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“Yeah, I can’t wait to hear what this is about,” Michael said, his eyes on her. “Even John wouldn’t tell me when I pressed him.”
So, they had kept her case confidential from the rest of the team. Her appreciative gaze went to BT. Oh well, it didn’t matter, as they would hear it soon, within the hour.
“No shit,” Michael said after the team had been briefed. Laura Lee did most of the talking at Garcia’s prompt. The Lear was at cruising altitude heading towards Richmond, Virginia. “Shit, Laura, I’m so glad I showed you my sign off. If you hadn’t seen his name and you’d submitted your modules,” he added, then paused.
Laura Lee shuddered to think what would have happened. His contacting her would have been a shock, and she wouldn’t have known what to do. “I know,” she agreed.
“He doesn’t know we have several of the women’s statements,” Garcia said. “He doesn’t know that we know about Liu. He doesn’t know that his own FBI is aware of his extra-curricular activities and is watching his every keystroke. We have the advantage.”
“We have the goods on him. Why not just arrest him?” Sebastian ‘Crash’ Roth asked.
“Because several of the statements are a decade old and the woman that he just assaulted and blackmailed last spring doesn’t need to go through a trial. Plus, we need to know what information he’s gathered or what actions he’s directed,” Garcia said.
“Stopping him isn’t enough,” BT added.
“Unfortunately, it also means that anyone with FBI creds can’t do direct surveillance of West or go anywhere near the university,” Garcia said.
“Will we be on Liu, then?” Michael asked.
“Tessman currently is and can use one of you. He said this guy is boring. He travels from home to the university and home again at the same time every day. It’s his online activities that are interesting,” Garcia said. “Until we put Saxton in play, she, BT, and I will help the Digital Team dive on his many accounts. There are some sketchy funds transfers I want to take a closer look at. Michael, we’ll assign you to work with Tessman. Crash, you’ll be added to the team directly surveilling West.”
“How soon do you expect we’ll engage West?” Roth asked.
Garcia’s gaze flickered to Laura Lee. “The initial meeting will take place within the next twenty-four hours. But the trap we’ll spring will more than likely take a few days to bait.”
“I’ve already reached out to Lassiter for an appointment. That’s the first thing I’ll do when we reach the hotel. He’s had great advice on what to do to push West’s buttons,” she said. The truth was, she also needed to talk through how to handle coming face to face with West.
“I’m sure West’s first demands on you will be to give up information on us,” BT said to Laura Lee. “He has to be wondering about the off-site training candidates he signs off on. Black ops has to be what he’s thinking. And just think of the huge payday he would get if he sold information about us to the right bad actor.”
“Shepherd and Cooper are scripting a fictitious agency for her to give up,” Garcia said. “There will be ample crumbs for West to follow to validate it.”
Laura Lee’s gaze went to the panel on the side wall that housed the beer. Even though it was the morning, she could use one. She could use something stronger. “I already threatened to kill him on a couple of calls. Getting the info out of me isn’t going to be easy for him.”
“If you get into trouble or just want to show him that you’re a badass, a good throat punch usually does the trick,” Roth said, earning him laughter from the others.
“I’ll remember that,” Laura Lee said with a smile.
“If he tries anything, you know,” Roth said, “be that badass. He can’t be allowed to touch you in any way.”
Laura Lee’s smile spread. “Thanks, Sebastian.”
“We’ll have her back. She won’t be alone with this asshole,” Garcia chimed in.
“He’ll insist I come alone,” Laura Lee said.
“And you’ll insist it is someplace public,” Garcia replied. “And we’ll be nearby watching and recording the meeting.”
Laura Lee breathed out a heavy breath.
November
“Hi Joe,” she said, staring into her laptop’s screen.
“Hi,” he said with a smile. “I’ve read the mission updates. You’ve accomplished a lot.”
“Yes, I feel really good about that,” she said honestly.
“So, you’ll actually see Harrison West today,” Joe said, turning serious.
