Solemn Duty (1997) (35 page)

The deputy placed his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his cupped hands. "We're in a tight fix here. Bill, you spoke to me prior to the meeting about an idea. What is it?"

The Chief of Operations nodded. "Sir, this Devoe fellow doesn't know what Anderson looks like. We could have an agent double for him and-"

"No tricks, sir," Eli said. "We don't know if Devoe knows what he looks like or not, and I'd bet Mrs. Anderson had a picture of him in her wallet. We have to play this straight with Devoe or we'll lose both women."

Ramona spoke toward the deputy. "Sir, I agree with Agent Tanner. It's obvious Mr. Devoe is very intelligent and has a great deal of knowledge about our operations. In going over the phone conversation, I believe Agent Sutton's one sentence to Agent Tanner was meant to be a warning to us when she said she believed Mr. Devoe was being truthful about our not playing games. She was giving us her evaluation of him as well as his capabilities from where she sits. In my opinion, she was saying that there is no way for her to escape and it appears to her Devoe means what he says. In light of last night's events, I would say she is correct. Mr. Devoe and his men did not run when they had the chance. Instead, they attacked. This tells me he has the manpower, equipment, money, and the confidence to do whatever he deems is necessary to achieve his goal. And sir, it is clear his goal is finishing his business with Anderson."

The operations officer wrinkled his brow and leaned back in his chair. "Dr. Valez, with all due respect to your professional qualifications, you're making an awful lot of just one comment by Agent Sutton. Devoe is a Cambodian, as are his men.

Someone has seen them, and we'll find them within twenty-four hours. All we have to do is delay him with our decision until we locate where they are."

"Don't underestimate him, as Triad did, and the team of hit men that was sent to deal with him. He's been ahead of us all since day one, and as far as I can see, he still is ahead of us."

The legal counsel shook his head. "I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. He said he would call; let's hear what he has to say and take it from there."

The deputy stood and began pacing in front of the table.

"No, Eric, I don't agree. Ramona is right, this Mr. Devoe has been ahead of us since the first murder. It's obvious we were wrong in assuming Tram was the leader of the Cambodians, and we were wrong when we thought there were only five of them, and we were wrong when we closed this case. I don't want to be wrong anymore. We can't afford any more bodies."

Charlie Lee lowered his eyes and spoke softly. "Sir, there is something else that we must consider. We won't be the only ones looking for Devoe and his men. Triad will have every hit man for hire in the country here within twenty-four hours to find and finish Devoe and his men. It's a matter of saving face."

The deputy stopped pacing and pointed at his Chief of Operations. "Bill, you're lead on this. Get additional help in here and form a task force with other agency and department involvement. I want a canvass of this town to find every Cambodian who lives here or has lived here in the past year. You were right, somebody has to have seen these people. I also want the airports, small and large, manned, and all known or suspected hitters picked up as they enter the city. Get a flash message out notifying all our people of our situation and have them track the hitters in their cities and keep us informed of their movements. People, this case is our first priority. Each of you division chiefs form a group of your best to work your field of expertise on this and send a rep to Bill's task force.

Ramona, I want you working with our behavioral scientists, and I want to know who Mr. Devoe is. Get in his head and tell us how long we can safely delay our answer to his proposal."

The deputy looked at his watch and glanced at the table next to him, where two agents from the technical support office sat in front of recording equipment "Devoe should be calling in a minute. Are you ready?"

The older agent nodded. "Yes, sir. We have the code for Agent Tanner's cell phone and have this phone coded identically. When Agent Tanner receives the call, we will receive it on this phone as well and the conversation will be recorded. It is also on a speaker so all of us will hear the conversation. In our offices we have an additional phone coded and we'll be tying to trace the call."

The deputy dipped his chin and turned to Eli. "Agent Tanner, have you been briefed on the techniques of hostage negotiations?"

Ramona spoke up. "Sir, the expert who talked to Agent Tanner didn't understand this situation. I told him to leave because he was wasting our time. Eli knows rapport must be established, and that's all that is necessary for now."

The deputy's face turned red and he was about to respond when Eli's phone began beeping.

The support agent turned on the recorder and nodded to Eli, who answered. "Agent Tanner."

"Agent Tanner, this is Mr. Devoe. Are your superiors with you?"

"Yes, they are, Mr. Devoe, and we have you on speaker phone. Are Agent Sutton and Mrs. Anderson doing okay?"

"They are quite comfortable, Agent Tanner. Please listen very carefully. I desire to make a trade of the two ladies for Mr.

Anderson. I am fully aware such a trade is a difficult decision for your superiors, but I will make their decision easier for them. In exactly seventeen minutes the yellow line Metro train will make a stop at Pentagon Station. Your people will find a briefcase under the third seat of the second car. In the briefcase they will find car keys belonging to your rental car, Agent Tanner. Agent Sutton was worried that you did not have them.

Please remind your superiors the briefcase could have held explosives. Also you will find that four colonels assigned to the Pentagon did not report for work this morning. We have them.

I will release them in one hour unharmed. Again it is a reminder to your superiors of what I am capable of doing anytime and anywhere I choose. I promise to you the ladies will not be harmed. I make no promise for others. Make no mistake, I want Anderson. I doubt that you have told him of this proposal. I ask that you do so immediately. He will do the honorable thing and sacrifice himself for his wife, Agent Sutton, and for others. You must help him regain his honor. . . . Tell him I am waiting. I will call back at six this evening for the decision.

Warn your superiors I will not tolerate a delay on their part or tomorrow morning a lesson will be taught that will bring tears to many. Good-bye, Agent Tanner."

The line went dead and Eli slowly lowered the phone. The others at the table were frozen in their chairs in silence. The phone ringing by the support agents broke the foreboding quiet. The older agent answered, listened, and recradled the handset. "Sir, we weren't able to trace the call."

The deputy lowered his head for a long moment and finally raised his eyes. "I will brief the director personally on this. . . .

He'll want the Attorney General in on the decision. The rest of you get started on my instructions. Bill, have your people confirm the briefcase and missing officers. I believe our Mr.

Devoe has made his point. We'll meet again in two hours for an update from Bill on Devoe's surprises and on how his task force is going to be organized and manned. I expect each division chief to brief me on what you're planning. Expect the director and, most likely, the Attorney General in attendance at the meeting. Ramona, you and Agent Tanner remain a moment. The rest of you are excused."

Waiting until the office was cleared, the deputy sat down with a solemn expression and lowered his eyes to his hands.

"We all know Devoe is capable of doing what he says if we delay our decision. We could play it tough and refuse his proposal and hope we'll be able to find him, but I'm convinced he will kill too many innocents before we do manage to locate him and his men. May God forgive me but I'm going to recommend to the director that we allow the colonel to decide if he wants to trade himself. That's going to be tough for the director and the Attorney General to allow, but they can't play hardball with Devoe, he's too dangerous."

Ramona nodded silently. Eli's jaw muscles rippled as he pushed away from the table and stood. "Sir, there's no question what Colonel Anderson will decide; we sure as hell can't wash our hands of this by simply letting him turn himself over to that killer."

The deputy wouldn't look at Eli as he slowly shook his head. "Agent Tanner, I understand your feelings, but if we do not approach the colonel, we are facing the worse of two evils-the deaths of many innocent people. It will be impossible to stop Devoe from carrying out his threats. If not a Metro station, he could bomb a bus station, airport, or even a fast food restaurant. He can strike anywhere, and we're completely powerless to stop him. I simply don't believe we can find him before he strikes."

Eli pinned the deputy with a stare. "We're not letting Anderson go alone, sir. He is incapable of driving himself to a handoff location for a trade, so I volunteer to assist him. But don't think for a minute I believe this to be a one-way trip.

We've got to figure out how the colonel and I are going to beat Devoe."

Ramona shook her head. "Eli, even if Devoe allowed you to assist the colonel, he would just have you leave him somewhere."

Eli motioned to the recorder. "Devoe mentioned the word `honor' twice. He would understand that it would be my duty not to leave the colonel someplace alone in his condition. I've thought about this since he first called and I have to believe there's a way for a reaction team to track us. Surely we're smarter than Devoe? Transmitters are awfully small these days, so all we have to do is figure out how I tell the reaction team to come in for the takedown once the women are safe."

Ramona began to respond, but the deputy said, "Ramona, Agent Tanner is right. We must try. I'll have our best technical support people work with him on this and get the special ops people up here, too." The deputy shifted his gaze to Eli. "In the meantime, Agent Tanner, talk to Colonel Anderson. You know him and so the information will be better coming from you.

Tell him the truth and see what his decision is. I'll have a chopper on the roof in fifteen minutes to take you to him."

The deputy stood and placed his hand on Eli's shoulder. "It is a very difficult thing I've asked of you to do. You can refuse and I'll understand."

"Sir, I'll tell him . . . but I'm also telling him it's not a suicide mission for either of us. I'm telling him I believe we can beat Devoe."

The deputy walked to his desk and pushed his intercom.

"Jill, notify operations I need a helicopter on the roof landing pad in fifteen minutes. And get Harold Johnson on the line for me." The deputy covered the mouthpiece of the phone and looked at Eli. "I'm going to get you the best there is for this type of mission. The CIA people have the latest high tech equipment, and you'll have it."

District of Columbia Ten miles from FBI headquarters, Jean Paul sat in the dining room of a large house with a view of Anacostia Park and the Anacostia River. Pinned to the wall were large maps of Virginia and Maryland, and on the table were smaller topographical maps giving much more detail. Jean Paul finished writing on a yellow legal pad and stood. He walked to the Maryland map and inserted a red pin. `This spot is where I will meet Anderson again. . . . It is a fitting place for a soldier to die." He moved his finger and pointed to two green pins. "From here and here, Kaing and Soy will be able to see if he is being followed and also see any planes or helicopters they might try to use to track the vehicle. With the other precautions we have made, I see no problems for us."

Seated at the table, Hu Nim raised an eyebrow. "They will use transmitters, Jean Paul."

"We will ensure they do not use them. There is a device that can detect such things. Add it to our list of things that are needed. The mountains may cause communication problems with the handheld radios. We will need cell phones for everyone. We will leave tomorrow and make a reconnaissance, but you can begin briefing the men on their duties. Only minor modifications may be necessary once we see the actual terrain.

Our plan is simple yet it ensures against trickery on the FBI's Part "

Nim nodded and rose from his chair. "And the women?"

Jean Paul looked at the wall map again. "They will remain here under Sovan's watchful eye. I will call Agent Tanner and tell him where they can be found once I have Robert"

Hu Nim dipped his chin and walked out of the dining room, leaving his superior alone. Jean touched the red pin and whispered, "You will not be alone Robert, you will sleep with the ghosts of many who gave their lives for your country. . . ."

.

9:45 A. M. Fort Belvoir.

Robert Anderson leaned back on his pillow and looked up at the ceiling. Slowly his eyes lowered to Eli. "I want my wife to live, Eli, but I don't want you to go with me . . . they'll kill you."

Eli forced a smile. "Sir, I know I'm gray and old, but I'm not stupid. I'm not volunteering for this duty because I have a death wish. I volunteered because I believe in us, you and me.

Devoe has had everything his way and he thinks he'll keep it that way. I say you and I can beat him. We're two old Rangers past our prime, but we have a lot on our side. The high tech wizards of the Bureau and the CIA will be working with us, and we'll even have military support. Hell, sir, we have the whole U. S. of A. backing us up."

Anderson looked into Eli's eyes. "Eli, do you think we really have a chance?'