Chapter 496

Section 12 was experiencing what I had come to call data overload. Data was in from everywhere. Dissecting it and sending to the right person was a monumental task.

Progress was being made in the search for the new suicide vests. Two more had been found in Rochester. So far none of the mobile IEDs had been found, nor any trace of Balthazar Khamini or Raed Jabbour.

The news was filled with video from the seven centers being razed and loaded into dumpsters as fast as they could be. The equipment was moved in under the cover of darkness and at first light the destruction started.

My federal attorney had a courier hand-delivered letter to each area’s planning and zoning department that it was happening by order of the Federal Court at the request of the terrorism task force with a list of the statutes that applied.

Still, people were not happy. In Baltimore people were demonstrating but it was too late. The contractor had deployed plenty of equipment and put the entire building on the ground before the morning rush hour.

Fencing companies were going to surround the vacant lots with chain link fence as soon as the contractors were finished.

I had just refreshed my mug in time to answer my phone, “This is Mayor Blum of Baltimore, what in the hell do you think you are doing tearing down the learning center and seizing the property?” he asked.

“Missing vests, unexploded ordnance, missing IEDs, rumors from some that some explosives were hidden in the walls settled the case. Our experience with Saif is that he leaves booby traps. I am not risking the lives and bodies of any more personnel,” I replied.

“There was not enough notice; there should have been hearings for public comment. You cannot do this stuff in Baltimore and get away with it! We are going to sue you and the federal government,” the Mayor yelled into the phone.

“You might want to save that money to increase your personal protection detail. There is an alert list coming out in the next few days of high value targets captured from various intercepts. Certain mayors of big cities are on that list and Baltimore is one of them.”

“If you aren’t wearing military grade body armor, I would suggest you get it, today. If you aren’t using an armored SUV I would suggest you get one and quadruple the size of your security detail,” I said just before I hung the phone up, not waiting for a response.

I handled three more calls from the cities with centers getting razed before lunch. I decided on salad for lunch from White House cafeteria. There was no need to hustle a bunch of agents outside to go get lunch anywhere.

At 1400 there was a knock on the door. “I told you so. The press is hammering the spokesman; he sent a note for me to give to you,” Troy said as he handed me the note.

It was short in all caps, “HELP get BJ she started this mess,” Troy was laughing as I read it.

I walked to the podium, “Harry had nothing to do with the news conference I gave this morning so back off. What’s the damn problem?”

Someone in the back weakly yelled, “There are no donuts or coffee.”

“When I have a news conference for you guys there will be coffee and donuts. I establish my own rules for my news conferences and perks,” I replied.

“Why didn’t we get a news conference?” someone else called out, “That’s not fair.”

“You were not standing out in the cold waiting for me. There was too much risk for me to address them out there. I promised the group a statement and I try to keep my promises,” I replied.

“All of this should signal that I march to the beat of different drummer. I do things my way - to hell with what others think,” I said.

“Enough complaining; I have a few minutes for questions and a tight schedule.”

“Melinda.”

“BJ has there been any more information about the bounty they put on you?”

“I’m still breathing, so no one has collected it yet,” I replied to laughs.

“No changes that I know of,” I added.

“Marley;”

“How are all the bodyguards going to work out with your holiday shopping?”

“I admit it may be tough shopping at Victoria’s Secrets with 20 armed bodyguards, as thorough as they are. I can just imagine them checking out the panties for pins and poisons and checking out the dressing rooms,” I said to a room full of laughs.

“It might be a good thing that I do not wear panties. I don’t think Victoria’s could stand such a commotion,” I replied.

“So you are still planning on shopping even with the threats?” Marley asked.

“Marley, you have known me for a long time, have you ever seen me back away from a threat?” I responded.

“No Ma-am. You usually meet them head on and then call the ambulances to carry them away,” Marley replied.

“This is no different; you cannot cower in the corner afraid. I will meet the challenge and move on,” I replied.