Betrayal (40 page)

“What?” Fallon was perplexed.

Alex sat down. “Back in the 1950s Fallon, there was a move to reform land ownership in Guatemala. Ever heard of United Fruit?”

“Fruit? Alex….”

Alex shook her head. “Doesn’t matter the details. The point is, Fallon, the president of Guatemala committed to redistribute land ownership away from United Fruit and back to the Guatemalan farmers; to reduce dependency on foreign business. That was not a popular platform. It got him ousted….and the CIA was central in ensuring that. It’s about money.”

“I still don’t….”

“Well, the attempt was to tie him to the communists. Follow?” Alex laughed. “Same deal, Fallon. You want to keep moving your guns? Keep moving your drugs? What do you do?” He shook his head. “You tie your opposition to your enemy. 1950s it was communists. Now? It’s terrorists.”

“Why WASHTUB?”

“Back then, it probably had more to do with the submarine cover story they used…who knows? NOW, great word… WASHTUB. Wash it clean.”

“You mean money laundering.” Alex raised her eyebrow in confirmation. “You don’t actually believe that SPHINX is about running guns?”

“A lot more than guns I suspect.”

“And President Merrow?” he asked.

Alex sighed. The picture was coming into clearer focus, at least part of it. She couldn’t be certain what it meant yet and she couldn’t be certain how far back it went; but John Merrow’s need for her to dig was beginning to make sense and she did not like the way the puzzle was coming together. “I think,” Alex said as she rose to her feet again and made her way back to the window. “I think, that John was CIA. And, I think that our small team’s work served a different purpose than Taylor and I were led to believe.”

“You think John Merrow was running….”

“I think we need to keep looking. Somalia, Yemen, Chile, Hungary….All mentioned. You’re right; there is a lot blacked out. There is still enough visible to see in the light of day, Fallon.” Alex rubbed her face and shook her head again as her voice dropped to a whisper. “Jesus, John.”

“Alex…John Merrow…”

“Fallon, in this business no one is ever who they appear to be, no one.”

“What does that say for us?”

Alex nodded. “I don’t know, Brian. I really don’t know.”

“Toles, you seriously think John was working under CIA directives?” Alex blew out the breath she had been holding as she watched Brian Fallon’s car pull away. “Hey, Toles….you there?”

“Yeah, Taylor…I’m here.”

“You ask Krause?” Taylor asked.

“No. Not yet,” she answered.

“You think Jane knows?”

Alex sighed again. “She might suspect.”

“Even if you are right. What would that have to do with Mutanabbi?”

“I think you know. I think we were set up.”

“Jesus…..You think it’s all related? I mean to the assassination?” Taylor felt sick.

“Taylor, you and I both know it’s all related.”

“We can set up additional taps…look at…”

Alex took a deep breath. “Listening and reading isn’t going to solve this one, Taylor.”

“Toles…”

“You and I both know there is only one way to dig into this one.”

“You want to go off the grid.” There was no response. “Toles…”

“
I
can’t go off the grid, Taylor. At least not right now and I can’t break this on my own. We need someone closer.”

“You want to use Krause. Toles, how can you be sure you can trust him?”

“I’m not sure. I am sure that’s the best choice we have if we want to find out what is really going on.” She paused and felt the weight of her suspicions falling on her. “If I want to keep Dylan and Cass safe.”

“You don’t think O’Brien is CIA?”

Alex laughed. “Hardly, but he’s connected to Brackett.”

“Toles….You don’t think the colonel was still CIA…I mean when….”

“Taylor, once you are a spook you are always a spook.”

Michael Taylor took a deep breath and tapped his pen on the edge of his desk. “You think the CIA is controlling the White House?”

“Yeah. I do. That’s not what has me worried.” Alex shook her head. “Who is controlling the CIA?” Taylor chuckled. “Something amusing?” Alex asked with some impatience as she watched Cassidy’s car pull into the driveway.

“No. I just wonder why you aren’t the one sitting here.”

“Me and desks, never a good combination,” Alex reminded him.

“Yeah, I know,” he laughed. “Surprised
you
never went to the agency.”

“They never asked,” Alex said. “I have to go. Taylor?”

“Yeah?”

“Keep Fallon on Tate and Brackett.”

“Why? Do you…”

“Get Brady on the congressman’s accident.”

“Toles…”

“There’s more there. I know it. Tate had to have a reason to come to you. Leave Krause to me. Trust me, Taylor. Just trust me.”

“You are about the only person I do trust,” he said.

Alex laughed as her hand reached for the door. “Yeah.”

“Toles, take it easy…will you please?”

“Be careful, Taylor,” she said as she hung up the phone.

Cassidy watched as Alex stood over Dylan in his bed. The agent had been unusually quiet all day and Cassidy was beginning to wonder what had prompted the change in her lover’s demeanor. Alex had been looking forward to Brian Fallon’s visit. When Cassidy returned in the afternoon she was surprised to find the agent nearly silent. At first, she dismissed it as fatigue and physical pain. Alex was always quiet when she was in pain, but when the agent’s mood persisted Cassidy began to grow more concerned. “Alex?” The agent didn’t answer. Alex kept her silent watch over the boy. Cassidy let out a deep sigh and made her way to the agent’s side. “Alex?” she whispered as she gently turned her lover. “What is going on?” The agent managed an unconvincing smile. “Alex…”

“I’m sorry, Cass.”

“What?” Alex turned back toward Dylan. “Alex, what happened while I was gone today?” The agent shook her head and Cassidy gently began to guide her away from Dylan’s bedside. “Let’s go.”

“Cass…”

“Come on.” Reluctantly, Alex followed Cassidy to their room and took a seat on the edge of the bed. “Spill.”

For the first time in many hours the agent smiled. “I’m all right, Cass.”

“Liar.” Alex laughed a bit harder. “Something happened,” Cassidy raised her eyebrow.

“I think I’m just tired,” Alex said.

“Uh-huh…and I am the Pope.”

“Well, in that case Your Eminence…”

“Alex…”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Don’t want to talk about it or don’t want to talk about it with me?” Cassidy asked.

Alex pulled the teacher to stand between her legs. “Don’t want to talk about it.”

“I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be.”

“Alex, you are never this quiet.”

“Cass?”

“Yes?”

“Do you ever wish you could go backward?”

Cassidy nodded and wrapped her arms around the agent’s neck. “I used to.”

“But not now?”

“I don’t know. When Chris showed up here yesterday, in that moment, yeah…I wished I could go back, but then what did you tell me?” Alex shrugged. “If I did, maybe there would be no Dylan at all; maybe we wouldn’t be together now.”

Alex rested her head against her lover’s chest. The feel of Cassidy’s fingers running through her hair calmed the agent. “Do you trust him?”

“Who?” Cassidy asked softly.

“Krause.”

The teacher pulled back slightly and looked into Alex’s eyes. “Pip was a good friend to me, Alex. He saved you…so, yes, I guess I trust him.”

“He’s in love with you.”

“I don’t think…”

“No. He is.”

Cassidy smiled. “Well, I love
you
.”

“I know,” Alex leaned back into Cassidy and held onto her waist.

“Alex? Please tell me what’s wrong.”

“You are the only person I trust, Cass.”

Cassidy took a deep breath. There were many things that she did not know about her lover’s work. She was becoming more aware by the day that Alex’s work meant sometimes uncovering truths that were painful. It demanded seeing the worst in people and as much as Cassidy knew that Alex’s job was important, it was also evident that it took its emotional toll. “You can always trust me, Alex…no matter what.”

“I know I can.”

“You can tell me…you know…anything.”

Alex let out the hint of a chuckle and rested her face against Cassidy’s chest. “I think John was working for the CIA when we were in Iraq.” Cassidy remained silent and kissed the top of the agent’s head. “I think,” Alex increased her grip on Cassidy’s waist. “I think we were responsible for helping to move guns, move weapons to insurgents.” Cassidy let out a soft sigh of understanding and kissed the agent’s head again as Alex continued. “I think…Cass, I think we sold those people the weapons…that day. I think it was us.”

Cassidy felt the warmth of Alex’s tears through her blouse. “I love you, Alex.”

“Cass, he knew…he knew we were…”

Cassidy was beginning to understand just a bit of what was troubling the agent. “Alex, even if….even if that is true, I don’t believe that John would ever do anything that he thought would hurt
you
.”

“Doesn’t matter, Cass. Does it? It’s like O’Brien, right? He didn’t know that Fisher was…”

Cassidy stopped the agent’s thoughts. She pulled Alex to face her and placed a soft kiss on the agent’s lips. “Alex…”

“What if I do that?”

“Do what?”

“What if what I am doing…what if it got you hurt; or Dylan?”

A soft smile took shape on Cassidy’s face and she caressed the agent’s cheek. “Alex Toles.” Alex looked into the teacher’s eyes and Cassidy immediately saw her fear. “You listen to me, right now. Everything you do is to protect us. I know that and so does Dylan.”

Alex swallowed hard. “I’m going to quit.”

“What?”

“The NSA, Cass. I’m going to quit.”

Cassidy nodded and pursed her lips. She looked directly into her lover’s eyes and shook her head. “No. You are not.”

“I made my decision, Cassidy.”

“Alex, I would love to know that you are safe every day. That is the truth. But, you are not going to leave behind something you believe in because something
might
happen.”

“Cassidy….”

“Alex…”

“What about when we want to have a family?” Alex rose to her feet. “Am I supposed to endanger all of you?” Cassidy covered her mouth and shook her head. “Nothing is more
important to me than you and Dylan. Krause can handle this. There are other things I can do. I’m not…I can’t risk….”

Cassidy crossed the room and took Alex’s face in her hands. “I want you to listen to me, Alex.”

“Cass…”

“Please, I want you to listen to me, right now.” Alex looked at Cassidy’s expression and reluctantly assented. “You cannot protect us from the world, no matter how much you try. You didn’t create Carl Fisher.” Alex started to interject and Cassidy cautioned her with a glance. “My father walked out the door one day Alex, and he never came back. He drank too much and he suffered the consequence and so did I.” Alex listened intently, seeing the conviction in her lover’s eyes. “Life happens. I chose you. I love you. I know who you are. Only one thing scares me more than losing you or Dylan,” she paused and ensured Alex was looking at her. “The only thing that scares me more than that is seeing either one of you unhappy. You are not Batman, Alex. No matter how much you want to be. But, you are meant to do what you do. You love it. It’s part of who you are. I know that too.”

“Cass, all I need is you and Dylan.”

Cassidy shook her head. “Alex, you have us. We love you because you are you. I’m not going to stand here and tell you that part of me doesn’t wish you would quit…”

“Then why…”

“Let me finish. I have never been more frightened than I was when I saw Pip’s message on my phone; not even when Carl Fisher was standing over me with a knife.” Cassidy stopped for a moment to take a deep breath and took Alex’s face back into her hands. “If there comes a time when you want to quit because in your heart that is what you want, I will support you with all that I am. But, I will not support you walking away from what you believe in because you are afraid of losing us.”

“Cass, I just….If I ever hurt…”