Chapter 7
Yvonne Wilson stepped onto the elevator and noticed several of her colleagues and she nodded to them, but frowned when they averted their eyes.
For weeks now, she had thought something had shifted at the office, but she had chalked it up to her being overworked.
But to be slighted like that, left her reeling.
When the elevator doors opened, she got off, not caring that it hadn’t reached her floor.
She needed the exercise anyway, so she walked up the remaining six flights of stairs to her floor.
During the walk, she reflected back on the people’s reactions lately, and couldn’t come up with a reason as to why everyone was treating her differently.
Shaking her head, she tucked it into the back of her mind and went to her office.
At least these people hadn’t been snubbing her, at least not yet.
Several hours later, she looked up at the knock on her door and saw three of her team members standing there.
“Come in,” she waved them in, and frowned when Special Agent Robert Benjamin handed her a cup of coffee from her favorite barista.
They didn’t wait to be invited to sit, and took the seats before her desk.
She noted that Agent Lela Smith closed the door behind them.
She sipped her coffee and frowned when it was her favorite flavor.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Robert said. He seemed to be the spokesperson, and after a heavy sigh, he leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “Have you noticed tension in the air lately?”
Yvonne didn’t hesitate in her answer. “Yes, I feel like I’ve done something awful, and am being judged for it. For the life of me, I don’t know what I’ve done wrong.”
“Nothing,” Agent Mark Griffin said firmly. “I was in the elevator this morning when you stepped in. Before I could say anything, you hopped off and I’m assuming you walked up the stairs. I saw everyone’s reaction to you. I asked them why.”
“I did, but why is everyone snubbing me? What did I do wrong?”
“Nothing,” Griffin said again. “I don’t know if this is fact, but you’re going to want to go to HR after this conversation. I don’t know if they can verify it, but there’s a rumor going around.”
“Which is?”
“I don’t know how to say this without sounding sexist.”
“It’s because,” Agent Lela Smith said as she glared at Griffin, then turned back toward Yvonne.
“Director Anderson is retiring at the end of the year. Nothing’s been stated officially.
Like Griffin said, this is rumor, but his replacement has publicly stated that no woman over the age of forty-five will ever hold the position of SSA in the same office building as him.
” She waited for that to sink in, before she continued, “Any female currently holding that position or higher, and if they are over the age of forty-five will be forced into early retirement.”
“Are you saying he’s using ageism?”
“Yes,” the three agents said. “I don’t know how old you are,” Griffin said softly. “But you might want to look into this.”
“Christ, and I was going to go to Director Anderson in two months about retiring. And, for the record, I’m only forty-seven.
Technically, according to the rules, regulations, and by-laws of the FBI, you have to retire by the time you’re fifty-seven.
I still have a good ten years to work. However, if he’s making these statements, then that’s an entirely different ball game. Do you have proof of this?”
The three of them shook their heads. “Director Anderson isn’t saying these things, it’s his replacement, but nothing concrete. We were told what was heard, rumors that’s all we have.”
“Okay, who is this new Director supposed to be? Where is he transferring from, because I know for a fucking fact that it can’t be anyone from this office speaking like that.”
“His name is Reyes Chambers,” Griffin said.
The three of them watched as Yvonne turned to her computer and watched as her hands flew over the keyboard.
“Interesting.”
“What?” The three of them jumped to their feet and stood behind her to read over her shoulder. By the time they were done, they had stacks of papers, and shocked expressions.
Yvonne looked at them with raised brows. “My place after work? We’ll investigate this away from the office ourselves?”
“Absolutely,” they all agreed at the same time.
“Good, seven o’clock. I’ll order in for us.”
“I can stop and pick up the pizza,” Robert said with a grin when the others groaned. That man lived on pizza.
“This time, but we’ll have to change up the meals if and when this continues.
Because I’m telling you right now. There is no way I’m being pushed out by some young punk who thinks he can get away with this.
I’m going to start my own investigation, and we’ll coordinate at my place tonight.
It might not be a lot, but we can get something started.
I will retire on my time, not someone else’s. ”
“Good for you,” Griffin said, and laid his hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Not that I want to see you go, but I totally understand your reasoning.”
The three of them left, and Yvonne turned back to her computer to start her own investigation.
Three hours later, she sighed heavily as she read through the e-mails she had received after reaching out to several people.
A thought struck her, and she picked up her personal cell phone to dial.
There was no way in hell she wanted this documented on the FBI’s servers.
She had even pulled out her own personal laptop to continue the research.
“Manchester,” came the barked response into the phone when it was answered.
“Hey, it’s Wilson. Yvonne Wilson.”
“Oh, hey, how’s everything going?”
“Good, well, not so good.” She told him about the snubs from her colleagues, what she had learned from her team, then the research she’d uncovered, along with the e-mails she had received.
“Are you shitting me?” Duane asked in shock.
“No, my team Robert, Mark, and Lela will be at my house at seven tonight. We’re doing this investigation against Chambers privately.”
“What will you do with the information when you get it?”
“Go to the current director. I want hard proof before I do though. That’s why I’m calling you.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out in a rush. “I can’t remember the name of the guy you told me about that you use for any investigations you do.”
“Jake Cogburn from Brotherhood Protectors.”
“That’s it. I remembered the name Brotherhood Protectors, but I didn’t remember the guy’s name. I sent you everything I’ve uncovered so far, is there any way you can look it over and reach out to Cogburn for me?”
“Absolutely. I’ll read it over and contact Jake. Let me confirm your contact information.” He did, and they rang off.
Yvonne sat back in her chair with a smirk. “Let’s see how you’re going to get out of this one, Chambers.” She gathered her copies and slipped them into her briefcase, and went back to doing her regular job.
Two weeks later, Yvonne stood outside the director’s office, smoothed her hand down her skirt, and walked into his reception area.
She was armed with files, and a hard resolve.
She had been called into the meeting three days ago.
She knew what was coming, but she was prepared with her papers, her research, the research from outside reliable sources, and she wore her best power suit.
She was armed for war, and wouldn’t be backing down.
“Welcome,” the receptionist said as Yvonne walked in with her head held high. “The Director is waiting for you.”
“Thank you,” Yvonne said with a nod and walked forward. She didn’t knock, just walked in like she owned the place. She didn’t pause when she saw Director Anderson, Reyes Chambers, and someone from HR sitting there, talking and laughing. They looked up when she entered.
“Welcome, SSA Wilson. Thank you for coming. I’m going to get right to the point here.
I’m sure you’ve heard the rumor that I’m retiring at the end of the year.
I’d like to introduce you to my replacement, Director Reyes Chambers.
” He nodded and smiled at the younger man with admiration.
She couldn’t wait to see his expression when she revealed her findings.
“Director Chambers is the youngest man to be made director in the history of the FBI.”
“Really?” Yvonne feigned shock and admiration, all the while secretly smiling at how nicely everything was falling into her hands. She couldn’t have planned it better.
“I am,” Chambers boasted. “And as my first order as the new Director, I’m sorry to tell you that I’m going to have to let you go. It’s not personal, but under my regime, there will be some restructuring and I’m bringing in younger people.”
Yvonne sat there for several minutes not saying a word. When the three men in the room started to squirm, she shook her head and released a heavy sigh. “I don’t think so.”
“Excuse me?” Chambers asked in shock.
Yvonne looked directly at Director Anderson as she spoke. “I’m sorry, Director, but I refuse to take orders from someone who isn’t even a member of the FBI.”
“Explain,” this time it was the HR person that barked out.
Yvonne reached down and slowly withdrew the folder holding her research from the briefcase she had brought with her.
She laid it on her lap, and placed her hands over it.
Before she could say anything, the door opened, and two security guards entered, and behind them were Special Agents Benjamin, Griffin, and Smith. Her team.
The security guards, who had been read into the situation, walked directly to Chambers, asked him to step up, frisked him, and removed the six guns he had on him. As each one was removed, Director Anderson stared in shock.
“What’s going on?”