Inglorious Exchange

Chapter 29 : Grounded

The White House, Washington DC

Marine Two landed on the South Lawn of the White House compound as the protective detail all filed out in lines. The steps lowered and I made my descend, my heels clanking against the metal stairs. I saluted at the welcoming community consisting of Secret Service agents and proceeded to the White House. Entering the White House every staff who are running around in the West Wing for preparations stopped in their tracks but I waved at them, telling them to continue their work. Oliver greeted me outside of my office and I nodded in reply. "Did you enjoy your trip back ma'am?"

"No." I replied. "Where do we meet?"

"Situation." he replied. I sighed in reply and braced a hand against my hip.

Arriving at the Situation Room I opened the door and went in, the members of the task force standing up in reply. I headed to the chair at the far end of the table and sat down, folding my fingers. The members all sat down and I scanned the room before me. This is the first time President Reagan to ever put me in charge of situations regarding our national intelligence. I wasn't even smiling when I scanned every member of the task force : Secretary of State Caroline Harris, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dominic Hayes, Director of National Intelligence Catherine Eckhart, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Micheal Fox and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Julius Harkavy. The room entered a mode of dead silence, like someone had pressed a pause button. "We've lost four intelligence assets, any news right now, better be good." I said. 

The DNI cleared her throat and opened a file in front of her on the table. Everybody followed and she starts her report. "One of our agents overseas, Brian Reynolds, is still recovering from the attack in Switzerland but he is fully conscious enough to tell us who attacked him. He tells us that Leopold Bickerling was behind the attempt, this op is meant to be covert and off the books."

"But my question is, who tipped him off?" I asked. 

"We don't know." Eckhart replied. "But what we do know is that your life is in danger, Leopold Bickerling was recently captured in a bar footage in Monte Carlo, talking with Aleksei Ivanov and an unknown man."

"ID?" I asked. 

"Because of Wallace's capture in Bern by the Swiss we now know that he is our Mr. Unknown who met with both crime lords." I raised my brow. Catherine never mentioned the name 'Crime lord' before even though we have information about them. "He confesses that Bickerling was the one who had put out a hit on you. We interrogated him further about the whereabouts of his cohorts but he committed suicide with cyanide rather than confessing."

"As far as I can see, the threat is not yet removed." I flashed a look at Julius Harkavy, who is still tracking the agents on the FBI network. "Anything for your side Mike?"

"So far... no." the CIA director replied. "Our network in Iran is still undergoing the process to pull everyone out as far, slim to none."

"Good, make it quick. These are lives at stake." I said. "What about our military network?"

"So far, no." Dominic replied. "I see the pattern that this wasn't an assault on our military network Madam Vice President."

"Where is Gerald?" I asked. 

"Attorney General Baker is currently having a meeting Madam Vice President." Oliver Evans replied. 

"Very well." I said. "Where is Bickerling?" 

"We're doing our best to track them." Even though the DNI gives me this answer I don't feel the reassurance. Catherine is right about Bickerling, based on my former experience with the businessman he always has the guts to put out hits on people who crossed him, either they are just regular people or rich ones who crossed him. "We have the whole hit thing kept tight in this task force but you have to be careful Madam Vice President." she warned, concerns lacing her eyes. 

"I know, I could be up against a sniper or worse, a mercenary." I replied. The memory of Alexander Pierce's betrayal is still emblazoned in my memory even though it's been years. "Anything else?" I asked. They shook their heads in reply. "Very well. Meeting adjourned." I said. Everybody stands up and filed out of the Situation Room but Dominic stayed behind for a while. 

"What's your next plan?" he asked me as we walked out of the room. 

"The information about our wanted targets is the next thing we need Dominic." I told him. 

"I heard that you're injured in Switzerland." I said nothing. 

"He told you... isn't it?" I said.

"There are things that he would mention and not mention."

"You're with President Reagan when he assembled the task force. Maybe he wouldn't say it out loud as there are people that didn't know about my clandestine journey to Switzerland."

"You've always been this hot headed? I thought the old you was during Syria."

"Only two men knows me more than you do Dom. I won't let President Reagan down by failing."

"Based on our mutual experiences Madam Vice President, you're still the person capable in getting into a brutal fist fight and walk away with minimal injury."

"I've walked away from more fights than you'll ever realize." I said coldly, walking away head first and Oliver passed him by.

"I guess it's time for me to call it a day?" Oliver asked me.

"As far as I can see... there isn't anything I could ask for you to stay behind. Good night Oliver." I said, turning on my heels and left the floor.

Outside the White House

Oliver exited the White House compound through his personal vehicle : a black SUV. His home wasn't far though, located at Jefferson Avenue which is a thirty minute drive. The touch-screen display of his car, serving as a in-car entertainment for the front seat passengers displayed an incoming call. "This is Evans." he replied after answering.

"About damn time you answered my call." came the voice of an all too familiar voice for him. "Heard that she's back."

"Yes sir." he replied.

"You know anything about it?"

"No sir, I don't."

"She still keeps a tight lit about it. How very incognito of her."

"I respect her privacy sir, even though we both know that she's not just Special Agent Black Bird of the FBI, she's the fearsome former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Raven."

"You think she knew? About you?"

"I can't be sure. But she knows her way in finding out."

"And General Hayes?"

"He knows about the trip but she never said anything as well."

"I guess one of my top agents is already capable enough to handle things herself."

"If you don't mind my saying sir, she's already passed your level of expectation."

"I guess old spies have to retire, as new blood will replace the old ones."

"Since the world believed you're dead during the uprising maybe you can finally do it."

"If there are still bad guys my work is never done." Oliver said nothing. "Good luck with your job."

"You too, Director Fury." he said, ending the call and continued his journey back home.