Chapter 8
“Alright, take your seats and let’s get started,” Assistant Director Ripley Shire said as Agent Brian Steele, Agent Leah Frayer, and Agent David Sherman entered the small conference room. The AD was a severe woman, sharp of features and always holding her body tight.
The Triple Threat Taskforce occupied a massive industrial structure with multiuse facilities in the two levels that were above ground and two underground levels where the real action took place.
The first basement level housed the data center and server rooms, and the lowest level was the meat and potatoes of the facility.
It was a giant square with twenty-foot-high ceilings, but the office arrangement was more like a round pizza that was cut into quarters, all built from movable walls.
Counterterrorism, Major Crime, and Cyber Crime each occupied one of the slices, with HRT and general admin sharing the fourth.
The leftover corners of the pizza box were used for cold cases that agents from any unit could work on, should there be down time.
The whole floor was nicknamed the pizza parlor for obvious reasons.
At the hub of the pizza was a round set of walls housing three conference rooms and the assistant director’s office. She awaited her task force leaders in the smallest of the meeting rooms.
“Counterterrorism has, at my direct order, provided all known detail on the person of interest who supposedly provided intelligence on the New York and Washington attackers. What the three of you don’t know is that each of these attacks was predicted by American Vigilance Tech’s Crime and Threat Matrix Analysis Predictor. ”
“How come we never heard from AmVig?” Agent Frayer, head of Major Crimes, asked.
“Because the intelligence was forwarded to me and before I could provide it, Agent Steele was approached by the so-called informant.”
“Why so-called?” Agent Sherman asked. “The encounter between Cassandra Blake and Brian’s sister is clearly documented.”
“There is no doubt that the girl approached the sheriff, but there is tremendous doubt of an eighteen-year-old girl having stumbled into this kind of intel. It is far more likely this was a setup by yet undermined actors to discredit the CATMAP.”
No one said anything for a moment, but Frayer and Sherman both turned to look at Steele.
“I stand by my team and our interpretation,” he said.
“Which is cause to question your team and your leadership,” AD Shire said.
“And yet it is undeniable that we had the tips before the CATMAP program issued them and both his team and mine successfully interceded the second attack,” Agent Frayer said.
The AD frowned. “You have a different definition of success than I do. One terrorist is still at large.”
“And yet this is the very first time we are hearing of any warning by an AI program?” Sherman asked. “The second attack may have succeeded if we hadn’t been tipped off by this girl.”
“That is not a foregone conclusion,” Shire said.
“You seem more invested in American Vigilance than the task forces you oversee,” Brian noted.
“You are treading very close to insubordination,” Shire said, her tone frosty.
“Ma’am, why do you even head this division? You clearly have never believed in our mission or our people,” Steele responded.
“I clearly have doubts about you,” Shire said, taking off her glasses. She drew a breath to continue but the door opened and her assistant Stephanie stepped in.
“The director is on the line and insisting on being put on video,” Stephanie said, moving to the comm console and bringing the wall monitor to life.
Director John Willard Brown filled the big screen, his face serious as a heart attack. Then he smiled. “Ah, our dream team. Excellent work, everyone. Where do we stand?”
AD Shire looked pinched and rather than answer, she waved a hand at Brian.
“Sir, we are searching the western region of Pennsylvania, from Pittsburgh north. Oscar Wymer stole a car, and it was found by Pennsylvania State Police ten miles to the east of Pittsburgh. Roadblocks have been set up all across that portion of the state.”
“That’s near your sister’s county, right? Near where Cassandra Blake made her appearance?”
“Yes sir.”
“That lends credence to the idea that she’s wanted by whoever is behind this,” Director Brown noted.
“If you buy into the idea that an eighteen-year-old girl could have figured out the first attack and predicted the second one,” AD Shire said with a snort. “Claiming to have total recall.”
“Ah, but my understanding is that she made no such claim,” the director said. “Is that correct, Brian?”
“You are right, sir. She never claimed to have any kind of special memory. It was Sondra and her husband who felt she was unusually gifted. Which seems borne out by our background work.”
“Why is your sister’s husband an expert on a psych profile, and why is he even involved?” Shire asked.
“He met the girl the same time my sister did, and Michael has a master’s in Educational Psychology with fifteen years of experience actually working with teen students,” Agent Steele said.
“My understanding is that true eidetic memories are the stuff of fairytales?” Shire pressed.
“True. Dr. Chen doesn’t believe such a thing exists. But we never claimed anything like that,” Steele said. “You all have heard the recordings of our conversations with Cassie. She doesn’t make any claims either.”
“Other than remembering an attacker from when she was a baby,” Shire said.
“She’s quick,” Agent Frayer noted. “Picked up on the open speaker and adapted instantly. Then when Chen asked about her blackjack skills and implied cheating, she didn’t rise to the bait.”
“Her school transcripts note an excellent, well-rounded student,” Sherman chimed in.
“What are we doing to locate her?” Director Brown asked.
“I have ordered a BOLO on Cassandra Blake,” AD Shire said.
“That seems… aggressive. Brian, how do you think she might respond to something like that?”
“Sir, keep in mind that she was raised by a very high level, extremely experienced combat operator. She mentions her own errors in operational security, she is extremely aware of cell signal tracing, and she uses a new burner phone or SIM with every call. She changed her hair color and appeared to be using cash only to fund her travels. This speaks of an individual with perhaps lifelong training in trade and fieldcraft. Her error in judgement at the diner is likely the result of youth and inexperience in the real world. But if we know anything about her, it is that Cassandra Blake learns very, very quickly. I think at the first hint of being hunted by law enforcement, she will stop all contact and continue whatever plan she has for escape and evasion.”
“Hmm, I concur. You may have set fire to our bridge, Ripley,” Director Brown said.
“As noted, she is inexperienced,” AD Shire said, unbothered by the criticism. “We will simply catch her the old-fashioned way.”
“Does the CATMAP device have any input on finding her?” David Sherman asked.
“You are utilizing unapproved technology, Shire?” Director Brown asked, his tone harder.
“There is some evidence that the CATMAP software was responsible for these warnings, and the girl is an agent for some organization looking to derail the program.”
“Assistant Director Shire, you will cease use of this algorithm and utilize the T-Three teams. Is that understood?”
“Clear, Director Brown,” Shire said in an even tone.
“Get to work everyone,” the director said and then cut the connection.
The three team leaders exchanged glances and then stood to leave. AD Shire ignored them, her gaze still locked to the blank screen.
Sherman, Frayer, and Steele exchanged looks as they left the room.