The Unseen

Chapter 3: A Closer Look

7/28/13

Madrid, Spain

823am CET

Alejandro Cortez walked into the doorway of the non-descript building and toward the office that Lieutenant MacDougal and station chief Connally were at.  He was very apprehensive about this meeting.  What can I tell them?  That I'm no closer to finding out what happened? He thought.  Or what they already know?   He never thought that this could happen in his country, and as a sworn officer it was his job to protect and serve.  His Thoughts continued to wander, but he was quickly brought back to reality when he entered Connally's office.  He saw Connally and MacDougal standing.

"Sit down officer Cortez."  MacDougal offered.

Uh oh.  Cortez thought.  "Am I in some sort of trouble?"

"Quite the opposite Alejandro."  A familiar female voice said.

What the?   He saw his commanding officer Inspector Luisa Maryelys Soleto.

"Ma'am."  Cortez immediately stood to salute his superior, but Inspector Sotelo waved him off.

"Please."  She said smiling at him.  "Sit down Alejandro.  You are not in any trouble."  Cortez looked around the room and saw three people nodding in unison.  Relieved, he sat back down, and so did everyone else in the room.

The Inspector continued.  "As you know, this attack on our soil has put fear into the country, and has caused quite a stir in the International community."

"Yes Ma'am. It has been hard for us to come up with any useful info."

"Well, Chief Connally and Lieutenant MacDougal have provided us with some very valuable information that may help."  She handed him a manila folder.

Hmmm.  Cortez thought as he looked at the contents of the folder.  "The assailant is just a college-age young man." 

"Correct."  MacDougal added.  We suspect that there may be a terrorist organization operating in Spain, but based somewhere else."

"Where?"

"North America.  More specifically, the United States."

Cortez raised and eyebrow and frowned.  "You're certain?"

"It is just a working theory at this time."  Connally intervened.  "We are working on some leads, but nothing concrete except the information in that folder."  Connally pointed to Cortez's left hand.

Cortez looked at his superior, then Connally, and then the Lieutenant and knew what was coming.  He waited, and the Lieutenant pretty much answered his question.

" We know of your dual citizenship."  MacDougal said matter-of-factly.  Another raised eyebrow and a frown from Cortez.  "Have you heard of Eclipse?"

"Can't say that I have."  Cortez answered sardonically.  "i have not been in that community in a very long time."

"Not that community Alejandro."  MacDougal smiled. Happy to catch the usually collected Cortez off guard.  "This is an anti-terror group that exists in the US.  It's operative come from many different branches of service, and from many countries, England and Germany to name just a couple.  Myself, and Chief Connally are part of this group.  Carl Donnelly is a part of this group.  We operate outside the scope of ANY law enforcement agency.  We hunt terrorist organizations and we eliminate them with extreme prejudice.  We operate in secrecy.  There are six teams in this group: Epsilon, Echelon, Raptor, Havok, Storm, and Unseen.  Unseen is our top and most recently active team, and they are the best."