Chapter 14

Spencer wakes up alone. After looking around the safe house, the only thing he finds is a note from Jennifer explaining that she was out to meet with a contact and would return shortly. After a shower, he waits for another half hour before finally deciding to get some information himself. So he leaves his own note and heads out from the apartment.

Not long after, Spencer finds an internet café a few blocks away from the safe house. Using a secure network that the TDF uses, he contacts the office. “Agent Ryan, how can I assist you Agent Reeds?”

“I need to be patched to the director,” Spencer quickly answers.

“I’m sorry Agent Reeds, but he has left the office and currently unable to be reached,” Agent Ryan informs. “Is there someone else that I may connect you with?”

“Assistant Director Grines then,” he says trying to keep the urgency from his voice.

“One moment,” the agent says.

After almost fifteen seconds, the screen changes. Mike Grines’ face fills the screen. “Reeds, are you safe?” he asks almost just as instantaneously.

“For the moment, yes,” Spencer says. Then pushing his aside his personal feelings and grief he continues, “Sam is dead.”

“I’m sorry.” Grines pause for the moment before speaking again. “What is your current situation?”

“I’m working with Major Maykov,” the agent answers. “So far we are not having much luck with tracking anyone in particular down. I need you to contact Julius Claude from Interpol and have him get in contact with me.”

“I’m sorry to tell you this, Spencer, but Claude was found on a train decapitated,” the assistant director informs the man.

“Son of a bitch,” Spencer mumbles breathlessly.

“At the moment we can’t send any assistance to you,” Grines continues, ignoring the quiet outburst. “NATO hasn’t decided on the situation and our hands are tied. Doug needs resources that we just aren’t able to get right now and Roger is missing.”

“Roger?” Spencer echoes, reeling back in shock. “How?”

“I spoke to his secretary. She said Director McMillian contacted us and requested Roger meet with him,” Grines begins to explain. “Roger hasn’t reported in and no one has seen him since her left.

“Damn it,” Spencer says loudly, slamming his fist on the table and drawing the attention of more than one patron of the café. “Isn’t there any good news?”

“We’re not at war yet,” Grines offers, but no laugh comes from either of the men. “All I can suggest at the moment is keeping on to whatever leads you have. As soon as something becomes available, we’ll do what we can to help.”

“Then I’ll contact you when I have something,” Spencer announces.

“Good luck, Spencer, and stay alive,” Grines says encouragingly.

“I intend to.” Spencer closes the link and sits at the computer for a few more minutes. He doesn’t have much to go on and unless Jennifer finds something, he doesn’t know what they are going to do. After settling into a train of lost thought, he decides to head back to the safe house and when he arrives he finds the Russian agent waiting for him.

“Good news,” she says when he walks through the door. But upon seeing the almost frail look on the man’s face, her exuberance disappears. “What is it?” she asks.

“Claude was found dead,” Spencer mutters out. “It seems we all have a big red target on our backs.”

“I’m so sorry,” Jennifer offers. “I never worked with him, but I understand that he was a good agent.”

“What have you got?” Spencer asks, quickly changing the subject. He doesn’t want to linger with death while so much is at stake. Besides, time is of the essence.

“Not as much as we would like,” she grins. “Two of the missing men you are looking for have been spotted in Morhotlong in Lesotho. Now getting into the country won’t be easy, but through a contact in Vladivostok, we can get on a Russian sub that is headed for Cape Town. Once we are there we should be able to find local help to get to Lesotho.”