Chapter 23

“Did you find out anything?” Roger asks as the two agents return from the isolated airfield.

Spencer grins. “There was a semi used to transport something in and one to take it out. We figure that when everything went down it was in the middle of loading and offloading.”

“We also checked with the base,” Samantha adds. “We’re still waiting to hear back about any missing soldiers.”

“Any sign of Mathsen?”

“If it was him, which the chances are high, he didn’t leave any sign,” Spencer explains. “The body was moved to throw off the trajectory and a sweep of the area didn’t reveal anything.”

“I would guess Mathsen was there,” Roger says. “From reading the file, it sounds like him. But why were there American soldiers?”

“It’s possible Bowling was working with Ghost,” Sam answers that question. “We don’t know for sure that it was the terrorists, but it’s likely. Bowling probably had access to black ops soldiers.”

“Or they were just regular soldiers following orders,” Spencer says.

“Yeah, we’re still at a disagreement about that one,” Sam adds, grinning at her partner.

“We’re guessing that all the soldiers are dead and that Ghost suffered a few loses,” Spencer continues. “Everyone was taken except Bowling.”

“They have us in their web and they’re spinning it bigger,” Roger comments sourly.

“Has Adams come up with anything?” Sam asks, hoping for some good news.

“You haven’t heard from him yet?” Roger asks, sounding suddenly distraught.

“No,” Spencer says. “We’ve been at the airfield all morning. It’s possible we may have missed his call.”

“He knows we’re working through Agent Michaels,” Sam offers. “Maybe he’s contacted her.”

“That’s the thing,” Roger says. “Agent Michaels is missing too. I have a couple of the analysts trying to trace their whereabouts and last known communications.”

“Damn it,” Spencer mutters. “This is getting ridiculous.”

“Getting?” Sam pipes in. “It’s already there and we’re getting nowhere fast.”

“We just need a break,” Roger says. “We have to...”

“Director!” one of the analysts says, bursting into the room. “It’s Agent Adams, he’s down in the infirmary. He’s pretty banged up, talking about an attack.”

“Let’s go,” Roger says, sliding from around the desk.

They run down the hall with Roger in the lead. When they reach the door to the infirmary the medic is turning around to greet them. “He’s going to be alright. He has some minor wounds, but nothing too serious and nothing broken.”

Roger turns to the analyst. “Find Agent Michaels.”

“On it, sir,” he says.

They slip into the room when the medic leaves. Geoffrey does indeed look pretty banged up. His wounds look like something someone would get in a brawl. Geoffrey opens his eyes, blinking out the sudden bright light. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t protect her,” is the first thing he says.