Notes from Underground – Shot through the heart

Short Story 3: Part 3 – Okay, Agent Porter, your code name is IceQueen

Saturday morning

Bette only had a few hours of sleep after they left Tina at the motel in the early hours of the morning. Still, she was in the office by 7 am, making a fresh pot of coffee and getting ready for the afternoon briefing with Partridge and her team.

Bette was finishing paperwork, finalizing Barbara Grisham’s security detail for the next few weeks when she saw Shane sticking her head into the office, “Hey, Commander…can I talk to you for a second?”

“We have a briefing in five minutes…can it wait, Shane?”

“No, I don’t think so because it might change the outcome of the briefing.”

“I see…” Bette motioned her in. “Close the door. What is it, agent?”

“Well…I…” Shane took a deep breath and continued, “It might be hard for me to work on Morales angle, Commander. When I was watching her yesterday I felt something that I haven’t felt in a long time…actually, never. I don’t want to jeopardize the whole investigation or the senator’s protection.”

Bette looked at her for a moment, thinking of how much she was just like Shane when she was younger. Tough on the outside, vulnerable and lonely on the inside. Bette had a loving home during her childhood until her mother left them and her father turned into a tyrant, demanding perfection from her in everything…perfection that she could never achieve in his eyes, especially after she told him about being gay.

After that there was only toughness and loneliness left. Last night was also the first time in years since Bette felt so vulnerable and so strongly affected by another human being and she could understand what Shane was talking about.

“You know the cardinal rule of investigation and protection…don’t get involved with your subject on any level, emotional or physical. It’s not illegal but it’s frowned upon.”

“Okay, Ross…” Shane giggled, feeling better that the commander, whom she pretty much worshipped, didn’t tell her to resign immediately.

Bette smiled and went on, “In our line of work we often form emotional attachments to people we protect or investigate and those affections could lead to complications and poor judgment in making quick decisions.”

“Yes, I know, Commander, and that’s why I’m prepared to take the consequences…”

“Shane…” Bette interrupted her and looked into her eyes, “Do you think that…um…something that you felt towards Ms. Morales will stop you from doing your job, make you hesitate or force you to make a wrong decision?”

“No…absolutely not but I wanted to tell you myself first because I have a plan on how to get closer to her and I don’t want it to be used against me if my feelings will become…well…more obvious,” Shane said firmly, blushing a little as she mentioned the possibility of feeling more for Carmen that she could admit.

“Then I don’t see any problem, Shane. You are one of the best agents I worked with and I trust your judgment…but come and talk to me if the situation will change, okay?”

“Yes, Commander…thank you,” Shane smiled appreciatively and they both left the room, heading for the briefing.

Meanwhile, at the motel

Tina was sitting on the chair by the window, drinking her morning coffee and once in a while gazing at the naked girl who was lying sprawled naked in bed, still fast asleep. Her long dark hair offered a startling contrast against the white pillow and Tina shuddered inside. ‘Another night, another brunette to help me forget,’ she thought bitterly, feeling sad and lonely. She turned away from the girl and look out the window.

Absently, she began twisting a simple gold band that she wore on her right hand. A couple of times she pulled it off and then slid it back on her finger, thinking about another brunette who gave it to her a long time ago…gave that ring to Tina to bind them for the rest of their lives only to break that promise after three year of happiness.

Tina slowly put her coffee mug on the bedside table and went to the bathroom to finish dressing. She wanted to leave before the girl wakes up so they wouldn’t have to exchange names or phone numbers. The whole routine of taking strangers to bed and then leaving them without a word was getting tiresome and only left Tina feeling empty inside.

She washed her face and applied a little of her favorite lotion she always carried with her, when suddenly she remembered last night. She smelled the same or similar fleeting scent of sandalwood hazelnut at the bar last night.

Tina felt someone watching her while she was dancing with the young girl. When she turned around there was no one except the dancing crowd, but the scent was still lingering in the air, filling Tina’s senses with unexplainable feeling of longing and desire for something unknown.

She remembered looking around the club, trying to find that something in the darkness. A tall slender woman at the bar attracted her attention. Tina could only see her back but she could sense an undeniable strength and sexual tension in her body. Her white t-shirt was like a beacon in the dark wild ocean and Tina was instantly drawn to her.

Tina’s companion suddenly placed her hands on Tina’s hips, pulling her closer. It took the blonde only a minute to get the girl’s hands off her and whisper that she wanted to get another drink but by the time Tina managed to force her way through the crowd to the bar, the woman was gone…but there was that scent again.

Tina sighed, looking at her own reflection in the mirror, “It’s for the best that I didn’t meet this mystery woman…one night with me and she’d be running for the hills. I haven’t had one serious relationship in 5 years since…” Tina closed her eyes and counted until ten. It was still hard for her to think about the past. “Yes…one-night stands are all I’m good at. It’s a hard habit to break. It is for the best.”

Meanwhile, at the briefing

Bette’s team reconvened in the larger conference room, the same room they had met with the FBI agents just the day before. Angus Partridge walked in briskly and said in a way of greeting, “Morning…everyone’s here? Let’s begin then.”

“No FBI today?” Tim asked when Partridge sat down and opened the notes that Bette already placed on the table in front of everybody.

“This is our investigation…FBI is working from another angle so at some point we’ll have to share the outcomes but for now it’s just us and our task is to investigate the assassination threat and protect Senator Grisham at all costs. I want to hear updates now from all teams. Agent Porter…”

“Right,” Bette straightened up in her chair and looked around at her team. “We had three teams doing surveillance yesterday, so let’s hear from the senior officers. Agents Haspel and Schecter…you’re first.”

Tim began talking without looking at his notes. He turned on his computer to show digital images of Alice and Dana Fairbanks while describing the events of the evening, “After we followed them to Ms. Pieszecki’s apartment, agent Schecter and I did a background check on Ms. Fairbanks. Nothing unusual there. She has been working for Senator Arden only for a few months and there’s no indication that Ms. Pieszecki and Ms. Fairbanks knew each other before. There is a possibility of information leak, though it’s not conclusive how intentional it is.”

“Explain, Agent Haspel,” Partridge said.

“Alice Pieszecki is known for her reputation as the biggest gossiper in Washington DC, hence the nickname, ‘Big-Mouth-Pieszecki’, so she could’ve intentionally or accidentally revealed an inside information about Senator Grisham’s campaign or plans to Ms. Fairbanks. Dana Fairbanks’ role is unknown so far but she could be passing any information along to Senator Arden. Grisham and Arden have been debating over several issues in the last few years and the president took Senator Grisham’s side on more than one occasion. Kate Arden could be bitter about it.”

“Could she be bitter enough to hire someone to terminate her opponent permanently?” Bette asked this time. She had met Kate Arden only once before she became the senator and she remembered rumors that Kate was a woman who always went after something she wanted bad enough, no matter what the circumstances or the consequences were.

“This is yet to be determined,” Tim replied, looking at Jenny who nodded in agreement. “Agent Schecter will continue with some discreet background check on Senator Arden and we will know more about this situation later tonight.”

“Very well,” Partridge turned to another page and began reading Shane and Mark’s report of their evening.

Bette smiled at them, “Agent Wayland, would you tell us please what did you and Agent McCutcheon found out last night?”

Mark played the recording of the conversation between Carmen and her mother and after it was finished, Shane explained what they found out about Catherine Rothberg.

“Sir, if I may…” Shane looked at Partridge and continued, “I know a few people who are working in the casino and I have a plan how to gain Ms. Morales’ trust and find out if Catherine Rothberg is using her for any other reason than just making her pay for the gambling debt. I can arrange a private game at the casino and let Carmen win some money. I’ll be there as one of the players with the dealer who is my friend.”

“Can it be arrange without Rothberg’s knowledge?”

“Yes, sir…I’m pretty sure of it. In fact, my friend from the casino is going to call me if she gets any information on Rothberg and her movements.”

Bette watched Partridge, who became pensive while digesting the information, and then she said quickly, “I think it’s a great idea, sir. Agent McCutcheon already has an experience of working undercover and it would be a great opportunity to eliminate Ms. Morales as a possible informer or…” Bette looked at Shane and shrugged, “…to confirm her involvement.”

“Yes, I agree that this is a great idea but we need to have more evidence on Rothberg to connect her to the assassination threats and considering the gravity of the situation, I will need all my agents to be working with Senator Grisham on her security detail. The FBI is advising on using only one undercover agent to ensure no leaks in the operation. For now we will continue as planned but in the future…”

Partridge didn’t have a chance to finish as Shane’s phone vibrated and she glanced at the caller, “May I have a permission, sir? This is my friend from the casino.”

“Go ahead.”

“Shane’s here…”