Ken obtained a city public works van that will allow us to park on the side of the street within viewing distance of Bogachev’s building. The local police precincts will be aware it’s an FBI operation and will leave us alone.
Because I know the area well, I point to another place on the map. “There’s a cafe right here. They have a meal counter that runs along the windows. Get a seat there, and you’ll have an unfettered view of us.”
“That’s a lot of distance between me and you if something goes wrong and you need my help,” he remarks.
“Nothing’s going to go wrong,” I assure him. “Chances of Bogachev being on to us are very slim.”
“But still—”
“You’ll be right across the street and down half a block,” I remind him soothingly. “It will be fine.”
It better be fine. I’m not worried about myself, but Bebe will be there. I’d never be able to live with myself if something were to happen to her, yet I can’t stand in her way of wanting to do this. I just know deep in my gut she wants to be the one to ultimately take him down or she’ll never have the closure she wants.
No, needs.
And deserves.
Ken moves on, understanding the plan is already set. “Once you complete the mirror-image capture, I’ll join you and we’ll drive straight to the federal building to turn it in.”
“My team in D.C. will be waiting for us to send it to them.” We’ll upload the data through a secure, encrypted server here at the local FBI office, and the cyber team in D.C. is on standby to go through it. We also have a federal attorney there who will be reviewing the evidence in real-time and ready to move.
Still, it will probably take a few days to get through it with enough detail to ensure the arrest warrants are tight. As soon as we upload the data, I intend to drive Bebe straight back to Pittsburgh, where we’ll wait for confirmation of Bogachev’s arrest. Only then will we feel comfortable getting Aaron and Gloria back to us.
“You sure you don’t want in on the arrest?” Ken asks. We’ve already decided he and his team will be the ones to carry it out. “You’ve been working this for a long damn time. Surely you want the satisfaction of putting him in handcuffs?”
There was a time it was all I lived for—seeing Bogachev’s face when I revealed I was FBI and he was under arrest. But it’s just not important to me now. I’d rather be with Bebe, ensuring her continued safety until that monster is behind bars.
“How are things with Bogachev?” Ken asks. He’s been filled in on my current deception—pretending to be in California hunting down Bebe’s family.
I grimace slightly. “He’s not happy it’s taking me so long. Demanding I come back and report face to face on the setback.”
Ken’s eyes darken with worry. “Has your cover been compromised?”
I shrug. “You never know with Bogachev. He’s paranoid by nature, so on one hand, him demanding I fly back across the country to give him a face-to-face report isn’t so unusual. But on the other, it could mean he’s suspicious of me.”
“I think it’s safe if we just assume that,” Ken suggests. “Your undercover operation is now officially over.”
He’s not wrong. It would be stupid of us to take anything for granted right now.
Ken and I continue to hash out the game plan until we feel there’s no room for any unknowns. It’s simple. Bebe and I will park in the designated area, which puts her and the Hijacker within close enough distance to activate the USB device I’d installed. Ken will watch us the entire time, providing armed backup in the slim chance it’s needed.
When we’re done, we shake hands, and I promise to call him in the morning when I’m ready for the van.
I don’t head back to Bebe though.
I have one more thing I need to do.
?
I place the keycard against the pad beside the door. When the light turns green, I slowly open the door, trying not to make any noise. I’ve only been gone about an hour and a half, and I hope Bebe’s still sleeping. I want her as fortified as possible for what we have coming tomorrow.
I barely get the door halfway open before I see her on the bed, sitting cross-legged with a cup of hotel brew in her hand. The TV is set to some local news station, and I can hear them reporting about a double murder.
Her eyes come to me, and she gives me a slow but chastising smile. Then her eyes widen as she truly takes me in and her jaw hangs open wide. “What happened to you?” she asks slowly and sounding slightly awed.
I give her a half-assed grin, rubbing my hand over my now-buzzed hair. The stop I had to make after meeting with Ken was to a barbershop. “I figured it was time to cut it all off seeing as how the undercover portion of my job is over. Now it’s my disguise.”