The next day they met at a wine bar and discussed what was on the tape. Alex sighed and shook her head when she first heard the news.
“Figures,” she quipped and took another gulp of her chardonnay.
Jennifer slapped the table. “Figures? That’s how you react to the news that I just told you?”
Alex waved dismissively at her friend. “The further I get away from my time at the agency, the deeper I go down the black hole of what’s really going on in this world. And sometimes, I’d swear none of it’s true.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Alliances, allegiances, partnerships, conspiracies—what we know could fit in a thimble compared to what’s really going on out there.”
“But the president? Involved in this level of planning to cajole the American people? I find it unfathomable.”
Alex laughed softly. “If you’re having a difficult time imagining that, you still see the world in black and white. As much as I wish it were true, we don’t live in a binary age. Open your eyes and look around. There are a million shades of gray, not just fifty.”
“You’re probably right, but I’m still adjusting to this new view of the world. Give me some time.”
“Take all the time you need.”
Jennifer signaled for the waiter and ordered another glass. “Since you’re not surprised, do you still want to hear what’s on the recording?”
“Absolutely. We plan on exposing everyone who’s on it.”
Jennifer grabbed Alex’s hand. “Look, you can’t let this lead back to me. I wasn’t supposed to be listening in on Bozeman. We all thought he was dead. But I saw him once on a surveillance tape outside the White House, and I started my own quest to find out what he was doing alive, much less gaining access to the White House.”
“And he was just walking right in the front door?”
“No. He’d park a few blocks away and walk. I started following his journeys on closed circuit feeds and figured out what he was doing. He almost gave me the slip once, but I caught his reflection off the glass of a car window and was able to map out his route.”
“And how’d you get the recording?”
“I used some triangulations when he made a call and was able to figure out his number. Then I hacked his phone and turned on the microphone. Voila. Instant scandal.”
“I thought you weren’t supposed to be doing that any more.”
“The NSA got busted for those shenanigans. We can still tap the phones of real criminals.”
Alex cocked her head to one side. “Without a warrant?”
Jennifer winked. “You believe whatever you want about those warrants, okay?”
“I don’t care if it’s admissible in court,” Alex said. “We’re going to hang them both in the court of public opinion.”
“So, I take it you want the file?”
“You didn’t bring it?”
“Not on my life. I’m still too careful. I work with a bunch of spooks. You never know when they’ll be targeting you. I have the recording on my home computer as a backup in case something ever happens to me, but I’ll make a flash drive for you that won’t be able to be traced back to me.”
“How do you suggest we make the exchange?”
The waiter placed another glass in front of Jennifer, and she wasted no time in drinking it.
“I go for a run every evening after work in Fort DuPont Park,” Jennifer said. “It’s part of my usual routine, so it won’t seem suspicious to anyone who might be tailing me. They have some great running trails. I’ll be wearing a pair of black shorts and black top with a neon-green headband.”
“Neon green? Really? It’s not 1987 any more, Jennifer.”
Jennifer laughed. “Haven’t you heard? The 80s are making a comeback.”
“God help us all.”
“No use fighting it.” Jennifer took another sip and scanned the bar. “Oh, and one more thing. It can’t be you who meets me. If I’m under surveillance and you show up, you’ll get busted. I’ll need to make a brush pass with someone else you trust.”
“Hawk can do it. I’ll send him.”
“Perfect. Tell him to meet me at 6:45 near the trail that goes by the ice skating rink. And tell him to wear a white headband so I’ll know it’s him.”
***
THE NEXT EVENING, Hawk lingered in the car with Alex in a parking lot inside Fort DuPont Park. They reviewed the brush pass instructions, while he adjusted his white headband and peered out the window.
“Are you sure you trust your friend?” Hawk asked.
Alex scowled. “We wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t. She saw how they treated me. She’s also a fierce patriot. What’s happening right now with Michaels and his administration is disconcerting.”
“Let’s just hope she’s not trying to earn points with the agency for turning me in.”
“And you waited until now to raise this concern?”
Hawk sighed. “We’re desperate, okay? I get that. But our desperation plays right into their hands. Think about it. An agent you trust contacts you out of the blue about a mysterious recording implicating President Michaels. And we bite—hook, line, and sinker.”
Alex retied her hair up in a tight ponytail and then rested her hands on the steering wheel. “Then don’t go if you’ve got a bad feeling about it. We’ll think of something else.”
Hawk eyed her closely. “Look at me and tell me you think she’s telling the truth. If I believe you, I’ll go.”
She turned toward him and didn’t blink as she spoke. “I believe her. Everything she’s doing is exactly how I would’ve done it if I wanted to pass information outside the agency
