| "Labyrinth of Trust" | ||
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Safehouse 1 Lower Manhattan, New York May 9, 2008 0900 hours Paige sat in the medical portion of SH1 holding an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. She inhaled steadily and deeply taking in the precious molecules that would clear her fuzzy head. She glanced over at her Bathroom Tiger that lay sprawled out on the bed next to hers. He, too, was still feeling the effects of the alcohol consumed the night before. She swung her feet back and forth just watching them and waiting. Safehouse 1, not only being a fully operational safehouse, came complete with clothes, lots of clothes, for the Agents. After a hot shower and a blurry sifting through them, she finally found a pair of black cargoes and a blue sweatshirt. After about five minutes her head started to clear and she took the mask off, got up and closed the tank. The Tiger jumped down off the other bed and stretched making a low throated yet content growl then shook himself. "That make you feel better?" she asked him. He didn't answer, thankfully, at least she still had that going for her. She would rue the day when her Tigers started talking to her. "Does it?" she asked again then grinned and shook herself. The Tiger opened his mouth slightly and pulled back his lips giving her, what she assumed, a toothy grin back. He then looked to the door... "What the hell do you call that?" Baz asked laughing at her. "Waking up, want some?" she held out the mask. He shook his head, "Gray's ready for us." "Alright," she said as she glanced back at her Tiger who laid down knowing he wouldn't be invited...not in his current form anyway. She followed Baz out into the long hallway that lead to the lift. He entered his code and they both were on their way to the ninth floor where the tactical room was located. She thought briefly of the night before, the little get together between themselves and Gray. She hardly said anything letting Baz take the lead, which wasn't unusual since he did the majority of scouting when it came to the building. Not that that had made much of a difference. Gray had looked disappointed though he tried to hide it. Paige did not even comment content with ignoring him as much as possible. He was, after all in her mind, not only The enemy, but Her enemy and one that was gaining rank and file every day. Kihn...Schweig, she reminded herself, had joined his ranks, who would be next? The answer was tabled for another time as they entered the tactical room where Gray and Simon were already busy at work. Simon was a curious creature, quiet and shy sometimes, and other times, as bold as any streetwise New Yorker. She did not know where he hailed from nor how he gained his position within the SIA as the resident computer techie, but she was thankful, at least, that he was a good guy. At least he seemed to be. "Hey Simon," she said slyly lowering herself into the seat next to him. He reminded her so much of Birkoff that it was almost eerie. He grunted some sort of response as he ran his fingers through the tuft of thick brown hair on his head. His bright blue green eyes caught hers finally. "Hey Paige," he said evenly. She smiled at him tossing her hair, "good stuff?" she asked nodding towards the computer screen. "Not too bad, I can work with it," he smiled nodding his head. "That's why you get paid the big bucks," she grinned. "Yeah, convince him that," he said gesturing towards Gray who stood watching them though he was apparently deep in thought. Simon and Paige just watched Gray as he came to some silent decision and grabbed his cell phone dialing it and walking away from the table. "We're just waiting for Jordy," Baz said sitting down on the opposite side of the table. As if on cue, Jordy sauntered in and sat down next to Baz. "You two look like shit," Jordy said with an amusing smile. "Thanks Jord, pleasure to see you again, too." Paige rolled her eyes in mock offense and moved to her side. "How's the store going?" "Ugh, please," Jordan said flopping her bag on the table in front of her, "it could be a case file all by itself." Baz and Paige laughed at her. "Hey Simon," she said flirtatiously eliciting a rosy cheeked grunt from him. The two girls looked at each other and giggled. It was so easy to get a rise out of Simon that it had become a game. "Are we ready?" Gray asked the four sitting at the table done with his cell phone call. They all nodded dutifully. He gestured towards Simon. Simon tapped at his computer and brought up a schematic of the club. "From your intel we've got the basic layout of the club. We also know the fourth floor is comprised of offices and where we think security is centralled at. The fifth floor we don't know much except that it is where the target spends most of his time and apparently lives there." "We've arranged an exchange of more accurate intel but for now we need to go over the tentative plans." "I got the schematic of the adjoining building out of the city's central records files. There is one fire door that connects the second floor of the club and the north building here," the schematic changed to highlight the area, "and the west building connects on the fourth floor. Paige and Jordan, you'll be entering through the west building." "Are they operational?" Jordan asked. "As per the latest fire department inspections two weeks ago, yes. We can only assume they are accurate," Simon answered. "Security is standard run of the mill, provided by Sloan. The club itself is saturated with cameras. The fourth floor covers every hallway and two cover the offices. We do not know what kind of security is on the fifth though it is safe to assume not only does it exist, but that the target has had additional security installed above and beyond what Sloan has done." Simon cleared his throat and continued, "we'll be installing a piggyback sniffer into the main line off the fourth floor and we'll tap into security from there until the mission is complete." "How do we intend to do that?" Baz asked skeptically. "As I mentioned before, we've arranged for an intel exchange with an agency that has some Agents already on the inside." Gray said carefully. "Who?" Baz asked. "The FBI has been tailing a couple people within Konstantin's organization, they've got some Agents that have been on the inside and in the fourth floor." That was how they knew about the offices, Paige thought to herself, they had an inside man all the time. "Once all the intel is received," Simon said cutting off multiple questions from the trio of Agents, "you won't have to worry about the security. We also have pictures taken from the apartments across the street." Simon tapped again at his computer bringing up shots of the back of the building. Paige winced as she saw Saf in those pictures�with Alexei. "Unfortunately," Simon said, "it doesn't show us much of the inside." "So, what's the plan?" Paige said growing inpatient. "These things take time." They all turned to see Rebecca coming in through the door holding an envelope. "Time is one thing we actually have with this case." She sat down at the head of the table. "Carry on." Gray turned his attention to the three Agents, "Paige and Jordan, you'll be entering from the fire door on the fourth floor. Use the key you obtained from Sara to gain access to the lift, proceed to the fifth floor and terminate the target." So that was it, Paige thought. Terminate. Assassinate. Kill. No, she shook her head a little bit, something still wasn't right. "I don't understand...why doesn't the FBI just take him in?" "Red tape, politics, deportation, take your pick," Rebecca said amused with herself. "Deportation." Paige chose one. Rebecca arched her eyebrow at Paige and Paige read the message very clear: shut your mouth and do as you're told. "That was a rhetorical question...but now that you've brought it up." Rebecca stood and sauntered towards their end of the table speaking as easily as if she were reciting a poem. "Alexei Konstantin is a dirty man here and abroad. He wouldn't have enough skin on his body nor age in his bones to outlast the legal proceedings if he were 'brought in' as you say. The political downfall would provide a carnival with the media enough to break any election. Konstantin would then spend those days, most likely years, with cable tv and three meals a day at the taxpayers expense. Not to mention, with his money and contacts he would be able to continue with his activities. This is the mob, boys and girls," she directed her comments to Paige. "The only way to get rid of them is to eliminate them...and when it comes to that particular gray area of law enforcement...the FBI, nor any other agency for that matter, wants to get their hands dirty." She stared at them hard giving them a moment to digest all that she said. "This is what we do, this is what the SIA was put together for...covert activities that no one else wants to deal with." "You will take him out execution style and leave the weapon behind. For all intents and purposes it will look like a mob hit. A leak will get out to the police abut members of the New York mafia being seen in the area and everyone else..." "Plausible denial," Paige said quietly. "Smart girl," she said with a smile that gave Paige a chill. "Plausible denial is 'the' single card being dealt on the political platform. No one has to give answers or explanations, no one gets caught, no one gets busted, and one more shark is taken out of the illegal food chain." They all sat in silence for a moment. Finally Simon spoke up, "Baz, you'll be stationed at the fire door protecting egress and providing back up." Baz nodded, "seems I've got the easy job." "None of this is easy, Sebastian," Gray said quietly, "and although you won't be getting medals or public kudos, this must be done." "I know," Baz said gravely. "Sebastian, Jordan, we need to go over more tactical scenarios in case something goes wrong. Paige, you need to get to the meet." Rebecca gestured to her, "come with me." Paige took a breath and glanced once at Baz and Jordan. Jordan just gave her a nod and a small smile. Let's get this done with, Paige thought as she followed Rebecca. They left the room, into another hallway, and into Rebecca's office. Paige had never been in there before and stole the moment whilst Rebecca's back was to her to take in the place. It was large, as to be expected, dominated by a huge cherry wood desk that stood at the opposite end of the room. In front of it were two comfortable looking chairs, followed by a large coffee table, also of cherry, and four more smaller yet no more uncomfortable looking chairs. Two cherry credenzas flanked either side of the sitting area giving the room a feel of symmetry. A large leafy plant guarded the area between two large windows that had tapestries that to Paige looked to be worth more than the entire contents of her apartment. Rebecca finally turned to her and gestured to take a seat at the sitting area. She still held the envelope as she waited for Paige to be seated. "Location is the city library near Central Park," she said as she opened the envelope and began taking out the contents. "Second floor, fifth stack from the back, you'll be meeting at the science books...Hawkins," she smiled warmly at Paige, "I thought you might like that." "How thoughtful," Paige answered flatly. Rebecca stiffened, "have I done something to offend you?" Rebecca didn't wait for her response, though Paige, taken off guard did not have one at the ready. "Or is it you just have a general problem with authority figures?" This time Rebecca did wait. Paige took a small breath totally unprepared for this line of questioning. "The latter," she breathed quietly. "You will need to get over that then, Paige," Rebecca nodded thoughtfully, "if we're to have a productive working relationship you'll have to learn to trust me." "Of course," she said without even thinking. What could she possibly say to that? "Good," Rebecca said drawing her attention to the envelope. "You'll give your contact this," she said holding up a tiny black box like object. "This is the piggyback sniffer. He needs to find the main security cable into the fourth floor, it will be near the back of the building. Burrow it into the feed and secure it," she demonstrated the task with a click. "He will know what to do with it." "In return?" "You'll be getting an envelope, the layout of the fourth floor and positions of all cameras and how many guards. You may get some additional intel on the fifth floor if he was able to get in..." Then there's only one, Paige thought. "...make sure you ask." "During the hit," Paige began tentatively as Rebecca repacked the envelope, "what about collateral?" Rebecca looked up and stared at Paige intently. "What if...he's not alone?" Rebecca got up and went to her desk. She rummaged for a moment before retrieving something and returned to Paige. "I don't consider an Agent acceptable collateral," she smiled at Paige, "but considering the delicate nature of the situation," she opened her hand exposing the tiny darts, "I don't think Sara will come in quietly." Paige nodded her understanding and took the tranquilizer darts from Rebecca's hand. She did not know if Rebecca's sincerity was real or not in regards to Sara. She could not discern if Rebecca actually cared for the Agent or was using it as a ploy to gain Paige's trust. Trust, now that was becoming quite an amusing word to Paige. Between Rebecca, Sara, Gray, Kihn, and Joshua, she was caught...trapped in a huge labyrinth made of walls of words and held up by pillars of trust just waiting to be cemented in by actions. The problem was figuring out which pillars were genuine so she might find her way out before the walls came crashing in on her. "You have a car waiting outside," Rebecca said before getting up and returning to her desk. Paige stuffed the darts into one of the pockets of her cargoes and left the room. She took the elevator down to the garage and got into the car. The driver was silent as she assumed he was one of 'them' as she mulled over everything in her head. She could feel the thumping starting and it wasn't from too much alcohol. 'Not now' she pleaded with her mind, 'please not now.' Return |
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