The Not So Reluctant Assissin (12-14)
A/N: Andy does leave Miranda in Paris but within minutes is approached by a mysterious stranger with a job offer. She takes his card and goes back to NYC. After a disappointing stint at the Mirror she decides to take a closer look at the job and her future and Miranda’s change forever.
Disclaimer: Miranda and Andy do not belong to me and no one is making any money from this.
Pairings: Miranda/Andy; Others maybe but who knows? .
Ratings: Not sure yet. M for violence and some sexual content.
Tags: Mirandy; Romance; Suspense; Violence; Deaths (no major characters)
Total word count: 68,625; Prologue, 35 Chapters, Epilogue
Prologue, 1-3: http://icequeen1955.livejournal.com/2014/03/14/
4-7: http://icequeen1955.livejournal.com/2014/03/16/
8-11: http://icequeen1955.livejournal.com/2014/03/17/
Chapter 12
“Jonathan.”
“Miranda.”
Silence.
Silence.
“Still there Miranda?”
“Yes.”
Shit. This is going exactly as I knew it would.
Silence.
“Honestly Jonathan I do not have time for games. I have a magazine to get out despite the entire incompetence I am surrounded by. What?”
“You are to report to the usual location, in one hour. You have been activated by the Board for a very special assignment.”
Silence.
More Silence.
Yet more silence.
“Miranda, I realize this is an inconvenience but this is serious and well you know your responsibilities and well, just be there. I'm sending a private jet. It is waiting for you at Kennedy. Be there.”
Silence.
Silence.
“Understood.”
Silence. Followed by a dead line.
Great, just great. This is going to be soooo much fun.
Marks called a second number.
“Will she be there?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
The line went dead.
Miranda stood and walked over to her office windows and gazed out upon the skyline she so loved.
It was just a matter of time I suppose before they drew me back in. I have a very bad feeling about this. Well there is no getting out of it. The alternative is unthinkable.
“Emily.”
Miranda’s first, and apparently permanent first assistant responded and quickly entered her boss’s office.
“Clear my calendar for the next few days. Ask Nigel to come see me. That’s all.”
Emily left, her brain on overload. They had at least four if not five run-throughs on the schedule, meetings it had taken her weeks to organize and a Board meeting at which Miranda’s presence had been deemed imperative. She reached her desk and hit Nigel’s private line.
“Nigel, get up here - NOW.”
She hung up. She had no explanations and no time to explain.
One minute later Nigel burst into her space with a very pissed off look on his face.
“Emily, I know you are at times stressed but must I remind you daily that I do not in fact work for you and whatever your current crisis is it is not my problem.”
Before she could respond the Devil Herself intervened.
“Nigel.”
Uttered so softly and with such an underlying tone of ice that both Emily and Nigel froze in place.
Nigel turned and walked toward Miranda’s office with more dread then he could ever remember.
“Sorry, Miranda. I didn’t realize you had called. What’s up?”
His demeanor belied his attempt to relieve the obvious tension in the air.
“Close the door.”
He did and then turned back to face Miranda and froze. Her face was cold, colder than he could ever remember seeing it.
“What’s happened? Are the girls alright? Please Miranda, tell me.”
“I’ve been reactivated. I have to report in one hour. I have no idea what is going on but for this to occur it must be incredibly serious. I need you to take over my responsibilities for the unforeseen future and I will need absolute discretion on your part. I will make arrangements for the girls and I will make the necessary excuses to Irv. To be honest Nigel, I have a bad feeling about this and, well I really do not know when I will be back.”
Nigel stared at her.
Activated - how, why? She’s been semi-retired for ten years. What could they possibly want from her now? Pull it together Nigel. Now!
“Got it. I assume any meetings I cannot handle will be postponed. I think I can handle the Board meeting tomorrow. The photo shoots should be no problem. We’ve gone over your expectations so I will make sure they go as expected.
God Miranda. What the hell is going on? And does it mean ‘you have to go into the field’? I don’t mean any disrespect but you haven’t done field work for what 15 or more years. I just mean that surely they can’t expect you to just drop everything and what start all over again?”
The look on Miranda’s face when he had suggested she was incapable of field work at her age was enough to make him wish he was anywhere but here.
“Nigel, I have no idea what it means and won’t until I meet with Marks and the Board. I will call you once I have a better understanding of the situation. I have to leave now. Work with Emily to figure out what you can handle and what you cannot. I have to call Irv. That’s All.”
With that she picked up her phone and he understood the conversation was over. He left and went to do damage control with Emily.
Miranda hit speed dial for Irv’s office.
“I need to speak with him. NOW!”
The conversation with Irv had been unexpectedly easy. He accepted the excuse for missing the Board meeting and needing time away without question.
Interesting. But I will deal with that later.
She called for her purse and headed for the elevator. Her car was waiting and she directed Roy to deliver her to her townhouse. Once inside she quickly changed clothes and then headed down to her garage and drove her Porsche to the meeting. The dread she was feeling curled around her spine like quicksilver. This was going to get so much worse and she had no way out.
She pulled into the garage and parked.
She used her special pass and hit a combination of keys on the pad and the elevator headed down to the sub-basement no one knew existed.
The doors opened and she headed to the right down the hallway toward the double doors at the end.
Taking a deep breath she opened and walked into a dimly lit room.
Marks was already seated in one of the two chairs placed in front of the table in the middle of the room. She sat in the seat to his left. In front of her were three folders.
Once seated she looked to her right and Marks nodded. He did not look at her.
Almost simultaneously low lights came on and back lit eight figures some 20 feet in front of where Marks and Miranda were seated.
“Thank you for coming.”
“I did not believe I had a choice in the matter.”
“Never the less. Thank you for coming. It has come to our attention that a group of three previously believed minor players are planning on a combined terrorist attack on three targets in the European Theater. The terrorists plan on activating three dirty bombs simultaneously on a date yet to be identified. Your mission is to take a small team and remove the threat. The three targets’ dossiers are on the table. We have arranged for you to be in the three locations the targets are currently in and remove them. Mr. Marks has the necessary details.”
The lights dimmed and Marks and Miranda were left alone.
They both turned and looked at each other.
“Well, that was certainly informative. Shall we, Jonathan?”
With that, Miranda gathered the folders on the table, stood and turned for the door.
Marks followed.
They both walked down the hallway toward the elevator and once inside Miranda waited for Marks to choose their destination.
He hit the button for 7 and then there was silence.
When they arrived he motioned for her to exit first then once they were out he motioned to the right and led her down the non-descript hallway.
How completely predictable. No color. No art. Nothing.
Marks stopped outside of a completely unremarkable door and motioned for Miranda to go in.
She entered and sat in one of the two chairs she saw in front of the desk located at the back of the room.
Marks sat behind the desk and stared at Miranda.
You could have cut the tension in the room with a knife.
Marks knew Miranda was on the verge of killing him.
Miranda knew Marks knew she was on the verge of killing him.
Silence.
More Silence.
Miranda decided to take pity on him.
“Just tell me.”
“The Board has decided the best way to deal with this is to use a cover story of a --- uh - Fashion Shoot of Seven European Capitals that highlights the local historical sites as backdrops for the couture clothing.”
He shut up and watched Miranda.
She listened to what he said and knew she was experiencing some sort of a brain aneurism. There was no way he was suggesting such a ridiculous cover. The holes in it were so big she could drive a semi through it.
“YOU cannot be serious? In the first place Runway is not some toy for you to play with. Regardless of what you and those throwbacks on the board think MY magazine is a beacon of light and hope to millions of readers and the launching pad for great artists, and secondly how in all that is holy do you expect me to run an operation of this magnitude and significance, if I even believe you, while simultaneously attempting to pull off a fashion event of this magnitude while also trying to take out three targets of the supposed importance you have indicated?”
“You do not actually have the responsibility for the kills. Just the cover story.”
“Really? And just whom do you think will be able to pull this mission off if not me? If not me, then why am I even involved?”
Marks squirmed, just a trifle at the question.
Miranda looked at him. Then really looked at him. “Oh My God! You have got to be kidding me. Jonathan we had a deal. You cannot be serious. NO. NO. I WILL NOT BE A PART OF THIS."
Chapter 13
“Miranda, please. The Board has already decided. Andy will be an embedded reporter traveling with the Runway crew as they visit the seven capitals. She will be using her Woman’s World connection as her cover story. During the trip she will interview models, editors, photographers, designers, etc. All women of course. Then after the job is done she will write a lengthy article as part of her ongoing series on career women. You really don’t have a choice and you know it. They felt that she would need guidance on her first mission and since they know of your previous association they determined you would be the best choice for her Senior Field Officer on her first time out.”
“This is utterly ridiculous. Are you telling me the only Senior Field Agent available is one who has not done field work in 10 years? Not that I doubt my ability to handle whatever may come but, what is really going on here Jonathan because I know you see that something is just not right about the entire affair?”
“Miranda, I know as much as you do. Now, Andy will be here in about 30 minutes. I’ll give her brief over view then send her to meet her new SFA. I will not disclose your identity. I certainly don’t want to get her angry - as they say “I have the T-shirt.” You can use the SFA suite on the 5th floor. 517. There should be a fresh pot of steaming coffee waiting for you.”
Miranda was so angry she could literally see red. She also knew he was correct in that she really did not have a choice. Once you received direction from the Board, there was no declining. That was a death sentence. She stood to leave and then looked him dead in the eyes. The cold he saw them almost made him take a step back. Almost.
“If this goes as well as I suspect it will, you may just collect another T-shirt. I’ll expect her in exactly one hour. Who are you going to tell her she is working with?”
“Miriam Princhek, of course. “
She rolled her eyes and left his office. There wasn’t enough coffee on the planet to help her prepare for the meeting she and Andrea were going to have. Scotch either.
Miranda arrived at suite 517 and found a young blonde sitting in the outer office at the reception desk. She stood as Miranda walked in and led the older agent to one of the offices. It was decorated in a style similar to her own office. The pot of coffee was waiting on the credenza behind a large wooden desk. There was one chair in front of the desk. She nodded at the blonde who turned and left, closing the door behind her. Miranda hung her coat on the coat stand by the door and walked around the desk, dropped the dossiers and briefing materials on the desk, poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down in a rather oversized leather chair. She swiveled so she could look out the large windows behind the credenza.
Fuck. Was all she could think of. She drained the cup. Turned back around and grabbed the briefing materials and started familiarizing herself with everything. She would review the dossiers after Andrea arrived. Once the fireworks were over.
50 minutes later she was interrupted by a soft knock on her door.
“Yes.”
The blonde opened the door a bit and said, “Mr. Marks just phoned. The agent is on her way up. Shall I just send her in or do you need her to wait a bit?”
“Just send her in. Tell her to knock first but not to wait for an answer.”
The blonde closed the door and Miranda turned in her chair to once again face the windows - and waited.
50 minutes earlier
Andy arrived at the address she had been given. This was obviously more of a headquarters - the security had been as tight as any she had ever seen. She stopped by HR to turn in her travel documents and update her files. They also had a bit of paper work for her now that she going into the field on an active mission.
She made her way up to Marks’ office suite. Two minutes later she was shown into his private office.
“Jonathan.”
“Andy. Please have a seat. I trust your departure was without incident. Have you checked into the hotel yet?”
“Yeah, no issues leaving. I stopped by to drop off my things before heading here so yes I’m all checked in and ready to start. What’s the mission?”
“Good. The Board has accepted a contract to terminate three extremely dangerous individuals who we believe are planning on simultaneously activating three dirty bombs in three different European capitals. The three are attempting to gain favor with several known terrorists and have decided this would do the trick for them. We have surveillance teams in place watching them. They make very little contact with each other. You will be working under your Woman’s World persona writing another part of your women’s careers series. You will be assigned to work for and with a Senior Field Agent and the two of you will be traveling with a group doing a seven city tour. The SFA has all the details and the dossiers on the three targets. You will go down to suite 517 and there you will meet your SFA and begin planning. The Board wants this done in the next four weeks so we don’t have much time. Questions?”
“Wow, this is big. Who will I be working with?”
Marks smiled and said, “Someone you have expressed a great deal of interest in. We reactivated her for this. Miriam Princhek. In the flesh. She’s waiting for you right now. Best to hurry along.”
Andy took a moment to digest all he had said.
Are you kidding? They asked her back to work this and I get to work with her. This is I mean wow. This is huge. I can learn so much from her. I better get down there. In my experience it is never a good idea to keep someone with a reputation like her’s waiting. Thank you Jonathan - I mean this is really an honor.”
“Easy Andy. She is just another agent. She did her job and she did it well but she hasn’t been in the field for ten years. She is coming along to provide her insight and guidance but you are the agent assigned to eliminate the targets. Not Miriam. But you are correct. Punctuality is one of her many buttons. The buttons best not pushed. Good luck.” Marks stood and extended his right arm.
Andy stood, shook the offered hand. She left the office with a grin plastered on her face. As she waited for the elevator her mind was racing.
Holy shit. I get to work with Miriam Princhek. I mean wow. If only…, stop it - just stop it. That world and that woman are your history. This and Miriam are your future. Let it go.
She arrived on the 5th floor and found Suite 517.
A pretty blonde was sitting at the reception desk and she was told to knock softly and then go straight in. She was expected.
Miranda sat still facing the windows. The chair’s back was of such a height that her iconic hair was not visible. She heard the soft knock and then the sound of the door opening. Her visitor closed the door softly and then walked forward stopping when she got close to the desk.
“Uh Ms. Princhek. I’m Andy Sachs. I uh understand we will be working together. Let me just say this is truly an honor.”
“Well at least this time you DO know who I am.”
And with that Miranda turned. Amused at the wild look now sitting on Andrea’s face. Her eyes were opened wide, her jaw had dropped and she was holding on the chair in front of her.
“Well are you going to just stand there gawking or are you going to sit down so I can brief you. We do not have time for reunions Andrea we have a job to do and I have a life to get back to.”
Andy held tightly to the chair as she moved around it and sort of flopped down in it. Her eyes were still wide but she had at least recovered enough to close her mouth. Her voice was still MIA.
“Good. Now as I’m sure Jonathan explained the targets are located in three European cities. You will accompany me on a seven city European Photo Shoot under the guise of a Runway feature article showcasing old world fashion against the back drop of the ancient architecture and beauty of the selected cities. Three of the cities hold our targets. When we are in those cities you will take the necessary action and the rest of the time you can interview and write to your little heart’s content. Andrea. ANDREA are you even listening to what I am saying? Honestly I expected better from you this time around.”
That seemed to do the trick because Andrea let go of the arms of the chairs, straightened herself up and then said,
“Ok I may need a minute or two to digest this. This is not some joke right? I mean, Marks doesn’t strike me as the type who would pull a stunt like this so that means that, that means that you are actually Miriam Princhek and that you, you were a hired assassin before Runway. I don’t know about you Miranda or Miriam or whatever your name is but I for one need a drink. Now.”
Miranda closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Migraine at 12 O’clock. She would be lucky if she didn’t spend the next four weeks with a perpetual migraine. Yes, alcohol. In great quantities. This was going to be hard. Andrea looked better than she had ever seen her, and Miranda admitted to herself on some level buried deep within that she had missed the woman terribly and truth be told, she never wanted to be that far apart again. But from the reaction it was quite clear Andrea still felt the same about her. Devil. Bitch. Now Killer. Great, just great.
Miranda sighed and leaned back in her chair. After a minute she stood. “I totally agree. This entire situation is completely ludicrous and alcohol may just be the only thing that makes sense right now. I suggest we go to my hotel suite. I have a fairly well stocked bar and when that runs out there is always room service. Shall we?”
She headed to the door, grabbed her coat and was heading out into the outer reception area when she stopped to see if Andrea was coming. The woman was still sitting in the chair. Miranda waited.
Crap. This is real and Miranda is my SFA and she’s a trained assassin and has killed. Literally, not like she does at Runway. And she is still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and she can’t stand me. Four weeks. Four fucking weeks. And then I’ll have to say goodbye to her again. I’m not sure I can do that. Of course she probably can’t wait to get rid of me after she tried burying me at the Mirror. OK Sachs you can do this.
She stood turned around and discovered Miranda standing in the door waiting for her.
“Right behind you.”
“Good.”
Miranda turned back around and was headed toward the main door when that very same door opened and Jonathan Marks walked in with a very disturbed look on his face.
“We have a problem.”
Chapter 14
“Jonathan that is the understatement of all understatements. But I believe Andrea and I will be able to put our issues aside and fulfill the terms of the assignment. Once we sober up that is.”
“Not what I meant. We have a bigger problem and one I am afraid I have been rather slow in seeing. Let’s step back into the office, shall we?”
Andy hadn’t made it to the door yet so she just turned back around and sat back down in her chair. She had decided to just stop thinking and let the two senior folks in the room take the lead. The look on Jonathan’s face did give her reason for concern.
Miranda sat back down, her coat still draped over her arm.
“Out with it Jonathan. What has happened and how does it affect either Andrea or myself or our mission?”
“Henderson’s dead. Killed sometime last night while on assignment.”
“Henderson, you cannot possibly mean Tom Henderson. He must be nearly 70 by now. What on earth were you thinking sending him out into the field? He retired years ago. I mean honestly Jonathan. I think instead doing field work I should be doing your job.”
“Not my idea. The Board reactivated him three weeks ago and sent him out on assignment. Now he’s dead. And there is more.”
Miranda closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair. Visibly shaking with anger.
That seemed to break Andrea out of her self-imposed catatonic state. She got up, went over to the coffee set up and poured a fresh cup. She turned back to the desk and said, “Here Miranda. You always do better when you are well caffeinated.”
Miranda opened her eyes and was staring up into those dark brown eyes. Those eyes that haunted her sleep more oft than not. She reached up and took the cup and said, “Thank you Andrea. While no longer a requirement of your association with me that was a kind gesture.”
For one long moment the two just stared into each other’s eyes both frozen in the moment. Then they both recovered and Andrea returned to her seat trying to figure out what had just happened.
If I didn’t know better I would swear I so something there like lu….no couldn’t be.
Miranda was dealing with similar thoughts and Jonathan was just watching.
Finally Miranda recovered enough to restart the conversation.
“Must I repeat myself, Jonathan? What else has happened and how do these other events connect to this operation?”
“Three weeks ago Frank Stephens was nearly killed. He was on assignment and thanks to a minor fender bender he arrived at the target location ten minutes late. The warehouse he was to infiltrate blew up just as he killed the engine. Had he been on time he would have been inside when it blew.”
Jonathan and Miranda just stared at each other.
“Senior Field agents being recalled out of retirement by the Board - I am assuming the Board also re-activated Stephens (Marks nodded) - yes, and then being sent back out into the field by the Board and being subsequently killed. Someone is targeting the Firm, specifically those of us no longer involved in operations. The questions are obviously who and why and why now?”
“I agree Miranda. I thought it highly unusual for them to send Stephens out. I mean he was okay in his day but that was 20 years ago and the same for Henderson. We have plenty of agents who could have been tasked with either of those assignments and you yourself pointed out that the same is true for this operation.”
“So let me get this straight. The Board that controls everything is sending out old (Miranda whipped her head and up and stared straight at Andy) - err I mean agents who have not be involved in operations for a few years and then those agents are getting killed or nearly killed. Miranda that means you could be next.”
They just looked at her like she had grown a second head.
“What, come on you two? Isn’t it obvious, first Stephens, then Henderson and now Miriam Princhek. She has to be the next target. You can’t go. You have to stay here.”
Miranda and Jonathan both shook their heads. “Obviously Andrea. How droll of you to point out the obvious. However, unless I want my children to no longer be faced with splitting their time between TWO parents, I have no choice. Neither did Franklin or Tom. Jonathan something bigger than just eliminating senior agents is going on here. I can smell it and so can you. What else have you not told us?”
“In order for the reactivations to have occurred, a majority of the Board needed to agree. Five to be exact. We have three new members. Added two years ago. At first everything operated as it always has. But then, slowly things began to change. Minor at first. Most administrative in nature. Sold as efficiencies and nothing else. But the reactivations are just the last in a series of larger more invasive changes. The Board has gone back to the hit or miss method for selecting new recruits. I’ve all but been told to cease and desist using my methods. That means recruits coming in now will have about a 40% chance to survive training versus the 95% chance I had managed to maintain for the last 10 years. And the standards for passing the Phases are being reviewed. Lightened to increase success rates. Andy you will most likely be the last graduate to experience Phase 4 the way both Miranda and I did. The agents working with Stephens and Henderson were also recent graduates and also showed similar promise to Andy here. Both of them are also dead. Stephens’ junior agent had just started the search when the building blew. He didn’t die instantly but his injuries were massive and he never regained consciousness. Henderson was shot, once in the head. Same for his partner. I think the target is the entire Firm. And I think it’s being dismantled from within. One or more of the Board has to be behind this or working with or for whoever is because all the changes are being made at the direction of the Board and only since the three new members joined.”
The three sat silent for a few minutes. Jonathan trying to recall anything he could that might indicated which Board members might have shown any indication, however small, that they were actually working against and not for the welfare of the Firm.
Miranda was stunned, yes, but she had to admit that it was only a matter of time before someone or some other group retaliated against the Firm’s past activities. And the people who carried out those activities.
Andy was thinking she really needed to start doing better at picking her employers. At least she had the connections to the magazines and a proven track record now so when this all blew up she could just retire quietly somewhere and free-lance. Then she let her intellect take over and started approaching this whole situation as an article.
“I have a theory.”
Both looked up, Jonathan expectantly and Miranda, almost with pride.
“Go on Andrea, enlighten us.” Almost.
“First I agree with Miranda. This whole operation seems like a waste of her time and to be honest mine as well. Wait. I assume the three targets are under surveillance?” Marks nodded.
“So anyone of those agents could probably take out the targets with greater ease than bringing in yet another two to take out the three. And those take outs won’t be simultaneous so the remaining two targets might get wind and disappear. I’m going out on limb here but I bet the Board also ordered the surveillance teams to sit in place and do nothing. Which means they are sitting ducks if someone else already knows they are there. So I am supposed to waltz around Europe accompanying the Fashion world’s most well-known face and a group that does little but draw attention to itself and take out three targets in three different cities? Are the cities back to back?”
“Yes to your first premise and no to the question. Each target city is followed by a non-target city.”
“Trap. They are ensuring they have at least seven opportunities to kill us both Miranda.”
“So far we are all in agreement. Unless you have some brilliant idea hidden in your junior agent decoder ring we have little choice but to go along and remove the threat before it removes us.”
Not for the first time but certainly the first time today, Andy realized that behind Miranda’s very acerbic tongue was a rather delightful albeit very dry sense of humor.
“Sorry lost the ring. But I do have a plan. The Firm has known the success it has because we established protocols for doing everything. Everyone learns them, uses them and usually succeeds as a result. Now the bad guys know them or at least we think they know them. So we change it up. Miranda and I work out a new set of protocols for this operation and while we leave the enemy scratching its head trying to figure out what we are going to do next, we figure out who they are and eliminate them along with our bomb happy terrorists.”
“Now Andy I do applaud your enthusiasm and all but those protocols are in place for a reason. We can’t have agents just making this up as they go. Our success rates are because of those protocols. I think…”
“Andrea is right. Oh Jonathan, it was only a matter of time before someone got their hands on our, is playbook the correct term?”
Andy and Marks both nodded. Andy smiled at the thought of Miranda actually knowing what a playbook was. “Right then. Andrea and I were headed back to my suite to start planning. Part of that exercise will now include new protocols. Ones we will not be sharing until all this is behind us and the threat to the Firm has been eliminated. I believe we also intend to consume a more than moderate amount of alcohol. You are welcome to join us.”
“Thank you. As much as I would enjoy it, neither my liver, my doctor nor my wife would approve. No you two go ahead. Besides the fewer people who know of your plans the better. Myself included. While you two are planning I will be meeting with a certain computer genius I know to see if we can’t discern a connection between Stephens, Henderson and you. Perhaps if we can find that it might lead to a connection with some of the Board members and perhaps even a reason why.”
Miranda nodded and swiveled in her chair to stare back out the window. It never occurred to Andy to do anything but wait. Jonathan was just about to ask if there was something else when she uttered one word. “Jacqueline. That would be the connection between Stephens, Henderson and myself.”
TBC
Disclaimer: Miranda and Andy do not belong to me and no one is making any money from this.
Pairings: Miranda/Andy; Others maybe but who knows? .
Ratings: Not sure yet. M for violence and some sexual content.
Tags: Mirandy; Romance; Suspense; Violence; Deaths (no major characters)
Total word count: 68,625; Prologue, 35 Chapters, Epilogue
Prologue, 1-3: http://icequeen1955.livejournal.com/2014/03/14/
4-7: http://icequeen1955.livejournal.com/2014/03/16/
8-11: http://icequeen1955.livejournal.com/2014/03/17/
Chapter 12
“Jonathan.”
“Miranda.”
Silence.
Silence.
“Still there Miranda?”
“Yes.”
Shit. This is going exactly as I knew it would.
Silence.
“Honestly Jonathan I do not have time for games. I have a magazine to get out despite the entire incompetence I am surrounded by. What?”
“You are to report to the usual location, in one hour. You have been activated by the Board for a very special assignment.”
Silence.
More Silence.
Yet more silence.
“Miranda, I realize this is an inconvenience but this is serious and well you know your responsibilities and well, just be there. I'm sending a private jet. It is waiting for you at Kennedy. Be there.”
Silence.
Silence.
“Understood.”
Silence. Followed by a dead line.
Great, just great. This is going to be soooo much fun.
Marks called a second number.
“Will she be there?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
The line went dead.
Miranda stood and walked over to her office windows and gazed out upon the skyline she so loved.
It was just a matter of time I suppose before they drew me back in. I have a very bad feeling about this. Well there is no getting out of it. The alternative is unthinkable.
“Emily.”
Miranda’s first, and apparently permanent first assistant responded and quickly entered her boss’s office.
“Clear my calendar for the next few days. Ask Nigel to come see me. That’s all.”
Emily left, her brain on overload. They had at least four if not five run-throughs on the schedule, meetings it had taken her weeks to organize and a Board meeting at which Miranda’s presence had been deemed imperative. She reached her desk and hit Nigel’s private line.
“Nigel, get up here - NOW.”
She hung up. She had no explanations and no time to explain.
One minute later Nigel burst into her space with a very pissed off look on his face.
“Emily, I know you are at times stressed but must I remind you daily that I do not in fact work for you and whatever your current crisis is it is not my problem.”
Before she could respond the Devil Herself intervened.
“Nigel.”
Uttered so softly and with such an underlying tone of ice that both Emily and Nigel froze in place.
Nigel turned and walked toward Miranda’s office with more dread then he could ever remember.
“Sorry, Miranda. I didn’t realize you had called. What’s up?”
His demeanor belied his attempt to relieve the obvious tension in the air.
“Close the door.”
He did and then turned back to face Miranda and froze. Her face was cold, colder than he could ever remember seeing it.
“What’s happened? Are the girls alright? Please Miranda, tell me.”
“I’ve been reactivated. I have to report in one hour. I have no idea what is going on but for this to occur it must be incredibly serious. I need you to take over my responsibilities for the unforeseen future and I will need absolute discretion on your part. I will make arrangements for the girls and I will make the necessary excuses to Irv. To be honest Nigel, I have a bad feeling about this and, well I really do not know when I will be back.”
Nigel stared at her.
Activated - how, why? She’s been semi-retired for ten years. What could they possibly want from her now? Pull it together Nigel. Now!
“Got it. I assume any meetings I cannot handle will be postponed. I think I can handle the Board meeting tomorrow. The photo shoots should be no problem. We’ve gone over your expectations so I will make sure they go as expected.
God Miranda. What the hell is going on? And does it mean ‘you have to go into the field’? I don’t mean any disrespect but you haven’t done field work for what 15 or more years. I just mean that surely they can’t expect you to just drop everything and what start all over again?”
The look on Miranda’s face when he had suggested she was incapable of field work at her age was enough to make him wish he was anywhere but here.
“Nigel, I have no idea what it means and won’t until I meet with Marks and the Board. I will call you once I have a better understanding of the situation. I have to leave now. Work with Emily to figure out what you can handle and what you cannot. I have to call Irv. That’s All.”
With that she picked up her phone and he understood the conversation was over. He left and went to do damage control with Emily.
Miranda hit speed dial for Irv’s office.
“I need to speak with him. NOW!”
The conversation with Irv had been unexpectedly easy. He accepted the excuse for missing the Board meeting and needing time away without question.
Interesting. But I will deal with that later.
She called for her purse and headed for the elevator. Her car was waiting and she directed Roy to deliver her to her townhouse. Once inside she quickly changed clothes and then headed down to her garage and drove her Porsche to the meeting. The dread she was feeling curled around her spine like quicksilver. This was going to get so much worse and she had no way out.
She pulled into the garage and parked.
She used her special pass and hit a combination of keys on the pad and the elevator headed down to the sub-basement no one knew existed.
The doors opened and she headed to the right down the hallway toward the double doors at the end.
Taking a deep breath she opened and walked into a dimly lit room.
Marks was already seated in one of the two chairs placed in front of the table in the middle of the room. She sat in the seat to his left. In front of her were three folders.
Once seated she looked to her right and Marks nodded. He did not look at her.
Almost simultaneously low lights came on and back lit eight figures some 20 feet in front of where Marks and Miranda were seated.
“Thank you for coming.”
“I did not believe I had a choice in the matter.”
“Never the less. Thank you for coming. It has come to our attention that a group of three previously believed minor players are planning on a combined terrorist attack on three targets in the European Theater. The terrorists plan on activating three dirty bombs simultaneously on a date yet to be identified. Your mission is to take a small team and remove the threat. The three targets’ dossiers are on the table. We have arranged for you to be in the three locations the targets are currently in and remove them. Mr. Marks has the necessary details.”
The lights dimmed and Marks and Miranda were left alone.
They both turned and looked at each other.
“Well, that was certainly informative. Shall we, Jonathan?”
With that, Miranda gathered the folders on the table, stood and turned for the door.
Marks followed.
They both walked down the hallway toward the elevator and once inside Miranda waited for Marks to choose their destination.
He hit the button for 7 and then there was silence.
When they arrived he motioned for her to exit first then once they were out he motioned to the right and led her down the non-descript hallway.
How completely predictable. No color. No art. Nothing.
Marks stopped outside of a completely unremarkable door and motioned for Miranda to go in.
She entered and sat in one of the two chairs she saw in front of the desk located at the back of the room.
Marks sat behind the desk and stared at Miranda.
You could have cut the tension in the room with a knife.
Marks knew Miranda was on the verge of killing him.
Miranda knew Marks knew she was on the verge of killing him.
Silence.
More Silence.
Miranda decided to take pity on him.
“Just tell me.”
“The Board has decided the best way to deal with this is to use a cover story of a --- uh - Fashion Shoot of Seven European Capitals that highlights the local historical sites as backdrops for the couture clothing.”
He shut up and watched Miranda.
She listened to what he said and knew she was experiencing some sort of a brain aneurism. There was no way he was suggesting such a ridiculous cover. The holes in it were so big she could drive a semi through it.
“YOU cannot be serious? In the first place Runway is not some toy for you to play with. Regardless of what you and those throwbacks on the board think MY magazine is a beacon of light and hope to millions of readers and the launching pad for great artists, and secondly how in all that is holy do you expect me to run an operation of this magnitude and significance, if I even believe you, while simultaneously attempting to pull off a fashion event of this magnitude while also trying to take out three targets of the supposed importance you have indicated?”
“You do not actually have the responsibility for the kills. Just the cover story.”
“Really? And just whom do you think will be able to pull this mission off if not me? If not me, then why am I even involved?”
Marks squirmed, just a trifle at the question.
Miranda looked at him. Then really looked at him. “Oh My God! You have got to be kidding me. Jonathan we had a deal. You cannot be serious. NO. NO. I WILL NOT BE A PART OF THIS."
Chapter 13
“Miranda, please. The Board has already decided. Andy will be an embedded reporter traveling with the Runway crew as they visit the seven capitals. She will be using her Woman’s World connection as her cover story. During the trip she will interview models, editors, photographers, designers, etc. All women of course. Then after the job is done she will write a lengthy article as part of her ongoing series on career women. You really don’t have a choice and you know it. They felt that she would need guidance on her first mission and since they know of your previous association they determined you would be the best choice for her Senior Field Officer on her first time out.”
“This is utterly ridiculous. Are you telling me the only Senior Field Agent available is one who has not done field work in 10 years? Not that I doubt my ability to handle whatever may come but, what is really going on here Jonathan because I know you see that something is just not right about the entire affair?”
“Miranda, I know as much as you do. Now, Andy will be here in about 30 minutes. I’ll give her brief over view then send her to meet her new SFA. I will not disclose your identity. I certainly don’t want to get her angry - as they say “I have the T-shirt.” You can use the SFA suite on the 5th floor. 517. There should be a fresh pot of steaming coffee waiting for you.”
Miranda was so angry she could literally see red. She also knew he was correct in that she really did not have a choice. Once you received direction from the Board, there was no declining. That was a death sentence. She stood to leave and then looked him dead in the eyes. The cold he saw them almost made him take a step back. Almost.
“If this goes as well as I suspect it will, you may just collect another T-shirt. I’ll expect her in exactly one hour. Who are you going to tell her she is working with?”
“Miriam Princhek, of course. “
She rolled her eyes and left his office. There wasn’t enough coffee on the planet to help her prepare for the meeting she and Andrea were going to have. Scotch either.
Miranda arrived at suite 517 and found a young blonde sitting in the outer office at the reception desk. She stood as Miranda walked in and led the older agent to one of the offices. It was decorated in a style similar to her own office. The pot of coffee was waiting on the credenza behind a large wooden desk. There was one chair in front of the desk. She nodded at the blonde who turned and left, closing the door behind her. Miranda hung her coat on the coat stand by the door and walked around the desk, dropped the dossiers and briefing materials on the desk, poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down in a rather oversized leather chair. She swiveled so she could look out the large windows behind the credenza.
Fuck. Was all she could think of. She drained the cup. Turned back around and grabbed the briefing materials and started familiarizing herself with everything. She would review the dossiers after Andrea arrived. Once the fireworks were over.
50 minutes later she was interrupted by a soft knock on her door.
“Yes.”
The blonde opened the door a bit and said, “Mr. Marks just phoned. The agent is on her way up. Shall I just send her in or do you need her to wait a bit?”
“Just send her in. Tell her to knock first but not to wait for an answer.”
The blonde closed the door and Miranda turned in her chair to once again face the windows - and waited.
50 minutes earlier
Andy arrived at the address she had been given. This was obviously more of a headquarters - the security had been as tight as any she had ever seen. She stopped by HR to turn in her travel documents and update her files. They also had a bit of paper work for her now that she going into the field on an active mission.
She made her way up to Marks’ office suite. Two minutes later she was shown into his private office.
“Jonathan.”
“Andy. Please have a seat. I trust your departure was without incident. Have you checked into the hotel yet?”
“Yeah, no issues leaving. I stopped by to drop off my things before heading here so yes I’m all checked in and ready to start. What’s the mission?”
“Good. The Board has accepted a contract to terminate three extremely dangerous individuals who we believe are planning on simultaneously activating three dirty bombs in three different European capitals. The three are attempting to gain favor with several known terrorists and have decided this would do the trick for them. We have surveillance teams in place watching them. They make very little contact with each other. You will be working under your Woman’s World persona writing another part of your women’s careers series. You will be assigned to work for and with a Senior Field Agent and the two of you will be traveling with a group doing a seven city tour. The SFA has all the details and the dossiers on the three targets. You will go down to suite 517 and there you will meet your SFA and begin planning. The Board wants this done in the next four weeks so we don’t have much time. Questions?”
“Wow, this is big. Who will I be working with?”
Marks smiled and said, “Someone you have expressed a great deal of interest in. We reactivated her for this. Miriam Princhek. In the flesh. She’s waiting for you right now. Best to hurry along.”
Andy took a moment to digest all he had said.
Are you kidding? They asked her back to work this and I get to work with her. This is I mean wow. This is huge. I can learn so much from her. I better get down there. In my experience it is never a good idea to keep someone with a reputation like her’s waiting. Thank you Jonathan - I mean this is really an honor.”
“Easy Andy. She is just another agent. She did her job and she did it well but she hasn’t been in the field for ten years. She is coming along to provide her insight and guidance but you are the agent assigned to eliminate the targets. Not Miriam. But you are correct. Punctuality is one of her many buttons. The buttons best not pushed. Good luck.” Marks stood and extended his right arm.
Andy stood, shook the offered hand. She left the office with a grin plastered on her face. As she waited for the elevator her mind was racing.
Holy shit. I get to work with Miriam Princhek. I mean wow. If only…, stop it - just stop it. That world and that woman are your history. This and Miriam are your future. Let it go.
She arrived on the 5th floor and found Suite 517.
A pretty blonde was sitting at the reception desk and she was told to knock softly and then go straight in. She was expected.
Miranda sat still facing the windows. The chair’s back was of such a height that her iconic hair was not visible. She heard the soft knock and then the sound of the door opening. Her visitor closed the door softly and then walked forward stopping when she got close to the desk.
“Uh Ms. Princhek. I’m Andy Sachs. I uh understand we will be working together. Let me just say this is truly an honor.”
“Well at least this time you DO know who I am.”
And with that Miranda turned. Amused at the wild look now sitting on Andrea’s face. Her eyes were opened wide, her jaw had dropped and she was holding on the chair in front of her.
“Well are you going to just stand there gawking or are you going to sit down so I can brief you. We do not have time for reunions Andrea we have a job to do and I have a life to get back to.”
Andy held tightly to the chair as she moved around it and sort of flopped down in it. Her eyes were still wide but she had at least recovered enough to close her mouth. Her voice was still MIA.
“Good. Now as I’m sure Jonathan explained the targets are located in three European cities. You will accompany me on a seven city European Photo Shoot under the guise of a Runway feature article showcasing old world fashion against the back drop of the ancient architecture and beauty of the selected cities. Three of the cities hold our targets. When we are in those cities you will take the necessary action and the rest of the time you can interview and write to your little heart’s content. Andrea. ANDREA are you even listening to what I am saying? Honestly I expected better from you this time around.”
That seemed to do the trick because Andrea let go of the arms of the chairs, straightened herself up and then said,
“Ok I may need a minute or two to digest this. This is not some joke right? I mean, Marks doesn’t strike me as the type who would pull a stunt like this so that means that, that means that you are actually Miriam Princhek and that you, you were a hired assassin before Runway. I don’t know about you Miranda or Miriam or whatever your name is but I for one need a drink. Now.”
Miranda closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Migraine at 12 O’clock. She would be lucky if she didn’t spend the next four weeks with a perpetual migraine. Yes, alcohol. In great quantities. This was going to be hard. Andrea looked better than she had ever seen her, and Miranda admitted to herself on some level buried deep within that she had missed the woman terribly and truth be told, she never wanted to be that far apart again. But from the reaction it was quite clear Andrea still felt the same about her. Devil. Bitch. Now Killer. Great, just great.
Miranda sighed and leaned back in her chair. After a minute she stood. “I totally agree. This entire situation is completely ludicrous and alcohol may just be the only thing that makes sense right now. I suggest we go to my hotel suite. I have a fairly well stocked bar and when that runs out there is always room service. Shall we?”
She headed to the door, grabbed her coat and was heading out into the outer reception area when she stopped to see if Andrea was coming. The woman was still sitting in the chair. Miranda waited.
Crap. This is real and Miranda is my SFA and she’s a trained assassin and has killed. Literally, not like she does at Runway. And she is still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and she can’t stand me. Four weeks. Four fucking weeks. And then I’ll have to say goodbye to her again. I’m not sure I can do that. Of course she probably can’t wait to get rid of me after she tried burying me at the Mirror. OK Sachs you can do this.
She stood turned around and discovered Miranda standing in the door waiting for her.
“Right behind you.”
“Good.”
Miranda turned back around and was headed toward the main door when that very same door opened and Jonathan Marks walked in with a very disturbed look on his face.
“We have a problem.”
Chapter 14
“Jonathan that is the understatement of all understatements. But I believe Andrea and I will be able to put our issues aside and fulfill the terms of the assignment. Once we sober up that is.”
“Not what I meant. We have a bigger problem and one I am afraid I have been rather slow in seeing. Let’s step back into the office, shall we?”
Andy hadn’t made it to the door yet so she just turned back around and sat back down in her chair. She had decided to just stop thinking and let the two senior folks in the room take the lead. The look on Jonathan’s face did give her reason for concern.
Miranda sat back down, her coat still draped over her arm.
“Out with it Jonathan. What has happened and how does it affect either Andrea or myself or our mission?”
“Henderson’s dead. Killed sometime last night while on assignment.”
“Henderson, you cannot possibly mean Tom Henderson. He must be nearly 70 by now. What on earth were you thinking sending him out into the field? He retired years ago. I mean honestly Jonathan. I think instead doing field work I should be doing your job.”
“Not my idea. The Board reactivated him three weeks ago and sent him out on assignment. Now he’s dead. And there is more.”
Miranda closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair. Visibly shaking with anger.
That seemed to break Andrea out of her self-imposed catatonic state. She got up, went over to the coffee set up and poured a fresh cup. She turned back to the desk and said, “Here Miranda. You always do better when you are well caffeinated.”
Miranda opened her eyes and was staring up into those dark brown eyes. Those eyes that haunted her sleep more oft than not. She reached up and took the cup and said, “Thank you Andrea. While no longer a requirement of your association with me that was a kind gesture.”
For one long moment the two just stared into each other’s eyes both frozen in the moment. Then they both recovered and Andrea returned to her seat trying to figure out what had just happened.
If I didn’t know better I would swear I so something there like lu….no couldn’t be.
Miranda was dealing with similar thoughts and Jonathan was just watching.
Finally Miranda recovered enough to restart the conversation.
“Must I repeat myself, Jonathan? What else has happened and how do these other events connect to this operation?”
“Three weeks ago Frank Stephens was nearly killed. He was on assignment and thanks to a minor fender bender he arrived at the target location ten minutes late. The warehouse he was to infiltrate blew up just as he killed the engine. Had he been on time he would have been inside when it blew.”
Jonathan and Miranda just stared at each other.
“Senior Field agents being recalled out of retirement by the Board - I am assuming the Board also re-activated Stephens (Marks nodded) - yes, and then being sent back out into the field by the Board and being subsequently killed. Someone is targeting the Firm, specifically those of us no longer involved in operations. The questions are obviously who and why and why now?”
“I agree Miranda. I thought it highly unusual for them to send Stephens out. I mean he was okay in his day but that was 20 years ago and the same for Henderson. We have plenty of agents who could have been tasked with either of those assignments and you yourself pointed out that the same is true for this operation.”
“So let me get this straight. The Board that controls everything is sending out old (Miranda whipped her head and up and stared straight at Andy) - err I mean agents who have not be involved in operations for a few years and then those agents are getting killed or nearly killed. Miranda that means you could be next.”
They just looked at her like she had grown a second head.
“What, come on you two? Isn’t it obvious, first Stephens, then Henderson and now Miriam Princhek. She has to be the next target. You can’t go. You have to stay here.”
Miranda and Jonathan both shook their heads. “Obviously Andrea. How droll of you to point out the obvious. However, unless I want my children to no longer be faced with splitting their time between TWO parents, I have no choice. Neither did Franklin or Tom. Jonathan something bigger than just eliminating senior agents is going on here. I can smell it and so can you. What else have you not told us?”
“In order for the reactivations to have occurred, a majority of the Board needed to agree. Five to be exact. We have three new members. Added two years ago. At first everything operated as it always has. But then, slowly things began to change. Minor at first. Most administrative in nature. Sold as efficiencies and nothing else. But the reactivations are just the last in a series of larger more invasive changes. The Board has gone back to the hit or miss method for selecting new recruits. I’ve all but been told to cease and desist using my methods. That means recruits coming in now will have about a 40% chance to survive training versus the 95% chance I had managed to maintain for the last 10 years. And the standards for passing the Phases are being reviewed. Lightened to increase success rates. Andy you will most likely be the last graduate to experience Phase 4 the way both Miranda and I did. The agents working with Stephens and Henderson were also recent graduates and also showed similar promise to Andy here. Both of them are also dead. Stephens’ junior agent had just started the search when the building blew. He didn’t die instantly but his injuries were massive and he never regained consciousness. Henderson was shot, once in the head. Same for his partner. I think the target is the entire Firm. And I think it’s being dismantled from within. One or more of the Board has to be behind this or working with or for whoever is because all the changes are being made at the direction of the Board and only since the three new members joined.”
The three sat silent for a few minutes. Jonathan trying to recall anything he could that might indicated which Board members might have shown any indication, however small, that they were actually working against and not for the welfare of the Firm.
Miranda was stunned, yes, but she had to admit that it was only a matter of time before someone or some other group retaliated against the Firm’s past activities. And the people who carried out those activities.
Andy was thinking she really needed to start doing better at picking her employers. At least she had the connections to the magazines and a proven track record now so when this all blew up she could just retire quietly somewhere and free-lance. Then she let her intellect take over and started approaching this whole situation as an article.
“I have a theory.”
Both looked up, Jonathan expectantly and Miranda, almost with pride.
“Go on Andrea, enlighten us.” Almost.
“First I agree with Miranda. This whole operation seems like a waste of her time and to be honest mine as well. Wait. I assume the three targets are under surveillance?” Marks nodded.
“So anyone of those agents could probably take out the targets with greater ease than bringing in yet another two to take out the three. And those take outs won’t be simultaneous so the remaining two targets might get wind and disappear. I’m going out on limb here but I bet the Board also ordered the surveillance teams to sit in place and do nothing. Which means they are sitting ducks if someone else already knows they are there. So I am supposed to waltz around Europe accompanying the Fashion world’s most well-known face and a group that does little but draw attention to itself and take out three targets in three different cities? Are the cities back to back?”
“Yes to your first premise and no to the question. Each target city is followed by a non-target city.”
“Trap. They are ensuring they have at least seven opportunities to kill us both Miranda.”
“So far we are all in agreement. Unless you have some brilliant idea hidden in your junior agent decoder ring we have little choice but to go along and remove the threat before it removes us.”
Not for the first time but certainly the first time today, Andy realized that behind Miranda’s very acerbic tongue was a rather delightful albeit very dry sense of humor.
“Sorry lost the ring. But I do have a plan. The Firm has known the success it has because we established protocols for doing everything. Everyone learns them, uses them and usually succeeds as a result. Now the bad guys know them or at least we think they know them. So we change it up. Miranda and I work out a new set of protocols for this operation and while we leave the enemy scratching its head trying to figure out what we are going to do next, we figure out who they are and eliminate them along with our bomb happy terrorists.”
“Now Andy I do applaud your enthusiasm and all but those protocols are in place for a reason. We can’t have agents just making this up as they go. Our success rates are because of those protocols. I think…”
“Andrea is right. Oh Jonathan, it was only a matter of time before someone got their hands on our, is playbook the correct term?”
Andy and Marks both nodded. Andy smiled at the thought of Miranda actually knowing what a playbook was. “Right then. Andrea and I were headed back to my suite to start planning. Part of that exercise will now include new protocols. Ones we will not be sharing until all this is behind us and the threat to the Firm has been eliminated. I believe we also intend to consume a more than moderate amount of alcohol. You are welcome to join us.”
“Thank you. As much as I would enjoy it, neither my liver, my doctor nor my wife would approve. No you two go ahead. Besides the fewer people who know of your plans the better. Myself included. While you two are planning I will be meeting with a certain computer genius I know to see if we can’t discern a connection between Stephens, Henderson and you. Perhaps if we can find that it might lead to a connection with some of the Board members and perhaps even a reason why.”
Miranda nodded and swiveled in her chair to stare back out the window. It never occurred to Andy to do anything but wait. Jonathan was just about to ask if there was something else when she uttered one word. “Jacqueline. That would be the connection between Stephens, Henderson and myself.”
TBC