To Catch a Smuggler
By BlueWords
Epilog
Rhianna was standing in front of Agent Wilson's desk. "You lied to me!"
she exclaimed.
Wilson was only half surprised, expecting something like this. "Agent
Summer, let me explain, I -"
"Don't mess with me anymore, Agent Wilson. You told me Anderson was a
'well-known' weapons smuggler, when you knew that wasn't true."
"I'm sorry, Rhianna, I truly am. I wanted to tell you from the
beginning, I -" Wilson stopped abruptly. He realized that he'd said too
much, and was likely in trouble now, if Vessor found out.
"You wanted to tell me from the start? Well, why the hell didn't you?"
As soon as she asked the question, she knew the answer. "Vessor?" She
sat down in the chair in front of his desk.
Wilson nodded slightly. "He, he said that you would need motivation for
this. I mean, Anderson is a smuggler, just not of weapons, at least, not
before this."
"I've seen the file. Mostly, he's smuggled art that was 'illegally'
obtained. Hell, in most cases it was for museums here anyway. Hardly the
terrorist you both made him out to be."
"I think you may be understating his crimes a bit, Agent Summer. Sure,
so he wasn't a weapons smuggler before this, that we know, but he did
bring in this weapon, although he claims to have been told it was, what,
drugs? Anyway, the Assistant Director thought that if you thought
Anderson was more, well 'evil', that you would be able to be more
objective in your assignment. He apparently felt Anderson was very
suave, and might be able to influence you somehow, or, hell I don't
know. Get you to fall for him? Vessor was clear that we should vilify
Anderson, he said it would make it easier for you. Apparently the A.D.
knew about Anderson before this case." Wilson didn't add that he thought
maybe Anderson had gotten to Rhianna.
Rhianna was still fuming, but she had calmed down since entering the
room. Wilson was a jerk, but he wasn't the one pulling the strings here.
It seems Vessor was up to something and she wasn't sure what. Did it
involve her, or Anderson, or both, or something else entirely? They'd
wanted to make it harder for her to fall for Anderson? To late for that,
she thought wryly. But was she ignoring Anderson's crimes? She knew he
was hardly a choirboy.
"He said 'They told me it was cocaine.' What had that meant? Wouldn't he
have known?"
"I don't know, Rhianna. He could just be trying to cover up. Or maybe
they kept him in the dark. It is hard to image someone willingly
bringing something like the plague in to the country on purpose. Maybe
he needed money, maybe this was one last big score. I image you'll have
to ask him, although I don't know if I'd trust him."
Rhianna considered what Wilson has said for a minute. Finally, she said,
"Well, speaking of trust, I expect to be told the truth when I am sent
out on assignment, Agent Wilson. I expected to be treated with respect,
and to be trusted to do my job as best I can. I can't do that if
information is withheld from me. You know what happened to me the last
time."
Wilson sighed. He had felt bad during the entire assignment, and there
was nothing he could do to make it up. "Agent Summer. Rhianna, I, I owe
you a big debt here. We breached a lot of protocols on this one, I think
you know. We can't even really file a complete report. I've had to leave
out all the parts about the sex and all, and I need to ask you to do the
same in your report." He looked up at her, a frown on his face. "I
believed the A.D. when he said that this was likely the only way to
collect both the weapon and the terrorists, and it seems to have worked
out that way. We never really cared about Anderson that much, you're
right, he's kind of small potatoes. All I can say is that from now on, I
promise to tell you everything I can about your assignments. I think you
performed admirably here, and given the circumstances, above and beyond
the call of duty." He paused, and Rhianna just sat, listening to him.
"I will definitely recommend you for a commendation for this assignment.
You already have a week off to recover if you need it. If there's
anything else I can do, please, let me know now."
Rhianna shook her head. "I - there's nothing, Agent Wilson." She sighed
as well. "Thank you for your time, sir," she told him resignedly, and
got up to leave.
"Agent Summer, I," he said, pausing. "The story I told everyone was that
somehow, Anderson was tipped off that you were an agent, and tied you up
before the bust went down. I think it had the desired effect, most of
the other agents were impressed that you got away and stopped Anderson
on your own."
Rhianna had wondered why people had been treating her well, instead of
making crude jokes. Well, it was half true, anyway. "Thank you, sir, I
appreciate that."
"Please, Enjoy your time off. Get away for a while if you can."
"I plan on seeing if some friends of mine can put me up for a few days.
They live - in the country."
Wilson smiled and nodded, but Rhianna left without seeing his smile turn
back into a frown.
***
"Send him in," Vessor told the man at the desk as he walked by. He made
his way to a room in the back and went in. Nothing in the room but two
chairs and a table. He had to wait only a minute before an officer
brought Anderson in, hands cuffed behind his back. Vessor smiled at the
irony of that.
"You can remove his cuffs," Vessor told the officer. The man hesitated
for a few seconds before complying, then unlocked the cuffs. Anderson
rubbed his wrists.
"Thanks," he said to Vessor.
Vessor nodded to the officer and the man left, leaving them alone in the
room. They both sat down.
"Christ, Jim, what the hell is going on?"
"So you really didn't know what was in that package?"
"Shit, no! Someone said it was a, a bomb? They were blackmailing me to
get me to bring it in, I had no choice. I still don't know what happened
to Emilio."
"Emilio?"
"Emilio Vercosi. He's a good connection I had in Italy. They kidnapped
him, said they'd kill him unless I got this package in. They never said
it was a bomb, Jim, honest."
Vessor frowned. He'd seen that name recently, and Anderson wasn't going
to like the news. "I'm sorry to report that they did kill him. He was
found murdered just outside of Rome, several days ago. I'm sorry."
Anderson's shoulders fell, and he shook his head. "Bastards! I did
everything they wanted me to. They said he was okay. I, I thought it was
drugs, Jim. A large shipment of some kind of powerful cocaine-like
substance. I was going to turn them in, but with Emilio's life on the
line, I couldn't risk it."
"Why did you pick up a new pet, Matt? Seems like you would have been
preoccupied."
"I was, dammit. I didn't want to, actually. They said, act normal. Take
your slave with you to the party, whatever, don't let on. Then Sharon
leaves me, not a week before. I left a folder out, left Rhianna alone in
the apartment. I wouldn't normally have done that. I'm a little more on
the ball than that, Jim, you know me. I still managed to avoid being
followed. I guess that was you all tailing me those times. I thought it
was my 'clients'." When Vessor said nothing, he continued. "So, she was
one of yours? Kind of a long way to go in the line of duty."
"She's - special," Vessor said carefully. "She knew the risks. The
weapon was serious, Matt. We had to be sure to get it, the terrorists,
everything all at once. I wasn't sure if I could count on you to be
forthcoming, given your past. It was a big, but calculated risk. But,"
Vessor paused, for dramatic affect, "I think I can help you."
Anderson perked up. "How? They are talking about putting me away for a
long time. Jim, I didn't do anything!"
"I believe you, Matt. I've known you a while, and this just didn't sound
like you. You've done questionable things before, but nothing so
dangerous. And if we can corroborate that Emilio Vercosi was kidnapped
before he was murdered, and that he worked for you, I think I can get
you off with just a few months jail time, maybe even probation."
Anderson visibly relaxed a little. He'd known Vessor socially for some
time, and had no reason not to trust him. "I'll do whatever I have to,
Jim. I can give you information on these guys, whatever you need."
"I'll let you know, Matt. I think we have everything we need on them,
but you input would certainly help both of us. You know that two of them
were killed in the shootout. Those remaining were very cooperative. But,
I'll send an agent down to get your statement, in any case. I'll talk to
the judge about your detainment, see if I can't get them to reduce your
bail."
Anderson looked to Vessor like a starving dog looks to the butcher.
"Thanks, Jim. I really appreciate this." Vessor nodded. "Um, can I, I
mean, do you think I can talk to Rhianna? I guess she was just acting,
but, well . . ."
"I'll let her know you inquired about her. I think it might be best if
you waited until after you were out of jail before contacting her."
Anderson nodded rapidly. The past few days had been a whirlwind, and he
still hadn't settled down. Poor Emilio. And Rhianna! He didn't know how
he felt about her, but he thought they should at least talk. He'd grown
to like her in the short time they were together. Like her? Maybe more.
And he was sure she was a sub, whether she knew it or not.
Vessor was standing. Anderson got up to shake his hand. "Thanks for
helping me out, Jim. My lawyer said there wasn't anything he could do,
the charges were too serious."
"I'll be in touch, Matt. Take care." Vessor went to the door and rapped
on it. It opened, letting him out, leaving behind a grateful Anderson.
As Vessor left the building, he smiled to himself. It had been a huge
gamble, but it had paid off. He hadn't been entirely comfortable with
the whole situation. In retrospect, it had been very risky. But well
worth it.
Through his contacts in the CIA, he knew that the terrorist's home base
had been taken out, and their facilities for making biological agents
were destroyed. In fact, they'd put a big dent in the entire terrorist
organization.
And now, he had the operatives he had needed for so long.
End of To Catch a Smuggler
Copyright (c) 1999 David Wright
