Two Steps Forward

by Luana Ehrlich

  I said, “It makes sense if Tehran wants to send the Saudis a message to stay out of Iraq. It makes sense if Tehran doesn’t want the Saudis to help the Iraqis rebuild the cities destroyed by ISIS. The Iranian regime has enough trouble dealing with the Saudis in Yemen. They don’t want them cozying up to Iraq as well.”

  Carlton said, “So, Titus, if I’m hearing you and Ben correctly, you don’t disagree Prime Minister Madi could be Bakir’s target, but you believe we should also add the Crown Prince to that list of possible targets. Is that correct?”

  After Ben and I both agreed with his statement, Henry Garrison said, “If I’m not mistaken, Douglas, I believe the last time I spoke with you, I also mentioned I thought the Saudi Crown Prince should be on the list of possible targets.”

  Carlton said, “Yes, you did, Henry. Thanks for reminding me.”

  The DDO nodded. “Naturally, Douglas and I considered a number of different possibilities, but I decided to make an executive decision and have the operational team concentrate on the most likely candidate, which in my mind is Prime Minister Madi.”

  When no one in the room responded, the DDO raised his pudgy hands in the air and said, “But, I’m always open to other suggestions. I guess we’ll add the Saudi Crown Prince to our short list.”

  “Well, y’all,” Sasha Gail said, “I’m not sure if this is the right time to bring this up or not, but I wanted to make you aware the President is planning to make a short stopover in Baghdad next week on his way to visit Israel with some of his party’s Congressional leadership.”

  She pivoted to her right and looked directly at the DDO.

  “As much as I hate to say it, Deputy Ira, perhaps you should also add the President’s name to that short list of possible targets, and please keep in mind his visit hasn’t been announced to the press yet.”

  To say Sasha Gail’s announcement took the DDO by surprise would have been an understatement.

  He was speechless.

  He wasn’t the only one.

  Almost everyone in the room seemed surprised by this news.

  Everyone, except Carlton.

  * * * *

  As Sasha Gail was relating the details of the President’s stopover in Baghdad, I asked myself whether her announcement was the reason she was at the operational briefing in the first place.

  After giving it some thought, I decided that couldn’t be the case.

  My thinking was based on the fact Carlton had identified her as one of our briefers.

  However, that in and of itself was a mystery, because Presidential Advisors didn’t ordinarily attend operational briefings unless they were there to deliver a message from the President, which was what I’d anticipated she was there to do when I’d first seen her walk in the room and take her seat at the table.

  Now, though, I wondered if her presence had something to do with the protocols. Whatever her reason for being at the briefing, I suspected Carlton was aware of the President’s intention to make a stopover in Baghdad before Sasha Gail divulged that information to the rest of us.

  Knowing Carlton, he wasn’t about to admit it though. “Ms. Pack, thank you for sharing that information with us,” he said. “I agree the President’s name should definitely be on our short list of targets.”

  “If we keep adding names, it’s not going to be a short list much longer,” the DDO said.

  “Yes, Deputy Ira, I agree,” Veronica said. “Having too many names on that list is going to be a logistical nightmare, especially for those of us in the Ops Center. Right now, the protocols only call for one reconnaissance drone. That won’t be nearly enough if we have to keep our eye on three different targets.”

  Carlton shook his head. “That won’t be a problem. We’ll work out the logistics of our surveillance once the protocols are finalized.”

  Veronica didn’t show any reaction to Carlton’s dismissive response, except to glance over at the DDO, who ignored her.

  Carlton said, “Speaking of the protocols, I’ve divided them up into three different phases and labeled them Arrival, Analysis, and Action. Phase One, Arrival, will be the insertion of the operational team into Baghdad.”

  “All the preparations for Phase One are complete on my end,” Garrison said. “The operational team will have a driver at their disposal, and they’ll be housed here at the embassy.”

  “Don’t get ahead of me, Henry,” Carlton said with a smile. “Give me a chance to explain Phase One.”

  “Oh, sorry. Go ahead.”

  Carlton looked across the table at Mitchell, Liz Cummings, and me and said, “Due to the unusual nature of this operation, and the need for you to interview various government officials and have access to all government buildings, I’ve decided to have you enter Baghdad through an open insertion.”

  Although most covert operatives stayed away from the American Embassy when they entered a country to carry out a mission—usually taking up residence in a safe house instead—it was occasionally more expedient to enter a country openly.

  Agency jargon referred to this as an open insertion into a field of operations.

  Carlton said, “When I began thinking about the possibility of an open insertion for this operation, I consulted with Ms. Pack about having our Agency operatives pose as an Advance Preparation Team from the White House chief of staff’s office.”

  Carlton looked down the table at Sasha Gail. “Ms. Pack, I think I’ll have you explain why this is going to be a good option for us.”

  “I’d be delighted to. When Douglas asked me about this, I told him the timing was perfect because some of our White House staff were planning a visit to Baghdad next month, and Prime Minister Madi had already been informed about it.”

  “Would you mind giving us a brief overview of what happens when White House staffers visit another country?” Carlton asked.

  “What usually happens is that a three-person team arrives at the destination site a few weeks ahead of time to consult with government officials about the group’s itinerary. The White House refers to this Advance Preparation Team as an APT unit. Posing as an APT unit should be a perfect cover for the Invisible Target team because they’ll be given access to government buildings as well as officials, and they’ll also be able to do personal interviews.”

  “Those are excellent points,” Carlton said. “Thank you, Ms. Pack.”

  He looked across the table at me. “Titus, after we wrap up the first part of our briefing, your operational team will have some time to consult with Ms. Pack on your cover stories. Now, let’s go on to—”

  “Ms. Pack,” the DDO said, “on behalf of the Agency, I’d also like to thank you for your willingness to help us with this operation.”

  “Oh my, yes, and thank you for asking me.”

  Carlton said. “Now, we’ll move on to Phase Two of the protocols, the Analysis Phase. This is when you’ll determine Bakir’s target.”

  Although Carlton called it the Analysis Phase, it might have been better to call it the surveillance phase; that’s because it involved having watchers on Bakir, tracking his possible targets, gathering information on his contacts, and listening to his phone calls.

  Basically, the Analysis Phase encompassed everything the Agency’s charter allowed covert operatives to do when operating on foreign soil.

  Carlton termed Phase Three of the protocols the Action Phase. It contained few details, but as the name suggested, during this phase, we’d take whatever action was necessary to prevent Yousef Bakir from taking out his target.

  * * * *

  After Carlton finished presenting all three protocols, he announced we’d take a short break before returning for the second half.

  In the second half of the briefing, Carlton said personnel from the Legends Division would provide us with our cover stories, and we’d hear from Sasha Gail about how we should conduct ourselves as an Advance Preparation Team from the White House.

  The moment I heard Sasha Gail would be staying for the second
half of the briefing, I thought about talking to her about Eleanor’s adoption and asking her to write me a letter of recommendation.

  In fact, I wondered if Sasha Gail’s presence at the briefing was some kind of sign, a divine appointment affirming the decision Nikki and I had made to adopt Eleanor. Was that possible? Did God make such divine appointments for his followers?

  Trying to gauge such spiritual matters was still pretty confusing to me, but for some reason, I felt certain I’d know what I needed to know when I needed to know it.

  While I was thinking about this, I walked over to the refreshment cart and poured myself a cup of coffee. A few seconds later, Teddy Davenport appeared at my side.

  “Hi, Titus. I’m glad I’ve finally had the chance to meet you.”

  “Same here, Director Davenport.”

  “Please, call me Teddy,” he said, popping the lid on a can of soda. “I’m sure you know you have quite the reputation around here.”

  “I assure you it’s not as bad as you’ve heard. Or as good.”

  He chuckled. “I’ve heard mostly good.”

  I decided to change the subject. “How’s your new job?”

  “I’m really enjoying it, but I have to admit it’s been quite a learning experience. Unfortunately, I’ve had to spend most of my time here at Langley, but I’ll be visiting our field offices soon.”

  “That’s when you’ll get the full picture. There’s a big difference between what goes on here, and what goes on out there in the field.”

  “I’m aware of that, and since you’ve had assignments in both Latin America and the Middle East, maybe you could answer a question for me. What do you think makes a good station chief?”

  I took a sip of coffee to buy myself some time, and when I glanced over at the other side of the room, I noticed Carlton was watching me.

  I said, “The best station chiefs I’ve worked with have been the gregarious types, those who know how to motivate their staff, who enjoy working with people, and who take pride in their work. Usually, they aren’t trying to make a name for themselves, and they’re willing to spend time developing assets today that in all probability won’t pay dividends until sometime in the future.”

  He smiled. “Sounds like you’re describing Henry Garrison.”

  “Actually, I was describing the station chief in Venezuela, Sam Wiley. I haven’t worked with Henry Garrison before, but from what I’ve seen today, that description could apply to him as well.”

  “Well, Henry’s sure been at it a long time.”

  “Which just proves there’s something to be said for longevity.”

  * * * *

  When Carlton resumed the briefing, Teddy Davenport, Henry Garrison, and the DDO were no longer present. Josh Kellerman, the head of the Legends Division, was now sitting next to Carlton.

  Josh Kellerman and his Legends’ staff were responsible for coming up with plausible cover stories, those imaginary identities intelligence officers put on over their own personas in the same way astronauts put on their spacesuits before venturing out into the great unknown.

  Like an astronaut’s spacesuit, an operative’s cover story was protective gear for a hostile environment, and Kellerman and his staff worked hard to make sure each story was an appropriate fit.

  As Kellerman began explaining the different roles each of us would play as members of a White House APT unit, I finally understood why Carlton had chosen ex-Secret Service Agent Liz Cummings for the operational team.

  According to Ms. Pack, each APT unit had a Secret Service Agent assigned to it, and Kellerman told Liz she’d play that role in our APT unit, except her last name would be Conner instead of Cummings.

  Although Liz seemed to be someone who kept her feelings to herself, she smiled when Kellerman told her she’d be resuming her old identity, and when he handed her the fake passport in the name of Liz Conner, she said, “Thanks, I believe I can handle this.”

  Since those were the only words I’d heard her speak during the briefing, I decided she was someone who didn’t just keep her feelings to herself, she was able to control her verbal output as well.

  While I suspected Liz Cummings might not be a barrel of laughs, I had the feeling she wouldn’t cause me any problems either.

  When Kellerman finished with Liz, he asked Ms. Pack to explain the duties of the next member of the APT unit, the Press Officer.

  “This person is a member of the White House Communications Office.” She paused as if she needed a moment to think. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly what they do, but the Press Officer for the APT unit mainly schedules interviews for the media.”

  When Kellerman handed Mitchell his passport, he informed him he would be Corey Foster, the APT unit’s Press Officer.

  “So, as the Press Officer, does that mean I have to carry a camera around with me like I did in Yemen?” Mitchell asked.

  “No camera this time,” Kellerman said. “Your Kit will contain a laptop, but that’s pretty much the only prop you’ll need on this run.”

  The Kit was a collective term used to describe any physical item Legends issued to an operative which would give credence to the operative’s assumed identity. While the Kit varied with each person according to their cover story, at its most basic level, it always included clothes, shoes, and toiletry items.

  Kellerman said, “Titus, you’ll be the Team Coordinator for the APT unit, and you’ll also serve as its spokesperson.” He turned and addressed Sasha Gail. “Is there anything Titus needs to know about how to conduct himself as the team leader?”

  “As the team leader, just act like you know what you’re doing, and that you don’t mind telling others what to do.”

  “He’ll have no problem with that,” Mitchell said.

  Strangely enough, Mitchell’s remark managed to get a laugh out of everyone, even Carlton.

  After Kellerman handed me my passport, he said, “Embassy personnel, as well as Prime Minister Madi’s administrative staff, have been notified of your itinerary while you’re there. Of course, Henry Garrison will be helping you coordinate all your arrangements.”

  The passport Kellerman gave me listed my fake name as Warren Thomas McHughes. I was a forty-nine-year-old male from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

  I suspected the Legends’ staff had doctored my photo in Warren McHughes’ passport since it made me look much older than I was.

  * * * *

  As our briefing was about to end, Carlton announced our flight to Baghdad would be leaving from Dulles in twelve hours, and in the meantime, he said Kellerman would check each of us into an On-Call suite so we could get some sleep before being taken to the airport.

  The On-Call suites were located on the third floor of the New Headquarters Building.

  They reminded me of my off-campus apartment at the University of Michigan, except the On-Call bed was more comfortable.

  Operatives who had less than twelve hours to go before leaving on a mission were required to stay in an On-Call suite—unless they were able to convince their operations officer they should be given special treatment. I’d tried that once and failed.

  Today, however, since I’d just gotten off a plane from an overseas trip, I didn’t mind getting some rest in an On-Call room before hopping back on a plane again.

  A few minutes later, after Mitchell, Liz, and I had signed a bunch of legal documents saying we wouldn’t sue the Agency if things went south during our mission, Carlton announced the briefing was over.

  Once Kellerman heard that, he told us to meet him over in Support Services where we’d pick up our Kits, and he’d give us the keys to our On-Call suites. However, the moment I looked over and noticed Sasha Gail was still engaged in conversation with Carlton, I told Liz and Mitchell to go ahead without me, and I’d catch up with them later.

  While I waited for Sasha Gail and Carlton to finish their conversation, I checked my phone to see if I’d received any messages from Nikki during my briefing.

  There was one
.

  “Made it home safely. Missing you so much! Eleanor was sad you weren’t with me, but I told her you would call her later. Love you.”

  All of a sudden, I found myself overcome with emotion at the realization there were two people out there who were missing me.

  For a minute—maybe more—I found myself unable to do anything but stare down at my phone and pretend to be reading a long text, while in reality I was fighting to get control of my emotions.

  When I finally looked up to see if I had time to text Nikki back before speaking with Sasha Gail, I suddenly realized Carlton and Sasha Gail had left the room.

  However, I wasn’t alone.

  Veronica Paisley was still sitting at the conference table. “Titus,” she said, “do you have a minute to talk with me?”

  It wasn’t the divine appointment I was looking for, but I had a feeling it was a divine appointment nevertheless.

  Chapter 27

  When I answered in the affirmative, Veronica closed the lid on her computer, and I walked over and sat down in the chair next to her, the one previously occupied by Katherine.

  “Thank you, Titus. I won’t keep you long, but I wanted to talk about some concerns I have about Invisible Target.”

  “What type of concerns?”

  “Among other things, I don’t believe Douglas has given enough thought to the risks involved in doing an open insertion of your operational team into the field. In my opinion, it could put the whole mission in jeopardy.”

  “I assure you, Veronica, Douglas doesn’t make a decision like that lightly. Before he puts the protocols together, he examines all the options, consults all the experts, listens to every analyst, and then he usually goes back and doublechecks everything.”

  “Oh, I’m sure he looks at the data very carefully, but that’s my point. There’s more to putting together a Plan of Action than just reading printouts. The protocols he’s put together are lacking in detail. There’s very little substance to them.”

  “Yes, but what you need to understand is that Douglas—”