Chapter 35: Can We Trust and Verify?

People started trickling in just before 8 AM, and the last team member strolled in at 8:30. The office was abuzz with everyone sharing what they had done during the vacation break. There was an enthusiastic energy in the office that I had not felt in a long time. Everyone seemed eager to get started on a new project—except that we didn’t have one yet.

I scheduled a mandatory office meeting in the conference room for 9 AM. That gave everyone time to talk about their vacations and a last chance to grab their morning coffee, doughnut, or breakfast sandwich before I started the meeting.

The meeting began with me welcoming everyone back and hoping that they had enjoyed their time off. I mentioned that I could feel the enthusiasm for the next project, but we didn’t have one yet. That got a few laughs from the staff, but it would be business as usual until a new project came in.

I assigned the security team to scan the offices, and my home, for any electronic listening devices. Molly was to check our office supplies and consult each team member about any special needs. Andi and Dr. Frisch were to reach out to their sources and see if anything was coming down the pike. I wanted a memo prepared and distributed to all team members if there was.

No one had anything to add when I asked if anyone did, so I closed the meeting. Everyone returned to their cubicles and started their assigned tasks.

I asked Randy to join me for lunch since I had a few things to discuss with him. He agreed, but made sure to inform me that I was buying.

I returned to my cubicle and started on three letters from the State Department and the Department of Defense that I had received during our vacation. The letters, from three different Undersecretaries, suggested that they had all attended the same meeting, each one advising our group on the tenets of the upcoming treaty. They all posed the same questions: Can we trust the Soviets to follow through on their commitments, and what quantitative methods would we use to measure their compliance with the treaty?

I unlocked my desk drawer when it was time for lunch, and after making sure that no one was looking, slipped the suspect envelope into my inner jacket pocket, then went to Randy’s cubicle to get him.

“Are you ready to join me for the cheapest lunch known to mankind?” I asked Randy.

He looked up, nodded, and smiled. Noticing that I already had my jacket on, he put his on as well.

It was late October, almost November, and Washington, DC, was beginning to alternate between warm and cool days. That day was on the cooler side when I asked Randy to join me for lunch.

Randy told me about the vacation he and Olive had taken as we walked. They had spent the entire trip touring historical sites in and around Washington, DC, venturing as far as Gettysburg, PA, Harpers Ferry, Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Appomattox Courthouse. Unbeknownst to Randy, Olive was just as big a history buff as he was. According to him, they both loved every moment of their trip.

Randy finished talking about his vacation as we neared the park where we often went to eat. I looked at the line of food trucks we had to choose from and saw a Mexican one at the very end. Remembering my newfound love for Mexican food from my recent vacation, I decided to go to the Mexican truck. I made my choice hoping to have the same dining experience I did on my trip. Randy, sensing that I had already decided what we were having for lunch, went off to look for a bench for us to sit on.

I got tacos, a couple of quesadillas, and a small bottle of fruit juice when it was my turn to order. I paid for the order and went on the lookout for Randy once it was ready. It didn’t take me long to find him. I sat down on the bench and placed the food bags between us. I gave Randy a brief overview of our loop through the upper Midwest and the West Coast while we ate. I told him about visiting my dad and new stepmom. Randy laughed at the nickname ‘Miss Mom’ for my stepmom. I also told him about meeting up with my mother and brother, and how their personalities had changed. He promised to check out the cult they seemed drawn to and see if it posed a threat to my immediate family.

I shared my concern with him about the envelope addressed to Andi after we finished eating. It had no return address, only a Caribbean-canceled stamp. He wasn’t pleased with my actions and told me so at first, but he understood when I explained my concerns about Mike being in that region and recently vanishing off the radar. I was just trying to protect our group. I handed him the envelope and asked him to investigate. I didn’t need to know what was inside if it turned out to be completely harmless. It would only be him and Andi who would ultimately know what the envelope contained. I think he understood that it was one of his responsibilities as part of our security team.

Randy came over to my cubicle with an ornery smile on his face later that afternoon, and motioned for me to follow him. I followed him out of the office and down to the cantina, where he insisted that I buy him a soft drink. We headed over to one of the tables in the cantina to enjoy our sodas.

“There’s no need to worry about that envelope addressed to Andi,” Randy said, smiling. “It seems our Andi is a connoisseur of barely-there swimwear. The note was an acknowledgment from the Nasty Bits Swimwear Company of Antigua regarding her recent order for three of their barely-there bikinis and one of their monokinis. The letter included a brochure, and most of the pictures featured models wearing the suits. Let’s just say that two Band-Aids and a postage stamp have more material than the swimsuits.”

I laughed so hard that orange soda soon came out of my nose. Randy had to grab a couple of napkins for me. It took me a while to get myself back under control. Randy seemed to enjoy my predicament.

After we finished our drinks, we headed back to the office. For the rest of the afternoon, I couldn’t complete a single task. I would look over at Andi, and I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. My laughter was starting to get on her nerves. Every time I giggled, she would look back at me with a scowl. Finally, she had enough and stormed over to my cubicle.

“I need to speak with you privately, NOW!” Andi angrily said, pointing toward the conference room.

I got up, followed her to the conference room, and waited for her to explode once the door shut.

“Do you want to tell me what’s so funny? You start laughing every time you look at me,” Andi angrily asked? “Is there something going on that you won’t tell me?”

I could see that my constant laughing at her had her concerned, and I sure as hell didn’t want to tell her about my intruding into her personal business. That would destroy both our friendship and her trust in me. I had to think of something fast to stop her from worrying and keep what I knew to myself.

“We were on vacation, and Grandma Jorgenson mentioned you were the only one of our friends, other than the ‘Twin Mountains’, who didn’t have a steady. She’s working on those two, by the way,” I said with as honest a face as I could muster.

Andi’s face scowled at my mention of Grandma Jorgenson’s meddling in her personal life. I knew that I shouldn’t take this any further and decided that my original idea was best.

“Anyway, I happened to be sitting here earlier, my mind wandering, when I remembered that conversation. I started thinking about who I knew that was single and might be interested in you, and the only person I could come up with was Hank, the janitor. That was why I was giggling so hard. Please don’t hurt me,” I said, laughing even more.

Andi’s facial expression shifted through various emotions at once: shock, anger, embarrassment, disgust, and, finally, revenge.

“You are not funny,” she said, her gaze filled with retaliation. She turned and stormed out, leaving me alone in the conference room.

Hank, the janitor, was an odd duck; he believed that disco and leisure suits were the future. His hygiene, with baths once a month whether or not he needed one, was questionable. His hair was long and greasy, and his cologne of choice was Hai Karate. He was a disgusting sort in general. He was attracted to Molly at first, and relentlessly bothered her. It got so bad that I had to have a word with him and tell him to leave Molly alone. After Molly got married and we moved the team to the United Kingdom, he set his sights on Andi when we came back to Washington. You could see the look of disgust on Andi’s face every time he fixated on her. I could do nothing to prevent his stares. Andi would turn pink and scowl at me if I glanced in her general direction the rest of that afternoon. I was enjoying this too much, knowing that it would come back to haunt me.

I shared my brief encounter with Andi in the conference room on the way out of the office that evening. Randy got a laugh out of it, too. He did suggest that I not take it any further, as Andi had a bad temper and a tendency to hold a grudge. I took that under advisement.

I decided to take the Metro home that night, and I spotted a crew of four up to no good once again. They were clearly watching for a potential victim to prey on, and I may have appeared to be just what they were looking for. They followed when I got on the train, and sat at the opposite end of the car. I watched them closely as they kept eyeing me and talking among themselves, obviously scheming the best way to rob me. I must have looked like the perfect target to them; a single, well-dressed professional carrying a briefcase. I was a rich opportunity in their eyes. I prepared while they schemed.

I stood to exit the car when my station came up. I stood sideways at the exit door, positioned at a right angle to their seats, instead of turning my back to them. That simple choice seemed to throw them off and disrupted whatever plan they had for robbing me. Still, the one with the knife slowly drew it, hoping that intimidation alone would make me comply. He was clearly prepared to slash at me if not.

I exited the Metro station a few minutes later, and continued on my way home, leaving four seriously injured punks behind. One was unconscious and in serious need of dental work. Another would probably walk with a cane for the rest of his life. The third wouldn’t be able to father children, let alone have the urge to, and the last idiot now had the intellectual capacity of a three-year-old. They were the ones who made the choice, and they chose poorly. If I ever crossed paths with the special forces self-defense instructor who taught me how to handle myself again, I’d buy him a big steak dinner and give him my thanks once more.

The walk from the Metro stop to my house took about fifteen minutes, just enough time to burn the excess adrenaline off and calm myself down. There stood Beast, his tail stub vibrating, when I reached the front door and opened it. It was a nice way to be welcomed home. I took my overcoat off and hung it in the front entrance closet. My next stop was the study to drop my briefcase off, then I continued on to the kitchen.

I saw Karen and Grandma in the kitchen, each trying to feed one of the twins a mix of baby cereal and canned vegetables. I swear that the twins were wearing more of the food than what actually went into their mouth. Karen greeted me with orders to help Grandma with the other twin. She was going to prepare supper while Karen and I took the twins upstairs to clean up. I did as commanded and carefully wiped as much of the food mess off my twin. Karen and I each took a twin and carried them upstairs to the bathroom where they could be washed, diapered, dressed, and put to bed.

Supper that evening was subdued, as I think we were all still feeling the effects of our vacation and hadn’t yet settled back into our regular routines. The conversation centered around our plans for the week and what we had going on. We all helped clean up after supper and then went to watch television until bedtime. The twins woke just before our usual bedtime, and after being fed and changed, they went back to sleep. They were now sleeping through the night, which allowed us to catch up on much-needed rest.

The ‘Twin Mountains’ approached me at work the next morning, and asked if they could speak privately. I figured that they were going to tell me they had found other jobs and would be resigning. I would miss them, as they had been valuable additions to our security team. I motioned toward the conference room, and they followed. What they had to say surprised and pleased me instead. They wanted to know if they could move into the upper floor of the carriage house. Uncle Sam had picked up the tab for converting it into a space for my then protection detail to maintain a command center and bunk room. The project was shelved and never completed when I was asked to move to the United Kingdom. All the basic carpentry had been finished but still needed some finishing touches. I was more than agreeable and gave them my approval. They would find the necessary contractors to complete the work and hire a competent installer for the video surveillance system they said I needed.

We were moving into November and the start of the holiday season. Our household had many activities planned, and Grandma, Karen, and sometimes Olive, kept busy preparing dishes for Thanksgiving, Christmas parties, and New Year’s. A memo from the White House arrived at the office; my attendance was required at the formal signing of the recently negotiated treaty. Karen and I were also requested to attend a formal state dinner at the White House the night before. I was sure that I would hear Karen say that she didn’t have a thing to wear and go into another clothes-buying frenzy. My premonition proved true when I called to tell Karen about the invitation; she immediately entered her clothes-shopping mode. Karen, her grandmother, and her cousin, Olive, would find the perfect dress. She wished that she had more advanced notice, as two and a half weeks simply wasn’t enough time.

Karen called back to speak with Jean after she and I ended the call, and Jean was soon included in the foray. Karen needed security during these shopping expeditions, after all. I knew this was going to cost me dearly. All I had to do was make sure that my tuxedo was dry cleaned and pressed, and I was good to go. I figured that it might be a good idea to check the fit, too. I had been eating pretty well lately, and that Mexican food truck at work had become a regular stop for me.

I made it home before the women did that night. I had decided to have Robert drive me to and from work ever since the Metro station incident. There was no sense in taking unnecessary risks, especially with the recent increase in assaults on Metro trains.

I went to the carriage house to check on the progress after letting the dogs out. It had only been a week, and I was impressed by how quickly the carpentry crews were working. The walls had been roughed in, and the wiring and plumbing were already installed. They were in the process of hanging drywall and installing the bathroom fixtures in the small bath. I figured the two could move into the upstairs living quarters in about three weeks or so at the pace they were going.

The women didn’t get home until late that night, so I ordered Chinese delivery from the place just around the corner. I got to hear all the details of their shopping expedition after dinner and cleaning up. They were convinced that I’d love Karen’s dress for the dinner. I nodded at the appropriate moments and grunted my approval when necessary. It took a while, but Karen eventually wound down and let me know what the shopping trip had cost me. I’m pretty sure that some third-world countries have smaller national debts than what I shelled out for that dress, the shoes, and the accessories.

The next morning found me, Andi, and Dr. Frisch in a meeting with representatives from the Departments of State and Defense. The topic was how hard to push the Russians to comply with the terms of the newly negotiated treaty. The three of us were considered the ‘experts’ on the Soviet mindset: Andi, because of her expertise in Soviet culture; Dr. Frisch, because of his knowledge of Soviet treaty negotiations and international law; and me, because I was supposedly an ‘expert’ in convincing Soviet diplomats to defect. I had been the one the Colonel and the former Ambassador had approached for help with their defection. They made the decision to defect, I had simply acted as a go-between, but the others didn’t see it that way. I had some uncanny ability to persuade foreign politicos to switch sides to them. I had the magic touch in their eyes no matter what I said.

I’m not sure about Andi and Dr. Frisch, but the answer to the concerns raised by the State and Defense Departments was simple and easy to implement to me. It didn’t take two PhDs and a cultural expert to figure this one out, but silly me forgot where I was and who I was meeting with. I’d had enough after two hours of hand-wringing and fretting from the bureaucrats. I interrupted the person who was busy spinning his department’s version of events currently holding the floor. I probably made at least half a dozen lifelong enemies by speaking out of turn, but I’d honestly had it with these bureaucratic twits wasting my time.

I suggested to the chair of the committee that it would be a simple solution to a simple problem: The President should appoint a Director of Compliance, whose job would be to ensure that the Russians comply with a system of inspectors who would visit the Soviet’s nuclear storage facilities and missile assembly locations. These inspectors would visually check to make sure the Russians were doing as agreed. The Russians would also appoint a Director of Compliance, who would oversee inspectors who would then physically inspect our nuclear facilities. With such a system in place, we could follow the old Russian proverb, ‘Trust but verify’. With inspectors in place, each side could verify what had been agreed to in the treaty. I didn’t understand why it was so difficult for these bureaucrats to come up with this on their own. It was hard to believe that these people were supposedly the smartest and brightest, having graduated from some of the best schools in the country. It had to be the swamp air of Washington, DC, affecting them.

It was shortly after that the meeting broke up, everyone having agreed that my solution could easily verify compliance. I noticed both Andi and Dr. Frisch grinning as we were walking down the hall. I thought to myself, ‘What are they grinning about’?

I looked over at my colleagues and asked, “What’s going on?”

Dr. Frisch answered, continuing to walk, “You were set up, James, my friend.”

“For someone with a PhD in mathematics, and supposedly having a cool, logical mind, you can be dense at times,” Andi added.

I stopped and turned toward my so-called friends and asked, “How was I set up?”

Dr. Frisch turned to Andi and said, “Allow me to explain the inner workings of how DC operates to our esteemed friend.”

“Everyone in that room this morning had the same solution in mind as you, James,” Dr. Frisch said. “No one in that bunch wants to risk their career on such a gamble, so you will more than likely be appointed as the new Director of Compliance as the proposer of the solution. Sorry, but that’s how this city works.”

“So let me get this straight: I, the new guy, came up with a plan that everyone else also thought of, and they let me, the new person, propose it in hopes that I’ll fail. Why?” I asked, puzzled.

“It’s like this: right now, James. You’re the most feared man in Washington. You’ve been in town less than two years. You have the ear of the sitting president and are on a first-name basis with some of the most powerful men in the city. A powerful figure here fell off his pedestal through your planning and drive. Adding to that is the impression that you single-handedly convinced two highly placed Soviet diplomats to defect. If that’s not enough, you don’t have to fight your way through layers of bureaucracy to get to the top. You have a direct connection to the President and his Chief of Staff. The others are jealous, and this is their way of sending you packing back to the frontier in disgrace,” Andi said, as Dr. Frisch nodded in agreement.

I took all of this in and slowly digested their explanation. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became. This was total nonsense and could jeopardize our country’s future, all to appease some bruised egos. I was ready to go to war, not against the Soviets, but against the Washington bureaucracy that wanted some payback. Sorry to disappoint them, but that wasn’t going to happen. I planned on doing some rereading and studying when I got home. I already had the textbook in mind: ‘The Art of War’ by Sun Tzu.

“I’m calling for a mandatory all-office meeting right after lunch when we get back to the office, so tell everyone that I want them there on time, no excuses,” I said to both Andi and Dr. Frisch. “These DC clowns have no idea what they’re up against.”

“The James I knew from Russia is back,” Andi said, laughing. “You got us home from Russia safely. I trust your judgment once again.”

Count me in too,” Dr. Frisch said. “At least I won’t have to deal with first-year law students this way.”

It was almost time for lunch when we got back to the office. I announced the after-lunch mandatory meeting, suggesting that everyone take their lunch break now, as the afternoon meeting would be a long one. Everyone followed my suggestion, and I asked Randy to join me again as I was leaving for lunch.

We walked to the food trucks, and I went to the Mexican truck once again, and ordered two complete lunches, just like I had the other day. Randy went off to look for a bench away from the usual lunchtime crowd. I picked up our two orders and headed over to the bench where Randy was sitting, scanning the area to see who was around. We both ate our lunches, and as I contemplated going back for a couple more soft tacos, I remembered that I had to fit into my tuxedo in a few days, so I decided to pass on the extra tacos.

I explained to Randy what had transpired in the meeting I attended that morning after eating. His reaction was similar to Andi’s and Dr. Frisch’s. I then told him what I intended to do in response and what I needed from him. He wasn’t happy with the tasks that I assigned to him, but it shouldn’t be as difficult with Scotty and Jean helping. The last task that I asked him to handle was the one he disliked the most, but he agreed that it was necessary. It would mean everyone in the office would have to pass a lie detector test to keep their job. I hated the idea myself, but I had to be sure where my people’s loyalties lay.

“Everyone was present in the conference room at the time I called the meeting for. They were all nervous; I could tell by the anxious looks from Molly and Jean. They were probably under the impression that I was leaving and the group would dissolve. I informed them that our mission had changed. I would be taking on a slightly different role, and they would have new responsibilities. I told them that there would be greater compensation for their participation with these additional responsibilities.

I then explained to them what had transpired at the earlier meeting and made it clear that I had no intention of giving the bureaucrats the satisfaction of seeing us fail. I emphasized that I could not do this alone and that I needed their complete and undivided loyalty. I told them that the Russian proverb ‘Trust, but verify’ would be the guiding principle in our office. Monthly mandatory lie detector tests would be instituted, and anyone who objected would be free to leave at any time. I reiterated that I needed to be absolutely certain of where their loyalties lay. I then asked for a show of hands from those intending to stay. I expected to lose at least one or two. I was shocked when every hand went up; everyone intended to stay.

I ended the meeting by telling everyone that they were welcome to join us at our house for Thanksgiving. I asked that they let Karen or Grandma Jorgenson know if they planned to attend so that we could plan accordingly.

The atmosphere in the office was upbeat for the rest of the afternoon. I even heard Johannes Frisch laugh at one of Molly’s off-color jokes, a rare sight, considering that he hardly ever cracked a smile.

I called my special number after the meeting was over, and spoke to the man in charge. I explained what had happened during the meeting that morning and how I had been set up. I told him about my plan to verify compliance and rub the bureaucrats’ noses in it. I asked for his participation in the plan, and he wholeheartedly agreed. He would make the announcement tomorrow with me in attendance.

I thanked him for his confidence in me and hoped that I wouldn’t disappoint him, and ended the call.

The next call I placed was to home. Karen answered and was glad to hear from me until I told her about our planned White House visit. Karen was furious. She said that she wouldn’t have time to shop and would have to wear the same dress again. She also wouldn’t have time to get her hair done.

Karen and I arrived at the White House at the appropriate time the next morning, having been driven there by Robert. We went through the Secret Service security checkpoint in record time and were greeted by the President’s Chief of Staff. He briefed me on what to expect during the announcement and the likely questions from the press afterward. He mentioned that I should be prepared for some personal questions, which I could choose to answer or ignore at my discretion.

An aide then escorted Karen and me to a waiting room and suggested that we get comfortable, as it would be a while. We had been waiting for nearly ten minutes when the President and his Secret Service detail entered the room. The President greeted Karen first, then me. He asked if I would follow him to the other side of the room where he wanted to privately speak with me.

Our private conversation was brief. The President wanted to know if I was committed to ensuring that compliance was completed as specified in the treaty. He additionally asked if I was willing to supervise those conducting the compliance checks. I answered ‘yes’ to both questions and assured him that I would do the best job I was capable of. I had to laugh at the President’s response.

“Well, let’s go ruffle some feathers, shall we?” the President said, grabbing my arm and pulling me along with him. Karen joined the procession, and the Secret Service brought up the rear as we all made our way out to the Rose Garden.

My appointment as the new Director of Compliance came with little lead time. In attendance were the core of the White House Press Corps and a few videographers. The President’s announcement naming me as Director of Compliance lasted no more than three minutes. I followed with a brief two-minute statement before the Press Secretary opened the floor for questions.

The questions were fairly standard, mostly about my background and the positions I had held during this administration. One reporter asked about my work in the UK. Another correspondent seemed to think that he had caught me off guard when he asked about the incident involving my former girlfriend.

I kept my response neutral, questioning what relevance that situation had to my ability to do the job. I added that he could contact my office at the State Department Building if he wanted to discuss it further.

I glanced over at the Press Secretary as I finished. He gave me a quick smile and a thumbs-up, so I assumed that I had handled the questions to his satisfaction. He then ended the briefing, and the President, Karen, and I returned to the West Wing.

Robert dropped me off at the State Department Building after saying our goodbyes to the President and Chief of Staff, and then drove Karen home. I asked Randy, Andi, and Dr. Frisch to meet me in the conference room as soon as I got back to the office. I held a brief meeting with them and assigned their tasks.

I asked Andi and Dr. Frisch to identify everyone who had attended the meeting the other morning. I had a special treat in store for them. I instructed Randy to conduct a thorough background check on each individual once they gave me the lists. I would be ready to move on to the next phase of my plan with that step completed.

I got home that evening, and the phone was ringing off the wall. My dad had called to congratulate me on my new job and told Karen that he and Miss Mom would be coming to visit over Christmas. Surprisingly, my mother also called to congratulate me and asked if I could get my brother a job in my organization. I told her I would see what was available. I’m sure Hank could use some help on the night shift. Other callers included people we had met at social gatherings and events that Karen and I had attended. It got to the point where I had to use the answering machine so that we could eat our supper. I intended to use the answering machine to screen the calls after supper. It continued until almost 10 PM. I was glad when the phone finally stopped ringing.