Chapter 32
Out of habit, they timed him. When he returned sixteen minutes later, with a tall coffee, he saw his backpack sitting in the center of the table. He glanced at them, then unzipped it and removed his laptop.
As it powered up, he said, “I suppose you’ve hacked through my files.”
Neither responded, neither smiled. He shook his head, either frustrated or ticked off.
He looked at the large screen, which was blank, and said, “Could I see those three again?” Rae Claire tapped a key and the three faces returned.
Stuart said, “Let’s start with Stockman. I’d like to know his background and that of his wife, and the details of how they were kidnapped.”
Rae Claire said, “Okay, but we have a rather extensive memo that we’ll share. It starts with a two-page summary, then goes on and on. Same for Snyder and Tanner.”
“Of course. Mind zipping it over?”
She tapped some more keys and it suddenly appeared on his screen, less than four feet from hers.
He took the lid off his paper cup and drank some hot coffee as he began to read.
Slowly, as if time didn’t matter, and as if he’d forgotten about the seminar.
In the interlude, Webb and Rae Claire could have fiddled with their phones, checked their emails and texts, deleted old ones, read some breaking headlines, or looked at photos.
Instead, they watched him as he read. He tried to ignore them.
When he finished the summaries, he lowered his screen and said, “So this gang has clipped the families for twelve million bucks, so far?”
Rae Claire nodded. Webb gave him a look that said: Wow, a real math whiz.
“Could there be more than three?”
She said, “That’s a possibility. There is a lot we just don’t know, but we’re assuming these guys are the only ones.”
“The longer we stay in this room the more questions I have.”
“We’re in no hurry.”
“I get that. But I doubt you’ll answer all of them.”
“Try us.”
“Okay, the obvious question right now is, Why me? Why not use one of your own? You must have hundreds of young single males on your payroll, all superbly trained. Why go outside the agency?”
She replied, “That is the obvious question. There are two reasons. The first is the element of danger. If, by chance, this gang were to find out that it had been infiltrated by one of ours, death would be immediate. No questions asked, no hesitation whatsoever. Losing an agent is not in our plans.”
“That’s certainly nice to hear. Just an old-fashioned kidnapping, maybe with a bit of torture?”
“Maybe, but we’ll get to that later.”
“Not later. Now. I want to know this minute what the operation will be. Lay it out. On the table or I’m leaving.”
She looked at Webb as if it was time for him to say something.
He took a sip of water and said, “Okay, this is the plan as it exists now, but it’s still a work in progress.
The newlyweds jet off to Paris for a cozy little honeymoon, around Christmas, with the bridal suite reserved in a hotel where we suspect the gang has contacts.
The bride and groom do everything possible to attract the attention of the thugs.
Maybe a trip to the countryside, maybe a boat ride down the Seine, maybe a late movie in a dark theater.
We’ll work out those details. It can’t be the same as the others but it has to be similar.
If the thugs take the bait, the lovebirds get snatched and their families get the terrible calls.
The ransom is paid, the bride goes home by herself.
We’ll have the groom under constant surveillance.
We’ll track his movements with satellites, drones, boots on the ground, special ops, the Sixth Fleet if necessary.
No expense will be spared. Hopefully, he’ll take us to the other three. ”
“But you don’t know they’re being held at the same place.”
“No. Like we keep saying, Stuart, there is a lot we don’t know.”
“What if those three are dead and they make quick work of me? A bullet to the head, or, their favorite, a decapitation?”
“That’s the huge risk.”
Rae Claire said, “An enormous risk. But we will continue to search and monitor and listen, same as we’re doing right now, and hopefully learn more in the months to come. Again, Stuart, we believe these three are still alive. And if so, they’re being held for a reason.”
“You can call me Stu, honey, since we’re getting married.”
Webb burst out laughing and Rae Claire also saw the humor. They needed a laugh. When the moment passed, Webb continued, “You’ll undergo some pretty intense hostage training at our facility.”
“It’s called The Farm, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“Sounds like a blast.”
A long, tense minute passed as the three stared at the table. Stuart sipped his coffee, wiped his mouth with a paper napkin, and asked Rae Claire, “When was I selected?”
“About two weeks ago. The operation got the green light right after the Tanner abduction. We’ve worked around the clock since then, still working.”
“Who gave it the green light?”
The agents looked at each other and were hesitant to answer. Stuart was not in the mood for more secrets and he was about to bark when she said, “The White House.”
That took a few minutes to settle in.
He asked, “And why was I selected?”
“It came down to one crucial factor and the second reason we’re going outside the agency. To attract their attention, we have to give them something they want. The bait has to be too good to pass up. You met all of our wants, all of our requirements, and with one huge asset the others didn’t have.”
Stuart was nodding along.
She asked, “You want to guess?”
“Guantánamo.”
“Guantánamo.”