CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

“Emelia, we’d like to offer you the position of Assistant Director,” said the man seated before her.

“Assistant Director?” she frowned. “I don’t have nearly enough experience for that. There are dozens of other agents more qualified for that role. I respectfully decline. Please accept my resignation.”

“Emelia, you’re a wonderful agent. Surely, we can entice you to stay,” he smiled. Sebastian was seated beside her, her father, Hex, Baptiste, and Matthew in the room as well. “I’m certain your family sees the wisdom in this.”

“What my family sees is a man who is attempting to cover up one of the most heinous acts I’ve ever seen,” said Emelia calmly. The director stared at her, swallowing as she continued. “Did you think we wouldn’t find it? Thousands of files were hidden in that warehouse. Thousands.”

“Files? Emelia, it was drugs, guns, cash, a few electronics. That’s all.”

“That’s not all. Thousands of paper and electronic files hidden from the public. Hidden so that you and all the other fucking agencies could so graciously cooperate with one another. Government employees robbed of their true benefits. Millions of elderly patients were not given the care they needed and deserved.

“And you hid it all. Carefully removed from file cabinets when it was all paper, then electronically transferred to some pit of doom. Millions. You’ve been doing this for years.”

The men in the room stared at him as he stood, believing that he could actually walk out. Instead, he spotted the six military MPs on the other side of the door.

“I’m not in the military. They have no authority over me,” he said calmly.

“According to the President of the United States, they do. He sent them. Not me.” Emelia was so calm and cool. Sebastian thought it was the hottest thing he’d ever seen.

“You’re so na?ve, Emelia. Do you honestly believe that the system we have in place will be able to support your grandparents, parents, hell, you? Do you? Because it won’t. Tough decisions had to be made, and a group of us who believed decided to make those decisions long ago. We can’t support the entire world.”

“No one asked you to. But supporting those in our country who have contributed to the very programs you’re denying them full access to is not out of the question. I’m not na?ve, director. I’m honest. I’m direct. I’m by the book. But na?ve, I am not.

“I think you forget who I am and who my father is. Who my grandfather is. And all my other aunts, uncles, and beloved friends. We are anything but na?ve. We have seen the worst the world has to offer. To think that the worst I would see would be in my own backyard, in my own country, is despicable.”

“I’ve given everything to my country!” he said, pounding his fist on the desk.

“Everything?” smirked Baptiste. “You’ve given barely anything at all. You graduated from Georgetown with a law degree, became an agent, and just climbed the ladder. You own a three-point-nine-million-dollar home in Fredericksburg and drive an eighty-thousand-dollar foreign sedan.

“Your vacations last year included Capri, the Maldives, and others, to name a few. You’ve given nothing, but it seems you got a great deal. I agree with Emelia. You’ve forgotten who you’re dealing with. We know everything about you. Everything. Including those that worked with you on this little experiment of yours.”

“It wasn’t an experiment. We formulated a plan that saved the system. Saved millions and millions of dollars, if not billions.”

“And killed people,” said Sebastian.

“Did people die? Yes. Old people who were so sick no amount of treatment would have saved them. Why would we spend thousands of dollars on medications and treatments for someone who wouldn’t survive.”

“I wonder if you would have said that had it been someone in your family,” said Hex, sneering at the man. He only laughed.

“See, that’s the difference between you and me. I made that decision. I made the decision to deny my wife’s care for lung disease. I denied care for my own father when he had a stroke. I made that decision! I made it because it was the right decision to make.”

Emelia just stared at the man who’d been the director of the FBI for nearly six years now. She’d met him a handful of times and never suspected he was capable of anything so disturbing.

“You nearly make me lose faith in humanity,” said Matthew. “Nearly. Then I see these fine young people standing around here and know that we’re in good hands. Fine hands.”

“Who are you again?” asked the arrogant man.

“No one important,” smiled Matthew. “But I should tell you that your wife and father are ashamed of you. They’re embarrassed by your actions.”

“They’re dead,” he said coldly.

“I know. Your father said to tell you that he intentionally left more to your sister, knowing that somehow you were behind all of this.” He stared at Matthew, trying to reason how he would know such information. “He also said that the coins he collected are still in a secure location that only your sister’s son is aware of. They belong to him now.”

“No. You can’t know that.”

“Your wife. Now, she’s another story. She’d like to ask for your forgiveness.”

“My forgiveness? For what?”

“For cheating on you with your assistant director, Chet Myers. They were happy together for almost twenty years while you ignored her and stole from those most important to you. She also wanted me to tell you that the lump you felt should have been checked on years ago. It’s malignant.”

He gasped, stumbling backwards against his chair.

“Wh-who are you?” he whispered.

“No one important,” repeated Matthew. Hex opened the door, and the MPs came in, carting the director away.

Emelia leaned against the desk, gripping the edge with her hands. She shook her head, sick at what they’d discovered. This had been happening for years. How many people died because someone else held their fate in their hands?

“I need to go home,” said Emelia. “I need to hug my sisters.”

“Then let’s get my girl home,” said Sebastian, kissing her temple.

As they left FBI headquarters, the director was being read his rights and placed in handcuffs into the back of a car. It would be months of testimony and trials ahead, but hopefully, he would live long enough to be found guilty and hear the verdict.

“Matthew? How did you know all that information in there?” asked Hex.

“Baptiste found out from family,” said Matthew calmly. “I thought it might be helpful when the time came.”

They were too tired to question it any further. Gathering their belongings from the hotel, they waited for their ride home at the small municipal airport. When the jet landed, Alistair was surprised to see Clark piloting.

“Now’s your time, brother,” smiled Brix. He looked at his friend and nodded. As he started to move forward, Brix and Major held the others back. “Give him a minute.”

“Hi there,” she smiled, looking up at him. “You guys have had quite an interesting few days.”

“Yeah. It’s been – strange.”

“Strange can be hard,” she said quietly. “Are you okay?”

“I am. Thank you for asking. Are you alright? Are you settling in okay?” he asked.

“I think I am. It’s a lot all at once. The place is huge, and I’ve gotten lost a dozen times,” she laughed. “In the air, I’m good. On the ground, I’m a lost goose.”

“Well, lost geese are my specialty,” he smiled. “Would you like to have dinner with me when we get back? It can be at the cafeteria or anywhere. I’d just like to get to know you.”

She swallowed hard, staring up at him, then nodded.

“I think I’d like the cafeteria if that’s okay. The food is so great there.”

“I couldn’t agree more. I just need to drop my gear when we get back and shower. Six-thirty okay?”

“I’ll be waiting on my front porch.” They stood, just smiling at one another for a few moments when Major finally cleared his throat.

“Hey, uh, can we go home now?” Alistair laughed, shaking his head.

“Yeah. Let’s go home.”