was?

  “Nice- nice trip for a new hire. What does the Library of Congress need for you to do over here?” So he was stalling. Figures. Elle decided to play along for the moment.

  “The Library of Congress is teaming up with the National Library of France to gather some information about Creoles, from Louisiana.” She felt a bit of pride for thinking that up on the flight.

  “Isn’t that in Paris?”

  What was this, the damn Inquisition? Elle kept her voice light. “Some records from Marseilles have been moved to one of their satellite locations here in Nice.” She needed to have this conversation go back in the right direction. “So, did you decide to skip your vacation this year?”

  “Peggy, the kids and I are here at a villa in Nice.” His tone was flat. Elle was pretty sure he didn’t want to see her. During the last vacation she had joined them on Elle and his she-demon had nearly killed each other as they argued.

  “Really?” Elle hoped the surprise in her voice sounded convincing. “Where?”

  “Where’s your hotel?” her father asked.

  “On Rue Miron. Where are you staying?”

  “Oh, that’s in the city. We’re in a villa in Mont Boron on a private beach off the water. It’s certainly not within walking distance. Besides, you’ll probably be busy-”

  Elle already knew he was less than five miles away; she could bike there if she had to. “Oh, that’s not far from me at all! I’ll come by and say hi.”

  “I don’t want to keep you from working-” her father said.

  “Not at all. I really appreciate your graduation gift.” That wouldn’t be enough of a reason for her behavior, she knew. She was glad she had spent some time really thinking this through on the plane. “And- I wanted to ask your advice about something. Something work related.”

  “My advice?” Now her father sounded genuinely baffled. “About what?”

  “I’ll explain it when I see you.” Normally she wouldn’t have pursued it this far. If her father basically gave the signal of not wanting to see her, she wouldn’t hesitate to agree just to avoid awkwardness, so her father wasn’t used to her pushing like this. She figured she had better press her advantage. “I’ll bring some croissants; we can have breakfast before I go to work. See you soon.”

  Before he could answer, she hung up. Knowing his flaky wife and the kids, they were probably getting ready to hit the beach. Her father wasn’t as crazy about lying around in the sun, so hopefully they would be outside while he was hanging out indoors. Maybe her father would make sure they were outside.

  She picked up some croissants and caught a cab before realizing something: her plan had ended with calling her father and getting to his place. She still wasn’t sure she was actually going to do this. Would the CIA yank her right off the street if she didn’t upload the program like they wanted? Would they know? She took a deep breath. She liked to plan things out, in meticulous detail, but she had spent her time on the flight thinking about how she would get in. It actually helped her avoid considering what she would do once she got in. No more time for avoidance. She was going to have to wing it. She hated winging it.

  ***

  Of course the villa her father was renting looked like a miniature palace. It was pale yellow with aqua and white balconies on the outside. The marble foyer had several busts and paintings along with mirrored walls that reflected the sunlight to the point of creating a glare. Elle fought the urge to squint when her father opened the door. She could feel the breeze and see the beach from the other end of the foyer.

  “Breakfast,” she said with a smile, giving him a kiss on the cheek as she held up the bag of croissants. She was not acting much like herself at all and realized she needed to be careful. He’d never suspect her of being sent there by the CIA, but he would be able to tell something was “off.”

  Sure enough, the surprise showed on her father’s face as he kissed her cheek as well before standing back to let her in. “We have breakfast here: Peggy and the kids ate before going outside.” He gestured to the beach visible off the large patio at the other end of the foyer. Elle figured the most diplomatic thing to do was to not mention the she-demon. She liked her younger brother and sister well enough, but they weren’t all that close.

  “Is there somewhere we can talk in private?”

  “Of course.” Her father gestured to a room off the foyer. “Do you want any coffee?”

  “Coffee would be great- can you bring in cream and sugar, too?” Elle asked as she walked into the room he gestured to. It was a study with gleaming wood floors. Although it was still bright, deep red velvet curtains framed the spacious picture windows, and avocado bushes blocked half the windows, so it wasn’t blindingly bright like the foyer. She sat down in a plush, high backed red velvet chair in front of the desk. Sure enough, her father’s laptop was on the desk.

  Elle listened to her father’s footsteps
as he walked to the kitchen for coffee. She glanced behind her. No one stood there. She got up and walked around the desk. Yep, the laptop was on, and he had some kind of spreadsheets up. But could she really upload what was basically spyware on his laptop? What if he got caught somehow? Would Mason really be honest about the risk to her father?

  The sound of her father’s footsteps grew louder, so she hurried back around the desk and sat in the chair, setting the bag of croissants on his desk. While she stirred cream and some sugar cubes into her coffee, he helped himself to one of the croissants as he sat down behind his desk. Trust her father to treat even a visit with his daughter like a business meeting.

  Once they were each set up with their coffee and croissant, her father reclined in his leather chair, eyeing her expectantly. “So what is going on with the Library of Congress?”

  Elle wanted to kick herself. She had been so busy with all the other logistics, she hadn’t thought about what this “problem” would be. For someone who planned and designed algorithms, this was an unbelievably stupid mistake. She was going to blow this. She took a deep breath.

  “Keep in mind,” she said, trying not to sound too nervous, “all of this is confidential.”

  Her father nodded. Maybe she didn’t have to work so hard about not sounding nervous: she could let her nerves about this work for her. She swallowed more coffee as something came to her. She didn’t even have to be a lie. Not quite.

  “I’m being asked to do something at work- and it’s… unethical.” She steeled her shoulders and looked him in the eye. Her plan was hatched. “It’s something I- I don’t agree with.”

  Her father rested his chin on his fingertips as he looked at her thoughtfully. “Can you tell me what this unethical thing is?”

  “I- I’ve signed an NDA.” Her father, who had a law degree as well as a business degree, would appreciate the importance of a non-disclosure agreement.