Page 87 of Smoke and Shadows
To:President, United States of America
From: National Security Task Force
Subject: DC and Virginia Terror Attacks
Background:
The increased attackson the homeland this year have measurably exposed our vulnerable security infrastructure. The most damaging of these attacks were the two suicide bombings carried out at the FBI satellite office and the main Metropolitan police headquarters. The subsequent attack on the leadership of this country at the Hudson Building only escalates this clear and present danger of a future attack on Washington DC. Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the above.
The perpetratorsof the nerve gas attack on the Cinemaplex in Charlottesville, VA remain unknown. Several agencies have evidence that this may point to domestic terrorism, while others believe Syria is responsible as retaliation for United States support for the opposition to the ruling party. No one has claimed responsibility for this attack.
Assessment:
Another attackon the nation’s capital will prove debilitating to the psychological well-being of the nation and will cause economic backlash.
There is insufficient information sharing between the agencies, especially between the DHS, FBI, and CIA.
Proposal:
The DHS will work more closelywith the FBI and CIA to merge data that will uncover and prevent future attacks. It was suggested that the current enemy is evading digital technology and is employing a network of couriers to communicate. The agencies will start gathering Human Intelligence (HUMINT) assets as sources of information.
CIA will reporton the situation in Syria regarding the stockpile of chemical weapons and the political climate, as well as determine if Al-Qaeda is gaining a foothold in Syria.
cc:
Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Director, Department of Homeland Security
Director, Central Intelligence Agency
Secretary of State
Secretary of Defense
Senator A. Robinson
Senator L. Goodman
Marissa scannedthe fluff memo from the National Securitytask force. It had been three days since the nerve gas attack. The President of the United States had issued a statement immediately after the incident to reassure a jittery nation that the agencies were on top of the situation. There had been daily briefings with all the directors of the agencies including several senators that were on the security and intelligence committees.
One of the senators, Senator Goodman, was very vocal about pinning the attacks on Syria. Though not public knowledge, the CIA knew that the senator had interests in several defense industries that would profit should the U.S. go to war with Syria.
Marissa had crosschecked information between the senator and Kwon just in case a link would uncover any red flags, but so far, she turned up nothing.
The DoD had released the nerve gas Antoxin and made it available to DHS, FBI, and some first responders in the Washington DC area. Antoxin was mandatory for all military units operating in hot zones like Afghanistan and Syria. Antoxin was not classified as a vaccine but an anti-chemical therapy. It was a molecular biology application of nanotechnology that protected recipients against the long-lasting neurological damage caused by nerve gas exposure. Together with the timely administration of atropine, a toxic gas victim could make a full recovery. Marissa had taken Antoxin when it first became available because she could be deployed to Syria at any time. Some of the Guardians, including Viktor, took the anti-chemical therapy when Matsuda divulged the probability of SK nerve gas attacks in the U.S.
The hunt for Owen Reed and his crew had been assumed by the FBI. Marissa was keeping tabs on Stuart Kwon’s whereabouts, but so far the man had been appearing in plain sight—most recently at a fashion show in Paris. The picture of him in an Armani suit escorting a famous supermodel hit her inbox first thing this morning, courtesy of Allison. JiroMatsuda and his wife were in temporary protective custody and would be given new identities if this mess with Kwon couldn’t be resolved. There was reason to believe that Matsuda’s source, who Marissa now knew worked in Kwon’s household, had been assassinated. Allison had hacked Kwon’s personal computer network several times, but all his correspondence and money transactions were legit. Owen Reed did not appear on his payroll at all. But these kinds of transactions were easy to hide anyway, especially if they were in the form of cash or bonds.
So now, she was drawing a blank on the stack of papers before her. The tallest pile was Allison’s brief about the surge of Al-Qaeda in Syria. This information was also shared with the FBI and DHS. The rest were five other cases that were lower priority.
“I can’t believe I’m actually leaving before 5:00 p.m. on a Friday!” Allison announced as she stopped by Marissa’s desk. “So what’s on your agenda this weekend?”
Viktor had left for Las Vegas the morning after they had returned from Charlottesville, VA. He had not been pleased about it, but he was under pressure by the ATF director to lead an op against rival motorcycle clubs that were running guns. Viktor had called her a few times, brief conversations to check up on her. Marissa knew Viktor was reluctant to leave because of the near rape she had experienced at the hands of Fletcher and Tyrell. But she assured him that she was fine. For the most part. Though not the first time she’d been in such a situation because of her job, this had been an extremely close call.
Shuddering at the memory, Marissa forced herself to focus on Allison’s question. “Heading back to Dupont Circle. Make sure that my house is in one piece.”
“Sell it and move in with Baran.”