Juliet and Juliet?

Chapter 16

"What?!" Elliot snapped. He wanted to shout but was aware of the approaching form of Lieutenant Goldie. He spoke hurriedly, "Cap'n, I think we can trust Goldie, I was with him all afternoon, he's by the book, he was pissed that someone in his unit went rogue. We tell him there's another one, he'll find them." Elliot said confidently.

Captain Cragen nodded his head, "I hope you're right Elliot, for Olivia and Alex's sake," he said and turned to face the questioning stare of the Tactical Team Leader.

"Something I should know?" Goldie asked.

Elliot spent a few minutes relaying the conversation he'd had with Olivia. When he reached the part about another rogue agent in Goldie's team, he braced himself for his reaction. Cragen took up the conversation when Elliot finished, telling him they needed to find their 'mole'. Goldie was silent the whole time but Elliot could see the muscles in his thick neck straining.

Goldie listened to both men and took a deep breath before speaking. "Did it occur to either of you Porter is telling Benson this to cover for himself?" he asked calmly. "What do we know? A hit is issued on ADA Cabot. Two men are apprehended, the third is identified as Sean Connors, know 'gun for hire'. Cabot is held captive by David Brennan, a rogue agent on my team, Benson kills him. En route to hospital the convoy is attacked, Benson and Cabot disappear in an unidentified black SUV. Porter conveniently sends a photo of Connors taken two days ago, when FBI reported they couldn't get a clear image from satellite pictures." He paused to let what he was saying sink in. "We then receive priority intel, images of Porter and Connors together at Riverside Park this morning. Porter misses his 13:00 flight from JFK to Mexico City and fails to report his location to his SAC. He signs out an assault vehicle from the Bureau's compound at 15:00," he stopped and turned to Cragen, "D'you see where I'm going with this?" he finished, raising his eyebrows.

Nobody commented then Goldie spoke again, "Your partner, " he motioned to Elliot, "said Porter was raking them Upstate. Why would he move them out of the City, with plenty of safe houses and protective detail available within a 30 mile radius? Why would he drive them somewhere remote, with no back up? Why would he fail to report his location?... There is no other 'mole' in my Unit, Porter just wants us to think that."

There was no mistaking the matching looks of panic that crossed Cragen and Elliot 's faces, despite the rapidly descending dusk.

They had been driving for about an hour.

Alex had her head on Olivia's shoulder and was dozing lightly. Olivia had reluctantly resisted the urge to wrap her arm around Alex's shoulder, opting for the more discrete gesture of holding her hand. She had her eyes closed but wasn't sleeping, she had been taking note of road signs as they whizzed past. She didn't know what to make of Porter, her cop brain was confused that he had been hesitant to make contact with anyone and confirm their status. His reasoning was plausible but not without question. Porter's cellphone ringing broke her form her thoughts as she focused on what he was saying.

"Yes?" Porter answered in greeting.

A pause followed, then Porter spoke again, lowering his tone, "That's unfortunate," he paused, listening to the response, "I had nothing to do with that, how could I?"

Olivia's senses were instantly alerted as she tried to work out who Porter was talking to. His informal greeting indicated that it wasn't Bureau on the other end of the phone. 'If it's not the Bureau, then who?' She thought worriedly. She felt Alex stir beside her and remove her head.

"No. You listen to me. This is the only way, I'll be in touch when we get there, we're 40 minutes out," he finished and closed the phone.

Olivia leaned between the seats dividing the front and rear of the car, "Who was that?" she demanded.