Chapter 33
The rest of the team moved off to work on the sensitive issue of the senator, leaving Red and me alone with the diversion investigation.
She was quiet as we moved to her workstation, but she also gave me a couple of very subtle glances.
Finally, I turned to her with brows raised and to her credit, she didn’t dance around the issue.
“He can be… pissy,” she said. “Rao. He’s a good agent, always has a team member’s back, very diligent and detailed.”
I shrugged. “Probably the reasons he’s on this team.”
“But he does have a rigid pride thing going on,” she added. “Hates to look stupid or be ignored.”
“Like most people, I suppose,” I agreed.
“Look, he’s out of line in this case. You have contributed so much, in such a short time. And you’re just barely out of high school.”
“So it bruises his ego,” I said, my voice reasonable.
She huffed out a sigh. “Cassie, I know you’re mad. Probably hurt. I just want you to know that I think of you as a team member. Can’t speak for everyone, but that’s how I feel. It’s just you are…”
“Kind of a lot? A threat? An attention hound?”
“The first one a little, and definitely the second. Not the third, though… not at all.”
“Okay, but he’s also not wrong. I’m not a duly trained and sworn agent of the FBI, I’m not an investigator, I’m not actually part of this team, and yes, I am just a kid out of school with my own set of issues and problems.”
“You’re also a statistical anomaly with an out-of-this-world ability to gather and process information to solve problems and mysteries.
Those other qualifications are for cops—federal cops.
And we have a literal ton of those. We only have one of you.
You are highly, highly valued here and apparently elsewhere. ”
“Okay. Thanks. I appreciate that,” I said.
“Also, while we were walking over here, I realized the two ideas for us to look into are likely related. It is highly probable that the cartels would be the highest bidders to win control over a shipment of hyper advanced autonomous military drones. And they would set them against America or at least America’s Homeland Defense agencies. ”
“Our diversion isn’t really a diversion then,” she said, eyes wide and fingers starting to fly as soon as she sat down.
“Yeah, I think it could be a real problem. Be a hell of a surprise for Border Patrol or DEA to come up against a cutting-edge military killing machine.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Any foreign intel on potential sales of this tech by Middle East groups, any really large and unusual money movement by cartels, any inbound shipments of legal tech coming from abroad that is at all unusual. I can see them taking possession of these things and launching them from Mexico, but I think it might have more impact to have them shipped right across our borders and let loose behind our fences, so to speak. Also, any changes in employment of the geniuses that built our versions here in America, any disappearances of same, and any big cross-border operations getting put together by our people.”
“On it,” she said, her fingers flying. “Your tablet is there if you want to search anything else that occurs to you.”
We were both quiet for a solid half hour and then she whistled.
“Homeland Security Investigations is reporting a possible cross-border transfer of a large number of human trafficking victims to Mexico by the SBI Cartel in Tiajuana. One of my bots also found a shipment of specialized agricultural survey drones coming in from Qatar. The shipment’s origins are a little hazy.
Get this: They will enter the US at the San Diego Port, which is very, very close… ”
“To Tijuana. What can we do to intercede?”
“We are sending this to Agent Steele and the director, and they can alert military and Homeland resources to interdict the shipment,” she said.
“Also, there is the curious case of a missing AI expert who works for Polyneural Industries, who manufacture the military’s KB-800 drones.
A missing person’s report was filed here in DC with the police by her wife. ”
A headshot came up on screen of a moderately attractive woman who appeared to be in her thirties. She wore a white button-up shirt, but it was open enough to show a bit of skin and ink at her neckline. I was scanning the police report when Steele showed up.
“Shit, that has to be a record,” he said, staring at Red’s screen.
“It’s ridiculously easy if I know where to point the bots at to gather the intel,” Red said.
“The director is in contact with both the Coast Guard and the Navy, as well as our field office in San Diego. They will likely interdict the shipment at sea. We warned them to be ready for hostile drone deployment and containment.”
“If I were the cartel buying these things, I would likely want a few to come home with me while the others were being shipped.”
“That occurred to us as well. We are advising Homeland Security of that possibility,” Steele said with a nod.
“Cool. I’ve seen those KB-800s ruin many a team leader’s carefully planned training operations,” I said. “This lady seems to be missing suddenly, and she programs the things.”
“Awesome,” he said in a tone that indicated it was anything but awesome. “Dig into those police files, ladies.”
“See if we can get you some good news for a change,” I said.
He whipped around and speared me with a stare.
“Cassie, we wouldn’t know anything about this without you.
If you are correct—and since you are batting one thousand, I’m not betting against you—we will have another major win to add to the pile.
It’s been noticed, by the way. The director has gotten multiple inquiries as to why the Bureau in general and this task force in particular are on fire with major victories.
Congress, media, other Homeland agencies, foreign intelligence; they all want to know how we are doing it. ”
“Yeah, one of my bots returned a list of three big articles that have come out in the last two days about the Bureau’s unmatched set of recent wins,” Red said.
“Speculation must be rampant,” I said, then a flash went off in my head. “Oh. There will likely be a leak about me. Soon.”
“What kind of leak, Cassie?” Steele asked after exchanging a glance with Red.
“Public. Social media or discussion boards, maybe a podcaster or something similar,” I said. “Next wave of pressure and distraction.”
“What’s the rationale?” Steele asked.
“You’ve managed to keep me mostly hidden and protected from direct assault, so now a public campaign could have the potential to bring me into the open. Congressional members wanting publicity might press hard to get meetings or photos. Media will want access for stories and interviews.”
“It would be a huge viral story,” Red said, nodding.
“And if you are out in the open, security would be a nightmare,” Steele mused. “Seems drastic.”
“It is. A very calculated attempt with a big backfire potential. Too much exposure, and kidnapping would become extraordinarily difficult. A controlled leak with a fast snatch operation as early as possible.”
“Why?” Steele asked.
“Today’s social media web is dominated by hyper-focused content creators who will jump into anything that could hope to trend, clipping and reposting portions over and over again in order to maximize followers, clicks, and therefore monetization.”
“You don’t even have a social media presence,” Red noted.
“My father forbid it. I once complained to my grandmother, and she called the entire realm of social media to be a circus of flimflam men looking to turn children and some adults into junkies who spend all their money for a bunch of hogwash and malarky. Her words. I looked them up. Gram was pretty sharp. So I obeyed Dad. Plus, we were busy most of the time and my personal phone was a very simple pay as you go.”
“You didn’t want a smart phone?” Red asked, incredulous.
“I remember everything. It would have been overwhelming. And I was either learning about running a small business with Gram or learning the woods with Dad—with the art of war thrown in for fun. Gram would out-debate every sales guy that started in with her at the counter. It was… instructive.”
“We’ve drifted. You anticipate your name to be released on the web?” Steele pressed.
“Yes. It is a desperate move, but I think we are there.”
“Okay, we want to get out in front of this. The Bureau has some top PR contacts that I’m familiar with. I’ll contact them and game out some plans.”
“We’ll keep at this,” Red said, waving at her screens.