Chapter 3
ATTICUS
I’d handled undercover ops in hostile territory, maintained cover identities for months, and once, spent six weeks pretending to be a corrupt defense contractor while foreign agents tried to talk me over to the dark side.
None of that had prepared me for sitting across a conference table from the woman I was now sharing sheets with.
At least the Air Force had taught me to keep my game face on under pressure. Military training was useful for a lot of things, but apparently not for maintaining your composure around federal prosecutors who could dismantle a person’s defenses with a single look.
I’d gone upstairs to give myself a few minutes to breathe. When I returned to the main level, Brenna was already settled at the dining table with her laptop open.
I sat down just as the screen flickered to life, revealing Kodiak alone in the conference room at Kane Mountain Great Camp, wearing his usual knowing grin.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the newlyweds,” he said. “How’d the first night go?”
“Fine.”
“Uh-huh. Bet you gave her the full security briefing before bed.” Kodiak’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “How many times did you check the perimeter?”
“Knock it off,” I muttered.
Kodiak chuckled. “The team will be joining us in under a minute. Try to look less like you’re facing a firing squad.”
Seconds later, the screen split as additional connections joined the conference.
Admiral appeared at the head of the virtual table, looking every inch the former FBI agent despite the casual flannel shirt.
Alice was beside him, with her red hair pulled into a ponytail and green eyes sharp.
Tank and Dragon flanked them, both studying their screens with the focus of people already several cups into their morning caffeine ritual.
“Good morning, everyone,” Brenna began, taking charge immediately. “Thank you for joining. I want to start by reviewing what my investigation has uncovered so far, then discuss how K19’s capabilities can support our objectives.”
“Of course,” Admiral responded. “We’re ready to assist however needed.”
“Alice, I understand you’ve been analyzing the digital forensics I sent over?” Brenna continued.
“Yes, based on your initial investigation, we’ve identified significant new activity in the past week.
All three primary suspects—Castellano, Liu, and Morrison—have increased their social calendar substantially.
They’ll all be at the AI Summit,” Alice confirmed, displaying surveillance photos and financial records.
“Any idea what’s driving the urgency?” Brenna pressed.
Dragon shifted in her chair. “We intercepted communications suggesting they’ve received new orders from their foreign buyers. There’s pressure to deliver specific military algorithms within the next sixty days. The kind of pressure that makes people take bigger risks.”
“Which creates opportunities for us,” Tank interjected. “Cornered operatives make mistakes. They’ll be more aggressive, which means they’ll be more likely to approach promising targets quickly.”
Brenna nodded. “That aligns with my timeline. So, where do we start?”
“Tomorrow night, you’re at the Rosewood mixer,” Alice said, pulling up her files. “Then Sunday evening, at the Redwood City Marina for an event being hosted on a megayacht. Both are critical recruitment venues.”
She switched to the floor plans. “Starting with tomorrow’s event—the Rosewood’s layout is designed to facilitate discreet conversations.
Multiple private alcoves and a separate VIP area for premium investors allow them to isolate potential partners without drawing attention.
And this isn’t just a social gathering. As you suggested in your brief, our intel confirms it’s specifically for screening.
They’ll be evaluating multiple couples, looking for the ones with the right combination of access, economic motivation, and exploitable vulnerabilities. ”
“How many couples are they looking at?” I wondered aloud.
“At least a dozen,” Dragon replied. “But they typically only approach two or three for follow-up. The rest are dismissed as unsuitable or potentially compromising.”
“Security concerns?” I prompted.
“Minimal physical threat,” answered Kodiak. “But maximum in terms of monitoring. As you already know, these people are paranoid. They’ll have countermeasures in place, background checks running on every attendee, and monitoring of all communications within the venue.”
“We’ve identified the most likely areas where they’ll approach.” Alice highlighted particular spots on the floor plan. “The VIP bar, the private terrace, and what they’re calling investment consultation suites—essentially soundproof rooms, where they can conduct interviews without being overheard.”
“The objective is clear,” Brenna stated. “Get noticed by Morrison—I’ve already established contact with him as Bronwyn Nolan. We need to demonstrate we matched their criteria enough to warrant a follow-up approach. But not so much that we trigger suspicion.”
Tank presented manufactured financial profiles.
“Your cover identities have been carefully crafted to hit their sweet spot. Successful enough to be valuable, but with just enough fiscal pressure to be potentially corruptible. Atticus’ cybersecurity consulting firm is struggling with cash flow due to delayed government contracts.
Bronwyn’s venture capital fund is facing investor pressure for higher returns. ”
“Both scenarios create plausible motivation for considering alternative income sources,” Dragon noted. “The kind of motivation that makes people susceptible.”
“Walk me through their recruitment process,” I said.
A flowchart appeared on the screen. “Three-stage op. First, they identify marks through casual conversation and observation,” Tank began. “They’re watching both spouses—financial stress, marital tension, any sign that a couple might be vulnerable enough to agree together.”
“At some point, targets receive what appears to be a legitimate business offer—consulting opportunities, investment proposals, even jobs,” Alice continued.
“But these initial contacts are actually sophisticated spear-phishing operations designed to gather specific personal and professional information.”
“Spear-phishing?” I echoed.
“Targeted digital attacks,” she clarified.
“They send emails that appear to come from legitimate companies or government agencies, containing links or attachments that install monitoring software on the receivers’ devices.
Once they’re in, they can read emails, monitor keystrokes, access file systems, and essentially spy on everything that takes place digitally. ”
“The spear-phishing attacks serve multiple purposes,” Tank continued. “They gather intel about the target’s weaknesses and pressure points, along with their digital behavior patterns. This information is used to design customized pitches that are almost impossible to refuse.”
“Stage three is where they present the actual deal,” Dragon explained.
“Armed with information from phishing, they create elaborate scenarios tailored to each situation. Maybe a family member suddenly needs expensive medical treatment, or a child’s college tuition becomes unaffordable, or a business opportunity requires immediate capital investment. ”
“That’s exactly what my investigation indicated,” Brenna confirmed. “They need to observe these people in the flesh to identify the psychological pressure points that will be most effective during the recruitment phase.”
She shifted topics. “I’ve been coordinating with Treasury on the financial intelligence aspects. Kodiak, you’ll be the liaison with Emma Sinclair, correct?”
Kodiak glanced up at me. “Assistant Deputy Secretary Emma Sinclair will be coordinating with us on the money trail. She’s, uh, highly experienced in complex money laundering investigations.”
Tank coughed to cover what sounded suspiciously like chuckling. “How many coordination meetings have you had with her?”
“A couple,” he mumbled, suddenly finding his notes fascinating. “She’s very thorough.”
“I’m sure she is,” Alice said with barely concealed amusement.
“Moving on,” said Brenna. “Let’s address technical support protocols. Alice, you mentioned you’ve enhanced your surveillance capabilities for this op?”
Alice accessed the details. “Correct. You’ll have concealed recording devices, GPS tracking, and emergency communication through modified smartphones with direct channels to our command center.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Backup?”
“Kodiak will be coordinating from a mobile command post within five minutes of the venue,” Admiral responded.
“Tank and Dragon will be monitoring financial transactions and digital communications in real-time. Alice and I will manage overall operational oversight and inter-agency coordination. Additional support will be here in the event we need it.”
“What’s their typical timeline for follow-up?”
Dragon’s eyes met mine. “Based on their established pattern, if they’re interested, you’ll receive contact within seventy-two hours.”
“Good,” Brenna said. “Now, let’s discuss the specific systems at risk.”
I leaned back in my chair. “Which specific systems are they after?”
Alice highlighted classified documents. “Advanced military algorithms for autonomous systems, satellite communication protocols, and radar detection technology. All cutting-edge developments that would give foreign adversaries significant advantages in potential conflicts.”
“Their access point?”
“Through compromised defense contractor employees,” Tank explained. “They recruit people with security clearances who have direct access to classified development projects. Usually, technical staff, project managers, or security personnel who can bypass normal safeguards.”
Dragon raised her head. “That’s why the phishing component is so crucial. Overall verification. No point in bringing someone in who isn’t as well connected as they pretend to be.”