She would have to put a stop to this younger agent constantly addressing her with “ma’am.” He meant well and was trying to be respectful, but she was an agent just like him.
“I’ll see you at the operations meeting later this morning,” Murphy said as she exited the vehicle. She didn’t wait to see if the younger agent followed her into the building. She walked up the path and in through the glass doors of the Emerald City. She sailed through the new automated security measures at the building after the impromptu protest the month before. That had been one of her first jobs when she took over the post. The only sound in the building at this early hour was her heels clicking across the marble atrium as she headed to the elevator bank. She waited for a second and heard the ding of the elevator car arrive.
“Hold the door,” a man’s voice called out. Murphy stuck her arm through the closing doors.
“Morning, Murphy,” Agent Benjamin Harper said as he entered the elevator.
“Morning, Harper.”
“I got a text that we had an all-hands-on-deck meeting at nine. Any idea what this is about?” Harper asked.
“I should know, considering I’m the one who called for it,” Murphy replied.
Harper took a swig of coffee from his travel mug. “Well, don’t keep me waiting.”
“I don’t know what I can tell you yet. I have a meeting with the White House and Director Steele at seven-thirty.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” Harper responded. “I hope they’re not planning to send us back to New Orleans. I just finished unpacking.”
“How much crap did you bring? You know this is temporary for both of us,” Murphy said.
“Well, I had to bring my computer, television, clothes, golf clubs and other essentials. Why? What did you bring?”
“My to-go bag. I just keep recycling through my suits. I have three at the dry cleaners, two hanging in Kira’s closet and the one on my back.”
“Damn, you pack light,” Harper said. “I need at least two full suitcases if I go to an all-expense paid clothing-optional resort.”
“Eww,” Murphy said. “I didn’t need that mental picture before I’ve had coffee.”
“You and Kira have a late night?”
“Not the kind you’re thinking of.” She reached out and pushed the emergency stop button on the elevator. She’d learned this was one of the few places to hold a conversation, but you could only do it for twenty seconds or the fire alarm would go off. “Here’s the deal. The people from last month are back. They’re apparently working for or with DC, and somehow Kira got herself wrapped up in this mess. It’s a clusterfuck.” With that, she pushed the button and the elevator continued.
Ding!The door to the elevators opened, and she exited, leaving Harper in stunned silence behind her. She heard him scramble to exit the elevators before the doors closed.
“You can’t drop a bomb on me like that then walk away.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kira denied. “I said nothing. And more importantly, you know nothing.” She got to her door, pulled out her keycard, opened the room and said, “I’ll see you at nine. And clear the rest of your day quietly. It’s going to be busy.”
She shouldn’t have said anything to Harper, but they’d been partners for years, so she believed she owed him. He’d been dragged along to Houston as her partner, but she was put into this leadership position, making her his boss. The whole thing was messed up, and neither of them enjoyed playing politics.
After logging into her computer and responding to several emails, she proceeded to the SCIF in the basement. By seven-thirty, she logged in and stared at a screen with Director Steele, President Barnes and Sepi Amin.
“Good morning, Agent Murphy. I just read the report you submitted last night,” President Barnes said. “For obvious reasons, this report has been labeled Top Secret. Not even my Chief of Staff, he nodded his head toward Amin, could read this document. As you can well imagine, there is information that you included in your report that is beyond dangerous to our national security. After today, I recommend destroying any notes you have on this subject. There will be only a single copy of this report, and it will be held here in the White House in our secured digital archival vault.”
“Yes, sir,” Murphy responded.
“And, Murphy,” Steele said, “this is covered under the Counterintelligence and Security Enhancements Act of 1994. As of eight p.m. last night, you were officially made a National Counterintelligence Policy Board member in absentia. This is covered under Section “E”, Coordination of Counterintelligence Matters with Federal Bureau of Investigation. To learn more about these provisions and the corresponding laws, read theIntelligence Community Legal Reference Bookby the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Office of General Counsel.”
Murphy could tell that Steele was reading from a script. The FBI’s lawyers probably gave him the exact verbiage to say that morning.What kind of fucking shit show did I step into?
“Now I’m going to ask Ms. Amin to leave, as she doesn’t have clearance for the upcoming conversation,” Director Steele stated.
The President nodded his head as Amin stood and left the White House situation room.
“Now that it’s just the three of us, feel free to speak openly,” the President encouraged.
“Is there any new intelligence beyond what I submitted last night?” Murphy asked.
