* * * *
Ethan
The next few days were a whirlwind of preparations. When Cleo Barnes said she would throw a concert, she put those wheels in motion and went full steam ahead. The concert was scheduled for Saturday night. And true to her word, she worked to get the National Park Service to relent and let them use the West Lawn of the US Capitol. They had sold over one hundred thousand tickets. Tickets were by donation only, since the expenses of the concert were being paid for by private donors. The First Lady had also secured plenty of funding to cover all the show’s costs. The Park Service said they could fit up to five-hundred thousand people in that area if necessary. But unlike the Fourth-of-July concert, this one wouldn’t appeal to everyone, which was perfectly fine with him. The organizing team secured Echoed Harmony, Melodic Mirage, Stella Starling, Midnight Riot and Riley Neon to come play the concert for free, so it was shaping up to be a full night. This would still be the largest concert ZERO had ever played.
And through it all, Ethan and Blayne kept their security tails, and no one would tell them anything about the status of Laura Lee Jackson and the CLA. Ethan kept expecting Dr. Hennigan, Denzili or Richardson to appear out of nowhere and whisk him and Blayne away for some secret mission that would somehow turn deadly, but everything remained boringly quiet. Never in a million years would Ethan think he’d be disappointed for a day when there wasn’t any action, and he’d been the one blaming Blayne for enjoying the cloak-and-dagger stuff too much. But then, Ethan had always been a bit of an adrenaline junkie. He got it through sports then being on stage.
By the time the evening of the concert rolled around, the world was back to normal. They had afternoon soundchecks that were closed off from the public and media. RTN had agreed to broadcast the benefit live, but they could not film the soundcheck. They could interview backstage, but Ethan had avoided Stephen McNeil by hiding in a port-a-potty for twenty minutes. Not his most glamorous moment, but he was okay with that. When he’d told Blayne about this back at the Waldorf, Blayne had a good laugh at his expense.
“Well, what would you have done?” Ethan asked when Blayne finally stopped laughing.
“I would have used my muscle to kindly let him know that he’s a perceived enemy combatant and had him shipped to a black-site prison in the Baltic Sea.”
“Why the Baltic Sea?”
“Just sounds more ominous,” Blayne admitted.
They showered together. Blayne let Ethan fuck him while they got ready for the show. It wasn’t their most romantic tryst in the shower, but it was the relief they both needed—something simple, something routine and something fast.
* * * *
Dr. Hennigan
After the party, Dr. Hennigan made her way to DC. The short trip had given her time to catch up on intelligence. Unfortunately, they still weren’t close to figuring out where Lizzy Cleburne was heading. Well, they knew where she would end up. They just didn’t know how she’d get here. By the following afternoon, Dr. Hennigan was getting antsy. She always got that way after spending time with her father. She loved him, but he didn’t really play a significant role in her life. He was money…ancient money. Her grandfather hadn’t required her dad to get a job. He was told he must go to college and find an avocation once he had a degree. Grandfather hadn’t cared what her father did. He just wanted to make sure her father didsomethingwith his life. Her father had given her the same talk, and was then surprised when she went further and earned a master’s degree, a medical degree and a PhD. He often referred to those as her hobbies. Of course, he did not know what she did for a living. For her, the family wealth made it easy to slip in and out of society, granting her access to a world she wouldn’t have otherwise. The same was true for her mother and grandmother. Hennigan women learned long ago that they needed to marry the rich and powerful.
The buzzing of her cell phone brought her out of her trip down memory lane. “Hennigan,” she said as she answered.
“Dr. Hennigan,” Ms. Wilson replied, “we just got a hit. Last night while you were at the party, I altered Homeland Security’s database to ensure all the known aliases of Lizzy Cleburne would be flagged by the airports or the TSA. One name just popped up. I’m pulling up airport security as we speak.”
“Why did you call?” Hennigan asked.
“I realized you’d be bored and in a mood after last night, so I’m hoping to do my part as fast as possible so we can get you back out there. Now, give me a second.”
Hennigan smiled. Ms. Wilson knew her too well. It was possible that this safe house was rigged with cameras, and she might be under surveillance now. How Ms. Wilson coordinated this without leaving The Complex still amazed Hennigan. Ms. Wilson was not one to give up her sources or the names of the minions she employed to keep her part of the operation running. And if there weren’t financial discrepancies, no one cared to ask Ms. Wilson how she did what she did.
“Got her,” Ms. Wilson said. “She flew in early this morning to Stewart International Airport.”
“Where the hell is that?”
“It’s a smaller, regional airport that’s part of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. It’s a town sixty-plus minutes north of New York City. The airport is smaller, but several air carriers fly in and out.” There was more typing. “It looks like she rented a mid-sized gray sedan from AutoPilot Rent-A-Car, license plate YKG-2087.” There was more typing. She parked the vehicle in Midtown Manhattan, which was towed to the NYPD Tow Pound in Hell’s Kitchen a little after noon.”
“Well, it’s nice to know the NYPD is efficient at something,” Hennigan said.
“Then, nothing. Where was the car illegally parked?”
“It was left in the fire lane next to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.”
“Well, I seriously doubt she grabbed a bus. From what I remember, taking a bus with others wouldn’t be her style. I haven’t been to that area. Are there car rental agencies there?”
More typing. “Yes and no. None of them have car lots there, but there are several within walking distance. Plus, there is long-term parking at the Port Authority. She could just as easily steal one of them.”
“Keep looking. Once you have information on her next location, let me know immediately.”
* * * *
Ethan
The group got to the Washington Mall with relative ease. They had access to a green room tent and various trailers for dressing rooms. Ethan had a small trailer where he could get ready. His hair and makeup team had already ensured all the concert costumes were steam cleaned and prepared for him. During the show, they would have a runner grab the next costume from the trailer and help him make quick changes in the wings.
