Chapter 9: The Assignment That Never Existed
The room seemed to shrink around me.
Marcus's words hung in the air.
"They needed a reason to remove you.""
I looked at Agent Collins.
"Have you heard anything about an operation being canceled?""
She shook her head.
"Not yet.""
I turned back toward Marcus.
"What do you mean by remove me?""
He rubbed his palms against his jeans.
"Voss said you were becoming a problem.""
"Why?""
"He never explained.""
"Did he say I was going to be arrested?""
Marcus hesitated.
"No.""
"Suspended?""
"No.""
"Then what?""
He looked at me.
"He said you wouldn't be available anymore.""
My mother covered her mouth.
Richard stepped closer.
"Are you telling us somebody wanted to hurt Jessica?""
Marcus didn't answer.
I felt the familiar cold clarity that came when fear threatened to interfere with judgment.
I needed facts.
Not speculation.
Not Marcus's dramatic interpretations.
Facts.
"Who gave you the black envelope?""
"Daniel Voss.""
"When?""
"Three weeks ago.""
"Where is it?""
Marcus looked toward the garage.
"Behind the workbench.""
Agent Collins immediately instructed an officer to retrieve it.
I glanced at my phone.
There was another message.
*The assignment is a cover. The real target is the person transporting the equipment.*
I read it twice.
Then I looked at the photographs.
The dates.
The location.
The personnel list.
Something didn't fit.
"Agent Collins.""
"Yes?""
"Can I see the schedule again?""
She opened the evidence photographs on her tablet.
I studied the dates.
Most were ordinary training activities.
But one location appeared repeatedly.
A transportation depot outside Washington.
I recognized the facility.
It was used for logistics coordination during several government exercises.
"Why would they be photographing this location?""
Marcus shrugged.
"I don't know.""
I pointed to a date.
"What happened here?""
He leaned closer.
"That was supposed to be a meeting.""
"Between whom?""
"Voss and someone from a contractor.""
"Did you attend?""
"No.""
"Did you photograph the meeting?""
He hesitated.
"Yes.""
"Where are those pictures?""
"Inside the black envelope.""
Agent Collins returned from the garage carrying a sealed evidence bag.
Inside was a thick black envelope.
She placed it on the desk.
"Nobody touches this.""
She photographed the exterior.
Then she opened it carefully.
Several photographs slid onto the desk.
There were images of a parked vehicle.
A warehouse entrance.
Two men standing near a loading bay.
And one photograph of a woman walking toward a black SUV.
I stared at the woman's face.
My blood ran cold.
It was Captain Elena Brooks.
She had served as a senior operations liaison during one of my previous assignments.
She was also one of the few people I trusted completely.
"What is she doing here?"" I whispered.
Agent Collins looked at me.
"You know her?""
"Yes.""
"How well?""
"She worked with my team.""
Marcus leaned forward.
"That's the woman Voss told me not to approach.""
I looked at him.
"When?""
"At the meeting.""
"What meeting?""
He pointed to the photograph.
"Three weeks ago. The one at the depot.""
I examined the image again.
Captain Brooks was standing beside a man whose face was partially hidden.
But I recognized the jacket.
It belonged to Harrington Security.
The same company that had received Marcus's fake consulting proposal.
I looked at Agent Collins.
"Can you identify the other person?""
"We'll try.""
I picked up the next photograph with my eyes.
It showed the rear of the black SUV.
A partial license plate was visible.
I recognized the first three characters.
It was a vehicle registered to a government contractor.
My phone vibrated.
Colonel Hayes.
I answered.
"Sir.""
"Jessica, where are you?""
"At my mother's house. Investigators are here.""
"Good. I need you to listen carefully.""
"What's happened?""
"Major Bennett has been placed on administrative restriction pending an internal review.""
I looked at Agent Collins.
She was already writing something down.
"Has he been questioned?""
"Yes.""
"What did he say?""
"He claims he was acting under instructions from a senior official.""
My grip tightened.
"Who?""
Colonel Hayes lowered his voice.
"Deputy Director Warren.""
I knew the name.
Warren oversaw several operational support divisions.
He had attended briefings I was part of.
He had once congratulated my team personally after a difficult assignment.
"Are you certain?""
"We're verifying the chain of authorization.""
I looked at the photograph of Captain Brooks.
"Sir, I have evidence involving a Harrington Security contractor and Captain Elena Brooks.""
There was a long silence.
Then Colonel Hayes asked a question.
"What evidence?""
I explained the photographs.
His response was immediate.
"Do not discuss those images with anyone outside the investigation.""
"I understand.""
"Jessica, there's something else.""
I waited.
"Your next assignment has been suspended.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
"Because the operational details associated with it have been compromised.""
I looked at the schedule.
"Sir, I thought the assignment was scheduled for next month.""
"It was.""
"Then how could it have been compromised already?""
He exhaled.
"Because someone submitted an alternate personnel list.""
My stomach tightened.
"Who submitted it?""
"We're investigating.""
"Was my name removed?""
"Yes.""
I stared at the phone.
"Who replaced me?""
Colonel Hayes paused.
Then he said:
"Captain Elena Brooks.""
I looked at the photograph again.
The woman standing beside the black SUV.
The woman whose name appeared in the suspicious documents.
The woman who had been selected to replace me on an operation that had just been suspended.
I felt something cold move through my chest.
"Sir, I think Brooks is involved.""
"Don't jump to conclusions.""
"Her photograph is in Marcus's evidence.""
Another pause.
"Jessica, I need you to stay calm.""
"I'm calm.""
"Then listen. Captain Brooks has been unreachable for the last six hours.""
I looked at Agent Collins.
She had stopped writing.
"Unreachable?""
"Her official phone is switched off. Her residence is empty. Her vehicle hasn't been located.""
I glanced toward Marcus.
He was staring at the photographs.
Then he slowly raised his head.
"That's not possible.""
I turned toward him.
"What?""
He looked terrified.
"Brooks wasn't supposed to be the replacement.""
"Who was?""
He shook his head.
"Voss told me the replacement had already been selected.""
I stepped closer.
"Who?""
Marcus looked at the black envelope.
Then at me.
And finally, he whispered:
"Jessica, the replacement was supposed to be you.""
My phone slipped slightly in my hand.
"What?""
Marcus nodded.
"That's why they wanted to know whether you were still operational. They needed to make sure you'd accept the assignment.""
Agent Collins stepped forward.
"Mr. Reed, explain.""
He looked at her.
"They wanted Jessica on that transport.""
"What transport?""
Marcus pointed at the photograph of the black SUV.
"The equipment transfer.""
I stared at the image.
"Which equipment?""
He swallowed.
"The equipment that disappeared from the depot three weeks ago.""
The room went silent.
Then Colonel Hayes spoke through my phone.
"Jessica, whatever Marcus just told you, don't move.""
I looked toward the window.
A black SUV had just pulled into my mother's driveway.
Its headlights went dark.
May you like
A moment later, my phone received a final message.
*You have ten minutes to leave the house. The people coming for Marcus aren't investigators.*
