“And I’m not a young guy, Reel. I’ve got other things I want to do in life. In truth, this job is a killer, it really is. You jump from crisis to crisis. Success to disaster. The highest peaks and the lowest valleys. My gut is one big acid burn. I think I’ve aged more in this job than I did in the previous thirty years of my life. But I don’t want to leave until this thing is resolved. And I didn’t want to leave without telling you what I just have.” He paused again, glanced at her nervously, and said, “That’s all I wanted to say. You can head out now.”
As they rose, Reel said, “So why did you just bust our asses in the meeting?”
“For now at least I’m still the DCI. And I’m concerned that you will not be where I need you to be. That’s why. But with that said, I hope you have a relaxing time in Nantucket.”
“Thank you, sir. I hope I will too.”
Chapter
67
THE SEAS WERE CHOPPY, THOUGH in the twin-hulled high-speed catamaran it was hardly noticeable. Chung-Cha sat in her seat in the heated space while Min had her face glued to the window looking at the frothing water.
It had occurred to Chung-Cha that Min had never been on a boat of any kind before. Until recently she had never ridden in a car or a plane or a train. The young girl had come a long way in a short time.
As the island of Nantucket appeared out of the mist, Min resumed her seat next to Chung-Cha. The ferry was only about half full, mostly with older people returning to the island. Chung-Cha smiled occasionally at some of them but did not say anything.
The ferry passed by the man-made breakwater and headed into the harbor. A few minutes later they were docked and the passengers filed off the boat. Chung-Cha held Min’s hand as they went down the gangplank. The ferry’s captain tipped his hat and said, “Enjoy your visit.”
Chung-Cha smiled. “We plan to.”
They continued with their rolling bags to the car rental office, where Chung-Cha produced her license and her reservation and credit card. They drove off a bit later in a small white SUV. As the sun was setting to the west, burning the sky into reds and golds, Min stared out the car window and said, “What are we doing here, Chung-Cha?”
“I told you. Just a little trip.”
“Who were those people at the other place?”
“Friends of mine.”
“They didn’t seem too friendly.”
“Well, they are. They are good people.”
“You work with them?” Min said, giving Chung-Cha a brief sideways glance.
“A little.”
“What is this place called?”
“Nantucket. This is the Atlantic Ocean that you are seeing. Where Korea is, that’s the Pacific Ocean.”
“I know nothing about any of that.”
Chung-Cha glanced at her as they drove along. “You will, Min. I promise. You will learn every day. Even—” Here she broke off.
“Even what?” said Min quickly, apparently sensing unease in the woman.
“Even when you are tired of learning,” said Chung-Cha with a smile.
She had put her destination into the car’s navigation system. The island was not large, but the roads were not very well marked and she was glad of the assistance the computer provided. Min’s eyes followed the little marker that represented their vehicle as it traveled along the navigation screen. She asked many questions about the device and Chung-Cha answered as best she could.
Their rental rumbled over the cobblestone streets of the village square. There were a number of people on the streets and many shops were still open. The weather was not cold, though as the sun fell it would grow chillier. The briny smell of the ocean was all around them.
Min sniffed. “That smell is not so nice.”
“It’s fishy. It’s not bad. There are far worse smells.”
Min looked at her and nodded. “There are far worse smells,” she repeated.
Soon they turned down a winding lane with high grass on either side. The ocean was visible on three sides. The cottage they pulled into sat by itself off the road. Chung-Cha cut off the engine and opened the car door. She and Min pulled out their bags and they walked together up to the front door.
“Who lives here?” asked Min.
“We do, for now.”
The inside of the cottage was quaint and neat, and when Min found that she had her own room and bed she was astonished.
“Just me?” she asked Chung-Cha.
“I will be in the room next to it. You will be fine. But if you feel anxious, you will know where to find me.”
They had not eaten since lunch, so Chung-Cha prepared a meal from the contents of the refrigerator, which had been filled for their visit. They ate and drank hot tea and watched the sun finish its fall to the horizon.
“It looks like the sun has dropped into the water,” said Min as they watched out the window.
“Yes, it does.”
Min spent the next hour going around the house and seeing what was there. The owners had left toys and board games in a closet. Min had pulled some things out and was playing with them, but she did not like it when Chung-Cha was out of her sight for very long.
Chung-Cha sat in a chair after hitting a switch, which caused the gas fireplace to turn on. When Min saw the flames spring out, she rushed over, her face filled with horror.
“We have to get water to put it out!”
“No, Min, it is all right. It is the way it works. It gives off heat. See, draw close, like this. It feels good.”
She and Min stood in front of the fire and let it warm them.
An hour later Min fell asleep on the couch next to Chung-Cha. Now Chung-Cha could get to work.
Since she understood that the mission was not expected to produce any survivors, she had to think some things through. When she had, she pulled out her phone and studied the images on there. The three Cassions stared back at her. Mother, daughter, son.
Next she looked at images of Will Robie and Jessica Reel. She could just tell they were like her. They looked strong and capable and unafraid of anything.
As Min quietly snored next to her, Chung-Cha went through all the files and details once more.
The plan was still in progress because they did not yet have an exact itinerary for the first family. In fact, there might not be one, since this trip was apparently not really part of the official schedule but an impromptu decision.
They were all aware, from recent news stories, that the NSA and other American intelligence agencies listened to everyone in the world, so the use of their phones to communicate, even via text or email, was deemed to be too risky on the island, even if they used code. The thought was that any communications on the island, with the First Lady and her children here, would be given heightened scrutiny.
But it was not as though they could freely congregate and continue their planning. A group of Asians doing so would be a red flag and could sabotage their mission before it even began.
But they had to communicate. And they believed they had arrived at a plan to do so while staying below the Americans’ radar. And Chung-Cha had devised a way for Min to play a part in that.
Over the next several days Chung-Cha and Min drove and walked through the town. They made treks along the beach. They collected shells and threw pebbles into the ocean. They watched seagulls glide across the sky and ferries race across the water.
Chung-Cha had her ears open for any snatches of conversation about the people who would soon be coming here. And details were learned, because Americans apparently liked to gossip.
While they were eating chowder in a local café several men came in. They wore jackets and khaki pants and had earwigs and looked quietly professional. They took a table near Chung-Cha and Min. While she