Only a week ago, Director Travis had called Chris and asked him to return to the Agency. He�d said he needed Chris to head a team whose purpose was to put a stop to the actions of a group known as the Anti-intelligence Organization.
The AIO, as they were called around the Agency, was basically a group of anarchists the believed that the proliferation of information was the root-cause of the world�s ills.
Since the CIA had first uncovered the group, they had stopped plans to attack radio and television stations, firebomb newspaper offices and assassinate prominent celebrities and political consultants alike. The group had also claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and murder of a few federal agents.
The trouble was that the AIO didn�t conform to the usual rules followed by terrorists � if terrorists can be said to follow rules. Rather than targeting a specific country or the members of a certain religion, they planned attacks against countries all over the world. If there was a way news was spread, the AIO sought to destroy it.
Until recently, the organization had been small and weak enough that none of their attacks had been successful. However, they were growing � both in size and power � raising the level of their threat to national security.
Somehow, Clayton Webb � formerly an Assistant Deputy Director � had managed to convince the Senate that the Special Intelligence Team was needed. Rumors within the Agency said that Webb had informed them that the AIO considered Congress members as bad as any spy and would happily kill them just as they already had a few American agents. For some reason, Chris could almost see Webb doing something like that.
However the task had been achieved, Chris now found himself faced with the job of forming the team. While he waited for Director Travis to see him, he held in his hands the personnel files of the first people he�d decided on.
�Chris,� Orrin greeted him softly.
Larabee stood up and walked into the office past him. �Good morning, Judge,� he said softly.
Orrin glanced at the files in Chris�s hands and said, �The first members of your team?�
Chris nodded and handed the files over to Travis, who directed him to sit; then moved behind his desk to do the same. He pulled out his reading glasses and read the name on the first file. �Wilmington,� Orrin said softly.
�He�s a top-notch surveillance expert, Judge,� Chris explained.
Orrin smiled and said, �And an old friend of yours.�
Chris shrugged and replied, �Hey, at least you know I won�t kill him, right?�
�True,� Orrin replied, a smile coming to his lips. He signed the transfer request and turned to the next file. �Nathan Jackson�� Orrin glanced up and looked curiously at the man across from him. �Are you anticipating needing a medic on your team, Larabee?�
Chris smiled and said, �That depends on who you foist off on me, sir.�
Orrin rolled his eyes and shook his head. After signing that transfer form, he turned to the next file and froze. His eyes narrowed and he locked Chris in a steely glare. �Tanner is practically your brother, Larabee. You can�t have him on your team.�
Chris stood and said, �Fine��
Orrin got to his feet, suddenly uncertain about Chris�s seeming-acquiescence.
His worst fears were realized when Chris turned to the door, saying, �If you don�t want Vin, you don�t get me.�
�Chris!� Orrin called. �Be reasonable!�
Chris whirled around and fixed the judge with his own glare. �Vin may be my foster brother, but he�s also one of the best sharpshooters the Agency has. I won�t work without him!�
Orrin frowned and asked, �This has nothing to do with incident in South America a few years ago?� Vin had been severely injured when a mission had gone horribly wrong. In typical Agency form, Chris was not informed until Vin was able to call him.
�Maybe it does,� Chris admitted. �But that doesn�t change the fact that you said you wanted this team to be made up of the best the Agency had to offer. As far as sharpshooters go, Vin�s it!�
Orrin sighed. �Sit down,� he requested softly, as he signed the form that would transfer Tanner to Chris�s team.
Chris complied and asked, �So, what have you got for me, Judge?�
Orrin smiled. Handing three files over the desk to Larabee, he said, �Their transfers are already in the works.�
Chris frowned at the first file. Opening it, he saw a picture of a smiling youth, with innocent hazel eyes and slightly long dark hair. He glanced up at the judge and said, �He�s a kid!�
�He�s also one of the best electronics experts we have,� Orrin said gently.
Chris nodded and said, �Well, I�ll see how he does.� Then he turned to the next file and scowled. �Standish,� he said incredulously. �I thought he was on extended psychological leave.�
Orrin nodded. �He was, but the Agency psychologists have cleared him to return to active duty.�
Chris frowned and asked, �Are you sure about him, sir? There were rumors saying��
�They were rumors, Larabee,� Orrin said sternly. �Give the man a chance.�
Chris nodded and turned to the next file. It was that of Josiah Sanchez. His codename � Preacher � was quite appropriate, since the man had nearly joined the seminary before signing on with the Agency. Chris had heard that Sanchez could get mean if you pushed him the wrong way, but he was also known as one of the best explosives expert there was.
Chris looked up and said, �Okay. When are we gathering?�
�Tomorrow,� the judge said. �Don�t expect Standish to be on time, he�s never on time.�
�I�ll fix that,� Chris said confidently.
As Chris strode out the door, Orrin mumbled, �Good luck, Chris. With Standish, you�ll need it.�
***
The next day, Chris sat in the room that would function as the main office for the group and waited for the other members to arrive. Vin had left the house the same time he had, but had also informed Chris that he was going to stop and get breakfast for everyone on his way to the Intelligence Center.
Buck Wilmington was the first of the group to actually arrive and he pulled Chris into a rough bear hug the second he saw him. �Chris,� he said happily. �How you been, you ole war dog!�
Chris noticed John Dunne standing in the doorway and gently pushed his friend away. �Careful, Buck,� he said, nodding toward the young man. �Folk�ll talk.�
Buck turned and said, �Hey, JD, come on in and say hi to your new boss!�
Chris smiled and said, �Good morning, Agent Dunne.�
�Hello, sir,� the young man said softly.
Buck grinned and said, �JD here is an electronics expert. He lives at the same building as me, right down the hall.�
Chris nodded and asked, �You came together?�
�Yes, sir,� JD answered succinctly.
�You can call me Chris,� Larabee said gently.
The young agent grinned and replied, �I�m JD!�
Chris shook his hand and said, �Welcome to the team, JD. You two can pick out desks and start making them your own.�
JD nodded and moved over toward a desk by the door. Buck grinned and said, �Good to be workin� with you again, pard.�
�Same here,� Chris said softly.
Buck nodded and took the desk closest to JD�s. He stood back up when Vin entered carrying a bag from the pastry shop. �Hey, Junior,� he greeted. �Long time no see!�
�Hey,� Vin said, setting the bag down. Turning to Chris, he smiled and said, �Food.�
�Yup,� Chris replied.
�Huh?� JD asked softly.
Buck laughed and explained, �Their sentences get shorter the closer they get to each other. You get used to it.�
�Oh,� JD said. Turning to Vin, he said, �I�m JD Dunne. I�m the team�s electronics expert.�
�Sharpshooter,� Vin said, grinning mischievously.
Chris shook his head and said, �He�s Vin Tanner; the team�s sharpshooter and weapons expert. Pick a desk, Vin.�
Vin nodded and turned to JD. �Pleased ta meet ya,� he said softly. When JD nodded, the Texan turned and walked over to the desk that was positioned closest to the door leading to Chris�s private office.
Josiah and Nathan were the next to arrive. They took up positions in the center of the room and quietly began setting out the personal belongings that would mark the desks as their own. Chris greeted them and sat down on Buck�s desk to wait for the last member of the team.
He had quite a wait. Ezra Standish arrived nearly an hour after he was supposed to. The southerner looked harried when he stepped off the elevator, but his face became an impassive mask when he saw Chris looking at him.
�Good morning,� he said, smiling broadly.
Chris frowned. �You�re late,� he scolded.
Ezra�s eyes widened and he consulted his watch. �Oh dear, so I am,� he said. Locking eyes with Chris, he said, �Sorry about that.�
Chris fixed him with a glare and said, �Don�t do it again.�
Ezra didn�t answer, instead he smiled and made his way over to the only empty desk in the room. His cell phone rang almost as soon as he sat down.
�Hello,� he said softly, as he brought it to his ear. In response to whatever the caller said, he answered, �Yes�I will call you as soon as I find out. Thank you. Goodbye.�
Chris growled and headed off to his office. As he past Vin, he noticed that the Texan was grinning. �What�s so funny,� he asked crossly.
�You,� Vin answered. �He�s got ya already and it ain�t been more�n five minutes.�
�Keep laughing, Tanner,� Chris scolded, smiling slightly. �See what happens.�
***
Over the next week, the team slowly came to know each other better. Although Chris was irritated by Standish�s late arrivals and frequent personal calls, the man did his work with such efficiency that Chris really couldn�t complain.
Their first assignment didn�t require any traveling nor did it entail any personal danger. Chris figured the idea was to allow the team some time to get to know each other and get the kinks worked out.
What it did require was a lot of close contact, as the members of the team went over the past cases involving the AIO in some way. Not only did it allow the people to get to know each other; they also got to know their target.
By the end of the week, Ezra was thoroughly disgusted with the philosophies held by the members of the organization and JD, as well as Vin � though he hid it better � was disgusted by some of their actions.
Chris had grown so used to Standish�s late arrivals that he jumped out of his skin when he arrived on Friday morning to find the southerner already sitting at his desk. Vin chuckled and made his way over to his own desk, while Standish flashed Larabee a dimpled grin and asked, �Did I startle you?�
�You�re early,� Chris said incredulously.
Ezra shrugged. �It is an attempt on my part to make up for the hours I have lost due to my perpetual tardiness. If it disturbs you, however��
�No,� Chris interrupted. �It�s fine. I just wasn�t expecting it, that�s all.�
Ezra nodded and turned back to the file in his hands. �Did you read this one?� he asked absently.
�Which one?� Vin asked.
�This one,� Ezra said, holding up the file. �The Rodriquez file. They�they captured this agent, tortured him and eventually killed him in a most�gruesome manner.�
Chris nodded and said, �That�s the MO they seem to have. When they capture someone, they torture and then kill them.�
Ezra shuttered and nodded. As Nathan and Josiah arrived, he set the file aside and picked up the handset of the phone on his desk.
�Who you callin�?� Vin asked softly.
Ezra shook his head and said, �Hello, It�s Ezra�No, I�m fine�I just wanted to know how things were there�Good. Well, I�ll call back around noon, then. Goodbye.�
Chris scowled as Standish hung up the phone. �The personal calls need to stop, Standish.�
Ezra shook his head again and Nathan said, �According to his medical file, he�needs to make the calls, Chris.�
�Why?� Chris growled.
Nathan glanced at Standish; then beckoned Chris over. Once the team leader was close enough to hear him, Nathan whispered, �He got taken off active duty because he got�anxiety attacks. The calls are some kind of obsessive/compulsive behavior that he has to do in order to prevent them.�
Chris frowned and said, �That�s crazy! Why is he cleared for duty?�
�I guess the need for him as an undercover agent outweighed his�quirks,� Nathan said.
�That�s not a quirk. That could be trouble in the wrong situation,� Chris snapped.
Nathan nodded. �I�ve been looking into it. Don�t worry. I�ll keep an eye on him.�
Chris shook his head and headed into his office. After closing the door, he flopped down behind his desk and picked up his own phone. �Hello, sir,� he said, as Orrin Travis picked up.
�What can I do for you?� Orrin asked.
Chris sighed. �You�ve got me saddled with a crazy man, Travis!�
�Standish isn�t crazy,� Travis argued. �He�s had some emotional problems that he�s still working through.�
�What kind of emotional problems?� Chris asked impatiently.
The director sighed and answered, �Nearly three years ago, his wife was killed in a car crash. He was at the wheel and blamed himself.�
Chris frowned, as images of Sarah and Adam filled his mind. The death of his wife and son in a house fire a few years before had nearly sent him over the edge too. Sighing deeply, he asked, �Why�d they clear him if he�s�he still hasn�t sorted it all out?�
Travis sighed. �We need him, Chris. Not only for his undercover skills. The AIO uses a code, one that even our top cryptographic analysts haven�t been able to crack yet,� he explained softly. �Standish may the only person capable of breaking the code.�
Chris closed his eyes; then opened them again to stare through the window at Standish, who was now engaged in a heated conversation with Nathan. �Okay,� Chris said softly. �Is there anything else I need to know?�
Travis knew that Chris was one of the best tactical experts in the CIA and he also knew that Chris needed to know as much about his men as possible, so that he could work their eccentricities into his plans. It was part of the reason why he�d approved the addition of Tanner and Wilmington to the team. With some hesitation, Orrin said, �I�ll have everyone�s psychological evaluations sent down to your office.�
�Thanks, Judge,� Chris said. As Chris hung up the phone, he realized, that in spite of the difficulties members of the team might have, they might be the nation�s only hope in fighting the threat posed by the Anti-intelligence Organization. With that thought in mind, Chris opened his planning notebook and began writing out the course of action he felt that the team should take in facing the AIO.
End