by I A Thompson
He was sure, she would chomp at the bit to get started with her new assignment and play in a bigger sandbox than her current team was in and he also knew this would mean that he would eventually lose her to a more advanced and complex team than his own. But she was his strongest performer and he was not ready to let go of her yet.
He picked up the phone and dialed her extension. “Regina, please come to my office.” He was both pleased and irritated by her timely response, and two minutes later, was waving her into his office.
“You are being temporarily reassigned to a multi-agency task force, starting Monday. You will report to Interpol’s Washington Bureau at 8 a.m. and will be briefed on your assignment at that time.” He didn’t mince words. “Make sure you hand over everything you’re working on to the rest of the team before the end of the week.”
Regina looked a lot less enthusiastic than he had anticipated. “Of course, sir.”
“You got a problem with that?” Monty asked. “You’re saying the right words, but your body language tells a different story.”
“I certainly appreciate the opportunity,” Regina responded. “Although the timing is not ideal. We believe we may have located a missing American teenager; the woman we found is an active ISIS recruiter and we are collaborating with one of our collection management officers from Operations in connecting human intelligence collected with what we’re finding in various data sources. We’re also following a lead in England where two chemical engineering students were approached by ISIS recruiters.”
“Put that in your weekly report. I’ll run it up the flagpole and we’ll see if it’s worth Frank, Ted and Deanna staying on these cases.” Monty hadn’t expected any pushback and wasn’t prepared to engage in a lengthy discussion. He rose from his chair, mimicking Treadwell’s behavior earlier, and thanked her for coming; indicating the meeting was over.
“Thank you for your time, sir.” Regina got up and left the room.
Monty sighed. Dealing with his subordinates was the part he disliked the most about his job. Usually, they took care of themselves and he didn’t have to interact with them very much other than the passing down of orders and sending reports up. And as far as he was concerned, it would have been nice if that was the end of it, which he was certain was exactly the way they felt too.
He pulled up Regina’s personnel file and scanned over her past performance reviews and her last promotion. He would have no problem asking for a two-step increase within her current grade, resulting in an approximately 6% increase in pay, which should appease Treadwell. Completing the paperwork, he routed it to the DDA for signature.
Regina had been given enough time to tell the team the news; it was time to face the music. Now it was his turn to make the official announcement.
He walked over to the team’s office and observed them for a minute, huddled around Regina’s desk, in deep conversation. He opened the door. “I take it, Regina filled you in on her new assignment?”
“Only high level,” Frank answered. “What will she be doing? When will she be back? and are we going to get someone to help out while she’s gone?”
“All good questions,” Monty sat down on the edge of Ted’s desk. “Regina is assigned to a task force spearheaded by Interpol. It spans multiple continents and illicit activities ranging from drugs and arms to potentially multiple crimes against humanity. Because of the nature of the investigation, intel will be provided by us and a variety of other agencies. Regina is tasked with analyzing all collected data and providing the different law enforcement teams with actionable reports. Her initial assignment is three months, but that may be extended if needed. And no, unfortunately, we won’t be able to get anyone else assigned to the team.”
“Wow, Gina! Sounds like you’re going to be super busy!” Deanna looked at her friend and then turned back to Monty. “Will we be able to provide assistance if Gina needs us?”
“That has not been requested so far, but I greatly appreciate your willingness to step up, if called upon. I will make the offer to the DDA and we’ll see what he says.” Monty sensed an opportunity for the whole team to garner some recognition, which would certainly help his career, that was for sure.
“With Regina having to report to Interpol on Monday, you all better get to work to make sure everything she is working on has been handed over to one of you three by the end of the week.” Monty got up from the desk he was sitting on. He couldn’t wait to get out of the small office that always made him feel claustrophobic as the space that was meant for two people was now occupied by four. With as much decorum as he could muster, he retreated to the hallway.
He observed the team putting their heads back together and picking up their conversation where they left off when he interrupted them. For a split second, he felt isolated from them. Even during his days in the analyst pool, he had been a loner, who only interacted with his team mates when necessary, and his only true friends were Chuck and his wife Leslie. He never experienced camaraderie remotely comparable to what his team members had amongst themselves, which made him wonder how that dynamic would change after Regina’s departure.
By then, his head was throbbing from all the excitement. He shuffled back to his office, closed the door, lowered the blinds, opened the bottom drawer of his desk, pulled out a bottle of Grey Goose Vodka and took a big swig, before returning the bottle to its hiding spot. Sinking into his comfortable, ergonomically correct office chair, he unlocked his computer and clicked on his shortcut to ESPN. He’d indulge in sports news for thirty minutes before going back to the endless mountain of emails waiting for him.
5
Interpol’s U.S. National Central Bureau was housed in an unassuming terracotta colored brick building across the street from the American Association of Retired Persons’ lavish headquarters. The morning was muggy, and Regina felt as if the grime of the city clung to her skin like an invisible cloak. What a way to start a new assignment, she thought, and looked up at the building in front of her, wondering what would wait for her on the other side of the doors.
She had anticipated that it would take a few minutes to get her credentials and wanting to get her daily cup of coffee at the Starbucks down the street, she had gotten up at the crack of dawn and skipped her morning run. It allowed her to check out her new surroundings for a few minutes. There seemed to be a reasonable amount of fast food and upscale eateries, as well as easy access to the green spaces around the Smithsonian and the National Mall. Not bad for a work place.
Fifteen minutes later, a receptionist with a permanent smile plastered to her face, led her into a large room which was set up like a command center with a wall of large screens front and center. Desks with big dual monitors and all the other gadgets one needs in an office environment were arranged in two semi circles, allowing each seat an unobstructed view to the front of the room. A lectern with the Interpol insignia stood to the right of the wall of screens.
“Seats are assigned, Miss Livingston,” the receptionist said and pointed at a desk in the center of the second row. “There you are.”
“Thank you,” Regina smiled and made her way to her seat, before putting her purse down. “Where would I find the bathroom and something to drink?”
“Come with me. I’ll give you a quick tour before the rest of the team arrives.”
The tour didn’t take more than five minutes, but Regina got a good overview of the array of offices, conference and training rooms as well as break areas and facilities. When she got back to her room, all the screens in the front were lit up, sporting the seals of various government agencies. Roughly a half-dozen men and one woman were now seated at the previously empty desks. A tall, middle-aged man stood at the lectern, speaking with what looked like an audio/visual technician.
Regina sat down at her assigned desk, her mind flipping through her mental rolodex until she found what she was looking for. The man up front was Cliff Hernandez, director of the Interpol Washington National Central Bureau. What in th
e world was she about to get thrown into, if this task force got his personal attention?
A minute later, the wall of screens lit up; a group of men and a single woman populated in a big central frame, surrounded by others who were on smaller screens. Regina didn’t recognize the people in the center frame, but the others were a who-is-who of Federal Government Agency heads, including her two bosses, Chuck Hayes, director of the CIA, and Peyton Springfield, director of National Intelligence.
The gentleman seated in the middle of the group got up and started speaking. “Good morning Washington, and welcome to task force ‘Identity’!” He had a heavy French accent and spoke loudly, as if he was afraid, he couldn’t be heard clearly. “For those who don’t know me, my name is Marcel Galland, and I am the current president of Interpol. With me are the directors of Interpol for Great Britain, The Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland.” He allowed the four other directors to introduce themselves, before he continued, “Ladies and gentlemen, you have all been hand-selected for this assignment, because you are the best of the best in your field. Director Hernandez will read you into the dossier shortly. But first, I would like to thank our American colleagues in law enforcement and intelligence for your collaboration in this endeavor.”
Doug McAllister, U.S. Attorney General, came to life in the center of the top row. “It is our sincere pleasure to support Interpol in this mission, which hopefully will make our cities safer and continue to strengthen the bond between our countries.” The other agency heads nodded in agreement.
“Merci, my friend,” Galland responded. “Your support is greatly appreciated. Director Hernandez, please take it from here. We will excuse ourselves at this point. Good luck, agents.” The screens went dark.
Cliff Hernandez stepped into the center of the room. “Welcome everyone! Before I get into the reason you’re here, why don’t we take a minute to introduce ourselves. You already know my name. I am the director of this Bureau and will be coordinating the task force activities in the U.S. I served 20 years in various law enforcement agencies before coming to Interpol. I look forward to working with you all. Let’s go around the room, starting here,” He pointed at a tall, handsome guy in the first row.
“Hey, my name is Zach Jones, originally from Huntington Beach, California, spent six years with Los Angeles Police Department, four years with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and have been with Interpol for the last two years.” He leisurely waved his left hand, exuding complete confidence, as he looked at the guy next to him, virtually passing the baton.
The red-headed guy turned around and looked around the room. “Hello, I’m Jonathan Aylesbury. I’m from Hartwell, Buckinghamshire in England. I joined Greater London’s Metropolitan Police Service after college, spent a few years with the Specialist Firearms Command and was detailed to Interpol a year ago.”
The blonde man next to him picked up, where Jonathan left off. “Hi, Finn Vos, from Rotterdam in Holland. I spent ten years in the Special Investigations unit of our National Police Corps, before joining Interpol in 2013.”
Next up was the only other woman in the room. She smiled as she looked around the room. “Hello, I’m Lena Mertens from Antwerp in Belgium. I worked for the local police in Antwerp for three years before joining the federal police force in 2010 as part of the Directorate of Maritime and River Police. In 2015, I joined the Directorate of International Police Cooperation and became an Interpol agent.”
The introductions moved to the second row. “Hi, I’m Martin Haas, from Kilchberg, Switzerland, home of the Lindt & Spruengli chocolate factory. I joined the Zurich Cantonal Police in 2006 and worked all types of crimes before specializing on financial crimes. I came to Interpol in 2012.”
Regina knew she was going to stick out like a sore thumb, but it was her turn, whether she liked it or not. “Hi everyone, my name is Regina Livingston. I’m from Pensacola, Florida, after college, I worked at my dad’s accounting firm for two years before joining the Central Intelligence Agency where I’ve been working as an analyst for the last five years.” She couldn’t blame them for their looks of confusion and was thankful to be saved when the man next to her spoke up.
“My name is Hardy Van Baak, from the beautiful city of Paramaribo in Suriname. I joined the police force right after finishing school, worked homicide for a few years, then organized crime and finally transferred to Interpol four years ago. Happy to be here.”
Director Hernandez took over again. “Now that we’re all introduced, let me tell you about the task force you just became a part of.” He walked to the lectern, pushed a few buttons and the wall of screens lit up with the picture of a small bag filled with white powder. Have any of you heard the name ‘Niseko’ before?”
Finn and Lena looked at each other. Finn answered for both. “Yes, it’s cheap high-grade cocaine and the stuff is flooding Western Europe.”
Hernandez smiled. “You are correct. And we have reason to believe that we’re dealing with a network spanning at least three continents with the potential to exponentially grow. You all have been selected for the task force because you have, at some point over the last 18 months, had contact with fragments of this nexus. Be it drugs, weapons or money, we think that bringing all of you together will help us identify and take down the kingpins of the network.”
6
Zach Jones raised his hand. “Sir, may I ask why we need a CIA analyst in the task force? Don’t we have incredibly capable analysts within Interpol?”
Hernandez nodded. “Of course, we do. Our analysts are the best of the best when it comes to criminal intelligence analysis. Their work drives and supports our investigations, operations, strategies, policies and decisions. If we were dealing solely with criminal elements here, we could certainly keep the analysis work in-house. With that said, we already know that this network goes far beyond that. After careful evaluation, it became evident that we will be needing information from more than just our traditional sources. Miss Livingston is very well trained in accessing, aggregating and analyzing data from civilian and military sources. She has a proven track record of providing high quality, actionable information to her leadership, which has resulted in high value arrests across the globe and therefore makes her a perfect addition to our team.”
Hernandez looked around the room, pleased to see the group was sitting at the edge of their seats, waiting to learn more about their mission.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he continued. “All members of ‘Identity’ report directly to me for the duration of the assignment. Your local bureaus and governments have been instructed to provide you with any assistance you may need without asking questions. As for me, I report to the President of Interpol and the Director of National Intelligence, DNI. The DNI will coordinate with all necessary U.S. agencies to ensure we have the support we need while operating on U.S. soil.”
Regina studied the faces of the agents around her; it was an eclectic mix of excitement, ambition and determination. Hunters, ready to go out into the wilderness, she thought. Just like her dad and his friends at the hunting club.
Hernandez picked up seven, midnight blue folders from the lectern and handed them out. “These folders contain facts we collected about the operations of the drug runners and their accomplices. Until lunch, you will break up into two groups and study the material. After lunch, we will get together and discuss your findings. Jones, Aylesbury, Vos and Mertens, you are team one. Haas, Livingston and Van Baak, you are team two. Aylesbury and Haas, you’ll lead. You are free to leave the premises but cannot remove any documentation from the building. Conference rooms three and five are reserved for you.”
Aylesbury turned around and asked Haas, “You okay with us taking room three?”
Haas smiled and nodded. Both teams took their folders and relocated to their respective breakout areas.
“So, how about we take a look at our reading assignment and figure out how we fit into the picture?” Haas looked at his team mates.
An
hour later, Hardy Van Baak looked up from the papers in front of him, skin color a shade paler. “Dominic Amante, that’s why I’m here no doubt. They know I keep tabs on him. The guy is bad news and I’m not surprised they think he has his hands in this,” he pointed at the picture of what looked like the slain bodies of five farm workers. “He runs his family’s plantation half-way up Suriname River, between Paramaribo and the Overbridge River Resort. His father Edoardo is Minister of Justice and Police and his mother Beatrice comes from old money. They are rich and influential, and their son has always been a spoiled brat, a real player. He’s been dabbling in drug running ever since he was a teenager. That’s him,” he pointed at the picture of a distinguished looking man in his late forties or early fifties.
“Are you sure?” Regina asked, “That guy doesn’t really look like a drug kingpin.”
Hardy glared at her. “He also doesn’t look like a killer, but that’s exactly what he is.” His voice trembled with raw emotion.
“How do you know?” Martin Haas asked.
“Because he killed my older brother.” Hardy’s eyes were steely as he met Martin’s questioning look. “It was a long time ago and his father covered everything up, but we know.”
“I am so sorry for your loss,” Regina reached out and put her hand on Hardy’s arm. “I can only imagine what your family must have gone through.”
“Thank you, we manage,” Hardy replied. “He’s the reason I became a police officer and joined Interpol.”
“How do you reconcile that with basically working for his father?” Regina asked.
“We’re so far down the food chain, nobody pays much attention to us.” Hardy smiled sadly. “Nothing ever changes in our country, but maybe this task force will make a difference. Maybe all the bad things that keep happening will finally come to light and action will have to be taken.”
