Page 136 of Grave Danger
“Isaac Underwood in Washington.”
Andie didn’t believe him, though Isaac would have that authority as assistant director of the counterterrorism division. If the order was communicated through Isaac, it was really from someone above even him—someone who actually had secrets to hide.
“Putting Agent Henning on the phone is a key component of the breach,” said Hartfield. “Nouri would never expect SWAT to breach while she’s on the line. Not with her husband in the cottage.”
“I’m not doing it,” said Andie.
“The breach already has the green light,” said Hartfield. “It’s happening, with or without you on the phone. The only question is whether you are willing to increase the likelihood of success by adding the element of surprise that comes with you being on the phone when SWAT crashes through the door.”
“I stand behind Agent Henning,” said Tidwell.
It was the clearest display of leadership Andie had ever seen from the new ASAC, and she was grateful.
“Thank you,” said Andie.
Hartfield was clearly losing patience. “Of course no one is going to put a gun to Henning’s head and make her do it. But let me add one element to the mix.”
“Nothing is going to change my mind,” said Andie.
“This might,” said Hartfield. “At the end of the video Nouri sent you, there was a car waiting in the parking lot. Nouri was under contract with the CIA to buy Ava Bazzi out of prison and get her into the car. The driver of that car was a CIA agent by the name of Brian Guthrie.”
Andie felt chills at the mention of the hostage’s name.
“Obviously, things did not go well for Agent Guthrie in this exercise,” said Hartfield. “It has taken all this time, but we are on the brink of negotiating his release from the Iranians. The last thing we need at this pivotal moment is for Nouri Asmoun to make good on his threat, release that video on the internet, and say God-knows-what about it.”
Andie understood most of what he was saying, but it still left her confused. “But the video shows that Ava Bazzi escaped from the prison unharmed,” said Andie. “That should help the negotiations for Agent Guthrie’s release. It supports the Iranian position that the morality police didn’t murder her—that she escaped and fled.”
“As I mentioned,” said Hartfield, “things did not go well. Nouri knows what happened after the video ended.”
Andie could read between the lines: Ava Bazzi was most definitely dead.
Her ASAC spoke next, gently. “Andie, maybe you will want to reconsider.”
Andie’s mind was awhirl. The question wasn’t just what was best for the negotiations in Jupiter Island. The next move also had to be in the best interest of a high-value hostage in Iran.
“It’s a delicate balance,” she said, thinking aloud.
“It bears repeating,” said Agent Hartfield. “The SWAT breach is happening with or without your help.”
Andie’s thoughts were all over the map, literally. Thousands of Iranians had been jailed during the protests. Hundreds were killed.
“Why was the CIA so focused on getting Ava Bazzi out of jail and out of Iran?” Andie asked. “Of all the women jailed during the protests, why did the CIA put Nouri Asmoun and Agent Guthrie at so much risk over Ava Bazzi?”
“Perhaps I could answer that question someday,” said Hartfield. “Assuming you were to do your part to bring Agent Guthrie home safely.”
Andie recalled her conversation with Farid—the thumb drive of text messages he’d discovered in Ava’s locked drawer.
“Does this have to do with the network of Iranian women that Ava was part of?”
Hartfield didn’t offer a direct answer. “All I will tell you is that Ava Bazzi was a brave woman. How brave are you, Agent Henning?”
There was silence. For Andie, the balance finally tipped, inspired in part by Ava’s courage to stand up against her own government.
“Brave enough to tell the CIA to go fuck itself,” said Andie.
“Excuse me?” said Hartfield.
“I’m not going to let myself be used as a distraction while SWAT breaks down the door and gets my husband killed. That’s my final decision.”