Behind Enemy Lines

Chapter 14 : Question marks

Caracas, Venezuela (Years ago)

Looking outside to the cityscape from the window of my room I felt a sense of peace within me. Silence, is an effective tool if used correctly, and in my case, the ability to calm myself down and listen to my thoughts. I have went through the financial records Ryan has mentioned before and the name Archer Industries kept popping up. What kind of relationship does Hammer Industries has in common with this Archer Industries? I asked myself. Andy has browsed through the legal papers regarding the transactions that caught Ryan's attention and too found this name. I checked my mother's journal for any information she had on Venezuela, if she ever have a mission there. She also listed out the name but she doodles question marks surrounding the word. Does mom knows what Archer is? Why the doodling of question marks?

I can't help but to start spinning my pen in my hand as I pondered the questions. I flipped to the second page and my questions somehow got answers. Known locations of Archer : United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Indonesia. What is the company's motives working with Hammer Tech? President Han doesn't like this. She wrote. Picking up my phone I dialed a number to the UK. "This is Roland Churchill." came a dry British voice.

"Hey, Uncle Roland? Is me, Isa."

"Ah, my lovely niece. Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Uncle Roland, you work for MI6 right?" I asked.

"Yes I am. Something I can help with?"

"Yes, there is. It's about this company called Archer, did mom mention the name to you before?"

"Archer?" Uncle Roland said, his voice a hint of surprise. "Where did you get it from?"

"You know my mom has a journal?" I asked him. Then I heard his sigh from the other side of the line.

"You inherited the book then." he said. "Archer from the journal."

"Yes, from the journal. Did you know anything? Mom doodles question marks all over it."

"Your mother and I have been chasing after Archer Industries for years Isa. We have nothing on the company."

"So, this is a cold case?" I asked.

"It is." he said, a bit disappointed. "But maybe you can solve this. A tad clue for you, we did find out a key member in the organization, a man with the name Simon Harris."

"What is his profession?"

"No idea." he replied. "But he is a British citizen."

"That narrows it down a little." I said. "Thank you uncle."

"You're welcome." he replied. "I know you're in Venezuela, I'll keep in touch with you."

"How did you-"

"As the new head of MI6 I know my operatives, as well as our foreign counterparts."

"Seriously?" I murmured.

"I can hear that." he interrupted. "My promotion came a week ago."

"Um... okay." I said.

"I'll patch the case to you, Doctor Stark."

"You found out my doctorate?"

"I can access your country's military database. Plus, Harvard Medical School has your name in it as part of a cooperation between MIT and the said school."

"Okay, you got me." I sighed. "Thank you for your help uncle."

"Goodbye, and good luck." he said, ending the call. I exhaled a breath after putting my phone down beside my mother's journal. Then the doorbell rung, indicating a guest was outside. Taking and hiding a gun behind my back I slowly opened the door.

"Hi, can we talk?" my dad asked, awkwardly. I lowered my gun and lets him in. I placed my gun on the table and he saw it. His eyes widened but he didn't say anything.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice turning icy.

"I think we should go somewhere open, so that nobody would raise suspicions." he offered.

"No more lies, just say what you're going to say and you'll be on your way out."

"I know who you are. Maybe you could need my help." he said.

"How can I trust you?" I asked him. "You are emotionally distant, you have a girlfriend which I don't care, you are not my father that I know and used to love."

"I pushed you away, I know. I want to make amends."

"It has been sixteen years. And now you're telling me that you're sorry?" I said, anger flaring up. "I have been through more pain than you can ever realize!" I shouted. "You didn't care about my life anymore ever since mom died. I had already walked away from the pain and you sprung out of freakin' nowhere!"

"Look, I know I'm late! And I'm sorry!" he shouted back. "God, I know I failed you Isa. Never again, just let me help you."

"Fine." I said, folding my arms.

"I hacked into the FBI's database after I heard Nat and Steve talking about you. What is your real profession?"

"You hacked in you tell me."

"The file labelled you as a fed agent, why be an attache?"

"It's my cover." I said. "The FBI suspected foreign influence in the presidential election in Venezuela. Ryan sent me and my partner to investigate."

"Foreign influence?"

"American influence." I said. "Julius and Ryan had a hunch that an American citizen is helping Audrey Fernandez to be elected."

"Who the hell is Julius? Who the hell is Ryan?"

"That's confidential." I said, still folding my arm. "We locked onto a potential suspect and we're now investigating him."

"I know you won't tell me who."

"What do you think?" I asked. "No further questions, please, leave now." I breathed a sigh of relief after he leaves and I went to Andy's room. He opened the door after a few knocks, looking like he had just woken from his sleep.

"Hey." he said, straightening himself when he saw me. "What's up?"

"I've got something from my informant in MI6." I said. "We need to talk about it."

"Let me call Ryan." he said. "I'll meet you at the conference room."