Gabriella sat across from Frank in his office. “Okay, Frank, I’ve thought it over and decided I’d like to find out more about what’s going on.”
“But does it mean you are buying into the initial proposal, Gabriella? You didn’t quite answer my questions. There can’t be any more details until you agree to the basic plan. So are you in?”
“Good catch, Frank. I tried. Anyhow, yes, I’m in. What are the rest of the details?”
“It’s like I said, this should be an easy assignment, or at least it will not be a dangerous assignment. The Federal Authorities have asked us to get close to a terrorist suspect living in New York. They will set up the initial meeting for you, and you can take it from there. You are to gather intelligence information in any way you can. It’s that simple.”
“Sure. Things are always simple for the person who doesn’t have to do the work. Is there any travel involved? I’d like to travel outside Manhattan for a while.”
“No, there won’t be any travel with this one. I don’t have the suspect’s name, but the Feds will contact you and give all the details. They have assured me this initial assignment will be exceptionally safe. They gave their word, and you know the government never lies.” They both broke out laughing.
***
The masculine voice on the phone was friendly but very professional. “Hello. Is this Gabriella West?”
“Yes, it is. Who am I speaking to?” Gabriella asked from her desk phone.
“I’m Agent Williams. I believe Frank Wright told you to expect a call from me. It’s two o’clock now, Ms. West. I would like to meet you at three o’clock this afternoon at Cleopatra’s Needle in Central Park. Will that time work for you?”
“Well, I don’t know, Agent Williams. I must check my schedule first because…” Williams interrupted her before she could finish the thought.
“Good. I see your calendar is free. I will see you at three o’clock.” The call ended with a click and silence.
“What the hell! That was rude.” How did he know I have an open calendar today? This is a locked-down research facility. How can he have access to my schedule… unless … Is there someone on the inside working with him? Frank could have given him my desk number, but he wouldn’t give him my calendar. What am I dealing with here?
***
Gabriella arrived at Cleopatra’s Needle fifteen minutes early. There was the usual foot traffic of lovers walking hand-in-hand, tourists and their families enjoying the park, and a handful of men and women in business clothes wearing sneakers and getting a small walking workout before their next meeting. She saw no one who fit her vision of what the person on the phone might look like.
At three o’clock, a tired-looking middle-aged man in an off-the-rack suit approached her. He extended a hand.
“Hello, Ms. West. I’m Agent Williams. You arrived a little early. Excellent.”
Gabriella shook hands. She looked him over, trying to discover what type of man she was dealing with. Agent Williams was five feet eight inches tall and losing hair on the top of his head. His facial features were soft and unremarkable.
“I don’t know why, but you are not quite what I expected, Agent Williams.”
“I get that a lot, Ms. West. May I call you Gabriella? No? Okay. You were probably expecting to see a six-foot-four, solid, square-jawed eagle-eyed agent. Like the movies, right? You would notice a person like that walking by. It’s why I’m the perfect agent. No one notices me. I’m close to invisible. Try to describe me half an hour after we part company. Enough about me, though. I want to talk about you and your capabilities as an android.”
Gabriella’s eyes widened. No one outside of the lab had ever referred to her as an android. The shock took her back.
“Do I look like an android to you, Agent Williams?” she asked.
“No, you don’t. You don’t at all. I know who you are from your photos and videos.”
“Photos and videos? Excuse me, what photos and videos?”
“Thank you for accepting the job, Ms. West. Your government appreciates it. Shall we sit at a bench and talk for a few minutes? There is an empty one right over there.” Agent Williams gestured with his dark brown briefcase to an empty park bench. They walked over and sat on opposite ends, facing each other.
“Now, before I disclose anything about this case to you, I will need your word, and your signature on an agreeing document, that all details will be held in strict confidence by you, and you will discuss nothing having to do with this assignment with anyone but me. Can we agree on it?”
“What happens if I say something to someone, Agent?”
Agent Williams’s nondescript face hardened as his eyes narrowed. Whatever minimal congeniality he had shown instantly evaporated. “Suffice it to say any leak could be lifethreatening to you, your friends, loved ones, and their families. Let’s not go there. Can we agree on it, Ms. West?” he repeated.
“Yes,” said Gabriella as she nodded her head in agreement. She thought about Paul and Alexi. Would they be in danger? What the hell am I into and is there a way out?
“Excellent, Ms. West. Let me get your signature on this agreement paper, and we can be off to more pleasant things. That’s good. Thank you. Now to the heart of our discussion,” Agent Williams said as he pulled a dark blue zippered pouch from his briefcase and opened it. A small measure of congeniality returned to his voice and face.
“Shouldn’t we be doing this in a more private spot?” Gabriella said as she looked at the passers-by.
“No, not at all. This is perfect. Hiding in plain sight is the best hiding place there is. No one notices, even if they glance over and see what we are doing. People aren’t suspicious of things that happen on sunlit benches.” Agent Williams continued as he pulled photographs out of the blue pouch, “Now normally our agents don’t know the person we assign them to. It’s not the case this time. I believe you already know our suspected terrorists.” He handed the photos to Gabriella.
She stared at the photos. “What! That’s Lance Coopers. This can’t be right!”
“We don’t make errors, Ms. West. Your job is to get close to Colonel Coopers and find out what he is up to. Find out about his shadow organization, who his friends are, who he is dating, and most of all, what terrorist activities he has planned. Do you think you can do the job?”
“He’s not going to tell me if he has any terrorist plans. How can I get the information for you?”
“No, he certainly won’t speak about any direct action. You are to listen to attitudes that may show discontent with our government or international policy. For instance, Colonel Coopers heads a sensitive information surveillance group monitoring special government projects and persons of interest. It gives him a lot of inside information about people and programs. Does he pass the information to other groups? Does he plan on cementing the criticality of his position by creating a small, terrorist activity that could be squelched before much damage is done? This would allow his group to look like anti-terrorist heroes and possibly increase his operating budget. See what I mean?”
“I think so. But would people in the government subvert the law and harm innocent people to boost their own position?”
“Ms. West, do you not read the papers or listen to the news? Look at politics around this great country of ours. One party seems to be willing to destroy anything and anyone that gets in their way of taking power away from the other party. This is a country with a quiet civil war raging. Do not expect people in power seats to have you or your countries’ best interests in mind, ever! This includes staging or allowing acts of terrorism to help promote their cause. Any questions?”
“No, Agent Williams. I believe I see your point. How do I get started, and how do I report back to you?”
“You already have a start. You have been on a double date with Colonel Coopers.” Agent Williams raised his hand to stop Gabriella from responding. “We know things. As I was saying, you have a start, and he seems to be interested in you. Foster that interest and let situations take their course. Do what you have to do to get the information we need. Thank you very much for your time. I will be in contact with you.”
Agent Williams slipped the photos into his briefcase, stood abruptly, and, within a few paces, disappeared into the sparse stream of pedestrians.
Gabriella thought deeply as she sat on the bench and watched people pass by.
Lance removed his ear-piece and placed it on his office desk. “Williams should be on Broadway with the performance he just gave.”