Thant defining the committee’s scope. Check it; make sure it’s real. And lastly, since he alleges Ensiling was just one of the committee members killed, check the other names mentioned in the letter. See who’s living or dead and get them here to the White House… the living ones, that is.”
“Slow down Hiccock. Anything else?”
“Yes. Ensiling’s file was red-flagged, I found that out when I was trying to arrange for a posthumous Presidential Letter of Recognition for him.”
“Is that why Peter first came to you?”
“No. Peter had a suspicion that he was murdered. Anyway, find out why the government pegged Ensiling persona non grata and what for.”
“Hey, pal, there’s a loose nuke out there. You just gave me a month of homework.”
“Here’s the topper, copper — one of the names on that letter rang a bell at CIA.” Bill affected a bad impersonation of a game show announcer. “And now the next answer on ‘Jeopardy:’ The country this former member of the committee was last seen in… drum roll… wait for it….”
“Shit…Egypt!” Joey said.
“Actually, I was looking for ‘What is Egypt?’ but I’ll accept it.”
“Is he still there?”
“Let’s move onto the final question on ‘Jeopardy.’ Would you like to try ‘Famous European Cities’ for $800? This city of lights is where two secret investigators, mean mothers, have followed leads to…”
“Paris…er, what is Paris?”
“Astounding,” Bill announced.
“Okay, tell me what I’ve won and it better be half the fucking FBI because we are going to need a lot of shoe leather help.”
“That was the other thing I came to tell you. I got you five million dollars to start. Go hire, get, grab, or steal whoever you need. Somehow or other, Peter may have tripped over the suitcase nukes plot without even knowing it. And the committee members may have been sacrificed to keep the identity of one of their members secret, lest he lead us to the nukes.”
“Five million can get this puppy moving all right. Hey, who was the embassy guy in Paris?”
“Frank somebody. Frank…Randall! He’s the Station Chief.”
“Good, then he’s CIA. I’ll wake him up.” Joey grabbed the phone. Hiccock left, already late, for a meeting.
Aside from the President almost firing him over a code name, Bill couldn’t remember the last time he was called into the principal’s office. But it wasn’t so long ago to stop his stomach from producing a few butterflies. The principal this day was Ray Reynolds, the Chief of Staff. Bill and Ray had started out on opposite sides of every issue. But eventually, after Bill had success and more success, he won the trust and respect of Ray and Ray’s boss, James Mitchell, the President of the United States. Twice before, the President had given Bill carte blanche to investigate and operate separately and autonomously from the rest of the government. The last time proved to be a good call when it turned out the government itself was the bad guy.
This time the bad guy seemed to genuinely be a foreign entity. Bill knew, however, that all the brownie points he had amassed couldn’t avert the “heart to heart” that was on the other end of the call to come to the Chief of Staff’s office. Bill knew Reynolds was calling him in because his “Operation Stork” was getting operational fast. In Washington, a town of institutional rivalries, that kind of money, attention, and power attracted more detractors than supporters. Twenty seven million to start up, five million more on a hunch, and unlimited access to the Justice Department had to ruffle feathers inside the corridors of power.
As Bill stood before the principal’s desk, Reynolds hung up the phone on a call with the sultan of some emirate. He made a notation in a folder, closed it, placed the folder in his out box, leaned back, and smiled.
“You know, Bill, we’ve been through a lot together. You’ve earned everything and every privilege you have right now. I speak for the President when I say that you have saved this country from unspeakable calamities and all Americans are in your debt…”
“Wow, that sounds like a set up for a bigger ‘but’ than Aunt Esther’s.”
“Who?”
“Forget it, Lamont. Go on, sorry I interrupted.”
“Bill, no one is questioning your judgment, but I have to ask you some questions.”
“Sure, Ray, I understand.”
“Your new French initiative. How does the death of your friend, which I am sorry to hear about by the way…”
“Thank you.”
“How does his death connect to the search for the loose nuke?”
“Ray, you know, I’ve been so deep into this I didn’t see the obvious inference of preferential treatment that I am giving an old acquaintance. That also means you were much nicer about this than you had to be and I thank you for the benefit of the doubt.”
“As I said, you earned it.”
“Sergeants Bridgestone and Ross are now in Paris after tracing the 24 nukes back through an Iranian connection.”
“Iran? Does CIA or State have this?”
“We’re sharing what we know…”
“So share with me.”
“One of Ensiling’s associates, Dr. Brodenchy, whom my friend Peter was close to, popped up in Egypt around the same time as the nukes did. Now’s he’s believed to be in France. His last posting with the U.N. was with IAEA. After his stint with the International Atomic Energy Association, he went to work for Fallon Technique, a French nuclear reactor company. That job brought him to Iran when the company started advising the Iranians about building their own nuke plant. Somewhere in between, he converted to Islam. He now goes by the name ‘Jahim El Benhan.’”
“Wait!” Ray started scanning the file cards posted on the inside of his forehead. “Isn’t
“And getting him released was the reason the ambassador was kidnapped in Egypt. And that all led us to finding the nukes.”
“So Jahim and Alzir, are brothers?”
“Hungarian Muslims. The brother adopted his Muslim name first back in the 50’s. Dr. Brodenchy converted when his brother and he were reunited in Iran.”
“You figure Jahim kidnapped Greeley to get his brother Alzir back?”
“Apparently while he was in the middle of the nuke thing.”
“There must have been a stronger reason than blood for Jahim to risk the nuke op just to get his brother back?”
“We’ll know when we ask him.”
“Bridgestone and Ross?”
“They cut through countries, culture, and bullshit like a laser through butter.”
“Thank God they are on our side.”
“Allah be praised, man.”
“You sold me, Bill. I’ll tell the President that you and your team are on to something and you’ll report as soon as you can.”
“Actually, Ray, I need to see the President right now.”
“Why?”
“You are not going to believe me, but you are not cleared for this.”
Ray’s eyebrows went up. He picked up his phone and asked the President’s secretary if the boss was alone.
Ray walked Bill into the Oval and left. Bill waited until the door latched.
“What is it, Bill?”
