The Memorial Day Murders

Chapter 20 : Further details

The White House

The noise has died down in the Oval Office as President Reagan has reduced the personnel to him, Bruce, Catherine, George, Jack and Andrew. Because of his background in the Middle East Jack had already knew where to start but he wouldn't tell the president unless he can confirm it. Influenced by her mother Jack admit, the vice president is a tricky target to find. When she doesn't want to be found she meant it. Her former partner Andy Duncan did helped a bit, in leaking the fact that she has social media accounts.

"Before DC she is known as Lieutenant Isabella Stark, one of the best female soldiers stationed at Burqa Military Base in Afghanistan. But she is only female soldier under Lieutenant General Gerald Forest, and I'm sure all of you might have heard about her tale of survival in the small town also in Afghan after her team was taken out by Taliban fighters."

"Hold up George, Isabella's the survivor of that raid?" Catherine asked. "Guess that I was wrong about her being a bookish analyst."

"She wasn't just bookish Catherine." the general said, holding the urge to shake his head. "Why did you think that Barack put her in charge of the op?"

"Well, the FBI doesn't have much of a dossier on her." she admitted.

"We can debate that later." the general said. "She and Dominic Hayes were in charge of the raid in Afghanistan that comprises of a coalition force between the US, UK and South Korea. The UK sent in their RAF forces, under the command of Harold Manchester."

"At least brief them both people." Jack cleared his throat. As he said the president and his son-in-law are seated at the chairs of the Resolute Desk, half understanding and half confused. "I already have my fair share of military intelligence."

"When you're with the CIA." Catherine said without blinking an eye. "Don't think that only the President knows it." the chief of staff's icy gaze swept over the Director of National Intelligence. 

"The team is a black ops team, comprised of six individuals : Isabella Stark, Dominic Hayes, Gerald Carter, Olivia Wilson, Lincoln Jefferson and Jason Roosevelt. All top of their classes in the USMA, that's why we dropped them at Burqa. Isabella's different because she has military training with the South Korean Army before furthering her studies here in USMA."

"If you'd paid attention on Inauguration Day you would've spotted three men dressed in military dress uniforms at the front row, watching her as she takes the oath of office." Jack said. "If you did that's where she got her training from." George Duncan knew what the chief of staff meant and nodded. "According to the records at Burqa Gerald intended to promote Isabella to the rank of Major but she left a week before the promotion is approved."

"No." George interrupted. "She was transferred to Syria to help the fighting there. We're lacking aid there." But Catherine backed away and started scrolling on her tablet, receiving urgent updates.

"Mr. President." she then said. "The investigating team has reported back. They said that there are two more individuals missing from the crime scene. No evidence of a struggle, maybe they stumbled upon the crash and went with the team."

"ID?" George asked.

"The gunmetal Porsche?" Catherine raised a brow. "Belonged to one man but in the car the team found two sets of DNA. I believed that you recognize the owner's name." that, is pointing at General Duncan and he raised a brow. "The Porsche's owner is Lucas 'Luke' Fox, honorably discharged after the war in Afghanistan, deployed at Burqa Military Base."

Bruce raised a brow upon what he heard. He's been trying to find out the reasons why Luke and Isabella are familiar about each of their lives in the military and the DNI has given the answer. She has been at the same base with Luke while he traveled the world to learn the skills he need to be the vigilante protecting Gotham City. "The second set of DNA belongs to someone named Richard John Grayson." the DNI added. "They both disappeared from the scene after the crash but the team can't be sure that who had taken them but I believed that the vice president has taken them to safety. A Gulfstream flew across the Atlantic Ocean two hours later however."

The president looked up. "Any ID on the plane?"

"It's a privately owned Gulfstream sir." the DNI said. "But I've got a hold on the location, London, UK."

"United Kingdom?" he raised a brow. 

"Should we send someone there?" the DNI asked.

"I don't think so Catherine." the president said. "The vice president doesn't want to be found."