The Memorial Day Murders

Chapter 17 : Intelligence perspective

Washington DC (Present Day)

The Gulfstream landed on the tarmac but Bruce did not recognize this airfield as the aircraft taxied to a halt and the airstair appeared in view. He stood up and exited the jet, the moody weather greeting him. A car is already there waiting for him and a man dressed in a business suit is waiting outside. "Mr. Wayne?" he asked. Bruce nodded and the agent outstretched his hand. "Daniel Watson. I'm the Secret Service agent in charge of your protection detail from now on." he said, deadpan. He frowned. He didn't expect a protection detail but he knew that the agent will be following him everywhere but he wasn't certain for how long. Bruce entered the car and two more agents flanked his side, one of them being Daniel. "Let's go." he instructed. 

The car then pulled away from the tarmac, leaving the airfield and is now driving down the road out from the place. Bruce noticed the insignia when they passed by a hangar, bearing the name Joint Base Andrews. Then rain started pouring down, dousing the scenery, and the windows, wet in water. Daniel kept a close eye on Bruce while listening to his earpiece. "Where is she?" he asked the agent. 

"We don't know sir." he replied. "But my main priority now is to keep you safe."

"Can you at least tell me what happened?" Bruce asked, clearly angered and unimpressed upon his reply. Then the agent became silent, followed by the atmosphere in the car. The AC in the car was the only thing making noise, the gentle hum audible in the background. The silence lasted for five minutes and the agent withdrew a tablet hidden within his jacket.

"Sir." he said, handing Bruce the tablet. The tablet is now playing a news report, focusing on the current breaking news about the Vice President of the United States going missing. He watched it until the car drove into the compound of the White House, stopping at the building's entrance at the North Lawn. The agent led him to the Oval Office, the office of the President of the United States. Jack Peterson, the White House chief of staff and one of the president's closest friends, answered the door and led him in.

"I'll take it from here Daniel." Jack said. Several men and women are in the Oval Office, some standing and some sitting. He don't recognize most of them except a few. 

"You're her former partner. You must've known something." the president said while seated at the Resolute Desk. "Anything, like safehouses, possible hideouts."

"Sir, Isa mostly kept to herself. Even though she has OSINT sources that we can track but she dropped off the grid."

"What kind?" he asked. 

"Social media accounts sir." the voice replied. "I've worked with her for years and when she said she goes dark she means it. Never checked in, anything that showed signs of activity." As some men and women in the office noticed Bruce they quietly stepped aside, granting him a full look at the person the president dubbed as his wife's partner. The person speaking to the president is a man in his thirties, could be younger than Isa. He had an ID tag on him, showing his credentials and Bruce saw the FBI logo. 

"Assistant Director Duncan." the commander-in-chief said. "... Never mind. I know you did your best." he then waved a hand at the man and he nodded, stepping back. "Mr. Wayne." the president addressed him, standing up from his chair. 

"Mr. President." he replied. The man glanced at him and both men looked at each other. The man known as Isa's partner looked at him, but he knows that he is accessing him. 

"Mr. Wayne, this is Assistant Director Andy Duncan from the Counterintelligence Division in the FBI's Intelligence Bureau. He is also the vice president's former partner in the FBI." the president introduced. The assistant director said nothing but he outstretched his hand.

"The famous Bruce Wayne." he said. "A shame that we have to meet under these circumstances." then they shook hands. "I know that you're the one following us back in England years ago." he whispered in his ear. Bruce grimaced in respond. 

"Any news Catherine?" the president asked. A woman looked up from her tablet.

"Yes sir." she said. "The Secret Service has completed a full analysis." Bruce recognized her on the spot, the woman known as Catherine. Full name Catherine Eckhart, is the Director of National Intelligence, and one of the few people who have worked with the vice president before. "The crash is definitely deliberate sir. We've studied the footage, and analysis said that a Toyota Hilux is behind the crash."

"Any evidence on the perpetrators?" he asked. 

"All male, Middle Eastern origin." she replied. "Wearing armbands, you won't like it sir." the president shot her a cold gaze. "The insignia belonged to the Taliban." then the environment became silent as everybody was caught off-guard. 

"Taliban? What?" the president grimaced. "Why?"

"They're out for blood sir." a man replied. The people in the room turned their heads to see a man dressed in a military uniform sitting on the couch, a file stamped with the words 'CONFIDENTIAL' on the cover. "They want revenge, which means the deaths of every member of Elite Alpha."