Road To Reelection : Fragile Relations

Chapter 19 : The big meeting

The White House, Washington DC (Years ago)

The skies were gray when the SUV enters the White House's perimeter. Looking out from the window I take a good look at the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States, known as Castle to the Secret Service. "Can you believe that this place has been rebuilt and reconstructed? It's still standing even though it was set on fire in the 1800s?" asked a way more enthusiastic Andy. 

"Lecture me on that again and I'll break your jaw." I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. "This isn't your first time repeating the same subject."

"Duncan, you're an avid fan. We got it." Ryan said. "I need you to be clear in the head a hundred percent." 

"Right, national emergency." The SUV stopped in front of the North Entrance and two Secret Service agents are standing by the door. Assistant Director Ryan Carey got out first and engaged in a conversation with the agents. Then he turned and gave us a sign to get down from the car. Taking the briefcases containing the downloaded data from the USB stick obtained from the defector in exchange for political asylum which according to our director Julius Harkavy's words 'The DHS wasn't happy but agreed in the end.'

As this is a formal meeting with the DNI we wore business suits for the occasion. Andy's favourite color is navy blue so he wore his outfit in the same color except his white shirt and pair of black oxfords. But the odd thing is, why are the Secret Service agents interested in me? Like some kind of people on a protective or watch list. I looked down at my suit, which wasn't weird in color, charcoal in color. We wore our ID tags on our necks, making them visible for the agents. We entered a small room designed for security checks and underwent a complete and thorough checks. A woman is standing outside the room when we emerged from the room after the security clearance. "Catherine." Ryan greeted. "They are the analysts Julius mentioned to you in the email. I'm sure that you have seen their photos?"

"Yes." the woman responds. "Yes I have."

"Andy, Isabella, Director of National Intelligence Catherine Eckhart."

"A pleasure ma'am." Andy said. I nodded in response. I have no doubt that the DNI has already cross referenced our names with the database as a precaution but she shared the same look as the agents outside. 

"If the information you have is true I know why Ryan Carey trusted the both of you to take part in this, follow me." the DNI said. Entering the West Wing she led us to a small room and locked the door as soon as we entered. "As much as I'm concerned, we shouldn't inform the President about this."

"Fair enough." I said. Opening the briefcase I laid out the papers but presented a transaction statement to the waiting DNI. 

"What is this?" she asked. "This is bank statement young lady."

"Sorry madam. I'm not finished." Taking out a leather bound journal I opened it and turned to the third page. "This isn't a South Korean bank ma'am. It's a North Korean bank account."

"I lost you." she said. "This isn't related to our problem."

"What if, madam, if the North Koreans had paid an assassin to do the job?" I asked. "This account is a shell but someone, definitely North Korea, owns this account."

"I'm listening."

"And we have a photo on this man." Andy entered the conversation, opening the briefcase and sliding a surveillance photo towards the DNI. "He took the cash from the bank."

"I see no difference." the DNI stoically replied. "You have to be careful, this transaction is in the millions." still Andy pointed at the second photo and now the DNI noticed the same man walking out of the bank and with a briefcase. 

"We cross referenced this man's ID with the South Koreans but they say this man doesn't exist." Andy explained. "His name is Lee Myung Jong but this guy doesn't exist anymore, the passport we found is a forgery."

"What is his name then?" the DNI asked.

"Park Jun Min. His name appeared when we cross referenced his face with the South Koreans. Turns out they have an arrest warrant for him as well."

"What count?"

"Fraud, murder." Andy said. "He killed some man in his past before fleeing North Korea."

"I dug deeper into this account and the shell account is actually owned by a spy ring. DPRK has a spy ring and the assassin is another case. The DPRK is more than willing to pay to eliminate their enemy."

"Including world leaders." Ryan finished the sentence. "But they didn't succeed."

"Rangoon for example." I said. "They tried to bomb the South Korean embassy in London."

"Hang on, there's a bomb threat?" Andy asked.

"I was nine years old when that happened." I said. "My mom took me to visit Trafalgar Square and Big Ben." Only Ryan knows who my mother is hence the worrying expression I now see on his face. 

"This is very alarming news analysts. Did you manage to find anything about the DPRK spy ring?"

"It's quite a horrifying answer, if you're prepared to hear it."

"Go on." 

"They have agents here in the United States. They are also suspected in kidnapping North Korean refugees and taking them back."

"My God." the DNI said. "How long?"

"I can only estimate madam. Roughly a period of ten years, after former President Bush removed North Korea from the list."

"God, our enemy has been infiltrating our country since that long. I need to brief the President about this."

"You kids deserve a promotion." Ryan said. 

"On that thought, I want experts like this on the North Korean task force." the DNI said without warning.

"Not on my watch Catherine." Ryan said. "I've told Harkavy hands off."

"I'm not asking for a fight Ryan." the DNI glared at him. "The plan is still in development. If they can work as consultants based on their analyst background."

"We can work with that." Andy said.

"Totally." I said in agreement. 

"Then it's settled." the DNI said with a smile of satisfaction. "Right now-" but before she can finish the lights in the room went out, shrouding the room in complete darkness.