Instant Connection

40

Days went by, Graceland seemed to be at a standstill. Charlie and Jakes were heading back to California, with an extra guest. Johnny and Stella went to go pick them up. 

Mike, Stella and Johnny had been trying to stay clear of Briggs, still upset over everything that happened. It caused more than one agent to wonder what else Briggs had elaborately schemed behind everyone's back, and because it's Briggs, they just went along with it. To say that Johnny, and Stella were thrilled to be able to head down to Florida is an understatement.

"Martun Sarkissian, domestic terrorist." Logan says, flipping through the binder, "Agent Briggs, this HSI report is highly compelling."

"Mm." Briggs nods.

"Yeah, highly compelling..." He shuts the binder, "and highly fabricated." he slides the binder to the other agent.

"Fabricated?" Briggs grabs the binder, opening it, "There's nothing fabricated about it. For example, details-- Did Agent Warren stumble across a case via the Deep Net? Yes, he did. Did it lead him to Gusti Radek Pendit? Yes, as a matter of fact, it did. Did he, as per his profession, go undercover with Gusti and ride that relationship to Martun Sarkissian? Yes, yes, and yes."

"And did you generate the entire series of events?" Logan asks.

"You know what, sir? I don't see my name anywhere in here." Briggs says, closing the binder and tossing it back on Logan's desk.

"You let Adamian burn me. I've got nerve damage, Briggs, and this..." He yanks up his sleeve to show Briggs the scaring from the acid, "this is permanent. How could you possibly think I would sign off on this bullshit?!" Logan throws the binder at his plexiglass wall, scaring the other agents walking by.

"Right now one of the most powerful weapons dealers in the world, a man you sent me after, Logan, is cooling his heels in a United States Army detention facility. Now, if that file goes through, Logan, he never walks free again. On the other hand, if that file doesn't go through, the case against Martun crumbles, and a lot of people start asking a lot of questions." Briggs rises from his seat, "You know, you once offered me... a simplification. You said... either take down some really nasty guys and come out rosy or slog through a river of shit and wind up at Rikers. Well, it looks like we're floating in the same boat now, Captain. So... what do you want to do– roses or shit? It's your call."

Logan is silent for a moment, "Warren will have to sign off on it."

Briggs takes the binder and heads back to Graceland.

"You can't be serious." Mike says, after reading the page that summarizes the file, "I endorse this, I perjure myself. Is that what you're suggesting?"

"Yes, Mike, that is what I'm suggesting."

Mike shuts the file, "No. No way. You don't get to win this one, Briggs."

"This isn't about winning or losing, Mike. This is about keeping Marun Sarkissian off the streets. You know you had me investigating air. I mean, literally a keg of air. Where do you even get that?"

"A prop house in Studio City."

"Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Quite to the contrary. I think you are a really good goddamn agent, Mike. I counted on you being smarter, better than the next guy, and still I didn't give you enough credit, because you caught on to me." Briggs explains.

"And what about Gusti, huh? I sign this, you go free. He's gonna get shipped to Guantánamo."

"The truth is that we covered up Toros' death. We kidnapped Martun Sarkissian's daughter, and we got Colby Moore killed. Mike, HSI is this close from closing the books on the sarin, this close. Now, if they start digging, how long is it gonna be before they uncover the truth about your addiction?"