Operation Proof of Life by Misty Evans Page A

two floors down in the counterterrorism department?
    It wasn’t Flynn. Michael unclenched his jaw.
    Julia pointed at the screen. “The woman with the gun is Dr. Brigit Kent. The woman in the knit cap is apparently her sister. Went by the name Tory. They discussed a man named Peter, and Tory mentioned she was involved with him and an international war. I searched the internet and found out Dr. Kent does have a sister named Tory.”
    “The internet? Why didn’t you run Tory through the FBI databases?”
    “All our databases are now connected. If the FBI runs a background on Tory, DHS will know about it. I ping anything related to Dr. Kent, somebody’s going to be crawling down my throat wanting to know why. I doubt DHS would be happy to find out she’s related to a woman who’s running with a terrorist group, and yes I’m sure Tory and her comrades are linked to terrorists. She mentioned Ireland, Afghanistan and Palestine while she was talking to Brigit. Called them all brothers and sisters in arms.”
    Michael’s warning bell was ringing much too loudly now to be ignored. He forced himself to show no emotion as he watched the rest of the scene play out, saw Brigit embraced by the woman in the knit cap, saw the rusty Volvo drive away and Brigit slump against her car as if the life had just left her.
    As the video came to an abrupt stop, he sat back in his chair and looked at Julia. “I can’t pass this on anonymously to DHS without the audio. The video will certainly raise questions, but nothing Dr. Kent can’t manipulate and sweep under the carpet without the audio or your testimony.” He rocked his chair and held his palms up. “If you want to pursue this, you either give up the audio and your partner or you give up yourself and offer the testimony you just gave me.”
    Julia paced away from the desk. “You don’t want me to rat out my partner, and I’m not even sure it’s worth turning in. I’m not worried about Dr. Kent being a turncoat or aiding and abetting terrorists.” She paced back to his desk. “I’m more interested in the man her and Tory discussed. If you could just look into their background and see if this Peter does exist and what terrorist group he’s linked with…”
    Her voice trailed off and Michael blew out a frustrated breath. She knew he would never do this favor for anyone but her. In his position, he could get away with asking things others couldn’t. At least, up until lately, he could. “I’ll see what I can do, but the environment here has changed, Julia. If I ask too many questions or try to dodge who gave me this information, my ass will be hanging out to dry with my mother’s bed sheets.”
    Julia smiled at him as if the world would never question the Great Michael Stone. “I don’t want to screw up Dr. Kent’s career. I like her.”
    That made one of them. The phone on his desk buzzed. Probably his executive admin assistant, Irene, reminding him he was late for his nine o’clock. Michael shoved more papers aside and hit the blinking red button. “I know, Irene, I’m late. Call Max and tell him I need to reschedule. Something’s come up.” He glanced at Julia and shook his head in resignation. “And can you get Dr. Brigit Kent on the phone for me?”
    Julia raised an eyebrow as if to say, You’re going to call her ?
    He looked away. How he went about dealing with Dr. Kent and the video was now up to him. Irene’s voice came over the speakerphone. “I can do you one better, Deputy Director. Dr. Kent is here in the waiting room. That’s why I was buzzing you. She says she needs to speak to you. It’s an emergency.”
    Michael locked gazes with Julia. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.
    The drumming in his temples ramped up a notch. How was it he could not escape Dr. Kent even at Langley? He poked the intercom button again. “Give me a minute before you show her in.”
    Motioning at Julia, he pointed toward his private bathroom. “Wait in there and listen