Spy Catcher: The J.J. McCall Novels (Books 1-3) (The FBI Espionage Series) (63 page)

stay tuned for the next exciting installment of the series…

Acknowledgments

To my son, William, who is one of my biggest fans and supporters. You are my manager/agent/assistant/bag carrier/anything mom needs, and I appreciate everything you do to help me do what I love.

Lisa and Becky, my Beta Readers. Every year you go through the drudgery of reading my first drafts. I couldn’t do this without your support. Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedules to help me make my work better for the fans.

To Mike Lance, thank you so much for taking a chance to tell me something I didn’t want to hear. Your feedback has been invaluable to helping me make my work shine, and I appreciate you for it!

To the readers and fans of the J.J. McCall series, thank you for spending time with J.J. and the crew. A lot of people thought I was nuts for attempting this series, but each year I pick up more and more fans who are also crazy enough to believe this is a story worth telling…and reading.

Thank you, Ella Curry for all of your PR efforts, sharing your knowledge, encouragement, and always going the extra mile. It does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Thank you to the “real” J.J. McCall—for being such an inspiration to me, even though you never knew it. You’re a role model every girl can aspire to be—a consummate professional, an intelligent thinker, a hard worker, and a badass FBI Special Agent.

Key FBI Espionage Series Characters (Books 1 and 2)

Federal Bureau of Investigation (Current)

Russell Freeman
– Director

John Nixon
– Assistant Director of Counterintelligence

J.J. McCall
– FBI Special Agent/Russian Operations

Antonio “Tony” Donato
– FBI Special Agent/Russian Operations

Former Characters

Naomi Jones McCall
(Killed in the Line of Duty) – FBI Special Agent/Counterintelligence and J.J. McCall’s mother.

Lana Michaels/Svetlana Mikhaylova
(deceased) – former FBI Special Agent/Russian Operations; Russian Intelligence Deep Cover Agent also known as the ICE (Intelligence Community)Phantom.

Jack Sabinski
(forcibly retired) – Former Supervisory Special Agent/Russian Operations

Christopher Johnson (Jailed)
– FBI Special Agent/Russian Operations – Served as cut-out for Lana Michaels’ operations.

James “Jim” Cartwright (deceased)
– former FBI Assistant Director of Counterintelligence, blackmailed and killed by Lana Michaels. 

FBI Washington Field Office

SAC MacDonald
– Special Agent in Charge of the field office

Kyle Oliver
– FBI Supervisory Special Agent/Russian Operations

Hopper Mack
– FBI Supervisory Special Agent/Russian Operations

Russian Embassy Personnel

Andrei Komarov
– SVR Resident – Responsible for intelligence operations conducted from Washington Embassy. Comparable to the CIA Chief of Station.

Aleksey Dmitriyev
– Security Officer – Most senior counterintelligence officer.

Yuriy Filchenko
– Counterintelligence Line Chief – Responsible for supporting operations that involve recruiting American government personnel to spy for Russia.

Boris Gusin
– Signals Officer – Responsible for listening device operation targeting the White House

Igor Sonin
– Counterintelligence Officer – Sent by Golikov to spy on Embassy Personnel

Vasiliy Turov
– Counterintelligence Officer – Sent by Golikov to spy on Embassy Personnel

SVR Headquarters (The Center)

General Anatoliy Golikov
– Counterintelligence Directorate Chief – Oversees all Russian counterintelligence operations in U.S.-based embassies.

Pavlov Mashkov
– Russian organized crime associate – conducts “off-the-books” operations and murders as ordered by Golikov.

Key Terms

AD –
Assistant Director

ATF –
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

COINTEL –
Counterintelligence

COINTELPRO
– Counterintelligence Program

Cut-Out –
Operational intermediary. Facilitates the exchange of information between agents.

DEA
– Drug Enforcement Agency

Dead Drop -
Method of espionage tradecraft used to pass items between two individuals using a secret location and thus does not require them to meet in person.

Exfiltrate (Exfil)
- The process of removing personnel when it is considered imperative that they be immediately relocated out of a hostile environment and taken to a secure area.

FSB –
Russian Federal Security Service – roughly analogous to the FBI.

Goomar
–
Mistress

HUMINT
– Human Intelligence

ICE Phantom
– Intelligence Community Phantom

IED
– Improvised Explosive Device

MVD
– Ministry of Internal Affairs security forces

NOC –
Non Official Cover officer – works undercover with no diplomatic immunity

RAPTURE –
A Russian intelligence bugging operation targeting the White House.

SAC –
Special Agent in Charge; heads FBI field offices.

SVR –
Russian Foreign Intelligence Service – roughly analogous to the CIA.

SIGINT –
Signals Intelligence

TAC Team –
FBI
Tactical Team

TMZ
– Gossip Magazine and TV Show

VTC
– Video Teleconferencing

WFO
– FBI Washington Field Office

Prologue

“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” ~ Sun Tzu

Fear, failure, and the fear of failure turned enemies into friends like nothing else in the convoluted world of intelligence and spying. This is no doubt the reason FBI representatives had been summoned to the Russian Embassy in Washington following Lana Michaels’ death.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs reeled after a reported "heated discussion" with the U.S. Secretary of State; she promised harsh and swift diplomatic sanctions following the successive wave of embarrassing Russian intelligence blunders that resulted in FBI and Secret Service agent arrests. The tense political situation had outraged the Russians’ now tight-lipped government contacts in Washington and New York,  drying up critical sources of American intel. The stone silence threatened to paralyze the SVR's intelligence collection across the United States unless they quelled America’s fury. Thus, the come-to-Jesus meeting called by the SVR Resident was inevitable and necessary.

FBI Special Agent J.J. McCall marveled at the embassy's ornate grand lobby. Rich white and dark European marbles accented by cardinal red carpet runners, stately winding staircase crowned in gold, and paintings of lush landscapes brightening the halls and sitting areas, J.J. placed it among the most beautiful embassies she'd visited. The sight was impressive and a stark reminder of the country's willingness to spare no expense when it came to putting up deceiving fronts and paying American traitors.

"We'll need a dump truck for the bullshit about to be heaped on us today," J.J. whispered to her co-case agent, Tony Donato. As the lead case agent behind the ruckus, she'd been ordered to attend the meeting, listen, and respond to nothing.

"Shhh," Tony whispered in reply. "The walls have ears."

Resident Andrei Komarov, the Russian equivalent to the CIA Station Chief in Moscow, led J.J., Tony, and Assistant Director of Counterintelligence John Nixon through the hallowed embassy halls until they reached a well-appointed conference room. It contained mahogany-paneled walls, large, open armchairs, and an oversized table large enough to seat Komarov's ego and attitude, both massive in her past experience.

The group, all dressed in their services' uniforms—pin-sharp, woolen suits in late-fall hues concealed under beige all-weather overcoats—was met by the only other declared SVR officer in the Russian Embassy, Security Officer Aleksey Dmitriyev.

Jolted by his presence, J.J. avoided his gaze, kept their handshake and greeting brief. The last time they met, he was not working for her. Now, he was—and the only other person in the group aware of his status was Tony. Butterflies rolled in her stomach as everyone took their seats
,
and the meeting began. She forced a poker expression and prepared herself for the barrage of lies.

Komarov settled in at the head of the table, his face reddened and contorted. It was as if every word he was about to speak, no doubt carefully selected by the Foreign Minister, would sear his throat and exit his lips like sharpened razors carving him from the inside.

"We've all met before and are quite familiar with one another," Komarov began, shooting a slicing glare through J.J. "So, I'll feel free to dispense with the pleasantries. We all understand why we are here today." Her aggressive targeting of SVR officers for recruitment was legendary...or infamous, depending on which side of the table you sat. She suppressed the awe she felt. The personification of the Russian James Bond in looks and dress, he was devoid of any semblance of an accent.

J.J., Tony, and Nixon exchanged strained glances before she took a deep breath to brace herself. Komarov was about to progress through the four steps of surviving a massive operational failure.

Step 1: Admit nothing.

"There has been a spate of unfortunate and seemingly unfounded reports regarding the activities of our foreign intelligence service inside the United States," he began.

Her birthright, her gift, the ability to detect lies, sent the sensation of an army of crawling ants through her fingertips and up the length of both arms. She clenched her teeth and prepared for
Step 2: Deny Everything.

"We have no information to substantiate the many reports circulating in the media nor can we speak to the involvement of any of our staff. However, I can assure you that if such activity occurred it was orchestrated by rogue officers conducting unsanctioned operations. If ever discovered, they will be dealt with accordingly. This brings me to my next point..."

As the lies continued, the annoying sensations intensified. The itch stretched through her back and up into her neck. She shifted in her seat and tensed her body to suppress it.

A moment of relief would come with
Step 3: Demand Proof.

"If your Secretary of State persists in her current path and continues to threaten sanctions against our diplomatic corps, we must require access to the evidence used to justify these unfounded accusations against our government or we will be forced to reciprocate and target the American in Moscow."

They always demanded proof because they knew the FBI couldn't provide the most critical elements, at least not so early in the investigations. Such provisions risked revealing FBI sources and methods, potentially compromising the Russian Embassy recruit sitting across the table from J.J. It would also expose the FBI's knowledge of the listening device found in the White House Situation Room, an announcement the President had postponed for reasons unbeknownst to her.

Nixon cleared his throat. "It's forthcoming," are the only two words he offered, which was two too many in J.J.'s estimation. He said, "Continue with your little speech, please," in his typical condescending way.

From the pinched expression on Komarov's face, he took the comment in the spirit in which it was intended, just as J.J. would've. This certainly contributed to
Step 4: Make counter-accusations.

"And if your government should bring forth any evidence against the Service, we may be required to present our own proof that these arrests are merely a provocation to discredit Russia and increase hostilities within the international community given U.S. opposition to our security operations in the Ukraine."

Bullshit. But J.J. gave credit where it was due—the guy was good.

"We're not here to debate the validity of your political and military agenda," Nixon replied. "The FBI's primary concern is securing the homeland from terrorists and spies. So, if we could cut to the chase, why have you requested our presence here today?"

J.J.'s eyebrow arched. She'd never known Nixon to be a man with backbone. He usually preyed on the weak rather stand up to the strong.

"Ahhh, yes," Komarov said, relaxing his tone and posture, he leaned his back against the chair. "We brought you here to extend an olive branch, if you will. I've been asked to assure you that the Service is not controlling any operations targeting citizens inside the United States. Negotiations regarding the specifics of the new plans are underway within our executive channels and will demonstrate our proposed new era of cooperation. We would like to collaborate on issues, such as terrorism, which would be mutually beneficial to both our countries."

By now, the itching sensation had permeated J.J.'s entire being. If the human body contained over a billion nerves, every one of hers had been stimulated in the worst way. She clenched her legs together and strained not to dissolve into a scratching frenzy.

But, finally, the truth had been revealed. The Russians wanted to  purchase conciliation with terrorism intelligence. J.J. felt relieved. With FBI Director Russell Freeman at the helm, U.S. national security could never be bought at so cheap a price.