Posted by: Admin on Monday, August 05, 2002 - 01:45 AM 
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Weapon's Grade
Part 2
Thursday was three days away.
"We'll have to put a guy in the local exchange, set up a surveillance net and establish radio contact with whoever is going to do the drop," I said.
She picked up the phone and dialed a number, when answered, she said, "Jan, can you come in here, please?"
Jan was the head of the communications branch. While we were waiting for her to arrive, Maggie called the local FBI bureau head; we were going to need help.
"Sorry to bother you, John, but we have a situation. How quickly can you get over here?... Yes, it is an emergency... Okay, see you in fifteen minutes... Bye, John"
Fortunately, they weren't too far away. Maggie picked the phone up again, dialed another number and spoke a few words. Jan entered the room and was briefed by Maggie.
"Jan, you've got about twenty minutes to get your stuff ready for a meeting in conference room one. We've got a major job on Thursday and we'll need full communications coverage, and it needs to be secure and unobtrusive," Maggie said.
"I'll get Josie and meet you there," I said.
"Okay," she replied.
Josie and I took our seats fifteen minutes later. Wendy and Jan were already there, as were Fred and Peter. Maggie and John came in a few minutes later. Maggie addressed the meeting.
"Thank you all for coming. From left to right we have Wendy, she's from Imaging, Jan - Communications, Fred - Bio Hazard Lab, Peter - Liaison, Sam and Josie - Field Agents. Ladies and gentlemen, this is John, FBI bureau head. Sam, you start."
I noticed the puzzled look on John's face.
"Sorry, but the Sam I knew was a six foot, thirty-two-year-old male," John said.
"Oops, it's my fault, John, we've taken the change for granted now. Sam is victim number four and as such, is as you see her," Maggie said.
"Are you okay with it, Sam? The change I mean. It would freak me out," John said.
"I'm getting used to it. Don't worry, John, underneath I'm still the same stubborn Sam you used to know, but in a much better package." The room dissolved into laughter.
"Ten days ago we had an occurrence of, what was later confirmed as, a biological incident. Six days latter a note and three more victims, including me," I paused. "This morning a blackmail note turned up."
"So you don't think its terrorism?" John interrupted.
"No, the set-up is all wrong, the incidents would be more widespread, more numerous and the notes don't mention the usual terrorist demands. However, a biological incident is still serious, even if it is just blackmail," I answered.
"I agree and if what you say is borne out, I will be thankful. I'd hate to be dealing with terrorists," John said.
"Cracking this case won't be a piece of cake," I said. "However, the blackmailer has demanded five million dollars by Thursday."
"Thanks, Sam. Fred, what have you got?" Maggie said.
"The agent used in the first three incidents was applied to the handles of the victims' mailbox door. This agent was mixed with a gelatin-based substance that was sticky to the touch. The agent was absorbed through the skin; this is also how Sam got contaminated. It also appears that the agent breaks down if not activated within a certain time scale, but I can't tell you how long that is," Fred said.
"I might be able to help," Wendy interrupted. "There was a timestamp on the tapes from the first incident and it was showing five thirty-seven when the mailbox was tampered with. We don't know how accurate the timestamp is, of course, but I wouldn't have thought is was too far out."
"Thanks, Wendy," Fred said. "The door was being examined by eighteen hundred, so let's say eight to ten hours maximum before break down and probably five, minimum"
"Can't you get closer?" Josie asked.
"Not without observing the break down. The agent would have to have at least a five-hour life span, based on what Wendy has found. We were testing it in the lab about twelve hours later and there was only residue. If pushed, I would say a life span of between five and eight hours," Fred replied.
"Good work, Fred. Wendy, your turn," Maggie said.
"Initial viewing of the tapes from incident number one shows a tall, longhaired, blonde woman wearing a short skirt and high heels. We've tried enhancement, but that's about as good as it gets. However, all the teams have watched the video, several times, and our feeling is that it is a disguise, or rather, it's a man," Wendy stated. "Oh and the other videos didn't add very much to our knowledge."
"So we have no idea who we are looking for, other than it may be a male," John said.
"Correct. If he wasn't sure of his disguise he would have tried either to destroy the camera or the tapes," Wendy continued.
"Seems like a logical conclusion, but why do you think it's a man?" I asked.
"Little things. We watch people a lot and you can tell a lot about a person from body language, mannerisms and the way they walk. And we believe that we are dealing with a man who is confident passing as a woman," Wendy replied.
"Josie, can you check with Prue to see if they have any men working for them with the right skill set?" I asked.
Josie went to one of the phones by the wall and made the call, meanwhile Maggie outlined our next move.
"The blackmailer will make contact on Thursday, we don't know if it will by mail or telephone. Also, we have to assume that whoever makes the drop will be given the run around. That's where you come in, John," John nodded as Maggie continued. "We need manpower on the ground with secure communications, the last bit's yours, Jan."
"They don't have any men working in that area," Josie said. "In fact the only men working for them are in dispatch."
"Damn, ok, never mind. Jan, what can you give us?" Maggie asked.
"I'll have a guy in the local exchange from first thing Thursday. He'll be in contact with the phone companies in case the call is off network. As far as radios are concerned, if we use channel eighty-eight that should equate to channel..." Jan consulted a chart and continued, "fifty-two. That is one of your secure local channels, isn't it, John?"
"I believe so, I'll make sure that no one other than us will use it. It will be clear from midnight Wednesday," John said.
"Thanks, now I recommend we use a low power one way personal radio for whoever is going to do the drop. Voice activated, range of between five hundred to a thousand yards. The handheld units look like mobile phones, so we shouldn't arouse any suspicion when on foot," Jan paused for breath. "I will also have three repeater vehicles out, to cover any black spots we find."
"John, what can you provide?" Maggie asked.
"I'll put ten teams out in the field, that way we can rotate any tails regularly and still be able to get to the next contact point if everything works," John said.
"Okay, final briefing will be on Wednesday at seventeen hundred, I want all of you to be aware of your areas of operation. Peter, I want you inside the NYPD central control area on Thursday. I want to know what's going on before the Police do. Sam, it's your case, so you are in charge of the field staff. Jan, get the NSA to monitor all mobile phone traffic from midnight Wednesday, any trouble, let me know and make sure our radios work. John, I appreciate your help, I would like an open line between us on Thursday," Maggie paused, looked around the room and continued, "I don't have to stress how important it is for all of us to work together on this one. We cannot afford mistakes."
"Can I have a word, John?" I asked, as the others filed out of the room.
"Sure," he replied. "You know, I'm still having trouble remembering that this sweet teenager I'm talking to was once a well built jock."
"Look at it from my angle," I said.
"That's what's freaking me out. Rather you than me."
"Anyway, I hope you don't mind the fact that I've been put in control of your people?" I said.
"Not at all, we need to get this right, and there shouldn't be any trouble with the way you look. I'll brief them before we arrive."
"Thanks, I'd like to see your people before our briefing. Can they be here at sixteen hundred, it will also give Jan a chance to test the radio links?" I asked.
"Sure, do you mind if I attend too?"
"Be my guest. We can't afford errors and I would welcome your help and support on this," I answered.
*****
Before we knew it, Wednesday was upon us. Josie and I, as well as some other field staff, had spent the last two days doing the rounds of all the potential trouble spots. Places like Central Park, Grand Central Station, Port Authority Bus Terminal and the like. We were trying to identify anywhere we might give ourselves away.
Wednesday, we did a trial run, well away from where we expected to do it for real, we hoped. The Imaging team tried to spot us and help us refine our technique. We were determined not to get it wrong, the stakes were too high.
By fifteen-thirty, ten vehicles had arrived in our parking lot. There were two yellow cabs, three station wagons, two compacts, one van and two motorbikes. Jan got to work checking the radio links. By sixteen hundred, she was happy they all worked. Our four teams and the ten FBI teams, along with John, met in the auditorium.
John started the briefing. "I'd like to say that this job is far too important to let any rivalry get in the way. To my group, I'd like to say that if you mess up, your next assignment will be in Alaska and remember, Sam is older and wiser than she looks."
"Thanks, John. We are dealing with a level four biological threat, we have had four incidents, including mine, and we want to catch whoever is responsible before there are more. For those of you who don't know what a level four threat is, it's something that gives me almost as much power as the President," I paused, gathered my thoughts and continued. "As far as you are concerned, we have to track a payoff back to the blackmailer. We have to do this without alerting anyone. We have to appear as one of the crowd, we cannot afford to take risks or, more importantly, fail."
"You are all experts in surveillance, you have had countless hours of training and practice. Now it's payback time," John said. "This is deadly serious, I don't want any mistakes, from anyone."
Handing out sheets of paper, I said, "These are the potential hazards that we know about, you may know of more. These are the danger areas, places where we will be more at risk of detection. This risk will increase as we track whoever has picked up the payoff. If anyone thinks we need something, speak up and we will get it."
No one spoke, I continued, "The first part should be easy, if the technology works, but the second part, the tracking from the pickup, will be much harder. We have an image of, who we believe is, the blackmailer." I gave everyone a picture.
The rest of the time was taken up with everyone studying the picture, checking the sheets, adding problem areas and discussing ways around potential problems. With fifteen minutes to go before Maggie's briefing, more people started drifting into the auditorium.
At seventeen hundred, Maggie walked in and addressed the meeting.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Before I call on the various areas, I would like to say that I briefed the President this morning, his words amounted to ‘failure is not an option'. The National Guard is being mobilized as we speak, under the guise of a surprise exercise, and will be available to us at a moments notice.
"Now to business, Jan?" Maggie asked.
"The radio links have been checked and are operational, I will have two people in Verizon's facility and MCI, Sprint, AT & T and the others are all on standby. The NSA will monitor all radio traffic, they weren't happy about it, but they will comply. I'd like to send a couple of our people over there, just to be on the safe side. The repeater vehicles are ready to go and will serve as radio locators, if necessary. The personal radio has been checked and its battery is fully charged, as is a backup. Each vehicle will carry a handheld unit as a backup or if anyone has to go on foot."
"Thanks, Jan.
"Peter?"
"All nine-one-one calls will be routed though the Police central control, as will all Police radio traffic. I will be there from zero six hundred equipped with a handheld unit."
"Thanks, Peter.
"Sam?"
"We've identified as many of the problem areas as we can. All of the field staff are ready to go and have a picture of the blackmailer. I'm sending Josie into HuggleBugs at zero seven hundred with the money and the gear. She will do a radio check every thirty minutes until contact. All field staff will be mobile from zero seven thirty. Prue normally gets to work at zero eight hundred, but we don't expect contact until after zero nine hundred."
"Thanks, Sam.
"Joe?"
"My team will be available from zero seven hundred to deal with any bio threat. We can be mobile in ten minutes and Astrid's team is on standby."
"Thanks, Joe, I hope both of you won't be needed.
"John?"
"I will be in my office from zero six hundred monitoring the radio. I will have backup staff available at ten minutes notice. We have staff coming in from three neighboring offices."
"Thanks, John.
"Wendy?"
"My group are ready to help with the surveillance if it's a dead letterbox drop. We should be able to give early notice of potential suspects."
"Thanks, Wendy. That could be useful.
"Now, myself. I will be in the office from zero six hundred, also monitoring radio traffic and, as soon as contact has been made, will open a line to John and to the Governor's office. It only remains for me to wish everyone good luck."
With that, Maggie left. We broke into groups to discuss last minute details. These groups slowly filed out of the conference room to prepare for their own part in the show. I walked over to Josie.
"You know that you can't take part in the tracking, don't you?" I said.
"Why not?" she asked.
"In case it's someone who's seen you at HuggleBugs."
"I see. So what will my job be?" she asked.
"Once Prue, or whoever, is on their way, we will team up and try to second guess where the drop or contacts will be. We will also be the mobile command unit, Josie."
"Okay," she said. "You sleeping here tonight?"
"Is the Pope Catholic?"
"Okay, I'll see you for breakfast around five-thirty."
"Look forward to it."
I slipped back to my office and went over the plan; as much of a plan it was, trying to find any flaw, any missed problem. By nine, I set my alarm and went to bed.
*****
The alarm went off and I hit the off button hard. I shook myself awake and trotted off to the girl's room for a shower. I kept a change of clothes at the office and it was forty minutes later, washed and changed that Josie walked in. I had just finished my makeup and was brushing my hair.
"How are you feeling this morning?" she asked.
"Nervous," I answered.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to fail, I want to catch this person."
"So do I," Josie said. "Come on, breakfast."
We had a quick breakfast and went back to my office to go over the plan for the day ahead. I was still worried that I had forgotten something, but Josie said that was silly. It was getting close to Josie's departure time. She went and fetched her radio; the personal radios and signed for the money, in triplicate. I saw her off, in one of our taxis, and went to report to Maggie.
I went to pick up my radio, checked it was set to the correct channel and went back to my office. Once there, I picked up the call sign sheet. Alpha was Maggie, Bravo - John, Charlie - my team, Delta - Peter, Echo - Jan's team, Foxtrot - Wendy's team and Zulu were Joe and Astrid's teams.
I pressed the button, "Control, Charlie One."
"Charlie One, Control." Control was one of Jan's team tasked with keeping a record of what was going on. All radio traffic would be recorded as well.
"Control, Charlie One, operational. Charlie Two is on way to Hotel One." Hotel One was HuggleBugs.
"Charlie One, Control. Roger. Charlie Two has declared mobile. Will mark you as operational at zero six fifteen."
"Delta One, Charlie One."
"Charlie One, Delta One."
"Delta One, Charlie One. Status check."
"Charlie One, Delta One. Everything is okay at this end."
"Delta One, Charlie One. Roger."
As I listened, I heard various personnel check in with Control, by eight everyone was in place and we settled down to wait. Josie checked in every thirty minutes and at nine Control requested radio silence.
It all happened at once. We heard two clicks, followed by Control.
"All units, all units. This is Control. Contact initiated. Echo Two begin call trace. Message timed at zero nine thirty-two."
"Control, Echo Two. Call located, Echo Three, decoding number."
"Control, Charlie Two. India One has been told to take a cab to the corner of Third Avenue and Housten Street. I am wiring India One as I speak." Prue was India One.
"Charlie Three, Control. Drop Charlie Four and get to Hotel One. Charlie Nine pick up Charlie Four and take her to Papa One. Charlie Eleven and Echo Seven locate near Papa One." Papa One was the first checkpoint.
"Control, Charlie One. Mobile." I raced to my car; thankfully, I was wearing flats and jeans.
"Charlie One, Control. Roger."
As I drove I heard Prue's voice testing the radio and the nominated units giving their new status. I heard Charlie Three tell Control he had picked up Prue and was on route to the first checkpoint. Control told Josie to meet me a little way from HuggleBugs and I drove to the rendezvous point. Josie was waiting by the time I arrived.
"Control, Charlie Two. Have teamed up with Charlie One and now mobile."
"Charlie Two, Control. Roger."
"Josie, did Prue mention a time when she had to be at the first checkpoint?" I asked.
"No, I don't think there was one."
"Shit. Charlie One to all units. Possibility that India One will be under observation at Papa One. Control, acknowledge."
"Charlie One, Control. Roger. India One is likely to be under observation at all Papas."
"Control, Charlie One. I think it's best to assume that."
"Control, Charlie Three. India One now at Papa One. Charlie Three relocating."
"All units, Control. Radio silence."
"So we just sit, wait and hope," I said to Josie.
Ten minutes later, we heard Prue give us the location of the second checkpoint and then Control moving Charlie units to new positions. This went on for an hour and a half before we got the location of the dead letterbox.
"Control, Charlie One. Request Foxtrot units roll to Papa Eight."
"Charlie One, Control. Roger, Foxtrot units rolling."
"Control, Charlie One. Can we designate Papa Eight as hot?" By hot I meant that it would be under constant observation by the blackmailer.
"All units, Control. Charlie One has asked that Papa Eight be designated as hot. Maximum time at Papa Eight is to be ten minutes. No Charlie unit to return within thirty minutes of last visit."
"Control, Bravo One. Suggest after pickup that we swap Charlie units with backup team. That way we have fresh faces and vehicles for the second leg." John had suggested a very good idea.
"Control, Charlie One. I would like to concur with that last message."
"Bravo One, Control. I'll let you work out the changeovers once we know where we are going."
"Back to waiting," Josie said.
We listened to Control changing the watchers at irregular intervals; sometimes one of Wendy's team would suggest a likely suspect. Prue had been picked up by one of the Charlie taxis and driven to the office, where the radio was removed and she debriefed. She was then returned to HuggleBugs.
"Control, Foxtrot Three. I have positive identification of Tango One." Tango was the code word for anyone we believed was involved, with Tango One, the ‘woman' from the tapes.
"All units, Control. No one make any sudden movements." This could be it.
"Control, Foxtrot Seven. Possible Tango, male, about five seven, wearing a short leather jacket. Heading towards Papa Eight."
"Control, Charlie Sixteen. Lift off; Tango One has performed lift off, heading for southwest exit."
"All units, Control. Lift off.
"All Charlie units on Papa Eight remain until told to move.
"Charlie Fifteen and Charlie Seventeen standby. Target is Tango One, I repeat, target is Tango One."
We heard John swapping the free Charlie units. Charlie Seventeen made contact and the chase was on. Papa Eight was eventually cleared and Control was expertly moving the tails so that no one stayed in view for too long. As traffic got lighter, so the tail changing got more regularly. Eventually the chase ended outside a house in the suburbs. All the tails split off and went their separate ways.
Peter had had a bright idea and requested the Police helicopter to circle over the surrounding area. Not too close, but close enough for the cameras to be able to track Tango One.
The job now changed. We had to set up surveillance for a short time to gather intelligence about the target. Also, we had to be sure that everyone involved was inside. Joe's team was mobilized and Josie and I arrived at the rendezvous point.
"What's the status?" I asked.
"Tango One is inside, no one else has entered or left," Charlie Three said.
"Okay, when Joe's team arrives, we go in," I said.
Joe arrived ten minutes later. A quick briefing and we were ready to go.
We broke down the front door; another team took out the rear door. Checking rooms as we went, we searched the house. Josie and I made for the basement. We found what looked like a small laboratory and there, holding something in her hand, was the blonde.
"Freeze, don't move a muscle," I said.
We started moving towards the ‘woman'. I got to within six feet when the blonde threw something at me. I ducked as Josie leapt at her and in the struggle the blonde's wig came off.
We led the captive away for interrogation and let Joe's team to disassemble the lab and decontaminate the area.
There were three of us in the room. Beside myself, there was Josie and the blackmailer, still wearing his female disguise, but with out his wig.
"Can you tell us your name?" I asked.
Silence
"What do we call you?" Josie asked.
Silence
"We've got all night, all week, all year in fact. You won't leave this room until you start talking to us," I said.
"You are probably right about that," he said.
"About what?" I asked.
He said nothing more, just sat there, looking at us. Well we had plenty of time.
Four hours went by, fours hours of questions followed by silence. Four hours of boredom, broken by his sudden collapse.
The blackmailer's name was Julia, a biochemist, who had tried to get a job at HuggleBugs, but was turned down, didn't have the right qualifications, or something. Anyway, this rejection finally got to her and she wanted revenge. She refused to tell us how she got the raw nanite or the software.
The disguise was a double bluff. She had transformed herself into a man, and then dressed as a woman, hoping that this would ensure she would be free from suspicion. All the victims, except me, were picked, at random, from the phone book. She also set a trap, just to make it interesting; I was just unlucky... or lucky, depending upon your point of view.
The other victims were put onto our support program. Catherine decided to convert to a male, something about periods and pregnancy or something like that. But all three groups are fine and coming to terms with their new status somewhere in the United States.
And me? Well, I've come to terms with my new life and Josie is taking me clubbing on Saturday. I'm going to spend all day in the beauty shop getting my hair and nails done and I've seen this darling little dress.
As for Saturday, I think she has set me up with a date. Now that should be interesting.
Epilogue
Josie and I completed the security audit at HuggleBugs and submitted it to Maggie. But, she only went and quit to join them as Head of Security. Geez, I'd hoped to get that job myself, but it worked out for the best.
After my ‘discovery', the Government set up a new agency, with me as its head. Our task was to insure, using any means possible that the people in authority were really who they should be. Josie was my team leader. Hey, she was still cute, I owed her a lot and I still needed her.
One of my first jobs was to see if we could create a vaccine to provide protection against the nanites. This vaccine would be based on the genetic markers left behind, but that is for another story.
And you don't want to know who I report to; you probably haven't got the security clearance, anyway. Outside of my agency, only two people are cleared to our level, Maggie is one. If I told you the other, I'd either have to shoot you or you'd spend the rest of your days in solitary at Leavenworth.
Oh, that Saturday was interesting, very interesting. I never knew being a woman could be so much fun, pity about the periods.
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© 2001 by Samantha Jay. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.
Note: Read Part 1 |
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