The Merchant of the Black Market, A Lex Jackson thriller: Book two

Chapter 6:

Flashback Ten years ago

New York

Lex walked along the sidewalk with his colleague, Shivani Sharma, just after finishing their classes at the university. He had no idea what the future held for him. They headed over to his apartment. They entered through the doors and took the stairs up to the tenth floor. After that, they entered his stylish room, which overlooked the city. In the corner was a desk with a chair beside it. Was the kitchen, and there were portraits of his parents and travels they had taken on the wall.

As he closed the door behind them, he proceeded to place his laptop on the desk. Lex was unsure about their profession, but he knew they had traveled extensively. She walked over to the the wall, which was adorned with numerous photographs. Her gaze stopped at a picture depicting a man and a woman outside the Hermitage Museum. She seemed intrigued, and upon closer inspection, she noticed something peculiar. He tightened his grip on his. gun as he observed her reaction.

"Lex, I think your parents were agents for the CIA," Shivani said as she approached him

"They never told me what they did for a career," he added, recalling his final vacation with his parents to Ukraine—enjoying himself going along the streets. Looking through a store window or heading to the embassy.

"I think your parents were protecting you from their enemies, Lex," She told him.

He stepped up to the window, still finding it hard to believe his parents were spies. All he could think about was protecting him from whom? The memory of his father opening a safe and removing a gun and passport flashed through Lex's mind. 

In Lex's memory, he could hear his father mentioning to his mother that both their agency and The KGB had plans to assassinate President Kennedy. With a sense of curiosity, he wondered if they knew of the situation and attempted to prevent the CIA from carrying out their plan. 

As the CIA security officers stepped out of their GMC parked in front of the apartment building, Laurette Hamilton emerged from the vehicle. They surveyed the surrounding area before opening the door. Laurette stepped out as the security officer closed the door behind her. Shivani heard the door knock and footsteps approaching. Lex strode over to the open door, seeing the CIA case officer standing there.

In her pocket, she pulled out a business card: "I'm Laurette Hamiltiion, an official with the CIA, and I'd like to hire you and Shivani."

"Miss Hamilton, may I ask why you are interested in recruiting us?" inquired  student.

Lex, I understand you're accessing your father's Kennedy's assassination file. And I also believe you have talent. Having seen you at the shooting ranges, I know how to handle weapons. You would be a  successful agent. Shivani, I know you like to travel to Europe and are ambitious. Your skills and abilities make you the most qualified agent and station chief candidate. We are confident that you would excel in this position," Laurette replied.

Lex glanced at Shivani, and as she looked into his eyes, he felt like she read his soul. He wondered if fate would bring them together again. But this was a chance to work for the CIA and become an agent. Down the road, they may see one another again. They nodded, walked out with the agent, and headed to the GMC.

Three weeks later

Camp Peary CIA secret training camp somewhere in Virginia

Studying his recruits, the CIA instructor looked into their eyes, knowing they would face danger once they finished training here.During the Cold War, he was a legend in the CIA.It has been claimed that he created the Moscow rules that CIA agents follow when operating.After completing the six-month training program for spies and operations officers, Lex learned how to develop assets and gain their trust.

As the instructor explained," in order to gain their trust, you must use MICE, money, ideology, compromise, and ego. For example, if you want intel from a foreign agent, you can offer him money in return for betraying his country. Aldrich Ames sold out the CIA network for fifty thousand dollars to the Russians, and Robert Hanssen sold secrets to the Russians for 1.4 million dollars."

The betrayal of their country for financial gain by these CIA officers left him stunned. But then he had a point. Lex listened as the instructor continued.As the instructor pointed out, ideology can be tricky. You need to convince the asset that his political opinions or national allegiances are dangerous, not just helpful. Not all assets cooperate readily, and some need threats.

In an exercise called double-tap or die, they were trained in hand-to-hand combat and how to take down a potential enemy agent. "Okay Lex, you're up, let's see what you got" said the instructor as he handed me a Sig Sauer.

Thankfully, it was empty. He rapidly learned how to scale walls and load his weapon in a variety of conditions. For the following two weeks, He learned to drive rapidly while remaining alert and ready to reverse. They trained Lex in the SDR Surveillance Detection Route, giving him the ability to spot potential dangers such as whispers and tails. Ether if he was being tracked by foreign intelligence personnel. After finishing my training at Camp Peary, he was posted to the US embassy in Oslo, Norway, where the agent successfully made contact with a Norwegian intelligence service asset. I could obtain critical information on the GRU cyber cell thanks to this asset.

She felt like a true espionage expert upon completion of the spy tradecraft course - as soon as Shivani received her appointment as station chief in Tallinn, Estonia, she learned of a mole that had infiltrated the CIA station.

Shivani drove her Ford Fusion down Pennsylvania Avenue, her mind buzzing with questions about the White House summons. Renting a car, the station chief paid in cash after flying from Tallinn, Estonia.She arrived at the security gate outside the White House as the security guard opened the gate and nodded her to drive through. After that, the station chief parked her vehicle and stepped out closing the door behind where she met by secret service agents

As they moved down the hallway, they passed wall-mounted pictures of prior presidents as they approached the west wing.President Roberts was seated at the Resolute desk when Shivani entered the Oval Office. "Thank you for coming, Station Chief Sharma," Miguel Caspian remarked as he got up from the couch. Do take a seat, please."

As the President gazed up from reading the dossier and spoke, she sat across from the desk. "Station chief Sharma, you had a very successful career finding a spy within the United States embassy inside The CIA Station.  would want to nominate you for the position of Director of National Intelligence as you will be read into the Alpha group. things only the director, myself, and you know about."

Shivani questioned, " "Who is the head agent of the Alpha group?"

President Roberts said, "Lex Jackson is our top agent."

"Lex, did you say?" inquired the Director of National Intelligence.

Roberts asked, "Yes, why do you know him?".

"We went to University in New York before director Hamilton recruit us for the CIA, Shivani replied