Chapter 9

Chuck – Tuesday

Bud talked to me early in the morning about what progress had been made. There were three distinct groups involved. Bud asked, "Can you come up, it would be easier to show you what I have face to face and graphically?"

"Okay, my schedule is pretty loose right now. I'll be up about noon and we'll work as long as necessary. Ah, do me a favor and book me a room for tonight. That way you'll know we have all the time you need to go over all the details."

When I called Wanda to let her know what my schedule was going to be, she told me to call John as he was looking for me. Wonder why he didn't call my cell phone like he usually does.

When John answered, I said, "Hey, John, Chuck."

"Thanks for calling, Chuck. The Director was asking about your status on the Chicago and Detroit project. What do you have for me?"

I advised John, "I'm headed up to Chicago to get briefed right now. I should have something to report later this afternoon or this evening."

"Hang on a second; let me ask the Director something."

John put me on hold and I heard band marches while waiting. John always was funny about his marching music. When he came back on the phone, he asked, "Can you come by D.C. and pick us up on the way? The Director wants the information first hand, so we want to be in the briefing as well."

"No problem, John. I'll swing by Andrews on the way. It's eight forty-five now, I'll be there at ten thirty. That should give you two enough time to get ready."

"Whew, that's fast. Um, make it eleven, as I don't have a travel bag with me. As it is, we'll have to get a helicopter to get us to our places and out to Andrews on time. We'll see you at eleven."

Since I was still at home, it was easy for me. I put a change of clothes into a bag and called the air charter office to get the plane ready. DeDe said, "I almost chartered it this morning. Good thing they had a group of eight or you would be stuck with something else. How long will you have it?"

"If everything works out, I'll be back late tomorrow morning. I'll do two things while I'm gone. I'll try to figure out what my travel schedule is going to look like, and I'll push to see about getting another plane. It's really too bad everything has to happen 'yesterday', since I would be just as happy flying something smaller."

DeDe said, "You're logging so many hours lately that you need another plane to do leasebacks to us to pay for your expenses. I hope you're charging for your travel expenses. You're really racking them up."

I answered, "I'll make sure Wanda has me covered. It would be a shame to lose money on the deal. I do love to fly though. How about filing for me? I'll be going to Andrews, then to the little Executive airfield on the east side of Chicago"

"Gotcha covered. If you're picking up people in D.C., do you want a right seat? I have Star or Lisa available today. No lessons and all the charters are out."

"No need DeDe, this is just a quickie meeting for some information that needs to be given face to face."

DeDe was smiling, "Lisa will be disappointed, but the plane will be ready."

I was about to get into the car when I had a change of heart. Back inside the house I hollered, "Lisa, you here?"

Lisa came from her room with tall Lena following. "What's up, Chuck?"

"If you want to fly right seat with me, I have a trip up to D.C. then over to Chicago. We'll be coming back tomorrow, so it will be an overnight."

Lisa's face broke into a smile and she said, "I'll be ready in five. I've got a bag packed."

Lena said, "I wish I could come along, but I guess school is more important."

"You know it, Lena. It seems like it takes forever, but you'll be rewarded for sticking to it."

Lisa came back into the kitchen dressed in her uniform, with her small pull along bag and flight case. "I'm ready, let's roll."

At the airport, we did the preflight together checking for write-ups and notations in the logbook. Lisa and I had flown so much together that we went through the startup procedures smoothly and easily. We were calling for taxi and runway access in a few minutes.

We touched down at Andrews at eleven ten and were directed to the operations building. A tanker was waiting for us and came out to top us off. Lisa watched the refueling while I went in to get John and the Director. An air marshal was waiting for me and said their helicopter would be landing out by the Lear any minute.

As I was walking back to the plane, the familiar shape of a Huey was getting ready to set down about a hundred feet from the painted up Learjet. As soon as the helicopter landed, the side door opened, dropped a stairway, followed by John and the Director stepping off with their bags.

When John and the Director got to the plane, Lisa took their bags and put them into the aft storage compartment. I put the two men into the front seats where the computer terminals were and let the computer give them the standard safety information.

The Director asked, "Since you have help flying today, can you sit back here with us so we can talk about some things?"

I said, "Sure, let me help get this bird in the air and I'll come back."

Lisa was starting to get into the right seat but I told her she was going to captain the bird. "Fly the left seat and I'll help us get up. They want to talk on the way."

Lisa said, "Push the button on the coffee pot. By the time we're at flight level, the coffee will be ready. You know I have to have my coffee."

"Sorry about not getting you any on the way up here, Lisa. I forgot."

Lisa was grinning, "That's okay, I already had plenty this morning. It's just time for more now."

As soon as we departed Andrews and D.C. airspace, climbing to our assigned altitude, I got up and served coffee to everyone and got a cup for myself. Sitting back with the two men, I suggested we get into the rear seats so we could face each other and use the center table.

The Director started off, "Chuck, I know you don't want to leave the Marshal Service, but we could really use you in the Bureau. You're damn near too young to be in charge of everyone the way you are, but your supervision is more from a frontline organizational position."

John intruded, "You have been instrumental in leading and teaching men in both services. I know you've been invaluable to the Marshal Service."

The Director continued, "John and I want you to consider moving your office to D.C. and working closer with us. Homeland Security is going to be separate from your supervision and will be handling all of their own administration. They are taking over the air marshal duties. I think John will gladly let them, considering their current methods. An air marshal has to be trained and experienced, so the Marshal Service will still be in charge of training. Homeland is to hire your older deputies for the positions. The men you have been using for air marshal duties will already be trained and are accustomed to the requirements. They will be covering more flights than are currently covered, so that portion of Homeland will increase in numbers."

John spoke up again, "You know the whole administration has changed now, with new people heading up everything except the Marshal Service and the Bureau. The Marshal Service is usually pretty immune to politics but the Bureau is considered a cherry for someone. The good news is that they have decided to keep the Director."

I offered, "So you want me to come to D.C. and get involved in all the politics and forget about protecting the citizens? I can't do much for us sitting behind a desk."

The Director said, "You would be doing more than sitting behind a desk. You would be flying John and me all over the country. You would be involved in every major decision we both make. We could get double duty out of you for flying us around and working with us in the field."

I sat back in my chair and looked at John. He wouldn't even look me in the eye. I said, "Okay, you two, what's really going on?" John looked me in the eye to tell me the straight scoop, but I spoke first. "What's this bullshit about me flying you guys around? Are we going to be using me and an airplane for taxi service or what?"

John looked at the Director then he said, "To be truthful, your job may be excess. It's possible that since Homeland and their divisions will be separate, your job may not be required. Before, you were involved in multiple offices in most cities. If you only have responsibility for the Bureau and Marshal offices, some folks may feel your job is unnecessary."

The Director said, "Some factions are even trying to draw the Bureau and the Marshal Service from the Department of Justice into Homeland Security."

A little aggravated, I said, "Look, the Attorney General is the big guy with a structure that trickles down a long line. As far as law enforcement goes, we do everything except immigration, and we get called out to help them all the time. I think you Bureau guys work at getting a line on things and making it your case before immigration gets wind of it. So far, John, I've worked with ATF, DEA, the FBI, and our offices. I do direct supervision of our stuff, and only assist with Bureau offices. I help out with budgets and real estate for all of them, but even that's limited as you have someone that does most of the real estate. There's no way the Attorney General is going to let the four divisions of law enforcement out of the Department of Justice."

The Director said, "What DOJ really wants is to put you into either the Inspector General's office or the Justice Management Division."

"That's not even a deputy marshal position. What would I do there? Count paperclips or just review paperwork?"

John leaned back, "If you were given a choice of leaving government employment totally or coming to D.C. in one of those offices, what would you do?"

I didn't even hesitate, "Easy, I'd try to go to work at the employment office or perhaps apply as a regular deputy. I could be happy doing that. I don't want to move to D.C. and I prefer to work in the field as I have been. You are going to be hearing about a group of people that are smuggling people in and out of the country, helping federal prison escapees flee the country, organized crime doing business with terrorists groups, and foreign organized crime syndicate people making an attempt to take over local criminal factions. When we get done with this briefing, I want you to consider everything we are up against and you decide whether I need to be front line for the Marshal Service or not here at all."

The Director puffed up a little and said, "That's pretty strong for a guy that we stuck up for to keep you around."

John said, "Yeah, we stuck up for him and he was involved in multiple incidents that were co-handled by your people and mine. Without Chuck at those locations, what would have been our personnel loss? Just the Texas operation alone could have killed a dozen or so of our men. Either that or we would have muffed it so bad the buildings would still be standing and the operation would still be shipping kids across the border. Chuck's right, we need to stand up to those people who question us about his job."

John looked around and said, "Have Wanda document every major incident you managed this last year. Make sure she documents every one that I've sent you on and that you became involved in. Have that on my desk by Friday. I'll add some information on it and have our Marshal add more to it as well. You're right, Chuck, we need you to do exactly what you're doing. Even if you're just directing and pushing buttons, we need your expertise."

"Jesus, this is going to be one hell of a selling job," the Director said. "If we could get that lady at Homeland off our asses we wouldn't be having this conversation."

I offered, "Look the only time we step on her toes is when there is immigration involved. If she doesn't want our help, then we do the take downs before the border and shut down anything that even resembles smuggling. We just won't deal with any illegals except those that might end up in our lockups. It's either that or there are no witnesses. I'd prefer to just lock them up and hand them over to immigration. They might let them go, but that's their problem. If we keep taking them down, they'll eventually point a weapon at us the wrong way."

John and the Director looked at each other, and then the Director said, "We never had this conversation."

John asked, "Do you have anymore coffee?"

I went for more coffee for Lisa, John, and the Director, then used the computer to advise Wanda of what John wanted. She instantly answered the e-mail, saying she had been keeping a running record and it would be compiled and sent by tomorrow.

After advising John and the Director, I went back up front to prepare for landing. Lisa said, "Airspace is really packed today. We are to approach at the lowest level on a twenty mile approach. We're nearing the marker now."

As soon as we were down and parked, I gave Lisa the name of the hotel we had reservations at. She said she had some friends she wanted to say hi to, but should be back to the hotel by six in case she would be invited to supper.

One of Bud's men was waiting for us and drove us straight to the S&S shop near the airport. The local S&S manager had loaned the service the use of a couple of rooms and a conference room. It was there that Bud had the information set up with U.S. and Canadian maps, plus a map of the area of Chicago and Detroit.

Bud immediately began detailing what he had originally found, and then launched into the total picture. "D.C. has been working on the ownership of the rental house in New Jersey. The place is owned by a local business man, Makeem Abdul Bodemo. The place is restocked after each escapee passes through. A cleaning company comes to the house once a week, spends about an hour cleaning and restocking it if someone has used the place. The surveillance team there has now penetrated the house on several occasions and found the clothing stashes and cash, waiting for the next escapee."

"While the Bureau of Prisons was reinforcing their security, we discovered a guard who works three to eleven that has ties to the house owner, Bodemo. The guard, a Mr. Hakim, and Bodemo use the same mosque. We have observed the two together on several occasions. We are watching him now and have his home and cell phones tapped."

Here in Chicago, we now know one congressman is aware of what people in his local office do. When he is in town, he has contact with some Russian immigrants who are known to be involved in criminal activity. In addition, the man has contacts with some local Muslim groups. The Muslims he's dealing with must be bottom feeders, since other Muslim groups here in the city have rejected them. They now have their own mosque, complete with imam. I mention this since we have detected cell like activities from this group. The Bureau is currently investigating them in depth."

"The Chicago warehouse is actually owned by the congressman, but is leased to a suspected Bratva group. Their security is very good, but because of the layout, we can take it down easily without any casualties on our side. We have a plan for when we take it."

"Between here and Detroit, we've found a cell headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan. An escapee will sometimes stop off there for a day or two before being transported on to Detroit. The Bureau has set up shop and is monitoring the house. They have detected that there are arms within the house, along with various components to make bombs. Finding this place is just a bonus for us."

Detroit is nasty. The Russians own the warehouse on the U.S. side, and the Muslims own a warehouse on the Canadian side. While we have been watching the two buildings, we have reason to believe they are constructing, or have constructed, a tunnel between the two warehouses. I don't know how they could have dug a tunnel over a mile long under the river but we have observed an individual going into the States' side warehouse, then later the same day, exiting the Canadian warehouse. We could have missed him going between the two areas, but I doubt it."

"If we take these two buildings it will have to be done at the same time because of the possible connection. The Canadian authorities are willing to work with us, but say we must be able to do it quickly and with as little bloodshed as possible. The infiltration of Muslim radicals within their government has reached a point where loyal law enforcement officers are afraid for their lives and jobs."

"That covers it. Jim Blake, Chuck's second, has worked up plans to take down each of the facilities and a plan to raid the one congressman's office and home. The second congressman is not a part of this and routinely avoids dealing with the other congressman. He receives some monetary support from the same people as the other congressman. Since we've almost completely shut down escapes from the minimum security facilities, I think we should act soon. We need to take the local offices, the warehouses, the house up in Battle Creek, and the New Jersey house and businesses simultaneously. When we do this, we need to increase security at all prison facilities and lock down the minimum security locations."

John and the Director were looking at each other when Bud asked me, "Chuck, let's go over the take down plans and do this quickly. We're tracking five men in two vehicles heading south in Canada, out of Edmonton toward Calgary. They'll be crossing into Montana by tomorrow. I want to take these guys out on the road up in Montana, but the loss of contact with a group this large will alert everyone. We can't take the Canadian mosques, but we can take everything else."

The Director said, "Can we put it all together that fast?"

Bud said, "I have a team to bring in the people in New Jersey, including the cleaning company. I think one of the employees there is an escapee anyway. We have teams for the congressman's offices, his home, and his secretary's home and private office. We have teams ready for the warehouse here and in Detroit. We'll only have to coordinate with the Canadians and it's a go."

John asked, "What do we have to do to get the Canadians to go?"

Bud said, "It's all arranged. They have a task force that has trained for this event and is ready. We can do this with them at every location."

John asked, "How much time would it take to set this up to go?"

"Like I said, it's set up. It'll take an hour or so for the Canadians to set up and about that long to get all of the teams in place for a simultaneous take down. Both sides will have to have boats in the water to make sure none escape by boat. We can satellite phone the chase car up in western Canada and take down the cars there. We can go in an hour to an hour and a half."

The Director said, "John, let's do this right now. I'd like to be in Detroit for that part of it, but let's put Chuck at a desk so he isn't involved in any nasty stuff. If we screw up, we'll know we should have had him."

I said, "Use Jim to lead the group you're going with. He'll protect your butts the same as I would. Bud, what part are you going to take, and where?"

Bud said, "I need to be a part of the congressman's arrest. The take down needs to be fast and quiet. We'll stash the guy in a holding cell as fast as possible to keep him alive, as he's going to be a target immediately. I'll stay here with the three groups that will do this area, I have a team to take down Battle Creek and there is already a team ready for the Detroit warehouse, as well as the local cell house. How about we do this at four this afternoon so we can use the increase in traffic as cover?"

I looked at Jim and asked, "You all right with this? Since I won't be with you, you'll have your neck stuck out."

Jim gave me a half grin, "No restrictions, right? Use what force is necessary, right?"

I smiled back, ignoring the alarm on John's and the Director's faces, "You do the job however it has to be done. Take no chances and keep your men safe."

John said, "I'm going in with you, Jim, but you're in charge. I'll watch your back and if I'm with you, you'll have my say that you acted correctly." John turned to the Director, "Want to put on a vest and join us?"

The Director said, "No, I'll watch from a distance. I think my action days are behind me."

John said, "Chuck, you can fly us to Detroit and stay with the Director. Let's get this show on the road."

Bud began making his calls while I called Lisa to advise her we were heading for Detroit. She said she would have the flight plan filed, the plane ready to go, and warmed up by the time we arrived at the airport.

Jim was putting his vest on while I asked if there was an extra vest for the Director. I didn't want him anywhere near live fire without one. John picked up a rifle and some magazines, along with two extra Glock magazines. A deputy hauled us to the airport where Lisa was waiting in the plane with the engines already started.

The flight to Detroit was quick. It took longer to take off and land than the flight itself. A deputy met us, so we began hauling gear to an SUV. The Director asked me, "Why do you have your arms case? You're going to be an observer."

I nodded, but answered, "If anything goes wrong, or if our position is compromised, I'll be prepared with more than my sidearm."

John looked at me and raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

The deputy drove straight to the warehouse district and pulled into a large warehouse. We were ushered up some steps to a large platform full of telescopes, cameras, and communications equipment. The equipment was being manned by FBI personnel who were instantly very defensive about having the Director there. I told them, "Treat the Director just like you'd treat any observer. He's here to be a part of this, so let's get to work and double check our positions one last time. You've met Jim and know his background. He and John are going to lead this side, so let Jim take over from here."