The Target (31 page)

T
HIS IS REALLY NOT HELPFUL,”
said Evan Tucker.

He was sitting across from Robie and Reel in a conference room at Langley. To his left was Amanda Marks. To his right was Blue Man.

“We didn’t have much choice,” replied Robie.

“You always have a choice,” snapped Tucker. “Going off vacationing in Nantucket when you’re needed here?”

“Well, I think we need some downtime from when we were vacationing with the neo-Nazis and then the whole North Korea thing,” said Reel sharply. “And they all begin with the letter
N
. Nazis, North Korea. And Nantucket. For what it’s worth, I’ll go with the last one as my preference.”

“You know what I mean,” said Tucker. “We still don’t know what the Koreans are going to do. Between us, I tried to talk the president out of breaking Pak’s family out of the camp, but he was dead set on it. Now I’m afraid we’re going to pay the price for his inability to corral his guilt over what happened to Pak.”

Reel looked at Marks. “Do we have any notion of where they might strike?”

Marks nodded. “We’ve gotten chatter that the North Koreans are positioning missiles to be fired at American bases in South Korea.”

“Well, that would certainly start a war,” said Blue Man.

“All indications are that they are pissed off beyond belief,” said Marks. “First the planned coup against Un and now breaking Pak’s family out. It was to be expected.”

“Of course it was,” interjected Tucker. “Just as I said. Was it worth two lives? We’re going to pay the piper.” He looked around, seemingly daring anyone to disagree with him.

“Any other potential target?” asked Robie.

“Too many, I’m afraid,” said Blue Man.

“And you two will be whiling away your time in beautiful Nantucket, where all the jet-setters zip in during the summer,” said Tucker.

“Really? I understand you have a place there,” said Reel. “I checked.”

“It’s just a summer rental,” groused Tucker.

Marks added, “It’s actually a good thing that the First Lady and her kids will be out of town. And this trip is not on the official schedule, which is even better.” She eyed Robie and Reel. “Are you part of the official protection detail?”

“Secret Service protocols won’t allow for that,” replied Reel. “But I don’t think they’re unhappy we’re going. I think the First Lady wants us to spend some time with her son, who’s going through a rocky time right now.”

Marks nodded while Tucker just shook his head in exasperation. He said, “Well, while you’re on your little holiday I want to hear from you every day. You don’t work for the Secret Service or the First Lady. You work for me. Is that understood?”

“Never doubted it for a moment, sir,” said Reel, with a slight edge to her voice. “So long as you’re the DCI,” she added.

As the meeting broke up, Tucker demanded that Reel remain behind. Robie glanced at her questioningly, but she nodded and he reluctantly left.

When the others had gone Tucker sat back down and motioned Reel to do the same.

“I’ll stand if it’s all the same to you.”

“Do you want me to order you to sit? For Christ’s sake, Reel, can’t you just do what I say without making it an issue every damn time? You undercut my authority whenever you pull shit like this.”

She gave him a stony look but sat.

“This won’t take long,” he said.

“Fine with me,” she said.

He stared at her while she looked back at him impassively.

“You hate my guts, don’t you?” he said.

“I don’t think my feelings toward you have anything to do with my job.”

“Of course they do. Without respect there’s nothing.”

“If you say so.”

“I have never been confronted with a more complex problem than you. Never.”

“Glad I could be there for you.”

“I’m being serious, so cut the jokes.”

She sat up a bit straighter but said nothing.

He held up two fingers. “My DD, James Gelder. And an analyst named Doug Jacobs.”

Reel said nothing.

“You killed them both.”

Reel folded her arms over her chest.

“They worked for this agency. Gelder was my friend. They’re dead because of you.”

Sensing where this was going, Reel started to speak, but Tucker held up his hand. “Just—just let me finish,” he said. “It’s taken me long enough to get to the point. Let me have my say and then you can respond.”

Reel sat back, evidently put out by this request.

Tucker continued. “I’ve looked into every facet of the case, everything. And my conclusion is that, even though I don’t want to believe it, Gelder, who I thought was my friend, and Doug Jacobs, who had sworn allegiance to this country, were traitors. They were planning an event that, if it had taken place, would have sent this world into an apocalypse.”

He pointed a finger at her. “You prevented that from happening. You and Robie,” he amended.

Reel’s expression had softened. She was watching her boss closely now.

“I can’t say that I agree with your method. Guilty until proven innocent. But I think I see now why you did what you did. They killed a man who meant a lot to you. There was no direct evidence against them. If you hadn’t acted, the world as we know it would be gone.” He gave a long, resigned sigh. “As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I think you did the right thing, Reel.”

Reel’s lips parted and her eyes revealed her surprise.

Tucker looked away from her and studied the table. He said, “Your actions since then were nothing short of remarkable. You and Robie fought through every imaginable obstacle and put your lives on the line again and again. You stopped the coming global disaster while everyone else, myself included, had hands over our eyes and thumbs up our asses. And as reward for that, I sent you and Robie into Syria basically to die. I still can’t believe that I did what I did, setting up two of my agents, my
best
agents, to get killed. There is no excuse and I’m ashamed of myself. I truly am. And yet you survived that. And you came back home and got your medals and I’ve been thinking of ways to nail you ever since those hunks of metal went around your necks, including trying to literally drown your asses at the Burner Box.”

Tucker grew silent, but Reel seemed disinclined to say anything.

He said, “I have learned what went down with you and the scum who happened to be your father. I know what he tried to do. I know what you did to stop him and save Julie Getty’s life. And I know the risk involved in going to North Korea and doing what you and Robie accomplished. It was nothing short of miraculous. Any other team would’ve been dead.”

He grew quiet again, but for a shorter time now.

“So, I said all that to really say, thank you, Agent Reel, for your service. I was in the wrong and you were in the right.”

He extended his hand, which she shook.

“I’m not sure what to say, Director,” she said. “I think I understand how hard this was for you to do.”

“The problem is, Reel, it shouldn’t have been that hard. I’m just too damn stubborn. Look, I know people see me as an outsider. I didn’t come up through the intelligence field. I’m a political appointee. Didn’t know my ass from a hole in the ground. I get that. I worked hard to come up to speed, I really did. But I made mistakes. And you were the biggest one. So, my apologies again.” He paused. “And when this threat from North Korea has been neutralized, I plan on stepping down and letting the president appoint my successor.”

She looked shocked by this. “Are you sure about that, sir?”

“Even if I wanted to stay, I couldn’t. A higher authority than me has made it very clear that my stint at the agency is coming to a close.”

Reel knew exactly who the “higher authority” was, but only said, “I see.”

“And I’m not a young guy, Reel. I’ve got other things I want to do in life. In truth, this job is a killer, it really is. You jump from crisis to crisis. Success to disaster. The highest peaks and the lowest valleys. My gut is one big acid burn. I think I’ve aged more in this job than I did in the previous thirty years of my life. But I don’t want to leave until this thing is resolved. And I didn’t want to leave without telling you what I just have.” He paused again, glanced at her nervously, and said, “That’s all I wanted to say. You can head out now.”

As they rose, Reel said, “So why did you just bust our asses in the meeting?”

“For now at least I’m still the DCI. And I’m concerned that you will not be where I need you to be. That’s why. But with that said, I hope you have a relaxing time in Nantucket.”

“Thank you, sir. I hope I will too.”

T
HE SEAS WERE CHOPPY, THOUGH
in the twin-hulled high-speed catamaran it was hardly noticeable. Chung-Cha sat in her seat in the heated space while Min had her face glued to the window looking at the frothing water.

It had occurred to Chung-Cha that Min had never been on a boat of any kind before. Until recently she had never ridden in a car or a plane or a train. The young girl had come a long way in a short time.

As the island of Nantucket appeared out of the mist, Min resumed her seat next to Chung-Cha. The ferry was only about half full, mostly with older people returning to the island. Chung-Cha smiled occasionally at some of them but did not say anything.

The ferry passed by the man-made breakwater and headed into the harbor. A few minutes later they were docked and the passengers filed off the boat. Chung-Cha held Min’s hand as they went down the gangplank. The ferry’s captain tipped his hat and said, “Enjoy your visit.”

Chung-Cha smiled. “We plan to.”

They continued with their rolling bags to the car rental office, where Chung-Cha produced her license and her reservation and credit card. They drove off a bit later in a small white SUV. As the sun was setting to the west, burning the sky into reds and golds, Min stared out the car window and said, “What are we doing here, Chung-Cha?”

“I told you. Just a little trip.”

“Who were those people at the other place?”

“Friends of mine.”

“They didn’t seem too friendly.”

“Well, they are. They are good people.”

“You work with them?” Min said, giving Chung-Cha a brief sideways glance.

“A little.”

“What is this place called?”

“Nantucket. This is the Atlantic Ocean that you are seeing. Where Korea is, that’s the Pacific Ocean.”

“I know nothing about any of that.”

Chung-Cha glanced at her as they drove along. “You will, Min. I promise. You will learn every day. Even—” Here she broke off.

“Even what?” said Min quickly, apparently sensing unease in the woman.

“Even when you are tired of learning,” said Chung-Cha with a smile.

She had put her destination into the car’s navigation system. The island was not large, but the roads were not very well marked and she was glad of the assistance the computer provided. Min’s eyes followed the little marker that represented their vehicle as it traveled along the navigation screen. She asked many questions about the device and Chung-Cha answered as best she could.

Their rental rumbled over the cobblestone streets of the village square. There were a number of people on the streets and many shops were still open. The weather was not cold, though as the sun fell it would grow chillier. The briny smell of the ocean was all around them.

Min sniffed. “That smell is not so nice.”

“It’s fishy. It’s not bad. There are far worse smells.”

Min looked at her and nodded. “There are far worse smells,” she repeated.

Soon they turned down a winding lane with high grass on either side. The ocean was visible on three sides. The cottage they pulled into sat by itself off the road. Chung-Cha cut off the engine and opened the car door. She and Min pulled out their bags and they walked together up to the front door.

“Who lives here?” asked Min.

“We do, for now.”

The inside of the cottage was quaint and neat, and when Min found that she had her own room and bed she was astonished.

“Just me?” she asked Chung-Cha.

“I will be in the room next to it. You will be fine. But if you feel anxious, you will know where to find me.”

They had not eaten since lunch, so Chung-Cha prepared a meal from the contents of the refrigerator, which had been filled for their visit. They ate and drank hot tea and watched the sun finish its fall to the horizon.

“It looks like the sun has dropped into the water,” said Min as they watched out the window.

“Yes, it does.”

Min spent the next hour going around the house and seeing what was there. The owners had left toys and board games in a closet. Min had pulled some things out and was playing with them, but she did not like it when Chung-Cha was out of her sight for very long.

Chung-Cha sat in a chair after hitting a switch, which caused the gas fireplace to turn on. When Min saw the flames spring out, she rushed over, her face filled with horror.

“We have to get water to put it out!”

“No, Min, it is all right. It is the way it works. It gives off heat. See, draw close, like this. It feels good.”

She and Min stood in front of the fire and let it warm them.

An hour later Min fell asleep on the couch next to Chung-Cha. Now Chung-Cha could get to work.

Since she understood that the mission was not expected to produce any survivors, she had to think some things through. When she had, she pulled out her phone and studied the images on there. The three Cassions stared back at her. Mother, daughter, son.

Next she looked at images of Will Robie and Jessica Reel. She could just tell they were like her. They looked strong and capable and unafraid of anything.

As Min quietly snored next to her, Chung-Cha went through all the files and details once more.

The plan was still in progress because they did not yet have an exact itinerary for the first family. In fact, there might not be one, since this trip was apparently not really part of the official schedule but an impromptu decision.

They were all aware, from recent news stories, that the NSA and other American intelligence agencies listened to everyone in the world, so the use of their phones to communicate, even via text or email, was deemed to be too risky on the island, even if they used code. The thought was that any communications on the island, with the First Lady and her children here, would be given heightened scrutiny.

But it was not as though they could freely congregate and continue their planning. A group of Asians doing so would be a red flag and could sabotage their mission before it even began.

But they
had
to communicate. And they believed they had arrived at a plan to do so while staying below the Americans’ radar. And Chung-Cha had devised a way for Min to play a part in that.

Over the next several days Chung-Cha and Min drove and walked through the town. They made treks along the beach. They collected shells and threw pebbles into the ocean. They watched seagulls glide across the sky and ferries race across the water.

Chung-Cha had her ears open for any snatches of conversation about the people who would soon be coming here. And details were learned, because Americans apparently liked to gossip.

While they were eating chowder in a local café several men came in. They wore jackets and khaki pants and had earwigs and looked quietly professional. They took a table near Chung-Cha and Min. While she pretended to listen to Min, Chung-Cha eavesdropped on the conversation the men were having. She learned some important details, including exactly when the party was arriving and how.

After they left the café she stopped to write some things down and then she and Min went to their car and drove off. She pulled into a gas station. Chung-Cha eyed the small windowed office where a clerk stood behind the cash register.

She folded up the paper she had written on and handed it to Min.

“Do you see the man in there?” she said, pointing. Min looked in that direction, saw the clerk, and nodded. “You will take him this note while I put fuel into the car.”

“What does it say, the note?”

“It’s unimportant. I’m just giving him some information he needs.”

“How do you know him?”

“I know him from our country.”

“Why is he here?”

“Just take him the note, Min. Do it now. And he will give you something in return for me.”

Min opened the door, looked back once at Chung-Cha, and then hurried into the little office.

Chung-Cha pumped gas while she watched Min. She gave the man the note and he in turn gave her a piece of paper, along with some candy from the rack next to the register. He smiled and patted Min on the head.

When Min returned to the car, she handed Chung-Cha the note and held up the package of chocolates.

“Can I have these?”

“Just one. Save the rest for later.”

Chung-Cha slipped the note into her pocket.

“You’re not going to read what the note says?” asked Min as she popped the candy into her mouth.

“Later, not here.”

They drove back to the cottage.

While Min went off to play, Chung-Cha looked at the note. It was written in code, and not in Korean, just in case. They had used English instead.

She read through the contents twice to make sure she had missed nothing. Then she let out a small breath as she heard Min laugh. The TV was on and she must be watching her cartoons.

It must be good to laugh
, thought Chung-Cha.
It must be very good
.