Page 21 of Operation: Reckless Angel

“You’re being reckless.”

“Says the guy whose callsign is Crash. Yeah, that’s right. I know who you guys are. You’re not regular cops or feds. You’re Special Forces Operators, every single one of you. Crash, Mother, Lambchop, Taco, Moe. Those aren’t names. They’re callsigns. Is your name even Sebastian?”

“Yes, it is,” he said. “But, Briana, you’re using your girlfriend’s name and it’s possible her abusive ex-husband will find you. Then what? And even if it isn’t him, you need to worry about the rest of them. These men are dangerous and one of them will eventually catch up to you and possibly kill you,” Roth said, just as impassioned as she had.

“Fuck you! Would you be this worried if I were a man? Would you be worried some guy would catch up with me and kill me?”

“Let’s bring this down a notch,” Lambchop said. “I don’t blame you if you provided your friend, Lisa O’Connor and her son new identities to keep them safe from her ex-husband.”

Briana’s eyes filled with tears. Damn, they did know everything.

“I read the file. She took a hell of a beating from her ex-husband, bad enough that she couldn’t recover and was given a medical discharge,” Lambchop said.

“She lost vision in an eye. The bastard hit her so hard in her left eye that there was bleeding and nerve damage inside the eye. The orbital bone broke and penetrated the eyeball. And a judge was going to give that monster visitation of their young son,” Briana said.

“He was released from prison way too soon,” Lambchop said. “And I agree, visitation should never have been considered. But if we like it or not, he has rights to see his son.”

“His son should have rights not to be in the proximity of someone who’s already proven themselves to be violent and dangerous. And what about Lisa? Would you intentionally hand your child over to possibly be put in mortal danger?” Briana demanded.

“No, I wouldn’t,” Lambchop said. “As I said, I would have done the same thing you did.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Your activities were detected and flagged,” Lambchop explained. “Right now, only one other agency, who can’t do a damn thing about it except refer it to us, knows about it. Our team and our boss will make the final determination if there is any crime to be prosecuted.”

Roth watched Briana’s facial expression very carefully as Lambchop spoke. She understood exactly what he was saying and the meaning behind it.

“So, I’m only going to ask you once. Be straight with me. Where did you get the identities from that you’re selling and how are you getting paid?”

Briana hoped he was being straight. Was there really any possible way she could get away without being arrested and prosecuted? She again looked at Sebastian. She didn’t want to give anything away or look too hopeful that the large black man was telling her the truth, but damn, she needed to know before she spilled it all.

Roth nodded. “I know you won’t believe me, but you can trust us. We’re the good guys, Briana.”

Briana’s heart pounded hard in her chest. She was either going to either confirm what they already knew or lay a bombshell at their feet. “I had a friend in the CIA who provided me with backdoor access to their database of identities that they create. They’re secure and untraceable after I pull one and use it. They don’t keep track of them. They create them and hand them out to undeserving criminals who help them. At least I’m providing them to women who need them, good people in really bad situations.”

“And payment?” Lambchop prompted.

“Only what they can afford to pay and only enough to cover our expenses. No one’s getting rich off this,” she said.

“Yeah, man, look around. I’m not exactly living large, here,” Cameron said.

“Haven’t you been worried the CIA would figure out what you’ve been doing?” Roth asked.

Briana huffed out a laugh. “Seriously, it’s part of the government, the most inefficient organization in existence. There’s no one keeping track of those identities. And wouldn’t you prefer they be used by good people who need them, Americans citizens?”

Roth had to agree with her on all counts.

Hotel

“You’re pissed at me. I get it. But come on Briana, the silent treatment. Isn’t that kind of juvenile?” Roth said.

The two of them sat at the kitchen table. Tessman sat in one of the kitchen chairs that he’d moved over against the sliding glass door, just in case one of the Woods’ siblings thought about foolishly trying to bolt. Jimmy Wilson sat beside Cameron, who sat at his computer desk. He’d allowed Garcia to remote in, a show of good faith. Mother sat on one of the stairs near the front door, guarding it as well. And Lambchop and Burke were back in the loft at the borrowed unit, waiting for Shepherd to be available for a video call to discuss the situation.

They’d released the Woods' siblings’ hands with their promises to behave.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t listening. What did you ask?” Briana said.

Roth couldn’t help but smile. She’d heard him alright; knew he’d asked her a question. She was putting him in his place with her cool reply and even cooler demeanor. “I asked if you wanted another cup of tea. I’m going to get myself another.”

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