The holoscreens in the middle of the table minimized, replaced by a recorded newscast video showing Senator Mark Graham of Montana leaving the Senate building under a swarm of mediaattention.
“Senator Graham, do you have any comment about the donations you received from Adrian and DeclanWolcott?”
“Senator Graham! Can you tell us about the budget earmarks you wrote up that directly benefited North StarInternational?”
“Senator Graham, what is your opinion on the federal investigation into North Star International’s ties toterrorism?”
The clamor disappeared when the video cut off as Graham got into his vehicle while aides kept the pressatbay.
“Has he issued a statement yet?” Katieasked.
“Other than the standardno comment, no, he hasn’t,” Nazari said. “He’s lawyered up though, in response to rumors that a subpoena directed at him may be coming down fromtheDOJ.”
“He can afford to take the political hit that bringing in lawyers always stirs up. Graham isn’t up for reelection next year, and he still retains his position as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. The DOJ will need to tread carefully with him,”Jamiesaid.
“I’m sure the senator’s camp will spin it as a precautionary measure. Everyone seems to need legal advice these days. It’s a tried and true cover that every politician uses at some point in theircareer.”
“Is the DOJ acting on any of the information we previously submitted to them regarding the Splice labs onAmericansoil?”
“We’ve provided limited information concerning the subpoena the MDF received. Since a good portion of it involves evidence gleaned from our backdoor in Saunders & Associates and the classified, active mission with the Pavluhkins, we’re treading carefully. If anything found on the solid-state drives you returned with falls within the scope of the subpoena, we’ll pass the information along if it won’t jeopardize ourstanding.”
Jamie frowned. “So we’re playing legalhardball.”
“We always play legalhardball.”
Kyle grimaced, thinking about the mess the Pavluhkin mission had become. Ever since London, when they’d wormed their way into doing business with Stanislav Pavluhkin, his inner circle, and thePresnenskayaBratvahis family headed up, Alpha Team had been on edge. They had solid confirmation that Stanislav was a metahuman, though they could only guess at his power. Currently, all metahuman agencies were operating under the belief that Stanislav was a precog who could see the future. It made running this mission worse than walking a tight rope over a canyon with notether.
Being unpredictable got tiring, but that was the only option everyone could agree on was a viable weapon against Stanislav’s precognitive power. Utilizing it, however, was difficult, and Alpha Team had started to pull away a little from Stanislav’s demands, especially after what happened in MontanainJune.
Adrian Wolcott, a casino magnate based out of Las Vegas, had been charged as an accessory to the federal crimes levied against his younger brother. He’d pleaded not guilty, had his passport number deleted from his RealIdent chip, and his case was currently winding through the courts. Declan Wolcott had been on the run since the MDF, aided by Strike Force operatives, raided North Star International and Vitae Neurotherapeutics after the two companies denied the FBI entry back in June. At the time, the MDF believed the private military company and biotech lab were working together on selling Splice to the highest bidder on the blackmarket.
The MDF turned out to beright.
Declan, tipped off by a double agent high up in the CIA, was informed of Agent Sean Delaney’s real identity, putting at risk the agent’s family, Kyle and Alexei’s family, and the Pavluhkin mission. The MDF was currently operating under the belief that Stanislav knew Jamie and the others who owned and operated Root Source, Inc., were metahumans. So far, Stanislav hadn’t revealed his position on the matter, but everyone believed it was only a matteroftime.
“Moving away from Senator Graham for the moment, let’s discuss the raid,”Nazarisaid.
Kyle leaned back in his chair, settling in for the duration of the debrief. The director thankfully kept it on the short side, for which Kyle was grateful. Like the others, he’d been awake for over forty-eight hours at this point. Their after-action reports would be turned in later, and Kyle had plans to do his after he got a few hours of sleep under his belt. That way he could enjoy the regulatory three days off the director assigned them before closing out thedebrief.
“Get cleared by Medical and enjoy the rest of your time off. Good job out there,” Nazari said beforeleaving.
Katie took the initiative to save and close out the record before standing up and stretching her arms over her head. Kyle was seated three chairs away from her, but he still heard her spine crack. He wasn’t the only one who winced at thesound.
“I’m off to get through Medical and then head home to sleep,”shesaid.
“Not going to Chicago to visit your mom?” Donovanasked.
“No. I have a date tonight I still plan on keeping after I get someracktime.”
Madison perked up at that announcement. “Matthew isintown?”
“Unless he gets recalled on a mission before dinner tonight, yes, he’s stillintown.”
“Tell him he owes me a beer,”Kylesaid.
“Owes us both beer,” Alexeiadded.
Katie rolled her eyes. “Tell him yourselves, just not on my date night. That’s anorder.”
