"Don't think I won't."
"Don't think I'm scared," she snapped back, eyes blazing. "Michael, we have the damned thing. The threat was stopped. You will get the credit. Get off my ass."
The phone on the director's desk rang. Lang picked it up to hear his secretary inform him that the president was on the phone.
"Put him through. Yes, Mr. President. You have heard correctly. We are in possession of what we believe was the synthetic agent that was responsible for the devastation in Alaska. There is no way to know if this is all of it, but we believe the amount we have would most certainly have been used as a terrorist act. We are just starting to study it. It's under the strongest CDC security available."
"I am very interested in learning how you obtained this, Michael," President Lamar demanded.
"Assistant Director Watson has a contact that led her to it."
"Michael, you have no idea of the resources I have put forth to locate this. Then Irving Vickers gets a phone call that you have it. I would like the rest of the story."
"Sir, that's a little difficult at the moment."
"Difficult?"
"Yes, sir. Watson is not willing to share any further information."
"Get Watson. I want to speak to her direct."
"She's sitting across from me. With your permission, I will put this call on speaker."
"Do it."
"Mr. President, you are now on speaker with me, Olivia Watson, and Lawrence Larkin. He's my most valuable team leader."
"Have Larkin leave. He's not to be part of this conversation."
Without a word and without looking at anyone, Larkin left the room.
"Larkin has left, sir. It's only Watson and me."
"Ms. Watson, I want to know, right now, all the specifics involved in how you obtained this toxin."
Olivia Watson gritted her teeth and responded, "I'm sorry, Mr. President, I can't do that. I was directed to it by someone I trust, and it was insisted that this person remain anonymous. I will not betray that trust. I believe the bigger picture is the fact we have it, not how I got it."
"Ms. Watson, I am the president of the United States, and I am ordering you to reveal any and all information you have pertinent to this discussion. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir; however, you have to understand that my word is more important to me than losing my job."
"Listen to me very carefully, Ms. Watson. I'm not talking about your job. You either start explaining, or you will go to jail for a very long time. I will throw every charge at you that the Department of Justice can possibly come up with, and I will make them stick, including aiding and abetting a terrorist organization. Do you understand what I am saying?"
"Yes, sir. Perfectly. I also understand our country was formed and built on principal. I am doing nothing different."
"Yes, you are, Ms. Watson. You are going to jail. Michael, hold Ms. Watson under lock and key until an FBI team arrives to take her into custody. If she is not there when the team gets there, I will hold you directly responsible." The call ended.
"Olivia, wake up. The man is serious. Hell, you could end up in GTMO. I mean fake a name, make up a story, but do something. I don't agree with what you're doing, but I don't want to see you go to jail either."
"Michael, anything I say I'm going to have to back up with proof. I can't — I won't — concoct some story. I gave my word, and I will keep my word, no matter what the consequences. If the president can't respect that, well, that is his problem. I don't want to talk about it. I'll wait in my office for the FBI. You have my word I won't run." She got up to leave.
Michael Lang stopped her. "Olivia, if you want to slip out the back, I won't stop you. I don't agree with you in the manner you have decided to take, but I also think it's wrong for you to be jailed."
"Thank you, Michael, but it's my decision, and I will live with it." With a nod, she walked out of his office headed for her own.
After a few moments, Lang instructed his secretary to connect him with the president. A few moments later, his phone rang, and answering it, he heard, "Please wait for the president."
"Yes, Michael. I take it that Ms. Watson has decided to cooperate?"
"Not exactly, sir. In fact, I am placing this call in defense of Ms. Watson." He swallowed hard. "Sir, she has some valid points. I am asking you to go easy on her."
"Michael, I have no wish to incarcerate Ms. Watson. However, it is imperative that everyone get on board with the expectations of my administration. When I ask questions, I want answers. When I don't get them, there will be consequences. Ms. Watson is willfully withholding information that I deem extremely important. It's my call. It's not just about how she came to find this toxin; it is what might domino from that action. Unless she is willing to cooperate, she will be charged with some extremely serious criminal charges."
"Mr. President, Olivia Watson is one of the most valuable assets in this agency. To lose her would damage the CDC's abilities."
"Nonetheless, Michael, it is what it is. Either she discloses the information she has, or else."
"Mr. President, please indulge me one more point."
"Go on."
"All of this ultimately comes back to the matter of trust, of which there is damned little these days. It was trust that allowed Olivia to obtain this agent. Trust and only trust. Hell, our own security agencies don't trust each other. I fully understand your need to know information, as that enables you to make the best decisions. However, I can also see that under extraordinary extenuating circumstances, it is just as important to keep a trust in place. Remember, if that had not been in play, we would not have this agent. Looking at the big picture, I strongly implore you to respect Ms. Watson's contact and just be thankful that she had that contact, for who knows when that might help us out at some point in the future."
Silence. Then, "I don't like it, Michael, but I do see your point. I'll have to think about it. I make no promises, but for the moment, I will hold off having her picked up. That does not mean I won't change my mind and have her picked up tomorrow. I'll have to think about it, strongly."
"Thank you, Mr. President. That's all I ask." Director Lang then called Olivia Watson. "You're off the hook for the moment, but it could only be temporary."
Elliott Ragar was in a quiet conversation with Matt Sanderson in the Situation Room. The directors of the major agencies were also present, milling about waiting on the arrival of President Lamar. It was surprisingly quiet.
"Any idea what this is about?" asked Sanderson.
"None. Have you found out any info on what we talked about before?"
"A little. Seems like a sniper who worked as a loner was responsible. If he's out, I'd say he's brought his show back home."
"Did you get an ID on him?"
With a frown, Sanderson answered, "No. I've had my people working on it, but it appears that records on this particular individual have been erased. Quite thoroughly, I might add. I can't get a name, a photo, not anything. I've got people over in the Middle East asking questions, but they aren't getting anywhere either. It's all very strange. The military is cooperating, barely, but they aren't going out of their way to help either — a code-of-silence thing."
Right then, President Lamar entered the room, with everybody rising to their feet.
"Please be seated," he instructed. "I want you all up to speed on information that was given to me a short while ago. The CDC is in possession of what they say is the toxin that was used in the Alaska incident. Director Lang has assured me of this. What we don't know is who was responsible for manufacturing it. Therefore, we need to continue our efforts in finding this individual before he can make more. I am not going to answer questions on how the CDC found it; at the moment, that is not important. Finding the individuals behind the assassination of President Williams and the individual for this toxic agent is — along with our other responsibilities, of course. I applaud the efforts of the CDC, as should you all. Let's get back to work." The president turned and left the room.