The Hive Solution

Chapter 20

Cooper knew that the game was up the second a presidential order came through to throw all resources into the hunt for Joe Mason. The decision to focus on hunting Mason as opposed to Poe showed a shift in strategy for the government and Cooper would have to come clean and admit that Mason was actually safe with the FBI in the Redwood evaluation centre. He knew that keeping this secret from the government could possibly cost him his job but it was only because of this mole, he was sure that information was being handed over to others from the government.

The Hive knew what Cooper was trying to do which is why they'd kept Mason's location secret from the President and his advisors. Cooper also knew that this was a good thing, having the Hive fighting in your corner should make the meeting pass a little easier. The only problem Cooper had was that he reports directly to the National Security adviser but he really only wanted this information passed directly to the President. He knew his boss Mark Ramsey quite well, but could he trust him, would he approve an audience alone with President Foster?

Cooper sits in the hallway outside the president's office. Once the order came through to find Mason Cooper immediately blocked the order, putting a temporary hold on all agencies. Cooper knew he'd be summoned to new government house to explain his actions. He gets jogged from his thoughts as the door opens and an aid steps into the hallway.

"Mr Ramsey will see you now" she says formally.

Cooper grabs his briefcase and steps into the room which is occupied by only two people. At the end of the table in the middle of a phone call is Foster with Ramsey sat next to him, leant on the desk twiddling his fingers. Cooper takes a seat opposite Ramsey to the right of the president instantly feeling the glare of Ramsey from his seat opposite. Foster finishes his call and starts the meeting with no formalities.

"Good morning Director Cooper, this morning I issued an order to all agency's to find and apprehend Joseph Mason. This order was immediately blocked by you, why?

Cooper clears his dry throat, feeling the glare of both the National Security Adviser and the President on him.

"Mr President, I blocked your order because we have Joe Mason in our protection. Reports that he escaped the mission bay shoot out were issued by me as a smoke screen"

"Ramsey shouts out "What, you should of contacted me directly, I'm your....! Foster stops Ramsey by holding up his hand.
"Let him finish Mark, I want to know as much as you as to what's happening here" he says while looking at Cooper.

Cooper leans forward in his seat "it's our opinion in the bureau that we have a leak somewhere, it's not in the FBI as I can vouch for everyone who's involved in the security of the Hive Solution. We feel the leak is much higher up the food chain, possibly even here in central government"

"What makes you think so?" asks Ramsey

"At every step of the way we've been fighting against an insider somewhere. How did they find out about the solution and the R+D site? Mason has admitted to us that he was hired to take a package across the border into the U.S and that his handler, Danny Santiago was to hand over the package to his client in West Hollywood"

"Where is the handler now?" asks Foster.

"He was tortured and murdered by Silas Poe"

"The guy everyone's been hunting for?"

"That's right Mr President"

"So the whole reason for the secrecy regarding Mason is all to do with our spy?" enquires Ramsey

"That's right sir, he's been with us for just over three weeks, two of those in a coma. I'm reluctant to give away his location until we find our informer. The last thing I needed was for the press to post his picture on every news show on the west coast which is why I blocked your order. At the moment he's largely anonymous, and that's how I'd like to keep it"