Meeting a Ghost
Attired in an unremarkable grey business suit and a beige overcoat, Hedy Smith paused in the door of the private jet to turn up her collar against the chill in the early evening air before descending the stairs and walking to the car waiting on the tarmac.
The flight across the Atlantic had been uneventful travel wise, but incredibly productive in relation to gathering intelligence related to the Lindholm/Wentworth job.
Given her varied experience and background, she had never come across a situation quite as fantastical as this.
Recruited directly out of high school by a clandestine sub branch of the CIA, she initially trained as a field operative. Early successes translated into promotions, leading to departmental reassignment, where she completed sensitive operations for the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Defense. Add to that several other classified covert assignments and by the age of thirty, she was a force of nature and rising star within the intelligence community.
Blackwatch changed all that. She had been designated as the second in command and given operational oversight of Blackwatch, an off the grid Omega program designed to deal with potential adversaries, foreign and domestic. Blackwatch operated with the AMN designation, meaning Any Means Necessary making it essentially an assassination program to eliminate obstacles or uncooperative elements.
Blackwatch’s existence embarrassingly became public knowledge with the discovery of a massive leak and national security breach by senior NRPT analyst Bryant Becker. Due to the controversial methodology employed by Blackwatch, there was no way the government could openly acknowledge the program let alone extend any type protection to the principle operators, quite the opposite. Those at the top of the food chain decided it would be easiest if everything just conveniently went away.
Anticipating an order of termination with extreme prejudice from her own people, Hedy immediately went to ground, using her intricate network of contacts to vanish into the shadowy recesses within the world she herself had helped create.
From a place of relative safety and through various untraceable channels, she advised her former employers should any misfortune befall her, her death would instantly make available a wealth of classified information exponentially more sensitive than anything Edward Snowden divulged.
Word came back to her the kill order had been suspended and that she was welcome to return to service. It was small consolation but as far as she was concerned, the kill order irrevocably fractured the trust so she decided to go independent, freelance her services. In the three years since leaving, she had garnered herself a very exclusive and select clientele.
The offer of employment for the Lindholm family intrigued her plus the prospect of developing a relationship with a family possessing a net worth of 11-digits was prudent.
But an abducted shrunken person? The whole notion was preposterous except for the inclusion of the Wentworth name. Tom Wentworth Sr. was perhaps this generation’s Thomas Edison. If anyone alive could produce technology capable of reducing people, it was Tom Wentworth.
Settling into the back of the car for the drive to the institute, Hedy pulled out her computer and established a non-traceable link to the internet, reviewing the reams of information pouring in, sorting through the chaff to find anything of note.
Meanwhile, at Gustafson, Lina paced impatiently back and forth, absently checking her watch for the umpteenth time. Serena had been unable to provide any details regarding the woman who was coming other than a name, Hedy Smith. That was it.
When the car finally arrived from the airport, she watched at the passenger gathered her possessions and stepped out. The woman was tall, though not quite as much as Janine. Slight of build, the woman kept her sandy brown hair pulled back of a naturally pretty face. Lina got the impression Hedy was perhaps in her thirties.
Circling around the rear of the car, Hedy walked toward Lina, “Mrs. Lindholm,” she said smiling and extending her right hand, a cunning intelligence lingering in her soft blue eyes.
“Lina, please,” she replied with a small smile, accepting the hand and giving it a perfunctory shake, curious how Serena thought this woman might be of assistance.
“My name is Hedy,” replied the woman, smiling back.
Leading Hedy into the institute, “Have you been able to make any headway?” Lina inquired.
“I am still in the process of data collection, but there are some interesting facts emerging that will require a more thorough examination before I feel comfortable making comment,” Hedy replied politely.
Up on the second floor, Lina introduced Hedy to Tom’s mother and aunt.
“Please, what can you tell me about my son?” Ella inquired.
Holding up her hand, “As I mentioned to Lina, this investigation is still in the preliminary stages and time is of the essence. Please, let me do my job and see what I might uncover before the trail grows cold,” she replied.
“I just want to know he is okay,” Ella offered.
“Are you a spook?” Dona asked, eyes sparkling.
Ignoring Donatella, Hedy turned back to Lina, “I’ll need my gear from the car and a place to set up,” she explained.
Lina nodded, “I’ll see to it,” she assured.
Turning back to Ella, Hedy offered the concerned mother a small smile, “I’ll exhaust every avenue and spare no effort to find your son,” she promised, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Ella nodded, “Thank you,” she expressed.
“CIA?” Dona asked, eyes narrowing.
Hedy turned to her, “Something like that, now, if you don’t mind I think I would to see the room where Thomas was staying when he was abducted,” she requested.
“Sure,” Dona replied, nodding, extending her hand toward the corridor leading to Tom’s room.
“Is there anything else we can do to assist you?” Ella inquired.
Wanting to get a feel for the physical environment, Hedy shook her head slowly, “Not right at the moment,” she answered, exiting the centralized common room and moving in the direction Dona indicated.
Entering Tom’s room, she approached the bed, examining the tiny habitat created for the youth. Crouching down beside the bed, she leaned her head close to the spread covering the bed, detecting the residue of the agent used to render the boy unconscious. Without bothering to turn her head back toward the door, “Delivered via aerosol, like a puck or something?” she asked.
“Si,” Dona answered.
“Interesting,” Hedy commented, turning back to the door and smiling.
“What is it?” Ella inquired.
Crossing back to the door, “I would like to see the puck please,” replied Hedy, extending her hand palm up.
“I can get it,” Dona volunteered, darting off down the hall.
“Have you seen this type of thing before?“ Ella inquired.
Nodding slowly, “Though I’m not quite certain why the necessity for it. I highly doubt in your son’s condition he could have raised the alarm,” she speculated. “Who knows? Once I begin compiling the data I’ll have a clearer picture.”
Ella nodded.
Lina appeared. “Your luggage and equipment is in your room,” she advised.
Hedy smiled, “Then l shall begin.”