Chapter 29
We met Abby quickly, then packed our gear and headed to the plane.
She was a tired, relieved, emotionally exhausted young lady who had been through about ten hours of hell.
We told her we were glad she was home and safe, and then we got out.
Dr. Chen and Agent Steele gently debriefed her and then met us back at the jet about two hours later.
I was deep into a nap when they came aboard, and I didn’t bother to wake up fully until we started to taxi for liftoff.
“You okay, Cassie?” Dr. Chen asked as she settled into one of the plush seats. Rao had picked up a set of pizzas for our trip back to the East Coast and we were all busy stuffing our mouths.
“I’m fine, Doctor. I was taught to nap when I could if things were… busy,” I said. “Focusing that hard is both natural and also exhausting.”
“Military folks grab shut-eye whenever they can,” Kessler said with a nod.
“It somehow slips my mind how much exposure you’ve had to the military life,” Chen said.
“Not like I’ve been to basic or lived active duty, but just how Dad rolled,” I said, feeling a little defensive.
“Well, it’s left a stamp on you,” the doctor continued.
“Abby’s parents remarked on it several times.
Abby was sorry she didn’t really get to talk to you.
So much emotion and relief, but at the same time, there were so many people.
Her mother told her about finding you in her room and almost yelling at you, yet you just waved it off and found all the clues she left. ”
“She’ll probably sleep for days,” I said. “Hopefully with the windows locked. And guards. And a big dog.”
“Trevor and Meghan wonder if you would be okay with either talking with her or exchanging texts,” Agent Steele asked.
I looked from him to Chen. “Is it somehow helpful?”
She smiled. “Absolutely. You’re closer to her age and you solved her clues.
She was terrified no one would notice them at all.
Then a few hours after she was abducted, a bunch of gang members came into the place she was being held.
The leader was almost kind to her. Said he was a huge fan of her parents’ movies.
Then he turned and laid into the kidnappers about how stupid they were and how fast the feds figured them out.
He did it all in Spanish, not knowing she understood.
Then he told them he would have to fix their mess and get her home. Can you imagine how that felt to hear?”
“Immense, I would imagine,” I said. “Sure, if it helps, but I probably need some guardrails on what I can and can’t say. Op Sec.”
“Trevor heard you say that,” Steele said. “He’s had a lot of ex-military trainers for his roles. He was kind of blown away.”
“Did I break protocol?”
“No,” he said. “It was fine. It’s just that you practically scream military. Your bearing, stance, language, mannerisms; all of it.”
“So, tone it down? I can. I mean I could hang with Amber and her friends without being too weird. Just all this brings it out, ya know?” I said, waving at the HRT guys snarking down pizza, tactical gear piled neatly about the plane.
He nodded. “It’s okay. No worries. And thank you for agreeing to speak with her. I think it will help her. Agent Carmine could probably help you with what to say or what not to say.”
“Yes sir,” I said, grabbing another slice of mushroom and sausage. Most of the agents present chuckled at my words and I felt instantly stupid, but they were grinning, so I let it wash over me. Suddenly I felt like I was part of them, part of the team. I’ve always wanted to be on a team.
“Speaking of op sec,” Rose chose that moment to say, gathering everyone’s attention. Then she turned and looked at me, brows raised. “Want to tell them about our watchers?”
And just that fast, the team feeling was gone.
“There’s at least one team shadowing us,” I said.
“Team?” Steele asked.
“Probably RRC,” I said. “Almost definitely RRC. I mean, I don’t think anyone else uses those particular drones.”
“Drones?” Kessler asked.
“There were three… that I noticed. Soldier Borne Sensors? Like Black Hornets.”
“I’ve seen the BH4,” Red said.
“These were Sixes,” I said.
“Sixes?” Red asked, incredulous. “You’ve seen Sixes?”
“Possibly,” I said carefully.
“We’re being shadowed by Ranger units on US soil?” one of the HRT guys asked.
“Me. Mostly me,” I said. “It’s classified as training… likely.”
“Have you seen watchers?” Agent Steele asked.
“I’ve seen people that could be watchers. They won’t field anyone I might recognize unless they want me to know they’re there. But I think they probably know that I know, now.”
“Because we spoke about it where they could listen,” Carmine said.
“Yes.”
“You haven’t said anything,” Kessler noted.
“Actually, she did,” Carmine said. “In the Blackhawk. When I said no one knew where she was.”
“You playing both sides, kid?” Kessler asked.
Yup. That team feeling was toast. Part of me mourned the loss, but a larger part was lifting its head and staring out my eyes. “Sides? I’ve been with you for what? Almost two weeks? The people keeping an eye on me have known me my whole life, Special Agent Kessler.”
“You’re using us,” Rao accused. “And you’re not even a part of the FBI… not an agent.”
“Special Agent Rao, I told all of you the moment I met you that I wanted to find answers to who or what directed both you and Oscar in my direction. Since that time, I have helped you defeat a fake terror attack, find the most politically sensitive serial killers in history, solve a cold case, find a kid, and find a celebrity kidnap victim in less than ten hours. I think you’ve gotten more out of this than I have.
And General Argyle was never coy about the military’s interest in my safety.
You only know about my shadows because I revealed them. ”
“Enough,” Steele said. “Cassie is right.”
“About what, sir?” Red asked.
“All of it. Her help has been invaluable, her disclosure of why she waited for us was up-front and open. And I knew early on that the military complex would be watching us.”
“I don’t like being in other peoples’ crosshairs,” Kessler said.
“Welcome to my world, Special Agent Kessler,” I said, standing and moving away from the team. I found a seat far in the back and put in earbuds.