Vortex by Catherine Coulter

Olivia

So it was gloves off right out of the gate. Lodner’s whopping lie to keep him informed if he took over the case made Savich want to smile. Time for his boot on Lodner’s neck. Savich sat back in his chair, crossed his arms. “Mr. Lodner, as you very well know, it’s our responsibility, in our charter, not yours, to investigate domestic violence that violates federal law whether it involves a mail clerk in the post office or a CIA agent. Since you were perfectly clear, let me return the favor. If you do not cooperate with me today, provide me all the information I need to proceed, our own director will be told. Let me assure you, he will not take this lightly.”

Lodner’s voice became frigid. “You fail to realize how serious the diplomatic damage would be if Agent Hildebrandt’s mission becomes public. You have no understanding of the possible consequences or retaliation, nor should you, because your charter hasn’t equipped you to. There are lives at stake as well, lives that are our responsibility, not yours.”

“All the more reason for you to tell me what I need to know. There will be no leaks from the FBI. Now, can we stop the pissing contest? Tell me about the mission to Iran that resulted in the serious injury of Agent Hildebrandt and the subsequent attempt on her life last night.”

Lodner’s fist hit the tabletop. “There is no definitive proof the attempted shooting last night has anything to do with Iran.”

Olivia’s eyebrow shot up. She opened her mouth, closed it.

Lodner ground his teeth, turned to Olivia. “Agent Hildebrandt, what did you tell him about Iran?”

“Nothing, sir. Only that one of the men last night was probably Iranian. I heard him speak Farsi.”

Grace said quietly, “I believe, sir, you should tell Agent Savich about our mission to Iran.”

Lodner looked back at Savich. “Very well. I am prepared to give you an overview of the mission, but certainly not the classified details.”

“You may begin with the broad strokes, Mr. Lodner, then we’ll see.”

“What I will tell you is sensitive enough. Therefore, I ask that you, Detective Raven, leave now. What I will say is for Agent Savich’s ears only.”

Savich nodded to Ben. He rose, grinned. “Thank you for the show then, gentlemen. What I’ve already heard will be a cherished memory.” He turned dead serious. “Agent Hildebrandt, you can trust Agent Savich to keep you safe and find out how and why this happened.” He turned and quietly closed the door behind him. Savich thought he heard whistling.

Lodner’s lips were seamed as he stared at the door. He turned back to Savich. “I will remind you, Agent Savich, you will be held accountable for any leak of this information. Do you understand?” At Savich’s patient nod, he continued. “Very well. We had an undercover operative embedded at Iranian military headquarters. He was in Tehran for thirteen months when he discovered he’d been identified and was about to be arrested. He contacted Mr. Grace, who arranged for Agent Hildebrandt and her team to pick him up near the Iraqi border.” He paused. “It came as a shock to us to find him actually running from the Iranian military. We do not as yet know how the government found out so quickly where he was headed.

“Our operative was killed but the information he was carrying on a flash drive was saved. There was sustained gunfire and the team was hit by an RPG that rendered Agent Hildebrandt unconscious. She was airlifted to Balad Military Hospital, then flown back later to the States for evaluation at Walter Reed.

“The details of the mission, the name of our undercover operative, how we embedded him, the critical information we hoped to obtain from the flash drive one of the team members managed to bring out—that is all highly classified. That’s as much information as I can give you.”

“Where is the flash drive?”

Lodner shook his head. “We don’t as yet have it.”

“Why don’t you have it?”

“That is classified, Agent Savich.”

Savich looked thoughtful. “I see. So the attack on Agent Hildebrandt last night could be an attempt to find the flash drive?”

Mr. Lodner said again, this time his teeth gritted, “That is classified, Agent Savich.”

Savich said easily, “It appears that flash drive, with the critical information on it your operative was bringing out, may well be the key, indeed the reason for the attack on Agent Hildebrandt. Who has the flash drive?”

Lodner said, annoyance radiating off him in waves, “Very well, our operative was scheduled to arrive at Langley to debrief with Mr. Grace and give him the flash drive, but he did not. We don’t know where he is or why he hasn’t come in. We are searching for him.

“Until we have verified information to the contrary, we will assume the attack on Agent Hildebrandt last night was a retaliatory action against the team we sent to exfiltrate our undercover operative in Iran.”

Carlton Grace frowned. “But, Fulton, that would be entirely new, something they’ve never attempted before. Also, who would possibly even know the names of the agents involved? As far as I can see, there’s simply no other obvious connection between Olivia’s mission to Iran and the attack on her last night, no obvious cause and effect.” He nodded to Savich. “I agree with Agent Savich. It has to be the flash drive.”

Lodner smacked his fist on the conference table. “How the devil did anyone know the names of the agents involved in the exfiltration?”

Mr. Grace said simply, “They bought the names from someone who knew.”

“I refuse to believe that, Carlton. No more about this; it is highly classified and absolutely none of the FBI’s business.”

Savich thought he could work with Carlton Grace, but Fulton Lodner wouldn’t give him the time of day, unless by a direct order. He was too angry at being forced to hand over the reins to the FBI, resentful at even having to waste his time here at the Hoover Building, the FBI bastion. Savich was considering how to ask Lodner about the obvious conclusion that there was a mole in the CIA, when Olivia said clearly, “Mr. Lodner, what about Mike Kingman? He’s the team member, Agent Savich, who retrieved the flash drive and saved my life. He and the flash drive are both missing. Have you learned anything about Mike, Mr. Lodner?”

Lodner drew a deep breath, sent her a death stare. “The whereabouts of a CIA operative is hardly a conversation to be held here, Agent Hildebrandt.”

Olivia was past caring about her future with the CIA. She looked at Mr. Grace, then at Mr. Lodner. “Maybe the FBI can help find Mike, sir. And the flash drive.”

Lodner looked ready to burst into flame.

Grace jumped into the breach. “Olivia, you look tired, you need to rest. We should continue this later. We’ll take you back to the safe house.”

Lodner nodded. “Yes, Agent Hildebrandt, we’ll protect you. Agent Savich, you may call me if you have further questions. I will give you what information I am allowed to share.”

Before she could say anything, Grace stood, looked down at her. “Are you ready, Olivia?”

Olivia was used to doing whatever he said, to carrying out whatever order her chief gave her. She’d trusted Carlton Grace forever, he’d always had her back, her team’s back, always had their best interests at heart. He put his agents above the mission. He’d even protected her from Lodner and the higher-ups for ignoring the “abort” order trying to save Hashem, though they all knew she’d put everyone at risk and could have caused an international incident.

But there was Mike; she knew something very bad had happened to him. She looked at Savich. “Can you find out who that man was I had to kill?”

“Yes,” he said, “I believe I can.”

“Can you find Mike?”

“Yes, I can.”

Lodner snorted. “That’s absurd, you’re grandstanding. The men who attacked Olivia won’t be found in your databases. And if we can’t find our agent, you won’t, either, especially if he doesn’t want to be found. Good day to you, Agent Savich.”

After this stiff, emotionless speech, there was a moment of stark silence. Olivia looked again at Savich. He winked at her. It was so unexpected from this tough-faced man who looked like he could derail a train, she nearly spurted out a laugh. Savich said calmly, “Mr. Lodner, Mr. Grace, thank you for your assistance. Olivia will call you, Mr. Grace, so you can tell her where the safe house is. For now, though, I need to speak to her further. Good day, gentlemen.”

It was easy to see neither Lodner nor Grace wanted to leave Olivia with him, but Savich merely looked at them and said nothing until both Grace and Lodner left the interview room, each with one last look at Olivia.

Olivia said, “I am so screwed.”