“Jessica,” said Robie, inclining his head slightly. “I take it you received the same invitation.”
“It wasn’t an invitation. It was an order. Did they send goons to bring you in?”
He shook his head.
“Then I guess they trust you more than they trust me.”
“We trust you both the same,” said a voice as the door opened and a woman in her early forties, with shoulder-length brown hair walked in carrying an electronic tablet. She was petite, about five-four and maybe a hundred and ten pounds, but lean and fit, and her wiry physique suggested a strength that belied her small size.
DD Amanda Marks. She shook each of their hands while Robie and Reel exchanged bemused looks.
“Thank you both for coming in so promptly.”
Reel said, “If I knew I had a choice I wouldn’t have. The four guys you sent after me didn’t provide any options.”
“Nevertheless, your cooperation is appreciated,” said Marks in a brisk tone.
Robie said, “I thought after the last mission we had some stand-down time?”
“You did and now that’s over.”
“So a new mission?” Reel said wearily.
“Not yet,” replied Marks. “First things first.”
“Meaning what?” asked Reel.
“Meaning that you both need to be what I would term recalibrated.”
Robie and Reel exchanged another glance. He said, “You recalibrate instruments.”
“You are instruments. Of this agency.”
“And we need recalibration why, exactly?” asked Reel.
Marks had not made eye contact with them before, even when shaking their hands. She had either looked down or over their shoulders. It was disconcerting, but the tactic was not unexpected by either Robie or Reel.
Now Marks stared directly at them. And to Robie she had the eyes of someone who had spent time behind a long-range scope at some point in her career.
“You really want to waste my time and yours asking crap like that?” she said in a low, even voice.
Before either of them could respond Marks said, “You both went rogue on us.” She turned to look at Reel. “You killed one of our analysts and my predecessor.”
She turned next to stare at Robie. “And you aided and abetted her after being sent out to terminate her. In the aftermath of that situation, we had the decision to terminate or rehabilitate. The decision to rehabilitate was made. I’m not saying I agree with it, but I am here to implement it.”
“I guess so much for our being awarded the CIA’s highest honor,” said Robie.
“Congratulations,” said Marks. “I have one in my closet too. But that’s history. I’m concerned only with the present and the future. Yours. You’ve been given an unbelievable offer. There are some people here who desperately want you to screw up so other plans can be put into motion.”
“I can guess who one of them is,” said Reel. “Your boss, Evan Tucker.”
“And there are others here who hope you succeed and become productive members of this organization once more.”
“And what camp are you in?” Robie asked.
“Neither. I’m Switzerland. I will lead your rehab, but the outcome is entirely up to both of you. I don’t really care which way it goes. Up, down, or sideways. It doesn’t matter one iota to me.”
Reel nodded. “Comforting. But you report directly to Evan Tucker.”
“In a sense everyone here reports directly to him. But I can assure you that you will have a full and fair opportunity to be rehabilitated. Whether you are or not is up to you.”
Robie said, “And exactly whose idea was this? If it was Tucker’s I really can’t see how the process will be fair in any way.”
“Without going into details I can tell you that a compromise was reached at the very highest level. You have powerful friends, Mr. Robie. You know exactly who I’m talking about. But there are also powerful forces aligned against both of you.” She looked at Reel. “Some who want nothing more than to see you executed for your past actions. If I’m not making myself crystal clear, please stop me.”
Neither Robie nor Reel spoke.
She continued. “Those forces collided and the result was this compromise. Rehab. Do or die. Up to you. Pretty generous, actually, in my humble opinion.”
“I didn’t think anyone trumped the president,” said Robie.
“Politics is a dirty, ruthless business, Agent Robie. It makes the intelligence sector look relatively honorable by comparison. While it’s true that the president is the thousand-pound gorilla, there are lots of big beasts in this playground. And the president has an agenda he wants to push through, and that means he has to make concessions. In the grand scheme of